Declan Kenny, Author at GamEir https://gameir.ie/author/declan100/ GamEir, we're Irish for Gaming Sun, 19 May 2024 14:20:37 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://gameir.ie/wp-content/uploads/cropped-GamEir-TwitterProfile_3-32x32.jpg Declan Kenny, Author at GamEir https://gameir.ie/author/declan100/ 32 32 120040487 Coriolis: The Great Dark but how great is it? https://gameir.ie/review/coriolis-the-great-dark-but-how-great-is-it/ https://gameir.ie/review/coriolis-the-great-dark-but-how-great-is-it/#respond Sun, 19 May 2024 14:20:37 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=82089 Free League Publishing has announced their Kickstarter for Coriolis: The Great Dark. Now you might think this would be just an expansion like I did. How wrong was I, it pushes the game in a new direction and is a Coriolis 2.0. I got my hands on the PDF so let’s dive in. Arabian Nights […]

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Free League Publishing has announced their Kickstarter for Coriolis: The Great Dark. Now you might think this would be just an expansion like I did. How wrong was I, it pushes the game in a new direction and is a Coriolis 2.0. I got my hands on the PDF so let’s dive in.

Arabian Nights no more

Coriolis: The Great Dark is more than just a sequel to The Third Horizon. It expands the universe and drags the story away from the Middle East-influenced Science Fiction of the last books. The setting I thing is much cooler (pun intended). Coriolis: The Great Dark is set far beyond the last iteration of the game. Colony ships have fled the growing war and have followed a faint signal that many think could be the Nadir, sister ship to the Zenith.

As the signal dies the colonists are stranded in a dead system they call Jumuah. To make things worse the portal that should lead them out is dead. The colonists established a single city on an asteroid called, and I shit you not “‘The Ship City of Coriolis the Eternal and Jumuah the First and Last”. I know right but thankfully it gets shortened to City Ship. In true Coriolis style, they decide to send expeditions into the depts. Where they fight Alien ruins and a disease called the Blight.

A new System for a new system

To push home that Coriolis: The Great Dark is an updated version they have modified the previous rule system that flies more closely to the Year Zero Engine (YZE). This is a welcomed change as if you have played any Free League games you will be very familiar with how easy it is to use. Most changes are small like six attributes rather than the usual four, talents instead of skills.

The two big ones for me are no more Darkness Point mechanics. This is replaced with Hope because there is nothing worse than the loss of all Hope. The other is the new Delve mechanic. The group will make Delves into the ruins to retrieve artifacts. With each Delve the group will have to bring significant supplies, oxygen canisters, food, water, batteries, etc… or else they won’t be coming back. Each one has a difficulty rating (0-3) and markers that show what each character needs supply-wise to make it back. Plans will go out the window as unexpected monsters, blight, and sneaky NPC will ruin your day.

Beauty in the darkness

As usual, the book itself looks amazing. The artwork though different than The Third Horizon is still beautiful. It’s dark and lonely and for some reason has a feel of Event Horizon to me in contrast to the warmth of the last books.

In the pack you get Coriolis: The Great Dark, a quickstart book but you also get four pre-generated character sheets. These are for The Algebraist Apprentice with Bird, The Wreck Diver, The Guild Soldier, and The Vacuum Welder.

If you play Coriolis then you will get The Great Dark and if you don’t and want to start from the start then you better hurry up as Free League is discontinuing the printing of The Third Horizon. I would recommend this game especially if space exploration is your bag.

