It is that time again! Time for Gen Con, for the games, the seminars, the people…and the shopping! I love shopping at Gen Con. Throughout the year, I keep my non-digital purchases to a minimum, so that Thursday morning of Gen Con I can hit the floor and go on a spending spree. I still love physical books, and I like nothing more than to buy them face to face, in many cases with the people who make them.
If you are not going to Gen Con, I want you to have some of that experience through me. So for the 4th year, I will be doing the You Pick It, I Review It event. The name pretty much gives it away, but to be clear, you suggest in the comments what item I should review, and then I pick one, I go buy it at Gen Con, and I come home and review it for you.
We don’t have a lot of time before Gen Con so lets cover the ground rules…
The Rules
Just like last year, there are a few conditions on what I will pick up for review. These are the same as in years past, but let’s review in case you forgot:
- RPG rules or gaming accessory only–While I like board games, card games, and such, The Stew is an RPG Blog, so lets keep it to an RPG rulebook or gaming accessory. We would rather not review an adventure either since they rarely are meaty enough for a full review.
- Something new–While just about anything can be found out on the convention floor, we are not going to review the AD&D A-Series adventures (though they are awesome). Please pick something that has recently come out, that you have not had a chance to pick up at your local gaming store, or is debuting at Gen Con.
- Something we have not reviewed before— While we are not a product review site, we have had the chance to do some great reviews. Check out our Review section for all our past reviews. Obviously, don’t pick one of those.
- Let’s not break the bank–While I love you guys, bank accounts have limits. So lets keep this to about $30 (or a bit over…).
Your Turn
The rules have been covered. Please put your suggestions in the comment section for the item you would like to have me pick up and review. We will field comments until the end of the week (Midnight EST on 8/10). On Monday the 13th, I will let you know what I am going to pick up and review.
So, what do you want to see reviewed?
I recently backed the printing of an English translation of “Shadows of Esteren” on Kickstarter, a popular French RPG which is rules light (roleplay > rollplay) and is set in a dark Gothic, fantasy setting (www.kickstarter.com/projects/1176616619/shadows-of-esteren). The English version will be available at GenCon, and they will be at their publisher’s booth, Studio 2 Publishing (I believe). Would love a review!
I second that. I’m a backer of that project aswell and it looks like this is a very authetic and unique RPG.
I sent an email to the backers of the game via Kickstarter about letting you have a review copy (I think it’s $50 full price) and just got this response:
“Please tell the Gnome Stew rep to come by and we would be happy to talk to them and possibly set them up with a review copy and an interview. I will need to clear everything with the Esteren crew as the books belong to them.
Thanks,
Jim Searcy
Studio 2 Publishing”
I would love to see you do a review of Agents of Oblivion. It’s up for an Ennie and seems like a very, very strong setting for Savage Worlds. They’ve done a nice job of starting to get out some nice digital supplements as well. My gaming group is taking the plunge after Gen Con into starting a long campaign based on it so it would be nice to know some of the strengths and weaknesses going in. Thanks for the consideration and, honestly, I look forward to reading whatever you choose!
ok
you KNOW you want to head over to the Catalyst Labs booth
and you KNOW you want to review either the shadowrun 20th Anniversary core or the New Battletech: A time of war RPG.
**Yoda voice**
you know it in your heart…
the truth, you know it is….
You should review Cosmic Patrol. It does a strange ’round-robin’ thing with GMing, and is very pulp-focused in setting and rules, or lack of.
The Iron Kingdoms RPG, if it comes out at the con.
We are getting some great suggestions so far. One of the books mentioned is already on my shopping list, so there is a good chance that I will be doing two reviews, not one. More on that when I announce the results next week.
Keep suggesting.
Just because I love the base game and am seriously considering a pre order already, see if can grab a copy of Atomic Overmind’s latest Unhallowed Metropolis release, ‘Unhallowed Necropolis”
I’d also like to see a review of Cosmic Patrol.
I’d have to recommend Neoclassical Geek Revival, but how could I not?
Would love to see Fanticide get reviewed. Not sure if they will be at GenCon but if they are please chat them up and get a review.