Nazo
Since: Oct, 2013
10/24/2020 00:00:00
Considering the president of the United States recently not only refused to stand against white supremacy, but told a neo-nazi terrorist group to \"stand by and stand back\", I don\'t think the game\'s message is as unnecessary as you make it out to be.
Then again, one would think that being against fascism would be a universal aesop.
Never heard of this work before this review, but you made me wanna check it out, so thanks!
Baeraad555
Since: Oct, 2010
10/25/2020 00:00:00
You\'re very welcome. Consider it my principled stand against the game\'s entire ethos of shouting down opposition. I am actively signal-boosting the people I disagree with, as long as I think they have something interesting to say.
Leave a Comment:
A rant masquerading as a roleplaying game
This game might be worth reading just for the somewhat terrifying look at what the world looks like through the eyes of a far-left activist. Because let's be honest, that's what this is. The game is theoretically set in an alternative 1980s, but there are so many references to contemporary leftist bogeymen like "nazi hooligans" and "fake news" that it might as well have made it explicitly about the modern day. Among other things, the fictional USA of the game is a hellish police state that for some reason still bothers to build border walls to keep immigrants out. You'd think it would be building them to keep its own citizens from bolting, since that tends to be something oppressive regimes with more amiable neighbours have to worry about, but of course that would ruin the comparison.
This isn't subtext, by the way - the author comes straight out and says that the game is meant to teach people that resistance movements are always the good guys, unfairly and maliciously slandered by the evil governments they heroically rise up against. The actual text of the game is constantly interrupted by the author complaining about one gripe or another. And then there's the afterword, which moans about how a real-life Regime is absolutely right around the corner and the author knows that for sure and people are mean and stupid for not believing him.
Occasionally the author seems to remember that he's meant to be creating a game here and adds some mechanics and useful setting information. But it's clear his heart isn't in it. It's all barebones, a one-size-fits all encounter system with very limited room for strategy or roleplaying. The main appeal of the game is pretty clearly meant to be the breathless fantasy of "hey, wouldn't be awesome if Antifa had superpowers and could totally fuck up all the nazi scum?"
There are a few good bits, mind you. The divide of attributes into approaches you can take to a generalised situation (power through it; circumvent it; cautiously hang back; or support and protect others) rather than specific skills is interesting and makes for a game where your personality is more important than your education and training. The four factions of the Resistance are also interestingly flawed, and the meta-game of trying to keep them all happy, while also preventing them from ruining things for selfish reasons, while also trying to stay on the good side of both the common people and the international community, looks like it could be a lot of fun if attached to a better turn-to-turn resolution system.
All in all, the best reason to get this game is for Bile Fascination. Because it is weirdly captivating... but you won't want to play it if you don't have a burning hatred for 50% of your fellow citizens. Of course, if you do, then, er... enjoy?