Be aware that Instant Superheroes is basically a repackaging of the three Mutants & Masterminds Archetype Archive PDFs already released by Green Ronin on RPGNow.
Yes, it's something of a "Director's Cut" edition; the archetypes have been re-written, expanded to some degree, and there's new artwork in the mix, but I'm pretty disappointed in Green Ronin that they didn't mention the content's earlier incarnation in the product description.
The quality of this product is first-rate, as is typical of main-line Green Ronin products. If you're an M&M Gamemaster, and you want a collection of iconic superhero power archetypes (e.g. "the speedster", "the living weapon (bub), "the costumed detective") then this is the place to look. Each archetype has at least one alternative version suggested, and the archetypes can be useful in creating your own, similar NPCs quickly, or if your new player needs a "Human Torch-type character" (or whoever) quickly for tonight's game session.
Pretty much every major copyrighted superhero you can think of is evoked or homaged here somewhere.
If, however, you bought all three Archetype Archive PDFs before already, you may not need this "expanded Director's Cut edition" of those products.
Shame on Green Ronin for not coming clean in the product description about where this PDF originated. They're typically better than that.<br><br>
<b>LIKED</b>:
-- It's solid, useful, well-presented Mutants & Masterminds material, assuming you haven't already paid for the core information once before ...<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>:
-- it's an updated, somewhat expanded "Director's Cut" collection of the three Mutants & Masterminds Archetype Archive PDFs already available here on RPGNow. You don't find this out until after you've purchased the product; it's discussed inside the PDF, and not flagged in the sales description. A shady move worthy of a super-villain ...<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Disappointed<br>
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