[Spectral Knight]

Character creation annoyed me at first, because of the attribute point scaling for the various classes. Fortunately, it's easily adjusted with the standard Fuzion rules by using one set number of attribute points, making Social Class an advantage just like Wealth, and adjusting the flavor of Advantages and Disadvantages based on the character's Social Class level. And if you need it, the Fuzion rulebook from R. Talsorian is only about 8 dollars in hardcopy... and it should give many times that amount in play value.

And the social commentary on the times is definitely heavy-handed... still, it does reflect the grittier, grimier side of a period that is frequently misremembered (for better and for worse) in popular fiction and film. And this being a -Punk type of game, the descriptions fit. Of course, Upper-class and Middle-class player characters could certainly be exceptions to the general rules laid out in the book...

Too, the whole theme of encroaching supernatural evil and upper-class oppression going hand-in-hand could be left out entirely. The book itself even suggests alternate ways of playing the game (it doesn't comment on those alternate options flatteringly, but they're there). Ultimately it's the purchasing GM's choice, as with any other RPG, and quite an interesting purchase for the money. Aside from being a break from the flood of dungeon-bashing products swamping the market these days, it's a good Victorian Era game. And there aren't many of those about.