Almost every view of the games master's screen that I have ever read, begins with " what can you say about a games masters screen?". Well, I have quite a lot since that about the
Shadowrun games masters screen, most of its bad.
But we will start with a good.
The art on this three panelled screen is very good (I especially like the Decker piece). They set the scene well, even showing a not ludicrously out of proportion female figure (almost) fully clothed. The tables on the reverse side of the screen are also very helpful, the weapon range table eliminates the need of writing down the range of every individual weapon in the main rule book on, and some examples of modified to target numbers are time saving to the GM so he can stop flipping through the main rule book. The tables are laid out in an attractive way, which is pleasing to the eye and very little space is wasted.
My only gripe with this area of the screen is that Shadowrun uses so many tables and that is impossible to include all of them but it does include the most commonly used ones.
Unfortunately there is a flip side to the coin. The booklet packaged in this (expensive) little bundle, is really not worth the paper it's printed on. It provides statistics for the paranormal animals that inhabit the 6th World. This is in actual fact, mainly a re-print form an old scenario pack, and not even comprehensive! This, black and white, moastly un-illustrated booklet, is a feeble excuse for not including a proper "critters" section in the main rule book.
Also, still absent, is an introductory scenario to the Shadowrun world. There was not wanted in the main rule book, and it is not here either. If this is intended for newbies, it's stupid not to include one! It is very sad that you have to pay £8.99 for a piece of well illustrated cardboard, and an absolutely useless 48 page booklet. But, y'know the biggest disappointment of all? They packaged it with a sheet of corrugated card to make it look worth the money!
Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)
