The Inside Scoop on Gaming

I picked this game up in the hopes that I would be picking up a game of "classic" proportions. And I must say that I was sorely disappointed.

Tunnels & Trolls was one of the first competitors to AD&D and should be judged on those merits. However, when I realized that the game was in it's fifth edition, I also thought that it could have done with an overhaul long before this. This system is antiquated and outdated beyond all belief.

Just a few of the sticking points for this game for me were: a) The utterly unrealistic combat system. The combat system in here is absolutely the worst I have ever read and would never consider using it, in any game. Terribly unrealistic and downright backwards, this was one of the first turn-offs for me of this system. b) It is little more than a clone of D&D in some respects. It uses a class/level/XP system that still doesn't work for D&D. c) Without a lot of heavy modification, your characters are little more than dungeon delvers with a thirst for gold.

There are a few positive things about Tunnels & Trolls, in that they do have several solo adventure games out there. Most of them are of the read the paragraph and then go to this paragraph type, but that is okay. But overall, the weaknesses of this game compared to other modern fantasy games overcomes it cheap price and "classic" status. If you have to have a copy of Tunnels & Trolls, wait until you can get it really, really cheap.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)

Tunnels & Trolls 5th Edition
Author: Ken St. Andre Category: game Company/Publisher: Flying Buffalo, Inc. Cost: $9.95 Page count: 94 ISBN: 0-940244-00-4 Capsule Review by Paul Franklin on 02/19/98. Genre tags: none	I picked this game up in the hopes that I would be picking up a game of "classic" proportions. And I must say that I was sorely disappointed. Tunnels & Trolls was one of the first competitors to AD&D and should be judged on those merits. However, when I realized that the game was in it's fifth edition, I also thought that it could have done with an overhaul long before this. This system is antiquated and outdated beyond all belief. Just a few of the sticking points for this game for me were: a) The utterly unrealistic combat system. The combat system in here is absolutely the worst I have ever read and would never consider using it, in any game. Terribly unrealistic and downright backwards, this was one of the first turn-offs for me of this system. b) It is little more than a clone of D&D in some respects. It uses a class/level/XP system that still doesn't work for D&D. c) Without a lot of heavy modification, your characters are little more than dungeon delvers with a thirst for gold. There are a few positive things about Tunnels & Trolls, in that they do have several solo adventure games out there. Most of them are of the read the paragraph and then go to this paragraph type, but that is okay. But overall, the weaknesses of this game compared to other modern fantasy games overcomes it cheap price and "classic" status. If you have to have a copy of Tunnels & Trolls, wait until you can get it really, really cheap. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 2 (Sparse)

Tunnels & Trolls 5th Edition