The Champions name has been out of circulation for far too long, and the new Hero Games establishment brings it back in style with this superpowered roleplaying genre supplement for the Hero System.

Like the Hero System Fifth Edition book, this is a toolkit for creating superhero characters and campaigns. Like the Fifth Edition book it tends to be long on words and ideas and short on pictures. That said, all the words in the book turn out useful. The book opens with a discussion of the various historical eras of comic book stories and how to reflect them with characters and game play. Also included in the opening section is guidance on how to deal with the other aspects of campaign design, including the timeline, setting the theme of the campaign and other elements of the genre like secret identities and life-when-not-in-costume.

The second main section refers to character creation and expands the flavors of the Hero System into the superhero direction. Material guidance is provided on the major heroic archetypes and how to reflect their natures; a remarkably thorough random character creation system is included! The third section discusses the technology of superhero worlds with discussion on vehicles, gadgets and the usual melange of wow-tech. The fourth section provides instructions specifically for the game master on managing worlds, campaigns and game sessions.

The book closes with a "worked example": The Champions, centerpiece team from the Champions Universe, complete with headquarters, vehicles and foes.

Champions provides essential expansion and directions for superhero gaming using the new Hero System rules; the topics covered are worth examining for any superhero campaign no matter the game system. Very much worth the price.