The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Usagi Yojimbo Roleplaying Game

by Greg Stolze with other writing contributions from Mark Arsenault, Todd Bustillo, Glenn Masuda, and Jared Smith

Gold Rush Games P. O. Box 2531 Elk Grove, CA 95759

GoldRushG@aol.com http://members.aol.com/goldrushg/

$16

96 pages, perfect bound

Grade: B+

I do not "get" furry. I have never read an issue of Usagi Yojimbo. Nevertheless, I like this game.

Why do I like it? Let me count the ways. First, it was written by Greg Stolze, who has a tight, clean prose style. Even when I do not agree with what he is saying, I enjoy his writing.

Second, there is the art. Just as the Prince Valiant game was illustrated by art from the title strip, so Usagi Yojimbo is illustated with by art from the comic book that inspired it. This does a good job of illustrating both the culture and the rules.

It is also good art, and, unlike what little furry art I had previously encountered, it is neither bimbo art nor erotic fantasy. I have nothing against the latter, mind; I just don't get furry.

Usagi Yojimbo draws on a specific source, not on a nebulous world of furries whose relation to our own is never entirely clear to me. It helps that the world of Usagi Yojimbo is the product of one man's vision and that it is one whose appeal is easy to convey with one of the many pictures which illustrate the book. They truly are worth a thousand words each.

It also helps that the system is simple. I have never read the Fuzion rules, but that did not matter. Everything I needed to know was right there. Usagi Yojimbo uses a simplified version of Fuzion, which is just fine with me. I have a low tolerance for complexity. I like the rules for gaining experience. They encourage players to work with the GM to come up with things the PCs can do to get better at skills.

The game also does a reasonable job of making the different kinds of animals truly -different-, not just people in dog or cat suits who function identically. A small, but sufficient amount of space is devoted to discussion of the fact that there are non-sentient animals, as well as the occasional human in the comic book.

Finally, this book has a lot of material crammed into 96 pages of delightfully large text. My eyes are grateful. In addition to the rules and background, the major characters from the comic book ars written up both as beginning PCs and as more advanced characters. There are excerpts from interviews with Stan Sagai, the creator of the comic book. There is a character index and a timeline for the comic book, as well as a glossary of frequently used Japanese terms. There are rules for using Fudge mechanics. There is a well-plotted adventure that doee not presume that PCs will necessarily work for the "good" guys or follow a predetermined course of action.

This is not to say that I don't have any complaints. I like the rock-paper-scissors simplicity of the combat system, but I think skill ought to be factored in more. Total defense always foils total attack, regardless of the skill of the combatants. A total attack may hurt someone trying a cautious attack, but I do not understand why the cautious attacker has no chance of hurting his more reckless opponent as well, or why there is no chance of a double kill if both combatants are making total attacks. Perhaps this is in keeping with the source material, but it seems odd. Also, there is no index.

But these complaints do not change the fact that Usagi Yojimbo is an entertaining, well-written roleplaying game. Moreover, it is a -complete- roleplaying game, rules, background, and extra source material for $16. Far too many games cost twice as much and deliver less.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Usagi Yojimbo Roleplaying Game
Author: Greg Stolze with other writing contributions from Mark Arsenault, Todd Bustillo, Glenn Masuda, and Jared Smith Category: game Company/Publisher: Gold Rush Games Line: Usagi Yojimbo Cost: $16 Page count: 96 pages, perfect bound ISBN: 1-890305-02-2 Capsule Review by Lisa Padol on 09/09/99. Genre tags: Fantasy Anime Asian/Far_East	Usagi Yojimbo Roleplaying Game by Greg Stolze with other writing contributions from Mark Arsenault, Todd Bustillo, Glenn Masuda, and Jared Smith Gold Rush Games P. O. Box 2531 Elk Grove, CA 95759 GoldRushG@aol.com http://members.aol.com/goldrushg/ $16 96 pages, perfect bound Grade: B+ I do not "get" furry. I have never read an issue of Usagi Yojimbo. Nevertheless, I like this game. Why do I like it? Let me count the ways. First, it was written by Greg Stolze, who has a tight, clean prose style. Even when I do not agree with what he is saying, I enjoy his writing. Second, there is the art. Just as the Prince Valiant game was illustrated by art from the title strip, so Usagi Yojimbo is illustated with by art from the comic book that inspired it. This does a good job of illustrating both the culture and the rules. It is also good art, and, unlike what little furry art I had previously encountered, it is neither bimbo art nor erotic fantasy. I have nothing against the latter, mind; I just don't get furry. Usagi Yojimbo draws on a specific source, not on a nebulous world of furries whose relation to our own is never entirely clear to me. It helps that the world of Usagi Yojimbo is the product of one man's vision and that it is one whose appeal is easy to convey with one of the many pictures which illustrate the book. They truly are worth a thousand words each. It also helps that the system is simple. I have never read the Fuzion rules, but that did not matter. Everything I needed to know was right there. Usagi Yojimbo uses a simplified version of Fuzion, which is just fine with me. I have a low tolerance for complexity. I like the rules for gaining experience. They encourage players to work with the GM to come up with things the PCs can do to get better at skills. The game also does a reasonable job of making the different kinds of animals truly -different-, not just people in dog or cat suits who function identically. A small, but sufficient amount of space is devoted to discussion of the fact that there are non-sentient animals, as well as the occasional human in the comic book. Finally, this book has a lot of material crammed into 96 pages of delightfully large text. My eyes are grateful. In addition to the rules and background, the major characters from the comic book ars written up both as beginning PCs and as more advanced characters. There are excerpts from interviews with Stan Sagai, the creator of the comic book. There is a character index and a timeline for the comic book, as well as a glossary of frequently used Japanese terms. There are rules for using Fudge mechanics. There is a well-plotted adventure that doee not presume that PCs will necessarily work for the "good" guys or follow a predetermined course of action. This is not to say that I don't have any complaints. I like the rock-paper-scissors simplicity of the combat system, but I think skill ought to be factored in more. Total defense always foils total attack, regardless of the skill of the combatants. A total attack may hurt someone trying a cautious attack, but I do not understand why the cautious attacker has no chance of hurting his more reckless opponent as well, or why there is no chance of a double kill if both combatants are making total attacks. Perhaps this is in keeping with the source material, but it seems odd. Also, there is no index. But these complaints do not change the fact that Usagi Yojimbo is an entertaining, well-written roleplaying game. Moreover, it is a -complete- roleplaying game, rules, background, and extra source material for $16. Far too many games cost twice as much and deliver less. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)