Mississippi Steel
Sent To: gamechef@gmail.com
Game Chief Review FORM
(one review per email, and use the game’s title as the Subject Line)
REVIEWER NAME: Michael Selvaggio
I thought due to the subject matter the overall appearance of the work, “Mississippi Steel” (great name) was a game I was going to get heavily involved with. Scanning the elements it looked authentic. Lots of color like; “Dirty Water Racetrack” pit crews rules, cars from 1970 to 1985, info on standard car prep, car parts, “Jacks House of Chicken”. It looked like we were “gona” get gritty. Unfortunately little of this is developed. It is a great resource to design a game but not a game itself.
1) CREATIVE AND EFFECTIVE INCORPORATION OF RULES (1-10): 6
Feedback: Use of time is ok especially if the last session is the grand race. Team is a total fit. There is some law. Steel is in the title and that is all. This is not a RPG. It screams for RPG content. If you want to play it as a RPG you will have to make up your own rules. Here is a suggestion I offer to the author use stud poker as way of expressing RPG in this game. Set the scene like a bar fight create to out comes kick but or turn tail. Play your card with that as the bet. Limit players to the chips they have each hour. Racing and poker. I really like the game and it was disappointing to see so much work unfulfilled. The author clearly has the background for this project.
2) CLARITY (1-10): 8
Feedback: The rules that were written were clear. It was also clear that much of the work was, game wise, meaningless. Out side of color what did it matter which car I had. We are told in the parts catalog section that the prices are not accurate and that the author is not an auto mechanic. Why do we need to know this? We are told the parts let us repair the car we use. How?
3) COMPLETENESS (1-10): 5
Feedback: This game is at best a table top racing game. The use of the points assigned to the driver, the driver’s car, and the pit crew are inviting. The mention of so much color and no substance left me disappointed. If less was promised and some role-playing element was available I would have given it high marks. I wanted my drunken brawl and my unfaithful trailer trash girlfriend.
4) ESTIMATED EFFECTIVENESS IN PLAY (1-10): 5
Feedback: The game has the problem that there appears to be a lot options but there are few. First time players will quickly learn the primary situations Turning, Avoiding Accidents, Passing, and getting knocked off the line all use the drivers steering and the cars handling. I am putting 3’s there when I design. The other big attribute is driver control that’s used 3 out of four times. The system of racing is cumbersome and labor intensive. And the author wants 20 drivers in the race. No way.
5) SWING VOTE (1-10) 6
Final Feedback: If there was RPG I would add two points maybe three. I think Mississippi Steel has top shelf potential. When I see it for sale I swear I will buy it. And if it is not a great game I will personally put a can of whoop as on you.
TOTAL SCORE (add items 1 through 5, above): 30