I recently bough this as a supplement to our current "Masks of Nyarlathotep" campaign, and was blown away by the quality of this book.
Not only is it aI recently bough this as a supplement to our current "Masks of Nyarlathotep" campaign, and was blown away by the quality of this book.
Not only is it a fascinating read, there's a metric TON of useful ideas and tidbits I would like to incorporate into the game. I expect this supplement will add quite a bit of depth and verisimilitude to the campaign!...more
This is arguably THE classic RPG campaign, not just for Call of Cthulhu but for ANY system!
I've read and loved every incarnation of this campaign, butThis is arguably THE classic RPG campaign, not just for Call of Cthulhu but for ANY system!
I've read and loved every incarnation of this campaign, but this version, now revised for the 7E rules, is SUPERB.
The level of care and dedication is obvious, and they certainly didn't scrimp on the art and production values!
Addiotionally, they've filled in some missing holes in this edition that people asked for (Most notably an exiting prelude to invest players in the macguffin that starts the campaign).
As the years pass and more of my gaming goes online (especially now with Vivid running rampant!) I'm becoming more digital, but this is a book that I'm happy to have on my shelves, in a spot of honor.
*** Update 02-12-21: I've now completed running my current group thru the NY chapter, and can confirm that this edition really pulls the strings together much better than previoys editions. With the introduction of Hilton Adams as a thru-line, it really invested the players in finding out the truth, even more than Jackson Elias. (Elias main link is to the Carlyle Expedition, not to the specific cult/ events in New York.)
As an aside, we made great use of the "Harlem Unbound" supplement. Not only a fascinating read, but a great reference/ source of inspiration for the NY chapter of Masks....more
A great start for this line. (A given, since Sandy Peterson is attached.)
I've long thought that CoC and D&D were antithetical to each other. How do yoA great start for this line. (A given, since Sandy Peterson is attached.)
I've long thought that CoC and D&D were antithetical to each other. How do you evoke Lovecraftian sensibilities about an uncaring universe in a game that's all about gaining power and gathering loot?
This single volume hasn't changed my mind yet, but it's made me start to rethink my position: I'm actually intending to run this for my group, so we'll see how it plays out! And who knows what will happen by the end of the saga?
This book is easily accessible to everyone (no need to be a Lovecraft afficianado!), while still capturing the feel of the Mythos. Art, writing and production shine, and the story seems straightforward enough for the DM to grasp and present to players.
Strong start to this series, looking forward to the rest!...more
An interesting, ambitious concept that just fails to run on all cylinders.
Generally, "sandbox" doesn't worke for me for CoC. For me, one of3 5 stars.
An interesting, ambitious concept that just fails to run on all cylinders.
Generally, "sandbox" doesn't worke for me for CoC. For me, one of the strengths of a good Cthulhu module is a focused narrative (even Masks of Nyarlathotep, a globe-spanning campaign, had strong links in each chapter to lead to other chapters, even if the order is malleable.)
Moreover, while the setting and characters seem interesting enough, the actual "adventure" part just seems lacking....more
I'm firmly of the opunion that you can never have too many Call of Cthulhu scenarios, especially for the variant settings for that rules-set.
The Two HI'm firmly of the opunion that you can never have too many Call of Cthulhu scenarios, especially for the variant settings for that rules-set.
The Two Headed Serpent is a globe-spanning campaign designed for the Pulp Cthulhu rules/setting, and it captures that feel and aesthetic quite well.
The natural comparison for this module is to "Masks of Nyarlathotep": sure, both are globe-spanning quests, but the tone makes them fundamentally different, and that's a good thing! (Though I have a soft spot for Purist CoC, at times I think my players would occasionally prefer something a bit more "heroic".)
That said, with the release of 7E, and some quality new supplements and settings, I think CoC is experiencing an upswing we haven't seen in quite some time!...more
3.5 stars. It pains me to give ANY Call Cthulhu supplent less than 4 stars. And maybe I've been spoiled by too many excellent "Weird West" RPG's, or q3.5 stars. It pains me to give ANY Call Cthulhu supplent less than 4 stars. And maybe I've been spoiled by too many excellent "Weird West" RPG's, or quality Call of Cthulhu settings/supplements..
But this didn't really do much for me. It's not a very evocative (IMO) depiction of the Weird West. (For a fun version of that hybrid genre see the "Adios A- mi gos" dime novel for Deadlands.)
And the adventures (which are key for most any COC book) are somewhat mundane abd lackluster....more
Even the most casual Cthulhu gamer is likely to have heard of Sandy Peterson, Mythos stalwart and creator of the Call of Cthulhu RPG.
This bo4.5 stars.
Even the most casual Cthulhu gamer is likely to have heard of Sandy Peterson, Mythos stalwart and creator of the Call of Cthulhu RPG.
This book contains a small handful of his convention adventures, which should be enough of a recommendation right there!
But pleasingly, they are also set in the moidern day, a largely underutilized/ underrepresented era in the CoC line.
These are all playable in one session with the given pre-gens, but advice is given for expanding each adventure or incorporating into an existing game. (The Hotel Hell scenario is particularly excellent as a spiritual succesor to the legendary "Haunted House" intro scenario.)
Aesthetically, it's as beautiful as one could hope for from a modern COC book. (And check the two-page splash for the Hotel Hell scenario!)...more
While certainly useable as a stand-alone adventure this is a module primarily designed to be used as a companion to add depth to the Horror on the OriWhile certainly useable as a stand-alone adventure this is a module primarily designed to be used as a companion to add depth to the Horror on the Orient Express campaign, as it involves the characters and backstories of the campaign.
For me, that makes this an especially intriguing read, as I've known HotOE since it was first published, and I felt that Fenalik was a cipher, a woefully unexplored component of that campaign.
But most importantly to me in ANY RPG module is the question "Was it fun to read"? And this module passes that test for me pretty handily....more
Interesting premise (Cthulhu adventures without Mythos-centic entities/creatures), but the bulk of these adventures 3.5 stars (grudgingly rounded up.)
Interesting premise (Cthulhu adventures without Mythos-centic entities/creatures), but the bulk of these adventures sadly fail to live up to the premise or excite me as a Keeper....more
While not quite PERFECT, this gets a well deserved 4.5 stars from me.
While aesthestically pleasing ( some really nice full page color plates!), this bWhile not quite PERFECT, this gets a well deserved 4.5 stars from me.
While aesthestically pleasing ( some really nice full page color plates!), this book also fills a niche that is somewhat underdeveloped for CoC: entry level scenarios designed for beginning players and keepers!
Couple that with a chapter of advice from Kevin Ross, and you have a recipe for a hell of a good sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu!!...more
One of the overlooked gems from Pagan Publishing, this is an compelling adventure set in a cramped underwater environment, and it uses that premise toOne of the overlooked gems from Pagan Publishing, this is an compelling adventure set in a cramped underwater environment, and it uses that premise to great effect.
While this is an adventure that requires a lot of investment from both players and Keeper, the results are well worth it, getting the players fully immersed into the experiences
(I played this at a con some years ago, and it remains one of my favorite con experiences to date. Not only did the Keeper have the flat-maps of the submersible and the skiff, he also had 3-D models made of both sub AND characters, as well as a "Mobile Communications hub" to be used when the party split up and was unable to communicate face-to-face in character.)...more
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