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Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, let’s get nuts https://gameir.ie/review/warhammer-40000-chaos-gate-daemonhunters-lets-get-nuts/ https://gameir.ie/review/warhammer-40000-chaos-gate-daemonhunters-lets-get-nuts/#respond Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:26:10 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=81981 Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, let's get nuts The positives outway the negatives but the game needs an excitement injection 2024-03-26 3.8Overall Score Reader Rating: (0 Votes) Finally, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters has had a console release. In doing that I have been able to get my hands on it. I have […]

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Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, let's get nuts
The positives outway the negatives but the game needs an excitement injection
3.8Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)

Finally, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters has had a console release. In doing that I have been able to get my hands on it. I have been a fan of all things Warhammer since my teens (I won’t indulge my age but trust me it’s a long time) so I will jump at any chance if I get to review any game in the settings. Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters piqued my interest because it featured the Grey Knight Chapter. It is very rarely you see them out in the wild never mind in a game but I will get into them later.

Did someone order Chapter 666?

In Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters you follow the Grey Knights Flagship, Baleful Edict. The Grey Knights are a secretive chapter of the Space Marines who specialize in hunting down and eradicating all Demon threats to the Imperium of Man. The ship is returning to the Grey Knight home-world of Titan for repairs when it is commandeered by Inquisitor Vikar.

The Inquisitor needs the help of the formidable Chapter as a nearby star system has had a terrible plague
unleashed upon it by the powers of the Chaos God, Nurgle. This you will find out is called The Bloom and
transforms those infected into various Nurgle-type monsters. The main objective for the players is to keep the bloom in check by not letting it spread from the system. You will also manage the Baleful Edict by managing repairs, researching weapons, updating barracks to receive more Knights, and talking to various characters to ease the tensions between your knights, the Inquisitor, and the Mechanicium.

Blooming hell

If you have played XCOM or the like then you will be very familiar with the gameplay mechanics in Chaos Gate –Daemonhunters. As I mentioned above there is some ship management. The ship screen is the main place for requests, repairs, and upgrades for both the ship and your squad. It will also be where the system map can be found. Here you can travel from planet to planet and wherever The Bloom rises. You will need to make tough choices on which planet needs your squad’s help the most as others will fall to The Bloom. You can also advance time on the map screen to finish the research or let a Knight recover from injuries. It is handy to do but you will find yourself doing it less and less as you will have to stay on top of The Bloom growth in the system.

This won’t take long as the Grey Knights will be called by Inquisitor Vikar into action. Most missions are
investigation or retrieval and can get a bit repetitive after a while. Once down on the planet, you will be launched into a familiar turn-based tactical game. Each character in your squad can take different actions each turn. They can use an ability, to find cover, reload, or attack the many enemies that you encounter. As I said if you have played XCOM or the likes you will pick this up easily the only real difference is Chaos Gate tells you straight off if you will hit or miss with an attack. One of the great mechanics is the enemies’ stun value. Get this to zero and you can trigger an execution. This not only looks great but as a bonus, you give all squad members an extra action.

In Daemonhunters there is only Grimdark

The look and feel of Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters is everything you want from a Warhammer 40,000 game. The settings are Gothic and Grimdark. It’s like the tabletop game itself in many ways. There are a few little issues that I didn’t like. The character interactions were a bit bland and uneventful. I put this down to them being scrolling text with a voiceover, I would have preferred a cut scene or something with a bit of life in it. The same can be said about the storyline it is fairly basic for a Warhammer 40K game. The gameplay does get repetitive especially once you get the hang of things but there is a big difficulty curve. Just keep an eye on the Bloom meter as when it hits 100% you will get swamped with enemies. This is chaotic especially as you only have a small squad of Grey Knights.

All in all, this is a game that any Warhammer fan should play. It has all that you need to feel like you are in the setting. You also get some insight into the workings of the Grey Knights, Nurgle, and the Inquisition. By the Emperor’s Throne, you won’t want to miss out.

