Review of Multiverser

Multiverser, is a hefty tome of a game, including the "First book of Worlds". Technically it's two books, but I got the two together, so...

Multiverser is intended as a campaign-style game, in which the player plays a parallel version of themself, I have a problem with that, but that more my personal karmic beliefs than anything else. It's not that I don't mind playing myself, it's the fact that the system is geared to kill off the characters from time to time, and I don't want that to happen to me, or my "parallel" self! However, I ignored that rule and went on to playtest with one of my friend's parallel selves.

In multiverser the characters travel from one "verse", dimension, alternate universe, what-have-you, to the next, similar to games like Everway, GURPS Alternate Earths, and Maelstrom Storytelling. I personally like that concept, it allows for infinite ideas and possibilities, and new players can be added easily, also with that type of game, multiple GMing is also possible. The way Multiverser handles that concept, however, is a bit lacking.

Because the concept of the game deals in infinite possibilities, Multiverser has to cram every possibility they can think of into one book, magic, high science, psionics, you name it. While dealing with that much information would be easy in a lighter system (like TWERPS) or a diceless system (like Amber), Multiverser is a complicated dice system with a heavy rule-base.

As far as the rules go, the system itself is clunky, cumbersome and hard to understand. I had to read through the book twice before I understood, and the rules themselves are spread through-out the book, and no overview of the rules is given.

Actually, the biggest problem I have with the game is not in game mechanics. It's the fact that the authors force their religious beliefs into the game, and denounce every other religion. This is especially odd, considering the game takes place in alternate worlds! I don't like religion bashing, whether from Christians, Wiccans, or any other religion. This in itself may have detracted from my enjoyment of the game, but I think that others must feel the same.

Also, I was not terribly impressed by the worlds offered within the "First book of Worlds". Thankfully, the worlds were not complete rips off of movies or the trite "Hitler won the war" worlds, but way the worlds are written conjure memories of first edition AD&D modules, that is to say, they deal with little outside the scope of the intended adventure. I must admit, however, I did like some of the ideas presented in Naga World.

My advice, save your money, play Amber or GURPS Alternate Worlds, granted you'll spend more for GURPS than for Multiverser, but at least GURPS can be used for other types of on-the-fly games as well as campaigns.

Perhaps the authors of Multiverser can take their religious beliefs to a different level and design a game by Christians for Christians. That would bring role-playing closer to the church, and perhaps the far right-wing would not bash what they have not experienced. ...And I'm all for that!

Style: 2 (Needs Work)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)