eric@parallel.UUCP (Eric Griswold) (07/05/84)
I purchased a copy of _Justice Inc._ last weekend and have
been reading through it.
For those who haven't heard about it, JI is a fantasy role playing
game meant to simulate the pulp adventures of the 30's and 40's. This
is a BROAD category which leaves room for many types of adventures:
Jungle Explorer, Gangsters, John Carter-ish Science Fiction, Pseudo-
Lovecraft Horror, etc, etc.
Like all other Hero games, it uses a magnificent system for creating
(not rolling) your character. Characters are designed, not generated.
The game itself comes with two books: the rulebook and a source book
full of facts, essays, scenarios, slang phrase book, and lots of general
information associated with pulp fiction.
A character may have other than his characteristics skills, pshychic
powers, and unusual features. The latter two are generally discouraged
and should only be used when character conception demands it.
Many of the skills are out of _Espionage_ and/or _Champions_ as
appropriate for the genre of JI. One thing about JI over Champions
is that characters in JI die more easily. Killing attacks are far
more common and resistant defences are VERY rare. Furthermore,
optional rules make it difficult to keep fighting after sustaining
reasonable amounts of BODY. You take STUN every phase if you are
bleeding (First aid stops bleeding) -- the amount of STUN depends
on how bad you are bleeding. I don't have the books here, so the
actual numbers aren't available.
The rules are complete and humorous. I do miss, however, the
terseness that _Champions_ was written in. In JI, that
style has faded and in _Champions III_ it has completely disappeared.
Furthermore, the constant emphasis on role-playing and genre
enforcing and the de-emphasis on rule engineering, number jockeying,
and the lawyer approach to gaming is so pleasant to read.
I think that Hero Games has produced another REALLY FINE game.
I have only run Call of Cthulhu, Rune Quest, and Champions in
the past. I think I will start a Justice, Inc. world (meshes
well with concepts and characters out of Call of Cthulhu).
I realize this ditty is superficial. Don't worry, I meant it
that way.
...{sun|sri-unix}!parallel!eric