The Future Ain't What It Used To Be, Choomba.

Cyberpunk RED by Mike Pondsmith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've been playing Cyberpunk since it was first released, and have always loved it. This, the latest edition of the RPG is a worthy successor to the line's legacy.

Set in the crapsack world of 2045, in an alternate world where things went to hell starting in 1993. The characters are Edgerunners, living in the marginal edges of a nearly-collapsed world. Players chose roles that come with special skills and benefits, like the combat-orientated Solos with their heightened combat awareness or Netrunners, able to pierce the protected computer systems of the future. Each role has benefits and drawbacks.

Skills are handled by the Interlock system, now widely used, of STAT+Skill+1d10 against an assigned difficulty value. This is a fast, intuitive system that lends itself well to the fast resolution of skill rolls. The same system is used for combat in the classic Friday Night Firefight section. The skill list is complete and covers almost any situation. Combat is fast and deadly. As it should be.

Then there's the cyberware. A bit part of the cyberpunk ethos is "metal is better than meat." In the setting, artificial eyes, metal limbs, and even full-body modifications are common. But there is a catch. Each enhancement comes with a humanity cost. Lose too much humanity, and you go cyberpyscho, no longer able to relate to the human world and possibly a soulless killer. To combat this, there are rules for therapy to help you regain your humanity.

Much of the book is given over to the setting. A linked series of fiction pieces do a great job of showing, not telling, as we see some of the events that shaped the Time of the Red. The history and default Night City setting get a lot of space, and it is well written enough that you can easily set up your own campaign setting.

The book itself is beautiful, lavishly illustrated, and filled with nuggets that inspire the player. The binding is solid, which I'm sad to say is a rare thing in RPG books these days. It's well organized, though the index is a little lacking.

This is an amazing RPG and a worthy follow-on to the classic Cyberpunk line. Anyone looking for a good, tough, gritty game should consider getting this.



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