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Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Is it all good in the hood? https://gameir.ie/review/assassins-creed-mirage-is-it-all-good-in-the-hood/ https://gameir.ie/review/assassins-creed-mirage-is-it-all-good-in-the-hood/#respond Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:20:59 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=81305 Assassin's Creed Mirage: Is it all good in the hood? 2023-11-09 3.5Overall Score Reader Rating: (0 Votes) Assassin’s Creed Mirage brings us back to the basics of the franchise. Gone are the huge maps and witcher-esque fighting of the last three instalments. Ubisoft takes us down a nostalgic Animus trip by stripping the game back […]

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Assassin's Creed Mirage: Is it all good in the hood?
3.5Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)

Assassin’s Creed Mirage brings us back to the basics of the franchise. Gone are the huge maps and witcher-esque fighting of the last three instalments. Ubisoft takes us down a nostalgic Animus trip by stripping the game back to where it began, with stealth, and a lot of stabbing. Was this a genius move or just laziness? Let’s find out.

Looking back, over my shoulder

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is set in 9th Century Baghdad, it tells the story of familiar face Basim Ibn Ishaq first seen in Valhalla, so it serves as a prequel of sorts, from lowly thief to master Assassin, a story that kinda features a lot in the franchise. Mirage simplifies the battle between the Hidden Ones and The Order (Assassins vs Templars). It plays much like the earlier games, with diverse mission designs and set-pieces, all framed around investigation and stealth in carefully designed city areas.

Parkour has also been stripped back, with just holding a button to automatically leap from obstacle to obstacle. This is maybe a little too stripped back, all the way back to when it was clunky at times. Sometimes you just leap off a building in the wrong direction for no reason or can’t parkour over a small wall when you just climbed up the huge city walls.

I’m glad that there is such emphasis on stealth kills. When you do mess up and alert the numerous city guards the fighting is less than desirable. I found that a lot of the time pressing the attack button didn’t register. When it did the enemy didn’t flinch or react.

It’s the little things

Places where Assassin’s Creed Mirage excels are the story missions, Contracts, and pickpocketing of unexpecting victims. Mirage has some great missions that remind you why you fell in love with the series. Whether it’s stalking victims, or infiltrating Baghdad’s most secure areas. It never fails to keep things interesting and varied, without getting overly repetitive.

The contract missions are also good fun. Each bureau has a contract notice board with various types of requests. You can be sneaking your way into a camp to save a prisoner in one. Then the next stealing a boat in a merchant compound. They are a nice break from the storyline and a way to grind much-needed materials and tokens. But my favourite thing to do in the whole game is pickpocketing. Nothing joys me more than sneaking up to someone, relieving them of their wealth. Then I hide just in earshot and wait to see how long it takes for them to realize they’ve been robbed. It’s the simple things in the life of a master assassin.

Lightening doesn’t strike twice

When Mirage works it really works. There is a great Assassin’s Creed game hidden in there but all the great missions and beautifully crafted city can’t paper over the buggy cracks. Just like in other pop culture platforms nostalgia can only get you so far. I hope all the die-hards who were crying to Ubisoft to bring back old-school Assassin’s Creed are happy because I would kill for another Odyssey.

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Ashina: The Red Witch – Where’s the magic? https://gameir.ie/review/ashina-the-red-witch-wheres-the-magic/ https://gameir.ie/review/ashina-the-red-witch-wheres-the-magic/#respond Sun, 29 Oct 2023 19:14:39 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=81140 Ashina: The Red Witch – Where’s the magic? 2023-10-29 2.0Overall Score Reader Rating: (0 Votes) On seeing Ashina: The Red Witch for the first time I was excited about what it had to offer. It looked like an old Pokémon game with all the Studio Ghibli charm. Let’s see if you can tell a book […]

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Ashina: The Red Witch – Where’s the magic?
2.0Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)

On seeing Ashina: The Red Witch for the first time I was excited about what it had to offer. It looked like an old Pokémon game with all the Studio Ghibli charm. Let’s see if you can tell a book by its cover.

