The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Deadlands: The Weird West is Pinnacle Entertainment Group's child prodigy. It outshines most other historical/horror games I've played, mostly for its epic multi-game storyline spanning The Weird West, Hell on Earth and Lost Colony. It is a monumental achievement in the role-playing game industry and it's creator, Shane Hensley, should be proud. Deadlands: The Weird West, set in an alternate version of the American Old West, is populated by cowpokes, hex-slinging hucksters, restless natives and a slew of abominations from humanity's worst nightmares. The product line includes a few sourcebooks describing the unique regions in this horrific parallel West, including California, Salt Lake City, the Mississippi River and Mexico. The Great Weird North, the latest offering in the Deadlands: The Weird West universe, is a source book for Canada. Yes, Canada. See, Pinnacle filled in many of the geographical boundaries to the American West with South o' the Border, the sourcebook detailing goings-on in Mexico. This only left Canada an enigma in the game world, and The Great Weird North fills this void nicely. What's more, the volume is dual-statted for both classic Deadlands and Deadlands D20, so there's something for players of both systems.

DESCRIPTION The book is 128 pages long, costs $20 and is illustrated throughout. Like all Deadlands books, The Great Weird North is divided into sections; One section is for players and the other is for Marshals, or Game Masters. A more concise description of each section follows:

THE EPITAPH'S GUIDE TO THE GREAT WEIRD NORTH This section gives players the skinny on Canada's history and geography, written by esteemed reporter Lacey O'Malley. This part covers all of Canada in detail, from its eastern maritime provinces to its sparse western territories. Illustrated with a few nice maps, here's where you'll read about the English's first colonies, Canadian nationhood, the North West Mounted Police and the Indian tribes. You'll also hear tales of the Metis; half-Indian, half-European people led by the charismatic Louis Riel. The book tackles Canada province by province, giving readers a glimpse at important officials like Prime Minister John Macdonald and Alexander Mackenzie. It wouldn't be Deadlands without all the weirdness, so the chapter includes rumors of strange creatures in the wilderness, tales around the maritimes and a description of the Winterline, an odd fence built by Dr. Darious Hellstromme that repels snow and glaciers from across Canada. The final section, about Alaska, is good, but could have been longer.

MAKIN' NORTHERNERS Chapter two covers all the need-to-know stuff for playing Canadians. Included here are new hindrances and edges that'll fit your newly-forged Canadian like a parka. Also included are specifics on creating Acadians, rural Canadian farmers at home with nature, and Metis characters. Along with these descriptions is necessary survival gear to take with you into the frozen wastes. Want to ride a dogsled or wear snowshoes? Wear a buckskin jacket or Metis sash? You can now! Rounding the chapter out is a paragraph about money conversion north of the border (U.S. and Canadian money are equal), prices for equipment (Save up - fishing spears are kinda pricey) and player archetypes for the British Soldier, Longhunter, Mounty and Trapper.

SECRETS O' THE NORTH The final section contains detailed descriptions meant for GMs. Players should avoid reading this section, as it contains all the juicy bits Marshals will use to torment their players, including statistics on some monsters native to the north like the Killer Mouse, which isn't as harmless as you think, and some magical relics found in Canada. Also included is information on dealing with hostile weather conditions like snowblindness, freezing water, ice sheets and blizzards. For players used to the heat of American deserts, dealing with frostbite will be a new and numbing experience.

AFTERTHOUGHTS The Great Weird North is a solid gaming resource book detailing Canada in the Deadlands universe. Like a seal hunter skewering a blubber burger, you'll revel in these tales from the north. My only complaint is superficial. It's the large typeface that's inconsistent with the other books. The Great Weird North, while a very good book, may be lighter on content than, say, South o' the Border. Information on Alaska and the role of the United States could have been longer. It seems the book's large typeface was done to pad the thing out to 128 pages. I agree this complaint is a minor one and should not detract from the enjoyment of this volume. Where the book shines is the player's section. People interested in assuming the role of a Mounty or a trapper will love the history and details presented here. Also, the Marshal's section contains enough obstacles to throw at the players. Forest giants, anyone? If you're tired of roaming the arid deserts of the Southwest and need a little cooling off, take off to the Great Weird North, eh.

