[RPG]: Orpheus: Shadow Games, reviewed by Menchi (5/5)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10153.phtml

Conan McKegg's Summary:

With a shattering event the world of Orpheus is about to be changed forever. After this book there is no going back, you will be in for the long haul. This book shows how a metaplot is meant to be done.

Go to the full review for more information.

Post originally by Cassander at 2004-03-08 06:21:51
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You might actually write a more convincing review if you weren't quite so partisan. I'm very sure that you like the book, but telling us this isn't the purpose of a review. A review should be an *evaluation* not a *promotion*. Merely telling the reader that a book is good isn't enough; you need to tell them why the book is good. Likewise, the book might be flawless in your eyes, but you ought to address the parts of the book that other people might have issues with.

Post originally by Conan McKegg at 2004-03-08 12:14:10
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A review is meant to convince a potential buyer as to whether the purchase is worth it or not. This is not an academic book review site, it is a commercial site aimed at providing views on a product.

I feel that my review does what it is meant to do - detail what you essentially get for your money and whether, <i>in my opinion</i>, it is value for money. I have trained in reviewing, and that is what my job is. A Review <b>is</b> an opinion column on whether the reviewer feels something is worth spending money on, and provides enough detail to convince a potential buyer that the product will interest them.

There is a big difference between commercial reviews and academic book reviews. An Academic book review is aimed at helping a researcher ascertain whether a book will have the necessary information that she needs. A Commercial book review discusses whether the book is worth spending money on - and it <u>is</u> more opinion based.

Just because I don't list flaws - of which I genuinely found none - doesn't lessen my review in anyway. I state clearly what the book contains and I mention how I felt that it was a great book that was well worth the purchase. I did that. And I'm happy with the quality of the review.

Post originally by Skywalker at 2004-03-08 12:50:24
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Well I thought they were pretty good reviews. I found them all informative and interesting, without being overbearing. Whilst a little brief in places, I think this is partially due to trying to avoid duplication between the reviews.

Post originally by Andy Guest at 2004-03-08 15:17:47
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Any chance of revealing the spoilers for us in a well labelled thread, like this one perhaps ;-) I like Orpheus, I've got the core book, but I've no intention of buying these books. Still, I'd like to know what is going on.

Also - is Orpheus tying into the end of the WoD stuff or is it separate ?

Post originally by Skywalker at 2004-03-08 17:28:32
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Orpheus is designed at steps of the way to be seperate from the WoD. However, it doesn't prevent such tie ins either. I imagine the end of Orpheus will be seperate from WoDs end, but capable of being tied in if players want.

I am reading (and loving) Crusade of Ashes at the moment so I am probably not the best person to provide spoilers. However, my impression is that there are really too many to reveal in one simple thread. The Orpheus books are meater, each being over 160 pages (over 800 pages all up). There's a lot of good material to cover.

Post originally by Skywalker at 2004-03-08 17:29:18
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Damn missing word in the first line

Post originally by Conan McKegg at 2004-03-08 20:35:49
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*chuckle*

Okay,

Here are the spoilers - they are very brief, so as to not spoil the point of buying the books. I know you don't intend to, but I highly recommend it - there is a lot in the supplements that you can find useful even if you don't intend to use the metaplot... for example, third and fourth tier Horrors - or Crucible horrors (found in Orphan-Grinders, which I will be reviewing this week...)

Spoilers below...




















*<b>Crusade of Ashes</b>: Orpheus is destroyed by a group of mercenaries from NextWorld - hired by a mysterious figure who supplies Spectre support. (Spectres are dark, twisted ghosts who have been overcome with spite. At least that is what Orpheus believes...) After the attack, <i>another</i> group of mercenaries arrive and kill off any survivors that they find, and destroy any records found in Orpheus. These people are working for someone else.

The FBI use this incident to start an investigation into Orpheus' affairs, and the PCs have to go into hiding.

*<b>Shades of Gray</b>: A mysterious figure deliberately poisons 200+ people at a rave, killing many of them. Spectres, somehow in cahoots with this person, swoop in and kidnap all the ghosts created and build a massive "Hive" in the city. The PCs have a chance to intervene to prevent this from happening - and by doing so redeem themselves. Also, many of the secrets of Pigment are revealed as well as the identity of Radio Free Death.

*<b>Shadow Games</b>: The truth about Bishop is finally revealed, and a giant ghost tower falls from the sky, causing a very REAL earthquake. A large "hole" in the sky expels a strange sandstorm and a horde of Spectres who rampage through the city, killing Rescue Workers and ghost alike. Also, the nature of the two antagonists and the true threat are revealed... and it is something bigger and nastier than originally thought - the Spectres are working for something far nastier than initially implied.

*<b>The Orphan-Grinders</b>: Heheheheheehehehahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha... Ooooh - I might leave this until my review. Because there are elements of the book that mean I kind of have to discuss spoilers to help discuss the book.

Conan

Post originally by DeusIrae at 2004-03-09 07:29:26
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To kind of piggyback on the spoilers thread, I had a question about Crusade of Ashes: when mercenaries come in and raid/destroy Orpheus headquarters, what provisions does the game make to ensure that Sleeper characters are still playable? Is it just assumed that they get turned into spirits? I'm curious how they handle this, since it seems pretty dicey.

Post originally by Conan McKegg at 2004-03-09 10:18:12
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The game basically suggests that the event happens in the background if you feel that the players can't handle the situation.

As far as Sleepers go, either they are not in cryostasis - and then have to go about finding out how to make a home-made cradle while on the run... or they find that their bodies have been stolen - again, story to find out what happened to their body...

Conan