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Now to the book itself. Paranoia is a game set in an Orwellian future society. This is the huge underground city of Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is ruled not by people, but by a computer - a computer that has gone horribly haywire. The state of Alpha Complex is an Utopia. The computer says so. Every citizens needs are provided for. Citizens are fed, clothed, sheltered and protected by the Computer. Furthermore, the Computer has eliminated all pain and disconfort resulting from sexual intrigue by lacing all food with hormone suppressants. Citizens in Alpha Complex are not born, they are burst from clone cylinders together with their other 5 identical clones - their clone family generously provided by the Computer. All these things mean that every citizen of Alpha Complex is happy. Happyness is in fact mandatory. Mood altering drugs are a way of life for every citizen.
However Alpha Complex is at war. The enemies are unseen. They live amongst normal citizens, and plot the downfall of Utopia. They are the Communists, genetic mutants and other hideous secret societies. Being a mutant or belonging to a secret society is treason punishable by death. The characters are all members of a special Troubleshooters division, that is entrusted with highly dangerous and critical missions intent on destroying the threats to Society.
Now here is the catch. All the citizens of Alpha Complex are members of secret societies, and they all have mutant powers. By the Computers logic they should all be executed - if only they are exposed. Thus intercharacter fighting and killing is not only common place in Paranoia - it is actively encouraged. Especially since execution of traitors earns you commendation points, giving you higher ranking in the colour coded caste system of Alpha Complex. Being of higher security clearance gives you better living quarters, better armour, weapons, food, and absolute power over members of lower clearance. Thus getting promoted is the first step to survival, and promotion comes at the expense of others.
Isn't it a problem that character fatality may tend to be high? No, since you have a family of six identical clones to draw from and continue your mission after a 6th Day style transfer of your dead clones memories. Not that memories are usually required, since specific mission directives and objectives are usually information that is beyond the security clearance of any of the characters currently playing, with failure to complete missions indicative of Communist sympathizer tendencies and punishable by execution.
The game itself in fact aims to keep the players as much in the dark as possible about everything game related - including the rules which are all located in the Gamemaster section of the book. The GM is encouraged to give players contradictory information and to put them in situations where they will be forced to commit treason, unavoidably setting up the stage for escalating tension within the group as an escape goat is attempted to be found. The end result is absolutely hilarious. Players tiptoeing through every action, begging for mercy from every superior they encounter, pointing fingers (and lasers) at every other player character in the vicinity, and generally trying their best to convince the Computer that the reason why they "appeared" to be engaging in treasonous acts was in fact because the vile Commie mutant traitor (pointing to nearest player) was in fact using his vile mind control powers to usurp his will over his body.
Ruleswise the game is very simple. Eight attributes describe the character and set a skill base to every skill. Skills are then further boosted by expenditure of extra points during character creation. Included in the skill list are things such as bootlicking, spurious logic (con vs robots), and communist propaganda. To succeed in a skill or attribute roll the player must roll under their level on a d20. Simple. Modifications are up to the GM and completely classified to the players. Yes, they do exist and are listed in the book, but the GM is actually encouraged to use the rules as a door stop and make things up as he goes along - with the final goal of increasing paranoia and fear amongst the players.
The adventure at the back of the book is a very well designed game, containing all the classic elements of a successful Paranoia game: vague mission briefing, assignment of dangerous experimental equipment, a trip to the outside (knowledge of the term outside is treason), and even encounters with Giant Radioactive Cockroaches. I have run this game for three different groups of people, and never once seen the players survive all 6 clones to the end. Not that they minded, everyone always has a blast of a time burning through the six clones they are given.
Quality wise the book itself is lacking. Binding is not particularly great, and often pages will end up detaching from the spine. I've also never been really fond of the paper quality, but that's just the way all RPG books seemed to have been made back then. The illustrations of the second edition are simple but highly effective, picturing troubleshooters in all sorts of compromising situations.
The main problem with the game itself is mainly due to its intense nature. Adventures are fast paced and frantic, and a lot of preparation is required to truly achieve the "I want to scream but can't because it's treason" effect. I recommend the premade adventures for the game instead of trying to make your own. All of them very well designed to bring about maximum insanity to your home.
Is it worth buying? Well, it's a classic. Now long out of print, accept no substitute as far as comic games go. It provides the ideal break between other roleplaying intensive campaigns, and is truly the final solution to power gaming (power gaming is treason - the computer said so).
The second edition is also by far the best one. It possesess the simplest rules, the darkest most sadistic sense of humour, and the best illustrations of all three. First edition has a skill system that is too complicated, and fifth edition is too cartoon like with humour aimed at too young an audience.
In short failure to own second edition Paranoia is treason.
I give it a 5 for style. Like I say it is hilarious, and guaranteed to be a memorable experience for all involved.
For substance I give it a 3. It would be a five, but really there is a lot more material that could have been slotted into the book on how to further drive your players into a killing frenzy. The supplements of the game do take care of that though.
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