[RPG]: Swansong, reviewed by Charles Green (4/4)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12296.phtml

Charles Green's Summary:

Swansong's system includes an in depth, intriquing implemntation of the Tarot into an RPG. While it does lack a setting, it can be ported to any setting with no fuss. Well done.

Go to the full review for more information.

[Rich Stokes]

Damn! This is almost exactly the same as a system I wrote about 6 years ago!

At least this JJ bloke finished his game!

[smascrns]

And the big question is, other than the Tarot gymnics what is there to interest a prospective buyer? Specially if that prospective buyer is rather turned off by the said gymnics instead of attracted?

[dantai]

Originally Posted by smascrns

And the big question is, other than the Tarot gymnics what is there to interest a prospective buyer? Specially if that prospective buyer is rather turned off by the said gymnics instead of attracted?

Well, since you asked, how about:

• Well balanced mechanics
  
• A robust story engine
  
• A speedy and elegant system
  
• Flexibilty to cope with any fantasy world
  
• The ability to play anything (no class or race restrictions)
  
• Magic limited only by your imagination
  
• An entertaining and tactical combat system
  
• A scenario generator
  
• Narrative control to players
  
• Incentives to actually role-play
  
• A complete system for under seven bucks
  

It's not for everyone granted, if you really don't like the Tarot then you should look elsewhere, because the cards are integral to the game.

It's a bit like Everway, except with mechanics!

Cheers,

Joe J Prince

[Destriarch]

Originally Posted by dantai

It's a bit like Everway, except with mechanics!

I don't know what everyone has against Everway. I always loved the game, and despite this comment it *did* have mechanics. What it did with those mechanics though was give the GM and the players a lot more leaway in their interpretation than simple success and failure. It certainly wasn't a game to play if you just wanted to bash heads, and if you had a killer sadistic GM then you could forget it, but as a social story-telling game with RPG elements, I got a lot of fun out of it. It wasn't a bad RPG, it just approached the genre from a different direction by presenting a system where the GM and the players worked together to make a story rather than opposing one another.

I haven't read this particular game (Swansong) so I don't intend to criticise it, but the Everway mechanics are pretty much exactly how I'd go about incorporating the tarot into an RPG if I was intending on doing such a thing.

Ash

[dantai]

Sorry Ash, I meant: like Everway except with crunchier mechanics.

I donated my copy of Everway to charity, 'cos it wasn't a game for me despite some good ideas.

So if you like the idea of Everyway with more crunch and less fiat, then Swansong is worth checking out.

Cheers,
JJ

[dantai]

Finally Swansong is available as a physical book!

Copies are POD from Lulu

There are a couple of minor alterations in the book version, mainly social mechanics and a crunchier approach to advantages.