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As I sifted through the pages I found a lot of text. A lot. Art is something that is used very sparingly. In my opinion there wasn't enough. Some pages are left half blank, when that space could have been used to house art. The art is also inconsistent. There are 2 photos, a number of line art, well-rendered pictures, and pencil drawings.
Helix also is missing something: an index. But I think a combination of their detailed table of contents and the fact there are really no hidden rules, makes this barely acceptable.
The book begins with an introduction that sets up the timeline of an alternate future for our world and a break down of what's going on in the game's time. Further information for the setting is covered in Chapter 7, bringing deeper tones to the game. In general, the game is supposed to take place in 2081, after war, rebuilding, and a computer code called the Helix Code releases magic and mutates things to be as they are. A man named Alex Umbrea has rebuilt pre-apocalypse society within large City-States, and while he is a savior to some, his forces are what the player characters will fear most. But this game doesn't take place in these large, wondrous cities. It takes place in the Wastelands that surround them. Over all, I'd say setting and world building is this game's strongest standpoint.
Player characters have five "Archetypes" to pick from, which basically work like races. Plain Janes/Average Joes is the only one of these to not have their own special section in the book as they are normal people. Code Slingers are the Archetype with the largest section because they are the magic casters of this world. But no real spell lists (though there are 18 example spells). Instead this game offers a skeleton system that players can use to write their own. Cyber Mystics get three gifts, basically supernatural special abilities. Gun Jacks/Jills get to choose what kind of firepower they want permanently attached to their bodies by the above-mentioned Mystics. And last, but not least, are Mutants, people who have been physically alter by the Helix Code to have anything from wings to hooves to fins. Though you have a limited selection of these once coupled with a "Concept," basically a job/way of life such as mercenary or nomad, there are countless types of characters.
Character creation itself is really easy. With skills bought at via a simple points system that is relative to your Attributes. Some skills, which the game calls Qualities, are things you can do. Others are modifiers in your favor. To balance the characters, the creators have made Flaws an actual Attribute and have a wide range to pick from. It gets your lowest Attribute score, but I can see some Game Masters perhaps letting players fudge this. Also there are skills in the game I don't see many people taking. How is dancing going to save you from some of the creatures out in the waste? Do you think they'll care if you're polite when they want to eat you?
Once you have characters, you get to buy your stuff. They have some interesting mounts from dinosaur looking "Lizards" to Cyber Horses (mechanical cold fusion powered steeds). Also characters can custom make weapons to fit their character's needs out in the Wasteland.
Then all you need are some d6's and a d12 to start playing. Yes, you read right a d12. Finally! A game that not only makes use of the d12, but actually features it as a core requirement of the system! No longer will your d12 sit all by itself back in the box your 7-die set came in.
Once play starts, the game is open to a variety of themes. It can range from human vs. waste to wastelander vs. wastelander or player characters vs. Umbrea. And the rules system is rather intuitive once you start reading through. Novice players will easily get the hang of it easily. Memorizing isn't 100% required because the back of the book has some nifty "Quick Sheets" with the core rules.
However, if your campaign ends up poison heavy, you'll have to look that up, as they aren't included on the "Quick Sheets," much to my disappointment. Though I think the defaulting of certain skills might have been a little too gratuitous. They should have done them all or none.
In the end this is how it breaks down. Pros: beautiful setting which can host different game themes, Player created content encouraged, good price, free content to expand the game, easy system, more use out of your d12. Cons: Little and erratic art, skills you may never use take up space on your character sheet, no poisons on the Quick Sheets. Overall, I'd call this one a buy.
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