[RPG]: Fantasy Imperium, reviewed by Dirk Vandereyken (3/4)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12680.phtml

Dirk Vandereyken's Summary:

Fantasy Imperium presents an involved, but exciting and very realistic system.

Go to the full review for more information.

[Dr. Tran]

Nice review! I'm glad to see that the game is doing well. I was working at Kinko's when he was just starting out and remember running several of what I assume were his demo copies. I was sorely tempted to snag one for myself, but damn my work ethics I didn't.

Good stuff though and I'm very interested in learning more!

[Lars Dangly]

I am naturally predisposed to a game like this because I really like historical fantasy settings. But, the discription of the game in this and earlier reviews sounds like it has some unnecessarily rough spots. Like, character creation sounds like a chore and the combat system sounds like it could take a long time to resolve. One earlier review made credible sounding arguments that the game was a mess for these reasons. You obviously like it, but could you tell us how its basic mechanics (char gen; task resolution; combat) compare with similar games, such as Ars Magica?

[Lars Dangly]

I just checked out the web site on this game and was really put off by the Avalanche Press style art, bazzilion-page combat example and massive character sheet. Honestly, it looks like a slow, complicated version of Harnmaster. Is this an unfair impression?

[Old Geezer]

Not to mention the mouse-over rainbow in the picture of the sylphs frolicking in the waterfall.

Oh, brother.

[Old Geezer]

Originally Posted by Lars Dangly

I just checked out the web site on this game and was really put off by the Avalanche Press style art, bazzilion-page combat example and massive character sheet. Honestly, it looks like a slow, complicated version of Harnmaster. Is this an unfair impression?

I don't know.

However, I just read "How To Design an Adventure" and "How To Tell A Story."

Basically, IMEO, they are 1) content-wise, pretty much the same and 2) somebody taking the first chapter of a textbook from an introductory creative writing course and summarizing it while sprinkling in RPG-isms and irrelevant illustrations.

So far, Fantasy Imperium looks like "Just the same old fantasy heartbreaker that somebody has appended some writing class notes onto and thinks it's original."

[Lars Dangly]

I usually try to stay positive about small-press new games, especially on a topic like this that I like. But...I think you probably have the right angle on this one!

[Old Geezer]

Also, human urine is almost bacteria-free and acidic, so it was sometimes used as a disinfectant. Pissing on arrows would do nothing.

Also -- and speaking with a BA in medieval history and a serious interest in the Hundred Years' War -- I have seen NO reliable evidence of this.

[Kester Pelagius]

Originally Posted by Lars Dangly

I am naturally predisposed to a game like this because I really like historical fantasy settings. But, the discription of the game in this and earlier reviews sounds like it has some unnecessarily rough spots. Like, character creation sounds like a chore and the combat system sounds like it could take a long time to resolve. One earlier review made credible sounding arguments that the game was a mess for these reasons. You obviously like it, but could you tell us how its basic mechanics (char gen; task resolution; combat) compare with similar games, such as Ars Magica?

Keep an eye out over at Ogrecave dot com. I've had a review in the pipe for a while now and one of the things I do is provide a walk through of the character creation process. There's also an interview with the game's author and some othe fun stuff.

Feel free to e-mail your demands to see the review ASAP to the fine folks at Ogrecave if you wish.

[Kester Pelagius]

Originally Posted by Lars Dangly

I just checked out the web site on this game and was really put off by the Avalanche Press style art, bazzilion-page combat example and massive character sheet. Honestly, it looks like a slow, complicated version of Harnmaster. Is this an unfair impression?

Yes and no.

I cover this very 'problem' in my review.