The afterlife I have been dreading

You take the role of Ashina, who travels to the Afterlife to get her mother’s pendant back from a spirit called Tanto. This pendant is the most important thing in her life (other than her sister Tena) after her mother died a few days prior. Tanto by the way looks just like Vivi from Final Fantasy IX but with a terrible attitude. Little does Ashina (or Ash to her friends) know that where she is going is the realm of the afterlife.

She is also told she has only 24 hours to get the pendant as the path home is disappearing. Queue the monotonous fetch quests that you need to do. Ashina: The Red Witch had so much to offer but fell flat. There is no combat, no real puzzles, it has no exploration and takes place in small towns and buildings. They should have made it a point-and-click adventure and a story-driven game. It would have made you actually care about the story.

The beauty in the Pixel

Ashina: The Red Witch itself looks great. The old-school 3D pixel art tugs at your nostalgic heartstrings. The bit of animation we get is very well done as well, I just wish they would have added more.

The soundtrack is everything you could want in a game like this. It sets the tone nicely in parts. There is an issue sometimes where everything is silent and I wondered if it was a glitch or intentional. When this happened I found myself flying through the dialogue just to get some music back.

The controls are really simple. You can use the directional buttons or analogue sticks to move. You will use L1 to sprint a lot as you will be zipping from one end of the screen to the next just to finish quests.

The saving grace for Ashina: The Red Witch is that it’s a short game. It does have multiple endings for those completionists. The game itself wasn’t my cup of tea but I can see the charm. The graphics and music were lovingly crafted. If you have played the other games in this series then go for it. If not like me then I would give it a miss sadly.

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Moria – Through the Doors of Durin Kickstarter Funded in 4 Minutes https://gameir.ie/news/moria-through-the-doors-of-durin-kickstarter-funded-in-4-minutes/ https://gameir.ie/news/moria-through-the-doors-of-durin-kickstarter-funded-in-4-minutes/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 18:40:24 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=80990 Beyond the shadow, it waits for you still… Free League Publishing has announced that Moria – Through the Doors of Durin is live on Kickstarter – an epic campaign expansion delving into the depths of Khazad-dûm for the multiple award-winning second edition of The One Ring roleplaying game, based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. […]

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Beyond the shadow, it waits for you still… Free League Publishing has announced that Moria – Through the Doors of Durin is live on Kickstarter – an epic campaign expansion delving into the depths of Khazad-dûm for the multiple award-winning second edition of The One Ring roleplaying game, based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. This compendium will also be created in a version for the 5E edition of The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying, under the title Moria – Shadow of Khazad-dûm. The highly anticipated campaign module was funded in just 4 minutes and has already raised more than 100,000 USD during the first 30 minutes, with 15 days to go.

All backers who pledge levels with physical rewards within the first 24 hours. They will receive a unique bonus art print of one of the cover art pieces. If successfully funded, soon after the Kickstarter ends. All backers will get early access to the PDF versions.

The Fallen Halls

For long ages, the great city of the Dwarrowdelf was the seat of Dwarven kings. They were rich beyond measure in gold and Mithril. But a thousand years ago, Durin’s Bane arose and drove the Dwarves from their halls. The city fell into darkness, becoming an abode of Orcs, Goblins – and worse. Countless Orcs perished in the Battle of Five Armies. the Halls of Durin lie empty once more. Maybe there are piles of treasure there, waiting to be claimed. Maybe Mithril still glimmers in the mines under Caradhras. Cross the dread threshold, adventurer, and delve deep!

Moria – Through the Doors of Durin includes:

  • And At the Gates, The Trumpets Rang: Rivals, allies and patrons in the quest for Moria, as well as a history of the Dwarven city from its founding to its fall.
  • Journeys in the Dark: Journey rules adjusted for underground exploration, Moria-specific Undertakings, and advice on running games and campaigns set in the city.
  • Fell Foes lists the Orcs and other enemies that may be found in the city – and rules for risking an encounter with Durin’s Bane.
  • The Mansions of the Dwarves is the largest part of the book, describing Landmarks and hazards in the various regions of Moria.
Click to view slideshow.

