Mage 20th Anniversary Edition
My favourite all time mindbending chaos journey is back. I've had the chance to look at certain bits of it, and it's the same game I know and love, but with everything turned up to 11. It's full colour, and that's great for a game that's about exploring the limits of the imagination, most of the artwork I've seen is great, but there are a few pieces that are a bit ordinary.
I love the idea that the game doesn't define anything, it's basically a toolkit to define your world with, just like the magical powers that the characters play with, and manipulate through their will. I like that the traditions now have a choice of magickal spheres to focus on, and the concept of the internet as we now know it has been integrated into the game (while it was thought to take a very different form back in the early 90s when the game was first written).
It's interesting (in this version that i'm reading through), that certain editorial issues have slipped through the cracks. On one page the Sons of Ether have taken on the name "Society of Ether" to reflect the embrace of women into their ranks, but on the Tradition's description pages they are still referred to as the "Sons". Same for the Akashic Brotherhood, Euthanatos, Dreamspeakers, Cult of Ecstasy, and Virtual Adepts. I'm not sure if the old names were kept in the tradition write ups to maintain consistency, or if they should have been swapped over.
I do like that the Technocracy and Crafts have been integrated into the core book.
On the whole, flicking through this book has been like catching up with an old friend, there are a few changes, developments and an added maturity, but most of it is familiar and exactly as I'd expect it to be.
Damn it, now I want to play a game.
I love the idea that the game doesn't define anything, it's basically a toolkit to define your world with, just like the magical powers that the characters play with, and manipulate through their will. I like that the traditions now have a choice of magickal spheres to focus on, and the concept of the internet as we now know it has been integrated into the game (while it was thought to take a very different form back in the early 90s when the game was first written).
It's interesting (in this version that i'm reading through), that certain editorial issues have slipped through the cracks. On one page the Sons of Ether have taken on the name "Society of Ether" to reflect the embrace of women into their ranks, but on the Tradition's description pages they are still referred to as the "Sons". Same for the Akashic Brotherhood, Euthanatos, Dreamspeakers, Cult of Ecstasy, and Virtual Adepts. I'm not sure if the old names were kept in the tradition write ups to maintain consistency, or if they should have been swapped over.
I do like that the Technocracy and Crafts have been integrated into the core book.
On the whole, flicking through this book has been like catching up with an old friend, there are a few changes, developments and an added maturity, but most of it is familiar and exactly as I'd expect it to be.
Damn it, now I want to play a game.
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