NewEdo is a refreshing cure for a tired cyberpunk genre | RPG Review

[@DaveThaumavore]

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[@schemage2210]

It just occurred to me that the idea that everyone is so well armed and yet no "personal violence occurs" might not be such a contradiction. As described, the idea that any shared belief becomes real could be causing the masses to live in a "sanitised" version of the world where they just don't see it, except maybe for the outliers that do. Or worse, when personal violence does occur, everything is covered up like nothing happened. Interesting concepts that could be explored in game.

[@chefxiru9540]

i have some friends that moved to japan after college and they said that crime certainly happens a lot, just often times the cops dont do anything or ignore it so "no crime is recorded" as happening because they literally dont report it. Also crimes to foreigners are especially ignored. So it could part that and also part that historically even like yakuza arent fighting TOO often. theres way more threats levied before criminal violence takes place.

[@roguewolven]

Kickstarter backer and New Edo Discord lurker here! It's a fantastic game with inventive mechanics and a fresh setting, as Dave has described, but one of the things I like most about it is how belief defines the reality of New Edo and how much of the setting is left up to personal interpretation due to that. The book lays out all the groundwork, the basic interactions of the factions and technology, but each individual instance of New Edo in people's games is intended to be different from anyone else's and pretty much whatever you want to slip into your world of New Edo can work. After all, we're only shown the one nation in an entire world where reality is defined solely by belief. Hats off to ya, Salty. You made a cool thing.

[@newedorpg3328]

ah thanks very much for the insightful comment and kind words!

[@MarioReischer]

Glad you decided to review it after all. 😊 Edit: I am a Kickstarter backer and am happy to see this review! Salty is awesome!

[@DaveThaumavore]

Confirmed, Salty is awesome.

[@newedorpg3328]

@@DaveThaumavore @MarioReischer aw thanks you guys!

[@magellan1000]

I actually just bought the PDF two weeks ago. I haven’t had a chance to read any of NewEdo yet but it seems super cool and I’ve been checking out their Discord and will hopefully find a one shot soon! 😁

[@mateofantasma]

Thanks for this review. This product has Shadowrun DNA all over it, especially in terms of mechanics. with some cool innovation. The setting is pretty cool.

[@nikoteardrop4904]

Kinda cool to see priority buy chargen in another RPG than Shadowrun. Pretty clear inspiration here.

[@newedorpg3328]

thanks Mateo! NewEdo has been favorably compared to Shadowrun, noting that the mechanics don't get in the way of gameplay as often as in SR. Games run smoothly with no lookup charts etc., in a refreshing change!

[@newedorpg3328]

@@nikoteardrop4904 NewEdo is like a combination of Legend of the Five Rings and Shadowrun, but without the latter's grinding system complexity. I couldn't have designed NewEdo without taking cues from SR, and I hope SR players will find NewEdo familiar without being derivative.

[@coryburns4309]

Dude I love cyberpunk. And have never really understood why cyberpunk HAD to be dystopian.

[@TitterpigRancher]

This and Daggerheart have some of the most interesting and, as far as I can tell, original and unique dice-based resolution mechanics that I've seen in an RPG, and melding them with more narrative RPG elements like FATE or PBTA/FITD. Maybe we're finally breaking away from the far-reaching and ubiquitous shackles of D&D when it comes to game design. Exciting!

[@himurogentoku7117]

I have seen New Edo team rigorous promo in some TTRPG forums. They do have a lot of passion about their work. If Dave reviews it then it must be cool indeed. I will give it a look too, Dave. Thanks for the overview.

[@tizzekarlsson]

Setting wise this hits some similar notes to Metro: Otherscape from the folks behind City of Mist. But with slight differences in the agency of the mythic (my impression from limited exposure to either). Feel NewEdo has a way more laid back mythic side, perhaps I kind of like that.

[@a.block.of.tofu.]

No matter how cool a game might be, I am immediately going to bounce off of it if it looks this complicated to get into. Most of my players never ever read game books and rely on me to hold their hand until they get the game down, and I only have so much bandwidth to do so.