Speak friend and enter

Moria – Through the Doors of Durin describes the city of the Dwarves. The surrounding lands as they were in the last years of the Third Age. For each region of Moria, we describe Landmarks, factions, and non-player characters that the Loremaster can use as desired.

Moria – Through the Doors of Durin written by seasoned game writer and author Gareth Hanrahan and
overseen by Francesco Nepitello. All beautifully illustrated by Antonio De Luca, Giuditta Betti, Federica Costantini, Michele Galavotti, and Niklas Brandt.

There is no ‘true’ Moria — in one game. Maybe the great quest of the heroes is to loot the fabled Treasure Vault of Uruktharbun. In another, the treasure vault might have lain broken. Some were empty for a thousand years; in others, it never existed at all. Moria is to be explored cautiously; even the Wise cannot trust their memories in this place.

If you want to get the Kickstarter then look no further than here.

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Coriolis: Arabian Nights in Space https://gameir.ie/review/coriolis-arabian-nights-in-space/ https://gameir.ie/review/coriolis-arabian-nights-in-space/#respond Thu, 17 Aug 2023 20:11:45 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=80865 Free League Publishing is back again with another space-themed RPG in Coriolis. Instead of a Western or cyberpunk setting. Coriolis gives you a middle eastern vibe and one that is fresh totally left field for me. The Third Horizon As I mentioned the main theme of Coriolis is inspired by the Middle East. This is […]

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Free League Publishing is back again with another space-themed RPG in Coriolis. Instead of a Western or cyberpunk setting. Coriolis gives you a middle eastern vibe and one that is fresh totally left field for me.

The Third Horizon

As I mentioned the main theme of Coriolis is inspired by the Middle East. This is right down to fashion, food, and myths. The story itself is a war between the Firstcome and the Zenithians, who are descendants of the second wave of colonists.

The Coriolis is the central Hub of the Third Horizon. It’s a large space station that was built from an old arkship. Think Babylon 5 or Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Coriolis is split into three regions. The Core, the Ring, and the Promenade. Each area serves the players as places to buy goods restock, and play out missions

Create, Play, Have fun

Creating characters is fun and pretty standard. First, you need to choose what group and concept you will belong to. Each group has a sub-concept/Talent that you will use for extra stats on different actions.

The Group concepts are:

  • Free Traders – willing to travel anywhere in the system for whatever will make them some money on Horizon.
  • Mercenaries – The muscle of the Factions, bought by the highest bidder and mostly hated by the populace because of their heavy-handedness.
  • Explorers – are truth seekers who refuse to settle for the Bulletin’s oversimplified version of reality.
  • Agents – infiltrate criminal organizations to assassinate whoever the Factions want to disappear.
  • Pilgrims – Travel around the system looking for Holy sites to get work or to Entertain the masses.

Secondly, you get to pick the ship that will need to suit your group’s needs going forward. It doesn’t really matter what you do you will owe someone money. This is where a rich and important benefactor comes in. He will bankroll you but only if you give more back. On the flip side, you will gain a nemesis who will hamper you and your group at every turn.

Last but not least is your actual character creation. If you have played any other TTRPG you will be familiar with all of the options you are given. There is your background, upbringing, concept/job, followed by name and appearance. There are numerous tables that you can use in the Rulebook to help if needed.

Space never looked so good

This whole review is based on the PDF Kickstarter set. In this set, you received as always loads of add-ons and supplements to get you started. You will receive:

  • Core Rulebook
  • Battlemaps
  • Character creation sheets
  • Spaceship sheet
  • System sheet
  • NPC sheet
  • Mission Sheet
  • The Last Cylade and GM resources
  • Emissary Lost

All of these are beautifully put together and easy to navigate. The artwork in Coriolis as with all of Free Leagues offerings just fits the mood of the game. Well, they don’t win all these awards for anything.

