I was fortunate enough to see the book in early iterations prior to the Kickstarter, and wrote up a full review of the content available at the time for the review website Sticky Bunton.
That said, the TL;DR version of the review is as follows:
The Good
Compared to the first edition of Iron Edda, this is a massive improvement. The layout is cleaner and more organized, the art is improved, and the book is overall more coherent. If you had issues with the first edition, they have been fixed here!
For Fate fans, you'll find that this is a rather approachable version of Dresden Files Accelerated (which tends to be challenging for non-Dresden fans), with a new "mechanic" tossed in via the Holdfast Creation. For anyone who's struggled with making a city that feels alive while also investing players into it, this new tech makes this chore much more interesting and interactive.
I'm also fond of how it's a viking-themed product that doesn't feel like every other bit of viking-themed material we've been seeing. There's a lot of nuances missed in pop culture that Tracy ensured were within these pages, and I'm all for it.
The Bad
My biggest (personal) gripe with the book is that there just isn't enough when it comes to the setting. We are told of other parts of the world, but in vague ways that lead to more questions than answers. We have some plot points, but not so much the how or the why. While I am usually against strict "by the book" when it comes to storytelling, I would like to know how the world works a bit more before I start tweaking everything.
The only other complaints I have rest with my ambivalence to the artwork (simultanesouly lovely but clunky at times) and the lack of new "tech" for Fate enthusiasts (as it can be viewed as a reskinned Dresden Files Accelerated with some new themes and mantles). Some newer entrants to the game won't see the latter, but the former is a mixed back.
The Verdict
I think any fan of the Fate RPG would want this on their shelves. It adds some codified rules while also bringing in an interesting setting that is well worth the read. There's some great ideas and twists to mechanics within the book, and the biggest limitations are caused by not having enough detail in certain spots.
I found it to be well worth the price of admission, and would strong suggest it if you enjoy vikings, mecha, and Fate.
|