Random Order Comics and Games is the brainchild of Random Order Creations (http://www.randomordercreations.com), a small-press publishing house headed up by James V. West (best known as the creator of the acclaimed free-press RPG "The Pool").
Currently serving as the flagship product of Random Order Creations, each issue of Random Order Comics and Games aims to provide the subscriber with three things: entertaining comics, a complete RPG system, and value for their hard-earned cash.
That's right - each issue of Random Order Comics and Games is both a comic book and a complete RPG.
This review deals exclusively with the content present in Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games, future reviews will cover later issues as I receive them.
Price vs Presentation:
Adhering to the standard set by of Issue #1, Random Order Comics and Games Issue #2 continues to provide an overwhelming amount of bang for your buck. While Issue #2 will set you back an extra dollar bill, the man behind Random Order Creations continues to make it worth your while.
The second issue of Random Order Comics and Games is again a small staple-bound affair, although it has traded the previous "D&D mini-module" dimensions for a more conventional digest size. It bears a light-weight cardstock cover and weighs in at 20 pages as opposed to the previous issue's 11 pages. Both the cover and interior are again rendered in black and white (the cover portraying Seapath's own sword for hire, Zarp), with the artwork continuing to showcase Mr. West's distinctive bold lines and effective use of shading techniques. The layout itself remains straight-forward, easy to follow, and elegant in its simplicity.
The old addage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind here - Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games sticks closely to a proven production formula, and the results are no less pleasing the second time around.
The Comics:
Issue #2 of Random Order comics and Games begins to scratch beneath the surface of Mr. West's genius in its comics, giving us a good look at things to come. I have seen the future and it is Hof (quite literally - as I write this review, Mr. West is developing a roleplaying game entitled "Black Wing" which will take you into the very heart of Seapath, the world of Hof's designated den of sin) .
The longest of this issue's short comics is a nine page story which gives us out first indepth look at both the fantasy world of Hof and one of its better known denizens, the sell-sword Zarp from the city of Seapath. The piece is entitled "Cool Beans" and showcases one of what promises to become a key figure in future issues of Random Order Comics and Games, that figure being Zarp himself.
In this particular piece, Zarp find himself lost in the unhospitable wastelands of the world Hof and must match wits with a nefarious stranger in order to secure his safe passage back to civilization. As he did in Issue #1's "Thirsty", Mr. West has managed to capture a great deal of character in a small number of pages, truly bringing both Zarp and the world of Hof to life. I am utterly enamored with this man's talent - again.
Following "Cool Beans" there is a wonderful recounting of creation myth, entitled "Sun & Moon". The tale of "Sun & Moon" relates, in the tradition of Greek and Roman mythology, a story of both romance and tragedy that ultimately culminates in the creation of two heavenly bodies. As with "Cool Beans" and "Thirsty" before it, an incredible amount of emotional depth has been captured in only a few short pages to great effect.
Finally, Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games rounds out the comics section with two short, 2-page, tales of Zarp. The first of these 2-page shorts is entitled "Hand of Fate" and devotes its space to an insightful and humorous look at the aftermath of Zarp's earlier encounter in "Cool Beans". The second 2-page short is entitled, simply, "Zarp" and gives the reader some insight into the title character's outlook on life as a sell-sword.
As a comic, Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games is a thoroughly enjoyable read. As a glimpse of the future, it's a very seductive window into the world of Hof.
The Game:
The roleplaying game in Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games is a bit of a flashback to 1996 - entitled "Visions", this game is essentially everything that made Wizards of the Coast's "Everway" roleplaying game great, without the elements that limited its appeal (namely the high buy-in price, the excessive reiterration of rules, and the addtion of a somewhat clumsy die mechanic to what would have been an otherwise elegant system). In short, it's all the elegance of "Everway" without the excess baggage.
"Visions" is a fast and loose set of rules, 2 pages in length, recommended by the author for those moments when somebody turns to you and asks, "Wanna run a game... right now?". To play, all you'll need are some pencils, paper, a 20-sided die, and some art cards (any will do, but it seems that some suitable to a setting with which the players are familiar will work better).
Creating a character is a simple matter of choosing an art card that portrays a type of character that you'd like to play, and taking a quick inventory of that character's strong points and weak points. Once you've done this, you assign Bonuses and Penalties (modifiers of either positive or negative numbers) to the strong points and weak points respectively, from a pool of Vision Points and... wallah! You're ready to play!
Actions are resolved in play by having a player state their Vision of what they would like their character to accomplish, rolling the d20 and adding any applicable Bonuses or Penalties to the result. The die result is then compared to a target Number, assigned by the GM, based on the perceived dificulty of realizing the Vision and its inherent coolness. If the die result meets or exceeds the Target Number, the player's Vision is realized - if it doesn't, it's not.
It's worth pointing out, however, that a failed die roll doesn't necessarily rob a player of their Vision - they can, in the event that their initial die roll fails to meet or exceed the Target Number, call for a Re-Vision. With a Re-Vision, a player alters their original Vision slightly (making it either more or less difficult), and rolls the die again. Also, a player may spend Vision Points to alter a die result in their favor, giving them yet another option to ensure their Vision's success.
Like the comics in Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games, "Visions" manages to pack a lot of whollop into a small package, ensuring the subscriber that - once again - their money has been well spent.
The Verdict:
Following in the footsteps of Random Order Comics and Games Issue #1, Issue #2 continues to deliver quality entertainment, confirming that good things come in small packages.
If you're looking for an entertaining and innovative RPG publication, but are a little strapped for cash, you simply still cannot go wrong with a subscription to Random Order Comics and Games.
Surely it's worth spending one more dollar to find out if I'm right...
Sincerely,
James D. Hargrove
A quick note on ratings:
Although the ratings of "4" may seem high, keep in mind that in order to arrive at these ratings, I compared Issue #2 of Random Order Comics and Games to other small-press gaming publications presented in a similar fashion. Likewise, value for your cash dollar was also considered when arriving at these ratings.
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