I wish I had discovered Apocalypse World years ago. I just finished reading it and I cannot wait to get a game going. I typically shy away from games and rule sets with character classes or archetypes, but Apocalypse World has shown that it can be done right. Some of the rules were a little tough to wrap my head around at first, just because the game works so differently from anything I have played before. No combat rounds or initiative may sound scary at first, especially to fans of more mainstream RPGs, but I think it's gonna' be super rad.
Aside from the mechanics, the setting is great. It's specific enough to get you started, but light enough to allow pretty much anything to happen. It leaves a lot of room for input from the MC (Read GM) and the players. Characters are created as a group and characters are tied together through their history. The characters have more than a binary effect on the narrative as their actions seem to be able to alter the narrative in infinite ways. Basically, the MC still has the final say, but players are encouraged to add to the narrative, which helps create a more interesting setting and more interesting "adventures".
Basically, just get it. You'll also find some other games based on the Apocalypse World rule set. There's some great stuff there too, but I'd personally start with the original. The only thing that could make this better is a print-on-demand version. Please take my money!
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