GURPS Vehicles
Company: Steve Jackson Games

This supplement is packed. If you can ride in it or drive it - you'll find it here. Everything from Chariots to Cybertanks, Hot Air -Balloons to Jets. The book also allows you to accessorize your vehicle and equip it with weapons and defenses. Additional GURPS combat rules for vehicles and vehicle actions are also covered. Over 200 pages to keep any die-hard GURPS player happy.

The Lawnmower Man
Company: Leading Edge Games

When Leading Edge Games acquired the rights to Aliens, I thought it was a brilliant move. But Lawn Mower Man? Let's just say I was skeptical. In fact this book sat on the shelf for a while before I got around to giving it a read through.

As it turns out The Lawnmower Man is not just a movie knock off but a complete Virtual Reality Role-playing System. The movie provides the background for the beginning of the adventure. The Lawnmower Man's Transformation into Cyberjobe, a virtual reality creature, has started the war for Virtual Reality. As the Virtuality War is spreading through the Dragnet and around the globe, Governments, corporations, and individuals are waging battles against each other and Cyberjobe for control of the latest Virtual Technologies. You have joined this war and must use Espionage, conventional weapons and Virtual Reality abilities to stop Cyberjobe and determine the outcome of the war.

This game covers some new ground and provides some fascinating adventure opportunities.

Hahlmabrea
Company: Sutton Hoo Games

Enter the world of Hahlambrea, where culture dictates behavior and the council guides adventurers through their journeys. (Permits or license required of course.) The game designers of Hahlambrea promise an easy to use system with less hassle and more enjoyment for players.

In Hahlambrea, adventuring is a profession and while there are some exceptions, licensed adventurers are respected. A full year of adventuring is necessary to become licensed. What are you waiting for, an invitation? Get on that horse, adventure awaits.

Manhunter
Company: Myrmidon Press

Some game systems just have a great premise - Bountyhunter is one of those games.

Set in the far future Bounter Hunter is more than just bounty hunting. The Bounty Hunter rule book gives you a good background and would to begin your adventures and contrary to the title you do not have to be a bounty hunter, although playing one is the real attraction of this game.

The Game allows players to run one of many races or play a robot, which one of my reviewers tells me is a bonus to this very good game system. The bounty hunter game book covers everything that many other games take 5 or 6 supplements to cover. The system allows for fast paced and exciting play.

Adventure Maximum
Company: Worldmaster Designs

Hard rules for a multigenre role-playing system! The book covers everything expected in a basic system - character creation, skills, weapons, magic, etc. The game boasts a combat system which is claimed to be 'visual', giving the playing the advantages of a good combat system while allowing him to visualize what is actually occurring. The book is cram packed with information and game charts. Enough to fill any gamers multigenre needs.

Jovian Chronicles
Company: Ianus Games

Jovian Chronicles is a supplement for R Talsorian Games Mekton. This sourcebook was inspired by Japanimation and takes you beyond the confines of planet earth into a solar system on the brink of war.

Jovian Chronicles is laid out in a way that is very pleasing to the eye and if you like Japanimation there is plenty within. The book seems to give you a good balance of Characters and high tech machinery. As well as background information.

Shatterzone
Company: West End Games

"Space is big...Life is hard."

Shatterzone is a West End Game's latest entry to the sci-fi genre based on the popular paperback series of the same name. The Boxed game includes three books; a players guide, universe guide and rule book. Also dice and 2 card decks.

Like most of West End Games products this one is a slick, sharp package. Shatterzone is no space opera. Your character is thrown into a very harsh and real world where mistakes can easily mean your death or the death of your comrades. The rules leave enough room for GM development but also give good guidelines for play. The first supplement adventure Brain Burn comes with a great adventure and those all important GM screens.

Abalone
Company: Galoob

One of the busiest booths at Gencon was the Abalone booth. Abalone is a simple enough looking game. At first glance the game looks like a Marble jump game but you quickly learn that the board is set up so that the marbles can be pushed by rows. The object of the game is for one player to push his opponent's marbles off the playing board. To do this you must move your marbles into a position where you have more in a line than your opponent. Abalone is a fun thinking man's game that is simple to learn but requires extensive play to master.

Sun and Storm
Company: Storm Press

In an embattled universe, space is a sea of storms, stars and motes of sun, and worlds are terrariums for immortal wyrms."

In these worlds, magic breeds technology, and humanity struggles to survive against overwhelming odds. Sun and Storm does not promise riches and fame for your characters, but a struggle in a world that has been torn apart by a battle of powers beyond the scope of man. Not only are characters struggling to survive but as with any game worth its merit, they are also trying to find a way to bring peace back to their world.

Available is a players handbook (the Enchiridion), a GM's Guide (The Codex), and what I would consider to be a mandatory addition to any game system, a GM Screen.

If you're looking for something a little more dangerous than your standard role playing game, "Quti Whining and pick up your sword.™"

MAPS Book 1 Cities
Company: Flying Buffalo

Flying Buffalo's Catalyst series has brought GMs generic campaign settings to drop into any fantasy role-playing game for quite a while. The latest in the series, MAPS Book 1 Cities gives GMs the core of over 20 mapped cities and locations. They range from islands to palaces and circuses to hidden underground tree cities. Each map has a detailed list of all the major places of interest and adventure seeds to help the GM.

The World of Synnibarr
Company:Wonder World Press

This is a monster of a book! For $29.95 you get well over 400 Pages of rule! (50 character classes and 1000 spells, mutations, psionics, and special abilities.) The book also includes instructions for engineering your own powers and details the game world with more than 300 characters and monster types. The World the Synnibarr is a complete multi genre role-playing system. As a small press game, it has held its own in some stores with the big boys. It's one of those games that has thrived on 'word of mouth' converts.

Timetracker™ Deluxe
Company:Britton Designs

Imagine role-playing your favorite game, but there is no such thins as a round, just seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. With the use of a grease pencil the Time Tracker allows the GM to keep track of all actions going on in a game including spell casting, movement and attacks, down to the exact second.

The Time Tracker can help solve disputes on "who can do what" by keeping track of actions that may even take days. If you are a meticulous player who wants detail in his game this is a product for you.

Super Chess
Company:Green Island Games

Chess for 2, 3 or 4 players? Move over Mr. Spock - there's a new breed of chess in town. If you know how to play chess, you can easily learn Super Chess in a couple of minutes. The light colored pieces (Tan and White) play against the dark colored forces (Black and Brown). Partners sit across from one another. The first side to checkmate both kings wins the game. Super chess is a game of limitless possibilities with game start-up variations which can alleviate some of the standard moves of two man chess. Fun and challenging - this is a good game.

SUMMARY:

Well that's our overview of the goodies we stumbled across at GENCON. Remember - it's not a complete list and they are not reviews or endorsements - simply first impressions.

Other Reviews

Amber Diceless Role-Playing
Gatecrasher
D.C.S. Basic Book
GENCON ™ Treasure Chest Part 1
GENCON ™ Treasure Chest Part 2