Aberrant RPG - Aberrant: Worldwide Phase I

[Matt]

ABERRANT Worldwide A n d What Rough Beast... The world is not a static place. It turns. It changes. With the entry of nova influence to the highest positions of power, the world has undergone a Quantum-powered renaissance. Project Utopia has led us into a new golden age of glamour, heroism and progress. But something is wrong. ... Slouches Toward Bethlehem to be Born? Some of the world's new heroes are its demons. Others are its politicians. The vigilant few are nervous... as they should be. Aberrants Worldwide is the beginning of the end of the golden age of novas, and the whispered prediction of dark things to come.

Retail Price: $21.95 U.S. Page Count: 160 Authors: R. Sean Borgstrom, Dierd're Brooks, Steve Kenson, John Snead Buy it Now

[Matt]

Worldwide Phase I

One of Aberrant's greatest strengths as a gaming system is that the setting is subject to change. Unlike most role-playing systems which build the world and leave the status quo as-is, Aberrant is a saga which has a definite beginning, middle, and end. Readers of Trinity know that eventually relations between humans and novas deteriorate over the years, resulting in the horror of the Aberrant War in 2049. The war will endure until the Chinese threaten to nuke the globe, forcing aberrants to leave Earth in 2061. So much is canon for the Aeonverse (consisting of Adventure, Aberrant, and Trinity).

But between 2008 and 2049 we have 41 years of history. What happened in that time period that made things go from bad to worse to war? What atrocities were committed, what acts of heroism lauded? White Wolf attempts to answer such questions (and provide storytellers with inspiration to answer such questions themselves) with the Worldwide sourcebooks, a series of Aberrant adventures in anthology format. These stories advance the Aberrant timeline from it's default setting of 2008 through 2049. Worldwide Phase I is the first such sourcebook, and chronicles the major events of 2008-2010.

One of the dangers of an anthology series of adventures is that the quality may vary from story to story. Such isn't the case here. From the presidential election of 2008's story Strange Bedfellows, to the final resolution of the Slider/Corbin/Proteus storyline of Into the Arms of the Angel of Wrath, the writing and art of Worldwide Phase I remains consistently well done. Most important to the work is the feeling of player involvement. One of the key precepts of Aberrant is having the power to change the world, unlike most other superhero RPG systems whose goals seem to focus on maintaining the status quo rather than working for any meaningful change. Each adventure within the sourcebook brings the players face to face with the movers and shakers of the game. . .and puts them on equal footing. The players are the stars of these scenarios, their decisions have weight and can impact nova/human relations on a global scale. If that seems like your cup of tea, then Aberrant: Worldwide Phase I is definitely a fine blend.

Rating: Buy.

NOTE: For the purposes of this review (and not to be a miserable spoiler fink) I opted not to reveal the contents of the various adventures contained in Phase I. Consider that my Good Deed of the Day, because the urge to dish the dirt was nigh irresistible. -_^

Review courtesy of Stacy Dooks, aka Defender.