Heroes Die
Sent To:
Game Chief Review FORM
(one review per email, and use the game’s title as the Subject Line)
REVIEWER NAME: Michael Selvaggio
1) CREATIVE AND EFFECTIVE INCORPORATION OF RULES (1-10): 5
Feedback:
All elements are met. The ingredients of Actor, Steel, and the 2hr format are acceptable. The idea of team is not done well. To say opposing forces sharing a commodity (the actor) is not an expression of team is false. The use of steel is a push, ok but not wow. I like the premise of the game but is this RPG when a character is passed from player to player. This is more of story in the round than a RPG. This game reminds me of a book called “Dream Park” which I liked.
2) CLARITY (1-10):4
Feedback:
It is clear that the designer expects the players to do all of the creating in this game. For a theatrical game were are the props, the sets, the union, the scripts, the budget, the political heavies (War Lord, Wizard, Monk, gossip columnist). There is little or no backdrop. The player is expected to create all this form and function. The game elements are a mystery. So much is assumed to be understood and I fell the implied card rules will work nicely but the text dose not present them.
3) COMPLETENESS (1-10):4
Feedback:
I had to add to the text to play this game. Problems I found. Where are the fixed game items (props), card ply is unclear, taking turns and hierarchy of the three players what dose the trumps do? This game in it’s present form is a first draft at best. What constitutes a “Highest Hand”? Are we talking poker? What is a task? Are they rated? What are my overall goals? Do trumps affect ties?
4) ESTIMATED EFFECTIVENESS IN PLAY (1-10): 4
Feedback:
This is a game that is too open ended. The three way struggle is good but not developed. The use of cards in a game like this is unnecessary. Better to have a set amount of resources carefully used as production continues. This game is playable only with tolerant people who are more willing to be in a story telling environment than a RPG.
5) SWING VOTE (1-10) 4
Final Feedback: This is a first draft. To me this game is better suited to be a board game or a card game. Each set of cards could be another arena, the warlord’s deck, Wizard, Cyclops etc. I love the premise not enough meat on the bones.
TOTAL SCORE (add items 1 through 5, above): 21