By first-time author Symatt, Spy Master is a fast, simple game that aims to capture the spirit of classic James Bond adventures. It uses of the card game 21 (also known as pontoon) as it basic mechanics which fits well with the games theme. There are no dice, just a deck of cards and a combination of player luck and skill. The character sheet is basic, little more than four numbers to represent the character's basic expertise in very loosely defined areas of expertise. All player actions come down to a playing a game of 21 combining randomly drawn cards and one of the four basic character stats. The game also provides a lot of ideas for using cards to generate character background, locations, names and so on.

The game uses various movie related terms like director, scenes and acts to enhance the theme and tone of the game. The book also includes a bit of background on spy organisations and fictional enemies along with examples of play to help players get into the genre.

There is nothing bad about this game but there are areas where it could be better. A lack of experience in the writing and the layout is evident and the game would have benefited from a good editor and or graphic artist. The weaknesses are not enough to spoil the game and even on a quick read through the rules were quickly understandable.

InvaderZ – What Is It?

InvaderZ is a self-described “beer and crisps” game (or beer and pretzels if you’re American). It is not a serious game nor a game for long, epic campaigns, It is a game to roll out when you fancy something fun or you are drunk and need a game that matches your current intellectual capacity.

Players take the role of the invaders from the alien planet Jerkia who are exploring our planet, mutilating our cows and probing in all the wrong places purely for the amusement of their Emperor. Each Jerkian is grown in a test tube, educated (in the loosest possible sense) by a computer and sent to fulfill missions that are either stupid, suicidal or both. The Jerkian invaders come complete with ray guns, flying sources and a variety of other cliches.

A key aspect of the game is that the Jerkian empire is completely rubbish and run as a plaything for the Emperor. Its technology generally doesn’t work and its people are seen as being entirely disposable. Imagine North Korea in space and you won’t be far wrong.

If I had to sum-up the game in a single, elevator pitch it would be “Paranoia crossed with Mars Attacks! with a splash of X-Com.”

The PDF

At over 100 A5 pages, you end up with a good solid little book when printed out. It covers everything you need to run the game including background, an extremely simple character generation system, equipment and adventure ideas. The light-hearted writing style fits the game perfectly and the limited mechanics are explained well.

Worth The Money?

At $1.99? Absolutely.

A fun 100 page read plus the amusement of playing the game for the same price as a Starbuck’s coffee or a pint of beer is a real no-brainer.

This is perfect for keeping on your laptop or e-reader, ready to pull out whenever your planned session falls through or you’re in a convention bar. No real preparation is necessary by the GM and the players certainly don’t need to know the rules.

Final word – Buy it now before you end up with a Jerkian probe where the sun don’t shine.