Mini Game Issue #1

This is a review for the 53 page The Other Side (issue #1 of a D20 Minigame ‘zine) written by Andrew Tatro, Anna Geoffroy, and Colin Fredericks. The Other Side is currently available through RPGnow for $5.00.

Rating: 6 out of 10 golden apples. (Reviewed as a D20 supplement.)

Here is something unusual, a ‘zine dedicated to publishing one mini role-playing game per issue. I have three issues, thus far, in my queue to review and will be looking at them in chronological order. Now I realize some may be wondering why not merely release such games as separate titles. That would be a good question, one I shall endeavor to answer. At a glance this PDF looks to be: distilled 300 proof digital neutral evil. Granted that impression came largely from the illustrations and layout. That and scanning through the document to find sections with titles like “Racial Profiling” and “God is Pissed” that are, well, I am getting ahead of myself. Perhaps a little backtracking to provide you, the humble reader, with that all important product information is in order…

Summary

This is a D20 product centering on goblinkin. You do remember goblinkin, right? Those nasty, vile, odiferous, hairy, beastly critters of the mostly evil alignments and often-chaotic temperaments? Yep, them guys who chew up the canon fodder NPCs yet never seem to be able to inflict more than a +2 paper cut on your adorable, if sometimes surly, heathen slaying heroes. That’s right this inaugural issue of Minigames is all about those grinning goose stepping goblins and their oxymoronic orc allies with their brutish bugbear fellows who dance around burning pyres claw in paw with Kentucky bourbon swilling kobolds and. . .

Oh no, it’s the return of the reviewer with the horrible puns and horrific jokes. Run and hide!!! Or stick around and read on. You may be surprised.

Setting: Disappointingly none. Don’t be fooled by the “mini game” title. This is a D20 fantasy supplement. Should easily plug into any D20 or D&D powered fantasy game.

The Game: The “game’s” focal point is centered squarely on demihumans. Thus it is only logical that the game material should start off with the section: “Racial Profiling”. Herein is outlined information on the following races: Goblins, Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Troglodytes, Ogres, Gnolls, and Orcs. Basically what we are treated to are is a cross between old fashioned “Ecology of..” type articles and rule expansions providing the sort of basic information required to play demihuman monster characters as PCs. In short, this is not so much an actual game as it is a plug-and-play supplement designed for use with D20 fantasy games.

System Mechanics: Assume either the D&D core rules and/or standard D20 campaign material of some sort will be required for play. This is not; I repeat NOT, an actual stand-alone mini game of any stripe. This is a D20 supplement.

New/Additional Rules: Some new skills, a few exotic weapons, a bit about poisons, notes on running standard classes with demihumans, four prestige classes, a half dozen pre-generated NPCs, GM advice covering how to run a primarily monster oriented campaign, and a handful of adventure seeds and mini plot hooks.

Characters: Presents only four prestige classes: the Gatesmasher, Infiltrator, Ogre-Rider, and Trapmaster. Acceptable if under whelming.

On the one hand I like the concept, a ‘zine dedicated to bringing the sort of role-playing game material that might otherwise go unpublished to gamers. The price, compared to products offering similar content, is fair, if a bit steep for a PDF hobby magazine. Of course that is a matter of opinion. However, and this is where the other hand drops the straw on the camel’s back, this really wasn’t much of a ‘zine. If The Other Side had been used as the gem insert to pad out articles, reviews, and the typical sort of stuff one normally finds in a magazine then I’d say this was awesome beyond words.

However, this is just a one-game a pop publication. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Back in the heady days of wargaming there were many a magazine dedicated to the hobby that did pretty much the same thing. Alas, those ‘zines didn’t last very long. Which, based on my last correspondence with the publishers, seems to be the sadly pending fate of Minigames. Hopefully this will not be the case. The idea is sound. It’s just a matter of finding an audience and creating a magazine that both those looking for reviews, articles, and the occasional mini game will want to purchase.

Negatives: It may just be me but calling something a ‘zine elicits a certain expectation, namely that there will be articles, reviews, industry columns, and maybe even a calendar of events or at the very least some fan fiction or an bit of editorial commentary about something. There was none of that here. Just the one massive mini game, or rather D20 supplement. Not that there was anything wrong with the supplement, just saying I was expecting to find a bit more. Like an actual stand alone role-playing game.

Positives: The artwork alone is worth a good sixth the cover price. There are bookmarks, so no worries about having to rely solely on the search feature, which does work. While not quite an independent RPG, as one might assume the content of a ‘zine with the title “mini game” would be, it is a game. At least in the sense that this is a supplement devoted to providing information for running non-standard campaigns using monster characters. In other words this is a great little D20 supplement, but that’s all it is.