The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Good adventure modules are hard to find.

Feng Shui fans don't have that problem, not after Marked For Death.

Marked For Death is a short compliation of five adventures. They range from a straight-forward bank heist in contemporary Hong Kong to a time-crossing action/romance with a nod to Jackie Chan, and along the way they managed to skewer Shakespeare.

The first chapter is called "Brinks!" This is the simple bank-heist adventure, featuring a gaggle of Triad mooks in their tradmarked black sedans. It's a short scenario, but it flows well. The strength of it is in the NPC characterizations, which promise to make memorable gaming if the GM takes advantage of it.

Chapter Two is a contemporary fantasy in the vein of The Heroic Trio called "Blood For The Master." Again, it's a short and simple scenario that flows well. The NPCs aren't quite so memorable, but there's enough meat for the GM to present a full night's gaming that will keep everyone laughing as they fight the demon hordes.

Chapter Three is a time-jumping yarn called "Pai Lai," and it deals with the title character (a demon lord) getting loose from his imprisonment. This is also the adventure where the most telling truth about Feng Shui combat is revealed; there's an NPC gunship called "Roscoe the Buro Attack Helicopter", and he's named because otherwise any old PC that took a shot at him could blow him up like any other mook. It's a fun adventure in its own right, but that still gets me rolling with glee.

Chapter Four isn't a full-fledged adventure, but a running subplot. It's called "The Shape of Guilt", and it's a twisted rewrite of King Lear. You must read for yourself to appreciate the affection many fans have for it.

Finally, we have the show-stopper: "Shaolin Heartbreak." This is the action/romance with the nod to Jackie. It involves time travel, a Cambodian sorceror and a firefight on an airstrip during a typhoon. You will love yourself for reading it; sheer brilliance I tell you.

Each adventure provides plenty of hooks for further adventures spawned by that one, and there's some faux film script here and that serves to showcase Feng Shui-style gameplay. For the money, it provides a lot of gameplay value.

If you play the game, or any other- like Hong Kong Action Theater- I recommend it.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Marked For Death
Author: Various Authors Category: game Company/Publisher: Daedelus Entertaiment, Inc. Cost: $13 (US) Page count: 76 pages ISBN: 1-888335-01-7 Capsule Review by Bradford C. Walker on 03/03/98. Genre tags: none	Good adventure modules are hard to find. Feng Shui fans don't have that problem, not after Marked For Death. Marked For Death is a short compliation of five adventures. They range from a straight-forward bank heist in contemporary Hong Kong to a time-crossing action/romance with a nod to Jackie Chan, and along the way they managed to skewer Shakespeare. The first chapter is called "Brinks!" This is the simple bank-heist adventure, featuring a gaggle of Triad mooks in their tradmarked black sedans. It's a short scenario, but it flows well. The strength of it is in the NPC characterizations, which promise to make memorable gaming if the GM takes advantage of it. Chapter Two is a contemporary fantasy in the vein of The Heroic Trio called "Blood For The Master." Again, it's a short and simple scenario that flows well. The NPCs aren't quite so memorable, but there's enough meat for the GM to present a full night's gaming that will keep everyone laughing as they fight the demon hordes. Chapter Three is a time-jumping yarn called "Pai Lai," and it deals with the title character (a demon lord) getting loose from his imprisonment. This is also the adventure where the most telling truth about Feng Shui combat is revealed; there's an NPC gunship called "Roscoe the Buro Attack Helicopter", and he's named because otherwise any old PC that took a shot at him could blow him up like any other mook. It's a fun adventure in its own right, but that still gets me rolling with glee. Chapter Four isn't a full-fledged adventure, but a running subplot. It's called "The Shape of Guilt", and it's a twisted rewrite of King Lear. You must read for yourself to appreciate the affection many fans have for it. Finally, we have the show-stopper: "Shaolin Heartbreak." This is the action/romance with the nod to Jackie. It involves time travel, a Cambodian sorceror and a firefight on an airstrip during a typhoon. You will love yourself for reading it; sheer brilliance I tell you. Each adventure provides plenty of hooks for further adventures spawned by that one, and there's some faux film script here and that serves to showcase Feng Shui-style gameplay. For the money, it provides a lot of gameplay value. If you play the game, or any other- like Hong Kong Action Theater- I recommend it. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty)