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First impressions: 1) Wow, this is fast, 2) there are very few things to have to remember, and 3) it takes some time to adjust from more mechanics-heavy games.
GENERAL COMMENTS
The art is hand-drawn and adequate for the nature of the game. Reasonably well-edited, with only a few minor typos that caught my eye… nothing that internally seems to disagree with itself as far as mechanics are concerned, however.
For those not overly familiar with the superhero genre, an excellent list of suggested readings and resources is provided, as well as lengthy discussions on the different tones and eras of comics. Numerous play and character creation examples help those new to both the hobby, and the system itself; plentiful campaign notes and suggestions are provided for the aspiring gamemaster. Overall, the text is easily readable and takes a fairly user-friendly approach in tone. Numerous charts are availble (and are reproduced in the last few pages of the document for ease of reference).
Gameplay itself is interesting- it utilizes the PDQ (Prose Descriptive Quality, though the other more widely-known acronym is just as accurate) system. Characters basically have four major areas of attributes- Qualities, Powers, Stunts, and MAX. Two six-sided dice are all that are required; a player rolls the dice, adds the appropriate Qualities, Powers, Stunts, and any hero point or situational modifiers, and compares it either against an opposed roll, or a difficulty set by the GM. Two levels (‘scales’) of damage help to distinguish ‘normal’ damage (hand to hand combat, gunshots, etc.) and ‘super’ damage (most Powers, and in some cases, high-yield ‘normal’ effects such as artillery, orbital bombardment, or meteor strikes). There are also two methods of causing discomfort to opponents- damage ranks, and failure ranks. Both achieve the same result (‘zeroing out’ the opponent- essentially, knocking them out- by way of reducing Qualities and Powers to below zero), but one depends on brute force, the other on trickery and subterfuge. This works well with a system where a character that may not rely on brute force needs to take down a physically superior opponent.
Qualities are ‘normal’ attributes- skills, knowledge, professions, areas of interest, personality traits, etc. It should be noted that *every* PC begins with a Weakness- a Quality with a negative modifier, in keeping with the idea that every hero has a chink in their proverbial armor. Powers, naturally, include super powers and ‘high powered’ versions of Qualities (such as, for example, Batman’s detective training). For both Qualities and Powers, values are rated in multiples of two (starting at zero, considered to be average, and ending up at the Master level. Increases to the value after that point increase the number of dice that are rolled).
Stunts come in two varieties- Spin-off, and Signature. Spin-off Stunts are best thought of ‘on the fly’ applications of powers- using an ice blast to ice over someone’s hands, or make the ground slippery, for instance. They are generally weaker than the power on which they are based (to reflect the inexperience of the hero using the power in that fashion). Signature Stunts, on the other hand, are stunts with which the character is well-versed, or for which they are well-known. They cost hero points to utilize, and are as powerful as (if sometimes more versatile than) the base power. In either case, Stunts are the primary tool that allows for a character to use a power outside of the way it is described in the text. No fixed rule is given for how many of each a PC is allowed to begin with; it seems to be left to the GM to decide.
MAX serves three purposes: it acts as a cap on hero points (points used by players to power signature stunts, increase abilities for a one-time use, gain insight from the GM, or otherwise be heroic), as experience with which players may purchase new or improve existing Qualities and Powers, and as a means of dramatic impetus. MAX is increased by gaining upticks through good role playing, providing an enjoyable time at the table, etc.; when the number of upticks you have equals your MAX, you increase your MAX by one point. MAX has one final, very important aspect: if a character ever ends up with zero MAX (by using them as surrogate hero points, for instance), the PC either dies or becomes a normal being, losing all powers (the decision is up to the player, though going with what is dramatically appropriate is suggested).
THE UPSIDE
Inexpensive. The PDF version of this game was a measly $8 for me, after utilizing a $5 coupon that I received for downloading a free supplement (“Dial S for Superheroes”) for the game from RPGNow. A more recent offer shows the game as being available for half-price. Even without such discounts, $13 for a full game is fairly uncommon in this hobby.
T&J is easy to pick up and run, and strikes me as excelling as a convention game, as well as play-by-post sessions. The basics of the game are quite easy to teach to new and/or younger players, as attributes are not always specifically delineated, instead being defined by the players in many cases.
Playtime is exceedingly quick- perhaps faster than virtually any other game I’ve played. Our GM claims that it is a snap to prepare for sessions, leaving him more time to consider plot over mechanics and to come up with stats easily on the fly for NPCs when need be.
I found the fact that the game is largely player-driven to be enjoyable. Character death is not left to chance- a conscious decision has to be made by players for anyone to die in T&J, making it appropriate for younger audiences. In a nod to those gamers who might have difficulties in coming up with plot hooks for their characters, the first Quality or Power in which they take damage (recipients of damage, in most cases, decide where they get ‘hurt’) is noted, and a plot point developed from that instance.
T&J need not be relegated to superheroes either- somewhat recently I tried my hand at designing Street Fighter characters, to (I’m told) decent effect. Likewise, some other genre character concepts (such as science fiction and fantasy) have been easy to emulate via T&J. This is an attribute of the underlying PDQ system, though it is comforting to know that the system does not collapse under genre expectations.
THE DOWNSIDE
My gaming group and I share one common, if arbitrary, complaint- the connection between characters spending experience (MAX) to buy or upgrade powers and qualities, and the ability of the character to ‘be heroic’ (hero points- the capacity to push your powers or pull off signature stunts and so on- are capped by your current MAX). Additionally (and this could simply be due to the manner in which upticks were awarded in our group), it seems that Powers and Qualities are both unreasonably expensive (Qualities cost 4 MAX, and Powers cost twice that, to upgrade or buy a new one). This last bit is easily remedied by GM fiat, though it seems somewhat odd that all powers, irregardless of nature or utility, cost the same.
Also, the lack of mechanics for some ‘staple’ comic powers seem to suffer a bit from handwaving- that is, it’s left largely to the GM and players to make rulings on certain powers that are not specifically defined. This is definitely keeping with the fluid nature of the rules, but players and GMs accustomed to heavier mechanics may take some time in adjusting to a more ‘open’ interpretation of powers. It falls to the GM to enact limits on what powers can and can’t do in some instances, which is fine when dealing with a select few powers. However, given the sheer variety of powers that are displayed in the source material of comic books, it can become an exercise in putting together numerous house rules. For a system whose primary strength is its fluidity, this can be oddly counterintuitive.
A few powers were found to be unbalancing in our particular game- Super Speed, specifically, was the most obvious culprit (though, to be fair, super speed generally has raised a ‘red flag’ in any supers genre game I’ve played- Champions, Heroes Unlimited, or Mutants & Masterminds). More house ruling was required by our GM to ensure we didn’t inadvertently overpower opponents by relying too heavily on a particular power or two. The Meta-Power (the term used to describe a group of related powers) description also leaves a lot for the GM and players to hash out.
SUPPORT
I’m of the belief that a game can also be rated by the quality of support that it receives. Truth & Justice has already had a few supplements released (The Turtlezilla Dossier, Legends Walk: T&J Edition, Dial S for Supers). The T&J Yahoo Group (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/truthandjustice/) is frequented by the game’s author and a sizeable group of players, and is a great resource for FAQs, errata/clarifications, and ways that the game can be used. It is this very support that mitigates many of the impacts of the marks against the game mentioned above.
OVERALL
Looking for a game that doesn’t require a half dozen supplement books for content, or constant flipping between pages to determine how to resolve an action? Truth & Justice might just be the medicine you’re looking for to cure your ills. In fact, I’m hard pressed to think of another game I could suggest so readily for a pick up and play session or two. For longer running campaigns, be prepared to make more judgment calls and rulings of your own- whether this is critique or accolade is open to interpretation, as the lack of all-encompassing rulings also allows this game to truly be made your own.
REVIEWER'S NOTE: This being my first review on RPGnet (and, indeed, my first review ever), I'd appreciate any feedback on the quality and thoroughness of my entry. Enjoy!
