tedmau5e's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
beebopia's review
4.0
A lot of good lore but mechanics are very deadly and not always very well explained.
jvan's review
3.0
A very mixed bag of good ideas and shaky development. I think it could be used but there's a lot in here that needs to be tidied up before it's fully workable. But who doesn't like the idea of a loosely Arabian themed space game with madness lurking in the dark reaches of space and ancient technology and fallen civilizations and all that jazz?
I do wonder why there aren't more people of color in the illustrations considering they were going for an Arabian Nights feel. So much white folks on view.
I do wonder why there aren't more people of color in the illustrations considering they were going for an Arabian Nights feel. So much white folks on view.
frasersimons's review
I gave this another read since I’m currently running Emissary Lost, particularly focusing on the setting rather than player facing materials like before. I ended up enjoying it more. The setting is pretty cool and evocative. The factions are pointed at each other in interesting ways.
It would be 5 stars from me if the mechanics were in service to the setting. It’s not. The characters are constantly re rolling, which doesn’t make sense in fiction since it’s supposed to be prayer. You’re basically doing a Hail Mary every time you attempt anything—and you still fail. The icons are fickle, sure, but success with a consequence is FAR more interesting, and the GM also gets darkness points on top of these failures from the prayer rolls pushing their rolls. There’s boat loads of equipment you’ll probably never interact with and the layout is rough for finding things and building characters. The setting material is solid, though.
It would be 5 stars from me if the mechanics were in service to the setting. It’s not. The characters are constantly re rolling, which doesn’t make sense in fiction since it’s supposed to be prayer. You’re basically doing a Hail Mary every time you attempt anything—and you still fail. The icons are fickle, sure, but success with a consequence is FAR more interesting, and the GM also gets darkness points on top of these failures from the prayer rolls pushing their rolls. There’s boat loads of equipment you’ll probably never interact with and the layout is rough for finding things and building characters. The setting material is solid, though.
More...