If you like sci-fi settings in your TTRPGs then I would recommend giving Coriolis a spin. Its setting is different but the gameplay will be familiar so what else do you want?

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Dragonbane – Ducks inside https://gameir.ie/review/dragonbane-ducks-inside/ https://gameir.ie/review/dragonbane-ducks-inside/#respond Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:16:52 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=80667 The bread and butter for Free League Publishing has been rejuvenating old TTRPGs for a new generation. Dragonbane is no different. Known as Drakar och Demoner, it was the first and biggest TTRPG in Sweden. It was their D&D and now it has the chance to be just as popular. Is that a duck? Yes…yes […]

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The bread and butter for Free League Publishing has been rejuvenating old TTRPGs for a new generation. Dragonbane is no different. Known as Drakar och Demoner, it was the first and biggest TTRPG in Sweden. It was their D&D and now it has the chance to be just as popular.

Is that a duck? Yes…yes it’s a duck           

The first thing I noticed was how easy the guide was to read and get a grip with. I was worried that it would be a D&D 5E clone but was pleasantly surprised. Dragonbane uses a D20, roll-under system, so the lower you roll, the better in this game. This will be alien to most RPG gamers but if you roll like me it’s for the best.

You will then select a race or in this instance a Kin. There are six Kin folk to choose from:

  • Human
  • Elf
  • Halfling
  • Dwarf
  • Wolfkin
  • Mallard (Yes a goddamn duck person)

If you are not a Mallard and living out your Darkwing Duck fantasy are you even a Tabletop gamer? The character creation doesn’t end there though. There are also ten professions including, Merchant, Thief, Bard, Knight, etc… Sometimes I struggle with this part of RPGs but I found it really simple.

Roll low, aim high

There is a lot of 5E in the basic game mechanics. These are advantages and disadvantages while rolling but they are called boon and bane. There is also a push roll like in Vaesen. It lets you reroll a fail but if you fail again things get a whole lot worse for you as you need to pick a bane for your character.

Combat is fairly straightforward. You use initiative cards instead of rolling to see the order of combat. You take your turn just like you would in D&D but this time you get a chance to interrupt another action. This helps you to dodge or parry an enemy’s attack. You just roll your D20 against your skill level and hope you succeed. You roll damage like normal but armor can reduce it like in Vaesen instead of being added to your AC.

Another aspect I loved was how the magic worked. You get something called Will power. This works like MP works in most games. You spend your Will power to cast your spells or do certain abilities. The higher the level of spell/ability the more WP you spend and the more powerful it is. Simple really.

All the goodies

You get everything you need to start your adventures in the Misty Vale in the Drangonbane Core Set:

  • 112-page rule book
  • 116-page adventures book
  • A solo play booklet
  • A map of the Misty Vale
  • Illustrated playing cards for treasure, initiative, and adventures
  • Five blank character sheets
  • Five pre-made characters
  • A battle mat
  • Ten dice
  • Cardboard standees for players and monsters

I received the PDF version so all I didn’t receive was the dice, either way, that’s a lot. Plus with all the maps, standees, etc… it will give me and others the kick up the bum to host a game in person and not over Zoom.

I can’t review Dragonbane without talking about the spectacular artwork. Again this is down to the amazing art style of one of my favourite artists, Johan Egerkrans. He just gets the fantasy vibe and illustrated another favourite RPG of mine, Vaesen.

If you are a fan of fantasy TTRPGs then get your hands on Dragonbane. It’s quick and easy to play by yourself or with others. Even if you don’t just get it for the Mallards you cowards.

