Edit this Review | Unlink This Review from GURPS Atlantis

Goto [ Index ]

Steve Jackson Games has found its particular niche: GURPS-books (not modules; Steve disapproves of that word) dealing with various specialized subjects and useable with most games on the market if you are ready to tinker a bit (and who is not?). Another strong point is the high quality of science and prose in the books. GURPS Atlantis is one such product.

Plato the philosopher created the legend of Atlantis in the 4th century AD: an island west of Gibraltar had in ancient days given birth to a mighty realm. However, it went decadent and the island sank into the sea as a divine punishment.

GURPS Atlantis starts by describing the Atlantis legend and how it has been used and abused by historians, charlatans, authors and moviemakers over the centuries. There is also a brief overview of other fictitious island (e.g. Avalon) and continents (e.g. Lemuria). Atlantis is supposed to be underwater these days, so the descriptions are followed by a useful chapter on undersea exploration. (It includes a really weird idea, too: how to use an intelligent squid as a PC. Bonus mark for a creative concept.)

The following chapters outline various Atlantis-related campaigns. The Orichalcum Age takes place in those ancient days that Plato claimed to know so much about. It is a heroic Bronze Age fantasy world, resembling Xena or Homer’s Odyssey. Atlanteans, Minoans, Achaean Greeks and Egyptians confront each other in a colorful world. Divine appearance are more common that usual. Quite a different look when you compare to the standard fantasy fare. (A piece of advice: A copy of GURPS Greece would be useful here, since it contains a lot of useful information and game stats for weapons and monsters.)

Heirs of Minos is a modern-day conspiracy campaign connected to the themes outlined in GURPS Illuminati or GURPS Psionics. Ancient cabals struggle for domination of the world. I found it fairly weak, but conspiracy campaigns have never appealed to me. Maybe it would be something the X-philes.

Lords of the Deep can either be used for victorian steampunk (GURPS Steampunk or Space 1889) or as a modern-day superhero campaign (GURPS Supers, GURPS Black Ops). It can also be placed in the pulpish GURPS Cliffhangers world of the 1930s. This campaign gives a different explanation what Atlantis really is and why there are undersea cities in the Atlantic. The players have ample opportunities for underwater adventure in the footsteps of Captain Jacques Costeau.

I like GURPS Atlantis: good ideas and enjoyable popular science. Few game products combine those two traits in an appealing manner.