The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Hello. I am about to do a playtest review of "Shattered Europe," the European sourcebook for White Wolf's Trinity game. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to playtest this, since it is a sourcebook, but I did the best I could. [Editor's note: and so, without further ado...]

Artwork
The layout is what we've come to expect from Trinity, which is what White Wolf should do in the first place with all of it's games: Leave the fiction in one section of the book, and the rules in the rest. Glossy, classy, and well-done as usual.

Information
Here, not only do we find out interesting tidbits about the state of the European Union today, we also find out more about the Aesculpians, the psychic surgeons of Trinity.

So, how is it in jolly old Europe this year? It sucks. Nationalism and religious revival are the only things holding most of the natives together.France has had it the worst, with a large orbital space station that's fallen on top of it. EVery other part of the continent is in the throes of stagnation and looking-backwards. Terrorism is rampant, as are Aberrants (mutant supra-humans)and 'taint' diseases. Even biomass converters, which change inedible organics to nutritious glop, aren't enough to halt most of the problems. Sweden, Norway, and Finland are now The Northern Collective. Poland and Portugal have both seen their stars rise, but that doesn't help their neighbors any. Britain has become almost ruthlessly isolationist. I reiterate, it sucks. But boy, does it leave a lot of plot hooks for enterprising Storytellers. The Aesculpians are fleshed out a little more, and there's nothing here that will surprise anyone familiar with the game. Their leader is named Matthieu Zweidler, who's known to have his head firmly clenched between his gluteus maximi about everything but medical science. There is a schism between his brand of healing, which is detatched and scientific, and the Port-au-Prince method, which relies on having a bedside manner. There are new Techniques for the Vitakinetics to use; most are useful, but it recommended that Trinityites wait for the Player's Handbook to come out, which, according to rumor, allows for more flexibility in and among the MOdes.

A Small Gripe:
I honestly cannot imagine any country allowing itself to be this bad off. And when I use the word "allowing", I mean it. With the technology available, much more progress should be seen in Europe. Still, the folks who write Trinity do make some convincing points about simple human bullheadedness being quite enough to hold a nation back. I reluctantly agree, but I can't help wondering why things aren't a bit better.

In SUM:

Just like most of the Trinity sourcebooks: meaty information, although not outstanding, and attractive art. MOre than enough hooks, and a solid portrait of where Europe stands at 2120. Not overwhelming, but certainly not a rip-off by anyone's standards. Worth buying for the plot hooks, even if you're not a completist. Needs some more maps, but that's been a Trinity shortcoming since the beginning.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Shattered Europe
Author: Baugh, et al. Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Cost: $19.95 Page count: 140 ISBN: 1-56504-761-7 Playtest Review by Carl L. Congdon on 01/15/99. Genre tags: Fantasy Science_fiction Space Conspiracy	Hello. I am about to do a playtest review of "Shattered Europe," the European sourcebook for White Wolf's Trinity game. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to playtest this, since it is a sourcebook, but I did the best I could. [Editor's note: and so, without further ado...] Artwork The layout is what we've come to expect from Trinity, which is what White Wolf should do in the first place with all of it's games: Leave the fiction in one section of the book, and the rules in the rest. Glossy, classy, and well-done as usual. Information Here, not only do we find out interesting tidbits about the state of the European Union today, we also find out more about the Aesculpians, the psychic surgeons of Trinity. So, how is it in jolly old Europe this year? It sucks. Nationalism and religious revival are the only things holding most of the natives together.France has had it the worst, with a large orbital space station that's fallen on top of it. EVery other part of the continent is in the throes of stagnation and looking-backwards. Terrorism is rampant, as are Aberrants (mutant supra-humans)and 'taint' diseases. Even biomass converters, which change inedible organics to nutritious glop, aren't enough to halt most of the problems. Sweden, Norway, and Finland are now The Northern Collective. Poland and Portugal have both seen their stars rise, but that doesn't help their neighbors any. Britain has become almost ruthlessly isolationist. I reiterate, it sucks. But boy, does it leave a lot of plot hooks for enterprising Storytellers. The Aesculpians are fleshed out a little more, and there's nothing here that will surprise anyone familiar with the game. Their leader is named Matthieu Zweidler, who's known to have his head firmly clenched between his gluteus maximi about everything but medical science. There is a schism between his brand of healing, which is detatched and scientific, and the Port-au-Prince method, which relies on having a bedside manner. There are new Techniques for the Vitakinetics to use; most are useful, but it recommended that Trinityites wait for the Player's Handbook to come out, which, according to rumor, allows for more flexibility in and among the MOdes. A Small Gripe: I honestly cannot imagine any country allowing itself to be this bad off. And when I use the word "allowing", I mean it. With the technology available, much more progress should be seen in Europe. Still, the folks who write Trinity do make some convincing points about simple human bullheadedness being quite enough to hold a nation back. I reluctantly agree, but I can't help wondering why things aren't a bit better. In SUM: Just like most of the Trinity sourcebooks: meaty information, although not outstanding, and attractive art. MOre than enough hooks, and a solid portrait of where Europe stands at 2120. Not overwhelming, but certainly not a rip-off by anyone's standards. Worth buying for the plot hooks, even if you're not a completist. Needs some more maps, but that's been a Trinity shortcoming since the beginning. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)