A Mega-Machines & Alien Invaders RPG!
Written: Aug 28 '01 (Updated Aug 28 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of mega-machines & technology, very exciting, excellent for large groups
Cons: Time consuming to play, can take a while to learn the setting and create characters
The Bottom Line: An exciting RPG with a wide range of awe inspiring mega-vehicles which players use to battle some very powerful alien invaders!
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| curtisv632's Full Review: Kevin Siembieda - Robotech the Role-Playing Game |
Imagine...
The year is 2020, and the earth has been devastated by a massive war with giant humanoid alien invaders known as the Zentraedi. You are part of a futuristic squadron of huge transformable jets known as Veritech Fighters. These machines have the capability of transforming into two other modes - Guardian mode (partial humanoid/partial jet), or Battloid mode (powerful humanoid mode for ground combat).
Your squadron consists of 12 Veritech's. Your assignment: patrol what is left of the Eastern U.S. seaboard from a gigantic futuristic aircraft carrier/submarine, known as the Prometheus, for Zentraedi alien rogues. The powerful humanoid-type aliens can stand as tall as 70 feet, are extremely technologically advanced, and known for deadly surprise attacks.
Your squadron of fighters is patrolling just offshore of the ruins of Wilmington, North Carolina, when a huge wave of 50 Zentraedi Battle Pods launches from the ruins! The pods are huge exoskeletons of metal and weapons around the alien warriors! You have only seconds to prepare as your squadron leader screams formation orders across the radio! What do you do?!?!
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(The scenario above is an example of the type of adventures players can go on in the world of Robotech. Of course there are many other mega-vehicles to choose from, a wide range of adventures, and lots of excitement to be had!)
At the heart of the Robotech Role Playing Game (RPG) is a race of giant aliens, the Zentraedi. They resemble humans in appearance, but have one very distinct difference (in addition to being huge and standing as tall as 70 feet) - they are manufactured. This race of powerful aliens was originally created for high gravity and extremely harsh environments. They were then converted into warriors because of a even more powerful alien threat, the Invid (who are the base of Robotech RPG Book 5: Invid Invasion).
There is certainly a lot to the story of how the Robotech setting came about, but it is well worth learning for the amount of fun and excitement the game can provide. There are also many illustrations in the rule book to help enhance the imagination of players.
Some Credits
The Robotech RPG was released in 1986 by Palladium Books and was written by Kevin Siembieda. The RPG is based on the Japanese series of books known as the ROBOTECH/Macross saga.
Player Characters & Game System
Standard to Palladium Games systems is the 8 main attributes (such as Physical Strength and Speed). In addition there is Hit Points (HP), sort of like your last line of defense. And Structural Damage Capacity (SDC) which represents your outer stamina and resistance to pain.
Character knowledge is represented by Occupational Skills in Robotech. They are grouped into categories such as Military or Science skills. Players simply choose from specified categories depending on which character occupation is chosen.
Combat is the same as all Palladium Games in Robotech so players who are familiar with the system will know it right away. If you are not familiar, the system is turn-based and is very simple to learn.
The additional statistic that exists in Robotech is Mega-Damage Capacity (MDC). 1 MDC is equivalent to 100 SDC. It is the measure of structural strength of vehicles and ships that are so large and technologically advanced that they are immune to conventional weapons (which normally inflict SDC damage). It is not complicated and adds a whole new dimension to the game with mega-vehicles that can withstand unimaginable amounts of damage.
Supplements
There are many game supplements you can get for the Robotech RPG. Some enhance the detail of the basic game such as the one called Zentraedi, while others move ahead in time and allow adventures and scenarios in future settings (such as my favorite one the Invid Invasion supplement, in which the Invid aliens invade our planet!!).
Some Cons
Two problems I have found with the Robotech RPG are the setting and history of the game can be a bit confusing at first (especially to figure out for a Game Master), and player characters can take some time to create with all the information that has to be taken down about mega-vehicles. Battles can also take a long time to execute until the Game Master has a little bit of Robotech experience under his or her belt.
Conclusion: Want to know more?
As you can see by my introduction, the Robotech RPG setting can be a bit complicated. And there is a lot more to the story of the game if you would like to fully understand it (in addition to the RPG, you can also read a few of the Robotech novels for more detailed setting information). But I do not want to swamp my review with nothing but Robotech RPG background and history.
If you like the sounds of the introduction to my review and the basics I outline, then you will most likely get plenty enjoyment out of the Robotech RPG as I have for many years. The game system is simple to learn, and familiar for those who have already played any Palladium System role playing games.
It is a very exciting role-playing game with an abundance of impressive futuristic mega-vehicles and deadly alien invaders. And it is an awesome system for large groups of players because of the nature of the Robotech wars! This game is without a doubt one of my favorites!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
curtisv632
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Member: Curtis Voyer
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Reviews written: 33
Trusted by: 30 members
About Me:
I'm a Software Developer, but I also enjoy writing! Been a while, but I'm baaaaaaack!
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