I’ve played and enjoyed Wild West RPGs and hope to do so again. I own a ridiculous amount of western role-playing games for someone who’s never run one (Ace & Eights, Western Hero, Coyote Trails, Boot Hill, GURPS Old West, Westhedge, etc.) so it took me a long time to finally buy Wild West Cinema.

And boy I’m glad I did. This has to be not only the best Western RPG I’ve ever read but also the best RPG rule set that Spectrum Games has (and I have nearly every one of those as well).

And thank god they didn’t try to find some awkward way to use poker cards because…”It’s a Western!”.

Slightly irked that there aren’t more (than 1) of the Western Archetypes that are female, though of course, there is no reason you couldn’t play a female Drifter, Gunslinger, Indian Outcast, Outlaw and even Preacher Man. Still I think there’s a Soiled Dove or Homestead Protector archetype that could have added to the fun.

Some great writing and the dip into “Alternity” style character definitions is well done and an very appropriate.

Even the skill definitions were interesting to read! Including an insightful treatise on how to deal with ‘charisma’ in relation to role-playing.

So in addition to being a fine rule set (not perfect, it has some too-fiddly bits, but very few), it’s also a blast to read. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

The NPC example list is staggeringly good and complete and ought to be emulated by every RPG.

In so many other ways it’s an amazingly well written description of how RPGs should be played and GM’d. It’s a template I’ll use for all my games.

Top if off with a clever and fun starting adventure that includes a ‘home base’ location and the game practically plays itself.

Pound for pound this is the best Western Game I own and if they had a hard-copy version I would buy it instantly. This is a game I could run tomorrow with as close to zero preparation as any game — granted westerns are easier than most - but these rules make a breeze.

I’ve got to say this is the best RPG system put out by Spectrum Games - and that’s saying something! (I have most of them!)

Wild West Cinema is a quick, easy, and rules lite western game. While it presents itself as a 'Hollywood Western' game, you can easily play a more historic campaign. The system is reminiscent of ICONS super hero rpg, with about the same level of crunch. While there are several archetype characters to choose from, the system is simple enough to create other character types as well in just a few minutes.

Having played Wild West Cinema list night for the 1st time we found this game a blast tp play. We run though the included adventure 'The Gatling Decision' . My Players taking the parts of 'The Percher man' , 'The Indian Outcast' and 'The Drifter'

I was the GM and found I had a lot less work to as the players make all the rolls. The players quickly got into the spirit of the game ham'ing up they particular archetype for all they were worth. A great time was had by all. High recommended easy to run system that does not suffer in game play for being so.

just add chow and ammo !

As a long time player and game master of Boot Hill, a fan of Deadlands, and more recently, a fan of Aces and Eights, I have to give major kudos to Wild West Cinema. Spectrum Games has taken the Wild West genre and simplified it into a clean, fast engine with a cinematic style that puts you right in the middle of a Spaghetti Western. You'll almost be able to smell the thin coat of greasepaint that's turning caucasian actors into Indians, hear the annoyingly-goofy laugh of your side-kick with a silly name, and taste the harsh bite of homebrewed whiskey from the local saloon just before the rest is poured into your gunshot wound so the doc can sew you up. If you're sick of over-complicated mechanics trying to realistically portray the grit and grim of the Old West and just want to have a roarin' good time, I strongly recommend this game! One of the finest examples of what small press can produce.

Initially, when I saw the preview of this game, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I kinda liked what I saw. Now that I have the actual game, I DO like what I see, though it could use some work. Mechanically, this game closely resembles Feng Shui, with one negative and one positive dice being rolled, and their combined result being added to your ability, which in turn is compared to the difficulty or opposing ability. Pretty basic. Overall, I'd say this game fits its intended genre pretty well. No real complaints when it comes to that. Mecahnically, too, it works pretty well. You could get a game running pretty quickly without much trouble. My only real quibble involves the editing and art. Aside from the cover, which was pretty cool, the interior artwork was...well...uninspired. And the text could've used another round of spellchecks and grammar checks. There were many points while reading the game where I had to put the book down for a minute, remind myself that I wasn't an English teacher any longer, and went back to reading. Still, overall, this was a good game.

If Aces and Eights is the John Ford of tabletop westerns, Wild West Cinema is most certainly the Sergio Leone of the genre.

I swear, the dice rolling even has reverb!

Using the F.A.S.T. system, author Dave Bezio has bottled the cinematic western in a fun, easy-to-learn, and player-driven mechanic that is sure to please.

What most appeals to me is the flexibility and freedom Wild West Cinema offers. If I wanted, I could run large tables, small tables, or even one-on-one sessions with no worries whatsoever; the cinematic nature covers all bases.

Despite a few questionable game terms used (which, admittedly, is all a matter of opinion) Mr. Bezio manages to capture much of what I loved about westerns and gaming in the first place.