Where to begin with this wonderful game? This is a GREAT, rules-light cosmic horror rpg. The game cuts through all the rules clutter of more involved rpgs like a blowtorch through butter. All rolls are made by the players, giving the GM the freedom to narrate scenes and set up situations without having to fuss with or remember a plethora of rules. Roll high and the player gets what he or she wants. Roll low, and they either outright fail (if the GM determines the game can still proceed in the face of that failure) or they succeed with strings attached (if the GM has privately determined if a failed roll would bring the scenario to a screeching halt). It's simple, and it's effective. No cumbersome game mechanics calling attention to themselves to get around any perceived 'choke points' for failed rolls. NPCs and monsters do have very brief stat blocks, mostly what they can do as a consequence of players rolling poorly. GM decribes a monster about to attack. If the player does nothing, the monster will destroy the player-character (or do whatever horrible thing it does to victims). If the player makes an attack roll, or evasive action, or casts a counter-spell, or what have you, the player's roll determines if the player wholly wins that turn of conflict, perhaps is partially successful but suffers a consequence, or really fails badly and suffers a couple of consequences (damage, being put in a bad spot, etc.). Creating new player-characters is a lighting-fast process that can be done in a minute or two (literally), but there's room to grow that character and their attributes from session-to-session, so the game supports campaign play. Sanity rules are similarly brief, clean, efficient and evocative. Same for spellcasting. It's all here in a very tersely worded yet quite fulfilling power package. The artwork is very evocative, supporting the mood of the game without calling undue attention to itself. Very, very happy with this purchase. An absolute bargain at $6 U.S. dollars. I can see running just about any horror scenario from any other published system with an absolute minimum of conversion fuss. The players will enjoy making the dice rolls, adding to their characters from session to session, while the GM can delight in creating spooky adventures for the gaming group without all the mechanical headaches of more rules-heavy systems. Characters get better over sessions of play, but they stay firmly rooted in human frailty (a thug with a gun will give a character pause no matter how many sessions he or she has played through). Buy this game. It demands to be played, and it will not disappoint you. Brilliant stuff.
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