[@DaveThaumavore]

That problem you have with your players is a major problem in the hobby. It's the reason why video games are the most popular form of gaming in the world- people don't have to read a long instruction manual! But that's too bad that your players are like that. I feel your pain.

[@a.block.of.tofu.]

@DaveThaumavore yeah, I don't get it because I love reading rpg books, and games are way more fun generally once you do. Plus, I find the average Rpg book not so hard to digest. I guess that's what separates players and Gms in most cases.

[@newedorpg3328]

NewEdo falls squarely in the "medium crunch" category, and there is quite a bit to absorb, especially for new players not familiar with Trait + Skill dicepool games. I've found that among new players who shy away from crunch, those who really enjoy character creation and customization are most likely to put in the work necessary to enjoy NewEdo. The game, at its core, was designed to allow for a ton of character creativity (structured on balanced systems). Crunch aint for everybody, but dice goblins are in for a treat... Thanks for your thoughts!

[@GarredHATES]

It’s actually how I felt and they also didn’t bother to ask when to show up, they absolutely wanted everything to be done for them, character creation, math etc. I got so tired of it so I quit. I just play War and Skirmish games with my one good friend these days.

[@ADiceySituation]

Ugh, I hate when my players don't really study the book, not even their own race and class info. Thankfully, I have at least one player on each of my DnD and Traveller games who have their own books and love the games enoughbto do out of game reading.

[@SkyeGMSquad]

My players in a Five Rings game have been joking about a cyberpunk AU for a while. This is perfect.

[@newedorpg3328]

L5R had a strong influence on the Faction & Path structure of the game, so your players will be familiar with the concept!

[@henrikstornblom]

Nice review. I bought the pdf a couple of months ago. Time to actually read it :)

[@newedorpg3328]

author here! thanks for picking up a copy, and I hope you enjoy the game!

[@krisward6127]

This was a great review! I personally prefer the old timey samurai and kami part, but L5R always felt thematically stunted - this game lets you enjoy all the tetsubo-swingin big stick energy without limiting your story and characters to feudal Japan. The book is beautiful too - can just get lost in the art.

[@williammorris5406]

I really appreciate how the character creation process allows , and encourages, so much diversity. You shouldn’t see the same characters coming out of the same paths all the time. “Crunchy” has its advantages.

[@newedorpg3328]

it's definitely a character focused game, with the crunch front-loaded into options for players!

[@Woodclaw]

I have to say that the combination of backstory and art style caused me a bit of cognitive dissonance, especially the part about "the Empire never invading any other nation and now suffering corporate colonialism". So many of the ideas and visuals are so "intrinsically Japanese" that I wondered how a world similar to our could have become this.

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

Yeah, the whole "Empire never did a colonialism, but is now being colonized by the West(TM)" strikes me as potentially playing into some very problematic territory, what with denialism of Japanese war crimes being A Thing. Honestly, I'd have just made this a secondary fantasy world inspired by Japanese history and culture, would solve a lot of problems!

[@Rodrigo_Vega]

Lol, right? like... then why did they call in an Empire?

[@kalashnikovdevil]

From the sound of things I'd assume the diversion point, besides, y'know. Magic. Is a policy akin to the real world sakoku never ending. So no massive influx of Westernization and moderation, no Meiji Restoration... at least not in the way it happened in our world where Emperor Meiji took the reigns and dramatically modernized Japan. No sudden need to get 'social' with the neighbors to ensure Japan can stand on even footing with the Western powers and be taken seriously. As to why they called it an Empire in the book... some of it's different terminology in East versus West. The Japanese Imperial household has been an imperial house for a VERY long time as they themselves see it. Like. The current Imperial dynasty has been in power since 660 BC... per them any way. So connecting that colonialism is something of a misnomer. Japan didn't really get into European style colonialism until the late 19th century. So those historical tropes tend to carry over to scifi and fantasy media however, and Japanese inspired nations are almost invariably ruled by emperors and empresses... as are Chinese inspired locations, for similar reasons. As to why the language works out like that... some of it's the fault of Western explorers and diplomats too. In Japanese the title of the Emperor is Tennō, (天皇) which you can more literally translate as 'Heavenly Sovereign'. That just doesn't translate well to standard European titles of nobility just to start imho. Further if you were a European explorer coming home after a long voyage, would you rather tell your liege that you made contact with the Emperor of all China? Or the King of China? Considering a lot of these explorers relied on the funding and rewards from Royal patrons, I'd suspect they trended towards sexier language to keep the gold and silver coming. Then of course when the Japanese start getting official translations and started taking an influence on how their land and it's ruler was referred to... why wouldn't you ensure the Son of Heaven is referred to in foreign tongues by the most respectful terms possible? He's not some mere king! We can go past the linguistics to dissect the differences between Japanese, Chinese and mainstay European feudalism, but I think that's mildly overkill. Any way, connecting the use of those traditional terms to refer to the Japanese sovereign or a Japanese styled sovereign with the denial of Japanese war crimes in an alternate history where Japan stayed closed off and isolated, like it did for a lot of our real world history? Seems like a bit of a stretch.

