Review of CyberGeneration - RPGnet RPG Game Index (original) (raw)

There are a lot of things to love about this game:

• The anime attitude. The anime feel of Cyberpunk 2020 has been taken to its natural extreme. This is really, when you come down to it, a game that simulates Japanese animation, and does it very well, right down to the age of the protagonists. (DISCLAIMER: People who don't like anime will be annoyed by this.)
• The easy character generation system and pathetically easy game system. Cyberpunk 2020 never required a genius to run it, but with Cybergeneration, they've dumbed it down to a level about equivalent to Star Wars or the beautifully simple d6 system. Easy to learn, easy to run, easy to fudge, totally un-detailed, what's not to love? (DISCLAIMER: Simulationists will be annoyed by this.)

The layout of the book is solid and the art is appropriate (industry standards put way too much art in gaming books for my taste).

There are also a few things to dislike about the book:

• The book focuses a lot on the cyberevolved. If you don't like them, chances are a lot of it is not going to be helpful to you. Much of it will still be good, though!
• The technology is pretty grossly powerful. That could cause problems in some games.
• You might find the theme a little too contradictory between grim reality and the light-hearted adventures of kids. Those (like me) inexperienced in anime will find it hard to walk the line well.

This is a game which the GM must look at carefully before running. Which options do they want to use and which ones do they want to disallow or alter? A section on how to modify the game setting or elements might have been nice to assist with this process.

All in all, it's well worth it if you're looking for a low-level-superpower anime game.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 3 (Average)