The time between the end of World War I and the start of World War II would be one of extremes. There were the roaring twenties when indulgence was king, followed by the desolate thirties when the piper was paid with a vengeance. The great powers of the world still had vast empires, but were beginning to show signs of wear and tear. From the tumult of the Great War emerged new forms of government – communism, fascism. Germany, never content with the hypocritical Treaty of Versailles, was again embracing its military. Some countries expressed concern, the majority were indifferent. They had their own troubles; some were actually impressed by the new German government, turning a blind eye to its militarism and unofficially sympathizing with its anti-Semitism.

America would go one step further, choosing a policy of isolationism. Americans felt they should never have entered the Great War, that doing so had been the result of English and French propaganda and political subterfuge. America, they felt, should be more concerned with America than Europe. Science was making advances. The airplanes, an incredible invention a generation before and a fantasy two generations ago, were becoming commonplace. Automobiles were faster; machines were growing in size, purpose, and power. Travel was made easier; almost every country had some sort of rail system. For an explorer, it could be a time of discovery,a time of intrigue, a time of danger. It is the world of Cliffhangers.

Cliffhangers is G.U.R.P.S. latest role-playing variant, its theme is adventure in the post- World War I world. Players can take on various roles, ranging from a private eye on the lookout for that weird statue called the “Maltese Falcon” to an investigator from that new organization called the “F.B.I.” to a world traveling adventurer whose exploits will make Indiana Jones’ insignificant by comparison! The adventures can take place in the most “civilized” of societies or most “uncivilized”. From the streets of New York to the jungles of Brazil, from the back-alleys of Asia to the unexplored regions of Africa, there can be found intrigue, action. Will the player survive as the group of tong assassins circle around him? Will he find the antidote to the mysterious poison slowly killing him? Will he escape from the Nazi spies as the dreaded wail of the German police siren comes closer and closer? Tune in next week and find out!

Cliffhangers does an excellent job describing the world of the 1920s and 1930s. Starting with America, it branches out into Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australia, even the Antarctic! It first describes the area as it was, then branches out into the various myths and legends the area had become famous for. Players can discover the truth about those alligators in the New York sewers, the bear-like wendigo thing in Canada, or those dinosaurs last spotted in darkest Africa. Templates are included to give players an idea of the characters best suited for the world of Ciffhangers. Be a private dick. Or a government agent. Or a man of the world. Have at it with stereotyped Chinese hatchet-men. Flirt with femme fatales. Knock out Nazi nutcases. Who says life before the internet was boring?

Following the standard G.U.R.P.S. format, the more colorful aspects of the post-World War I world are described without getting bogged down in petty details. As a result, Cliffhangers becomes not only a satisfactory role-playing experience but an excellent essay on the time period! If you want to read a good essay about the world before the start of World War II, read Cliffhangers. If you want to play a good role-playing game about the world before the start of World War II, play Cliffhangers. I like Cliffhangers. On a scale of 1 (forget it!) to 10 (outasight!) I rate it “8”. G.U.R.P.S. fans should like it!