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Lord of the Rings 5E – I think I’ve been here before https://gameir.ie/review/lord-of-the-rings-5e-i-think-ive-been-here-before/ https://gameir.ie/review/lord-of-the-rings-5e-i-think-ive-been-here-before/#respond Thu, 11 May 2023 16:59:19 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=80415 When Free League Publishing announced they would release another Lord of the Rings TTRPG my interest was piqued. I had already reviewed their latest LotR game, The One Ring. Then I found out it would be with the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition rules, I was excited. I have been playing D&D for the […]

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When Free League Publishing announced they would release another Lord of the Rings TTRPG my interest was piqued. I had already reviewed their latest LotR game, The One Ring. Then I found out it would be with the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition rules, I was excited. I have been playing D&D for the last two years so a chance to play it set in my favourite fantasy setting, Middle Earth was too hard to pass up. So let me tell you what Lord of the Rings 5E

The One Ring for Dummies (including myself)

So what are the differences between Lord of the Rings 5E and 2022’s The One Ring I hear you ask? Well other than the rules switch and certain RPG language changes there are not many. If you are familiar with The One Ring then you can really jump into this. On the other hand, if you’re a D&D player you will have to learn certain mechanics like, Fellowship score, Shadow points, and dealing with the all-seeing Eye.

The language changes are small. The Dungeon Master is a Loremaster, the characters are Player-heroes, races are now Cultures, and classes are renamed to Callings. There are also phases called Adventuring and Fellowship. Adventuring is broken up into Combat, Council, and Journey. Combat is, well combat. Council is the interaction you and your party have with NPC etc… And Journey is the traveling aspect of your time. Fellowship is when the heroes have downtime during their adventure. Where they can chat and relax or when the adventure is over.

I see you!

Shadow points and The All-seeing Eye are great mechanics and immerse you further into Tolkien’s world. You or your party member gain these by doing or witnessing evil acts. You can remove your Shadow points by using “Hardened Will” as long as it doesn’t match their Wisdom score. Players who have a Shadow score equal to their Wisdom go a bit crazy. They give into dark urges like betrayal, fear, and rage. If the Shadow takes hold you develop permanent flaws, or even worse get removed from the party altogether, Boromir style.

Adding the All-Seeing Eye into your game takes it up a notch. The Loremaster keeps track of all that you and your party get up to. Depending on what mix of cultures your party has the eye might be more aware of them. The more magic you use or Shadow points you accumulate will all add to the Eye’s awareness, even rolling 1’s brings his glare upon you. If the party finishes the adventuring phase without the Eye becoming aware of them, they remain hidden. If the Eye sees you then your adventuring will get harder. Something might go wrong, you might be betrayed or the enemies get stronger to fight. Basically, be good and stay under the radar.

Pack Old Bill up and away you go

Just like The One Ring, the Lord of the Rings 5E starter is stacked with what you need to jump in. You get the Core Rulebook, Shire Adventures book, and Loremaster’s screen with Rivendell Compendium. All of these are beautifully laid out. The artwork as usual is amazing and would not be out of place in any Tolkien book.

The Core rule book and The Shire Adventures book are the perfect way to get your party on the road. All in all, if you like D&D and Lord of the Rings then this is a no-brainer to pick up. Free League has taken what was done in The One Ring and slimmed it down and made it accessible across the board. I will hopefully in the near future get some people together and get stuck into this. You can check out my One Ring review here

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Fight’N Rage – This isn’t Animal Planet https://gameir.ie/review/fightn-rage-this-aint-animal-planet/ https://gameir.ie/review/fightn-rage-this-aint-animal-planet/#respond Tue, 14 Mar 2023 11:36:00 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=80120 Fight'N Rage - This isn't Animal Planet 2023-03-14 3.5Overall Score Reader Rating: (0 Votes) If you grew up in the ’90s there were more side-scrolling fighting games you could shake a stick at. TMNT, Streets Of Rage, Golden Axe, and even Lethal Weapon. Fight’N Rage pays homage to that era and then some. New but […]

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Fight'N Rage - This isn't Animal Planet
3.5Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)

If you grew up in the ’90s there were more side-scrolling fighting games you could shake a stick at. TMNT, Streets Of Rage, Golden Axe, and even Lethal Weapon. Fight’N Rage pays homage to that era and then some.

