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The Collectors is available in PDF format only from http://www.roguepublishing.com **
A word of warning - this game is definitely for the serious roleplayer and even then only for those who are not weak of heart. It deals with some heavy issues and will not appeal to everyone. Particularly those who are offended by anything that concerns religious material or demonic themes. It also wont appeal to those who think that D&D3e is the best thing since sliced bread.
I remember seeing an advertisment about The Collectors earlier on in the year and thinking about how much potential the premise had. Basically, players are "Collectors" - demons sent from hell to collect damned souls whose contracts have become due. Hell is a foggy memory that haunts the Collectors, who are somewhat amnesiac about their past yet aware that they are demons who must do the job set for them otherwise they will be sent back to Hell. While they cannot remember Hell very well, they DO remember that it was a terrifying place...and thus through fear, they willingly do their job.
The Collectors has a very dark and tragic feel to it - more so than other similar games such as Vampire or In Nomine. I am in two minds about the ethical questions this product raises. While it is potentially controversial - afterall, the PCs are demons and the setting is a lot darker than In Nomine - it handles the entire subject with a subtlely satirical tone. The Demons are caught up in a "hellish" beaurecracy that cares only for getting what is owed to it. This is important to note - the Demons are only meant to collect the souls of the damned who have signed contracts to the devil.
A Sense of Humanity...
Collectors do have some sense of humanity about them. Like deep cover spies, they have elaborate false identities that allow them to hide within human society - and a part of that is the ability to think and behave like humans. The game's focus is heavily biased towards roleplaying out the moral dilemmas that such a being faces while also considering the existential questions that are raised. These are not the demons of
In Nomine who are simply evil. Collectors can and do question their jobs and existence. More importantly, the game questions the players themselves. Will they play their characters as truly evil - or will they find that they try to redeem their characters even though the only outcome may be eternal torment?
This is a cleverly executed thought experiment that I am tempted to use in Ethics and Moral Philosophy Tutorials - while the game appears to be about what it is to be a collector, it more often seems to ask "What is it to be human?"
The Game itself...
The book is split into two sections the Player's Setting guide - which further details what has been mentioned above - and the Game Master's Section - which provides a sample adventure "The Burning House" and tips for playing the game.
The Player's section appears to be very repetitive; however considering the remarkably esoteric setting this really helps to hammer home the concepts that the game entails. There is a good deal of useful material here to help players get to grips with the world and some useful character creation rules. While the game does use the FUDGE system, it contains everything necessary to play the game. I do feel obliged to warn anyone who intends to play or run this game that is it most definitely for mature players only - the issues and themes of The Collectors are fairly serious ones and should not be treated lightly. However I will also say that this game has the potential to provide one of the most rewarding roleplaying experiences that you could ask for and at $4.50 US it would be foolish NOT to purchase this if you are serious about your roleplaying.
Even though the Player's Guide is very useful and quite comprehensive; it's in the GM's Section where this product really shines. Essentially it teaches GMs how to run the game through the use of an introductory adventure. The beauty of the scenario's design is that is is not strictly linear. Split into three sections - the adventure provides pivotal scenes and NPCs which allow the GM to tailor each part to the individual actions of their players. Also, while The Burning House is meant for two players and a GM, there are tips for how to include more players in the game.
Another wonderful thing to note is the continued support for the GM throughout the adventure. Every pivotal scene assumes that there are multiple directions that the players may approach each stage of the adventure - and so there is often more than one suggested course of action to follow. This provides the GM with a plethora of optional directions that they can take the game - and also means that the GM can avoid that awful bane of most published scenarios...railroading. The scenario is reactive to the players as opposed to controlling them.
Most rewarding though is the pure ingenuity of the story's structure. There will be little dice-rolling involved, as the game is more about character interaction. While there is plenty of opportunity for players to instigate combat, in most cases this will have a VERY detrimental effect on the outcome. This game is about solving a mystery, and provides plenty of resources to keep the tension high throughout the game...
In Summary
Quite simply, this is a rare breed of game. Thought-provoking, challenging and immersive it will not be to everyone's tastes. It tackles some heavy material - often without realising it - and I do feel that it manages to handle it admirably. Of course the success of this game will rely heavily on the maturity of the people playing it. This is one of those games that will reveal more about the people who are playing it than the game itself.
I do feel that it raises some questions about the hobby of roleplaying - where is the dividing line between acceptable genre and unacceptable? But Mr McKay has done a wonderful job of managing to keep this product both playable while quite different from nearly anything else on the market. I do feel that I would have personally felt more comfortable with the game if it had been more satirical - yet I get the feeling that this would be counteractive to what is intended. The Collectors wants you to be uncomfortable. It wants you to squirm at the very thought of what is happening in the game while also challenging you to play on. It shows that there are always choices in life - no matter what one may think - and that regardless of the situations we find ourselves in, we can always choose an alternative. A brilliant and thoughtful game.
