One of the strongpoints of Heavy Gear, since its early incarnations, is the graphic representation of the setting. Until now the richness and the dynamism of the artwork created for Heavy Gear could not be fully appreciated, due both to the reduced size of publication and the almost total absence of color which has only been used in parts of the 2nd Edition Heavy Gear Rulebook, the Crisis Of Faith storyline book and the Heavy Gear Design Works.
All artwork in The Art of Heavy Gear Volume I is by Ghislaine Barbe, the most characteristic Heavy Gear illustrator. There are 576 color pictures, for a total of 220 pages, spread over six chapters; Covers, Settings, Characters, Action Scenes, Vehicles and Fauna. Text is limited to captions; while remarking upon typos in roleplaying games has become a bit stale, we won't back down and will eagerly point to "Khatrad-Din" instead of "Khayr ad-Din" on page 13, "Reverend Thor Hutchisin" instead of "Hutchison" on page 44 and "Pilgrams" instead of "Pilgrims" on page 50. Not a lot, true, but keep in mind that this is a book almost completely devoid text.
The illustrations are almost without exception of excellent quality. Only three, in the 'Settings' chapter, look like computer graphic work and not original artwork: 'Atlantis', 'New Jerusalem' and 'Construction on Terra Nova'. The rest are the usual Barbe's pictures, dynamic and full of life, presented this time in a large format and with the crisp original colors. Some details take a life of their own for the first time. The various views of Peace River, large and in full color, let us finally fully appreciate the looks of this unusual city-state. Among the other surprises, the vivid colors of Reunion and Lyonnesse, and Oliver Masao's painted face. Did you know that Dawgs are purple? Two pictures from 'Action Scenes' - 'Gear Battle Southern Forces' and 'Gear Battle Northern Forces' - appear to have been separated from a single, larger original. Of course, the most useful sections are 'Characters' - with several archetype pictures that can be used for character sheets - and 'Vehicles'; it's worthy of note that the vehicle pictures here are the perspective ones found in the 3rd edition's Vehicle Companion (or in the rare 1st edition's Field Guides), and not the flat schematic views of the 2nd edition's Vehicle Compendia and counters.
Picture resolution throughout is 150 dpi; obviously the quality will vary with the user's screen and printer. Personally I've found printed pictures crisper than those on-screen, albeit with duller colors.
The price could raise an eyebrow; $22 US could be seen a bit steep for a product that exists only electronically. On the other hand, if you (like me) live in Europe, the exchange rate with the Euro and the absence of shipping costs make the deal more appealing. While a beautiful hardcover book on the coffee table is obviously more pleasing to the eye, the usefulness of The Art of Heavy Gear Volume I lies in using the richness of the digital artwork in the "homebrewing" of game material.
To sum it up: Heartily recommended to those who like Heavy Gear's setting and want to appreciate it on a new level.
[This text was edited by Jake Staines.]
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