The Great Weird North
The Great Weird North Capsule Review by Eric Avedissian on 12/01/03 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty) The Great Weird North is a solid gaming resource book detailing Canada in the Deadlands universe. A decent change of scenario from other western locals in this game of cowboys and zombies. Product: The Great Weird North Author: Aaron Rosenberg Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Pinnacle Entertainment Group Line: Deadlands: The Weird West Cost: $20 Page count: 128 Year published: 2002 ISBN: 1-930855-01-X SKU: 1035 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Eric Avedissian on 12/01/03 Genre tags: Historical Horror Old West	Deadlands: The Weird West is Pinnacle Entertainment Group's child prodigy. It outshines most other historical/horror games I've played, mostly for its epic multi-game storyline spanning The Weird West, Hell on Earth and Lost Colony. It is a monumental achievement in the role-playing game industry and it's creator, Shane Hensley, should be proud. Deadlands: The Weird West, set in an alternate version of the American Old West, is populated by cowpokes, hex-slinging hucksters, restless natives and a slew of abominations from humanity's worst nightmares. The product line includes a few sourcebooks describing the unique regions in this horrific parallel West, including California, Salt Lake City, the Mississippi River and Mexico. The Great Weird North, the latest offering in the Deadlands: The Weird West universe, is a source book for Canada. Yes, Canada. See, Pinnacle filled in many of the geographical boundaries to the American West with South o' the Border, the sourcebook detailing goings-on in Mexico. This only left Canada an enigma in the game world, and The Great Weird North fills this void nicely. What's more, the volume is dual-statted for both classic Deadlands and Deadlands D20, so there's something for players of both systems. DESCRIPTION The book is 128 pages long, costs $20 and is illustrated throughout. Like all Deadlands books, The Great Weird North is divided into sections; One section is for players and the other is for Marshals, or Game Masters. A more concise description of each section follows: THE EPITAPH'S GUIDE TO THE GREAT WEIRD NORTH This section gives players the skinny on Canada's history and geography, written by esteemed reporter Lacey O'Malley. This part covers all of Canada in detail, from its eastern maritime provinces to its sparse western territories. Illustrated with a few nice maps, here's where you'll read about the English's first colonies, Canadian nationhood, the North West Mounted Police and the Indian tribes. You'll also hear tales of the Metis; half-Indian, half-European people led by the charismatic Louis Riel. The book tackles Canada province by province, giving readers a glimpse at important officials like Prime Minister John Macdonald and Alexander Mackenzie. It wouldn't be Deadlands without all the weirdness, so the chapter includes rumors of strange creatures in the wilderness, tales around the maritimes and a description of the Winterline, an odd fence built by Dr. Darious Hellstromme that repels snow and glaciers from across Canada. The final section, about Alaska, is good, but could have been longer. MAKIN' NORTHERNERS Chapter two covers all the need-to-know stuff for playing Canadians. Included here are new hindrances and edges that'll fit your newly-forged Canadian like a parka. Also included are specifics on creating Acadians, rural Canadian farmers at home with nature, and Metis characters. Along with these descriptions is necessary survival gear to take with you into the frozen wastes. Want to ride a dogsled or wear snowshoes? Wear a buckskin jacket or Metis sash? You can now! Rounding the chapter out is a paragraph about money conversion north of the border (U.S. and Canadian money are equal), prices for equipment (Save up - fishing spears are kinda pricey) and player archetypes for the British Soldier, Longhunter, Mounty and Trapper. SECRETS O' THE NORTH The final section contains detailed descriptions meant for GMs. Players should avoid reading this section, as it contains all the juicy bits Marshals will use to torment their players, including statistics on some monsters native to the north like the Killer Mouse, which isn't as harmless as you think, and some magical relics found in Canada. Also included is information on dealing with hostile weather conditions like snowblindness, freezing water, ice sheets and blizzards. For players used to the heat of American deserts, dealing with frostbite will be a new and numbing experience. AFTERTHOUGHTS The Great Weird North is a solid gaming resource book detailing Canada in the Deadlands universe. Like a seal hunter skewering a blubber burger, you'll revel in these tales from the north. My only complaint is superficial. It's the large typeface that's inconsistent with the other books. The Great Weird North, while a very good book, may be lighter on content than, say, South o' the Border. Information on Alaska and the role of the United States could have been longer. It seems the book's large typeface was done to pad the thing out to 128 pages. I agree this complaint is a minor one and should not detract from the enjoyment of this volume. Where the book shines is the player's section. People interested in assuming the role of a Mounty or a trapper will love the history and details presented here. Also, the Marshal's section contains enough obstacles to throw at the players. Forest giants, anyone? If you're tired of roaming the arid deserts of the Southwest and need a little cooling off, take off to the Great Weird North, eh.