New but old

In Fight’N Rage and like most of its predecessors, players have a choice of three main characters, Gal, F. Norris, and Ricardo. These heroes, two humans, and one Bull mutant have been tasked to save what is left of humanity and fight back against the mutants.

The action in Fight’N Rage borrows all the good bits from old-school classics like Streets of Rage or Final Fight. The combat is fast and somewhat overwhelming at times but it is easy to pick up and you can button bash your way through if you need. Each character has combos, special attacks, and evasions in their arsenal to push back the hordes of enemies. There are also some combos that you can master and if done perfectly your enemies will explode into a pile of bones.

The enemies themselves are mutated animals that all have different attacks to get to grips with. The Bosses are much tougher and bigger but once you get used to their fight patterns, you’ll be fine. At the end of each level, you receive a score that turns into the game currency, With this currency, you can buy items for your fighters. There are no skill trees here people, there is only good old-fashioned brawling.

16-Bits in a 3D world

The game looks and feels like an old-school arcade game. Even down to the screen turning into a boob tube-style TV screen. The pixel art is bright and vibrant until it needs to be dark and gloomy. The backgrounds along with the music just hit you right in the nostalgia.

With 50 possible endings, the game is very replayable. If you are willing to do it more power to you. I enjoyed Fight’N Rage as a whole. It did bring back some great memories but if you want a better hit I would just play Streets of Rage 4. There are more pros than cons though so if you are a fan of the genre then glove up and come into it swinging.

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The Walking Dead Universe RPG Coming to Kickstarter on March 14th https://gameir.ie/news/the-walking-dead-universe-rpg-coming-to-kickstarter-on-march-14th/ https://gameir.ie/news/the-walking-dead-universe-rpg-coming-to-kickstarter-on-march-14th/#respond Mon, 06 Mar 2023 22:20:23 +0000 https://gameir.ie/?p=80060 Free League Publishing has revealed that the official The Walking Dead Universe Roleplaying Game is coming to Kickstarter on March 14th offering early PDF access to the Core Rulebook long before its Fall 2023 retail release. The Walking Dead Universe RPG is a co-production between AMC Networks and the award-winning tabletop publisher, who are working closely with […]

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Free League Publishing has revealed that the official The Walking Dead Universe Roleplaying Game is coming to Kickstarter on March 14th offering early PDF access to the Core Rulebook long before its Fall 2023 retail release.

The Walking Dead Universe RPG is a co-production between AMC Networks and the award-winning tabletop publisher, who are working closely with key forces behind the franchise, including Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, and Head of AMC Networks Publishing Mike Zagari. The RPG series will introduce new story elements while drawing inspiration from the current series and upcoming spin-offs.

The game is directed by Free League co-founders Tomas Härenstam (ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG) and Mattias Johnsson Haake (Symbaroum). Nils Hintze (Tales from the Loop RPG, Vaesen – Nordic Horror Roleplaying) will be the lead writer. Gustaf Ekelund (Twilight: 2000) and Martin Grip (ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG) as lead artists. Genuine Entertainment’s Joe LeFavi (ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG, Dune, The Dragon Prince) as producer and brand manager on the game series.

We have a tabletop game COREL!!

In The Walking Dead Universe RPG, players are challenged to enter the unforgiving, post-apocalyptic sandbox. They must learn how to survive and thrive in this new world order. Pushing the boundaries of the survival genre, each group can tailor their RPG experience to suit their own interests and play style.

Expect the stress and stakes to be high. Boasting a new spin on Free League Publishing’s award-winning Year Zero engine. Players must not only hone their physical skills but deeply explore what makes them tick. They must also confront how the hardships of this world naturally impact what they’re capable of.

For more news and previews, visit thewalkingdead-rpg.com. Then follow Free League Publishing on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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