KEN 5000
Through the gunsmoke and over the slumped loser of the shootout, beyond the sprawl of grazing buffalo on the high plains, above the din of a saloon in full swing and farther than the blue sky atop the open range lies the Shattered Frontier of the Aces & Eights game. A game about the daring adventures and everyday lives of people in the Old West, Aces & Eights lets you tell in your own words, deeds and history, the tale of the West that could have been. The Aces & Eights game covers rugged cowboys, brave Indians, murderous desperados, determined lawmen, sturdy prospectors, powerful rail barons and all of the characters we think of when we watch a good western movie or read books about the expansion of the western frontier in America.
Don't worry though: you don't need to know much about this time period to enjoy the game, although western aficionados will certainly find this game engrossing. If you consider yourself a western history buff, you might want to set aside what you know and open your mind. Aces & Eights is set in the Shattered Frontier, an alternative history created to maximize the potential of the game by freeing the future from the inevitable reality of the true Old West. While the setting is firmly entrenched in historical accuracy, a few small changes in the history of North American politics at significant moments in history has created a very believable alternative history of North America. Sprung from small changes are new nations, businesses and a slight acceleration in arms technology.
By far the most deluxe western ever produced, this leathered hardcover rides into town with 400 full-color pages crammed with beautiful period artwork. And it has a ton of cool new mechanics to make your Wild West campaign more than just a watered-down d20 game. First, there’s the innovative and visual Shot Clock game aids, which eliminate the abstraction and complexity of other RPGs—a player can actually see the cover, position and location of his or her target! The game also has a new poker chip–based brawling system that solves the problem of “temporary” damage: characters actually become winded, tired or knocked senseless in the fight.
In addition, the Aces & Eights RPG is the first western to not just allow, but focus on, the rest of the major western movie adventures beyond the gunfight. Prospecting, cattle drives, frontier justice, and so on, all have a complete “mini game” system tailored for that type of adventure. The full-color maps and 25 pages of history make the background spring to life like no other game has. And with the USA, CSA, Republic of Texas, Deseret, Mexico, France, England and dozens of Indian nations all vying for control of this alternate history setting, the Shattered Frontier is far wilder than the historical Wild West ever was!
Whether you prefer simple shoot-'em-ups or ongoing campaigns, Aces & Eights is the western RPG you've been waiting for!
|
|
