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Review of More [REDACTED] Societies
Blurb from the publisher: 'Troubleshooters!
Alpha Complex is experiencing a wave of More [REDACTED] Societies. These traitors and terrorists are flooding your sector with new societies, factions within societies, and equipment. INFRARED workers are having their loyalty to the Computer tested by the Alpha Complex Communist Movement, the Alpha Communist Complex Front, the Communist Party of Alpha Complex, and the Communist Party of Alpha Complex (Marky Marxist).
Your new mission: Infiltrate More [REDACTED] Societies, uncover their leadership, and break the cruel hold they have over our citizens. Bonus XP Points and complimentary cake for every traitor you eliminate!
The box contains:
- More Secret Societies!
- Split existing Secret Societies into rival factions!
- Dedicated Equipment Cards for Secret Societies!
- Add specialised Roles for Secret Societies!'
What you get: Your USD 14,99 or GBP 9,99 will buy you the physical as well as the pdf iteration of More [REDACTED] Societies, a card set for the Paranoia Rebooted game line. The box contains 18 Secret Society cards, 15 Secret Society Role cards, 14 Equipment cards, as well as two cards with additional rules.
The pdf version alone can be purchased for USD 8,99 or GBP 6,54.
Contents: Starting with the 'more of the same' items, the new pieces of equipment include things like the Full Spectrum Laser Pistol, an Artefact of the Time Before (namely: a yellow rubber duck), an Allen's Key and the Mother of All Bombs. When it comes to Secret Societies, one can now become a member of Alpha Complex Communist Movement, the Alpha Communist Complex Front, the Communist Party of Alpha Complex (Marky Marxist) and the Communist Party of Alpha Complex, along with numerous other factions that luckily have nothing else to do with communism. Needless to say, these parties don't exactly have a common goal in mind, even though some partial goals may overlap.
Secret Society Role cards are a new mechanic. Each player may draw one. They cover a variety of functions like Cell Leader, Suspicious, and Wannabe. With the exception of Double Agent which can be found twice on the deck, each other function is found only once. Following a small introduction, each card ends with a one-liner prompting a certain behavior: Be leader-like! Or, be optimistic! Or, be zelarous! You get the point.
The strong points: This inexpensive and rather simple expansion adds more options in the last iteration of Paranoia. For the bigger groups out there it is now less easy to guess the Secret Society someone else belongs to. Having more equipment is obviously a good thing (especially if rubber ducks are involved).
The Secret Society Roles are a very straightforward way of suggesting (or even imposing) an exaggerated style of playing. It's a nice little guideline that can be played for its comical effect, if a player doesn't know which direction he wants to tilt his character towards. I am not certain how one can be 'persuasive', but I clearly understand how one can be 'vengeful'.
The production values are as high as the ones from the basic game. The cards are of the standard 63,5 x 89 mm persuasion meaning that you can sleeve them easily if you want to.
The pdf contains three cards per page along with their reverse page. It looks rather easy to cut them out and fold them, even though I haven't tried it out. I want to believe that you will not have a problem.
When it comes to support, Mongoose remains fully committed behind the game and system. This is only the fourth product that came out; there are a lot more to come in 2018.
The weak points: More [REDACTED] Societies is not exactly groundbreaking when it comes to either the new options or cards that it adds in the game. If one feels content with the components of the basic game, you don't need it, strictly speaking. The Secret Society Role cards can be emulated with adjectives written in a piece of paper and randomly distributed amongst the participants. Thus, if you are buying this, you are doing it for the fanfare, the luxury of having the real cards around your table.
I still have some reservations about the art and how it fits the genre. However, that's just me. That's the direction of the contemporary game line and that's it.
Conclusion: More [REDACTED] Societies is a cool little expansion for those into Paranoia. Not an imperative product to own, but not without merit either, it adds to the experience. Be happy!
For more info on Paranoia, More [REDACTED] Societies and Mongoose Publishing, visit its website at www.mongoosepublishing.com.
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