[@jordanetherington1922]

​@@iiiiitsmagreta1240I've followed New Edo since Kickstarter and honestly same. If they just made it an alternate world it would make it way less confusing too. As it is it feels like trying to do way too mucj at once. I also don't like making a setting where everything is basically fine, because then why have stories set there? Stories need conflict.

[@newedorpg3328]

​ hey folks in this thread, there seems to be quite a bit of confusion about the setting. NewEdo is, other than its name, not intended in any way to be an alternate depiction of real world Japan. The book doesn't mention Japan or any IRL people or events. It is a fantasy world inspired by Japan, with a timeline that may feel somewhat familiar to history geeks but is not analogous. Dave's comment about the Empire never invading anyone was likely founded on parts of the book describing the nation's recent inward-facing-ness / intentional isolation, but I have no illusions about what 'empire' means and wasn't trying to suggest they were particularly peaceable. And, there is no corporate colonialism in the book either - corporations are kept under the heel of the Courts, though they do push their luck. I guess the problem here is a thoughtful but limited review glossing over and/or confusing some key points about the setting - no fault of Dave's, given scope, but I did feel it worth attempting to clarify here!

[@DarkadeTV]

Check The Veil! It's not about the "augmentations" or the neon or any of the surface level stuff. It's much more about humanism

[@errollobo930]

Kickstarter backer here - really excited to see it in the wild!

[@DaveThaumavore]

Yeah, I hope more people are able to get their hands on this one.

[@newedorpg3328]

me too! ha, thanks for the support!

[@P4r2ival]

Love your videos and style, but i felt there was a missing pillar in the review - what types of stories/ quests the game expects to tell? Aka what are PCs in thia world? Would love to see you address this pillar in future reviews alongside the world and mechanics, as it gives a better idea what the game is about.

[@newedorpg3328]

the big differentiator from NewEdo and "-punk" games are its themes of aspiration and change. The way that plays out at the table somewhat answers your question. The game world is set at a series of inflection points - between tradition and technology, duty and self determination, etc. - and the whole "belief defines reality" thing means that whatever tenet or concept grows in popular belief or trust will be reinforced by that belief. PCs are meant to take sides in that debate, pushing for a future where technology doesn't impugn on tradition, or one where science overtakes superstition, pushing back the monsters at the edges of civilization. The game's various Factions (touched on briefly in the video) are major players fostering one or another of those tenets, giving structure to PCs' motivations - when you choose to play a character from a certain Faction, you understand that your politics will be assumed to be X or Y (though you may change that as you play). The Factions battle each other (politically, financially, literally) and other major players (foreign powers, uncivilized threats, non-Faction influences) to push their agenda, hoping to shape the future. So adventures will have acute goals like any adventure game, but also aggregate ones that create a broader story arc that should result in the PCs having a tangible effect on the future of their setting.

[@newedorpg3328]

For example, you may hear of a wetwork (cybernetics) specialist who is performing augmentation installations that result in the psychotic break of their patients. Most tables will want to shut down that lab as an adventure. But depending on your Faction, you could try to spin the situation for various outcomes that help your cause: maybe you let him continue operating, and record all the negative effects of his technological hubris, pointing out that unfettered futurism risks our humanity. Alternately, you might shut him down then find another specialist to develop a piece of technology to repair the damage your villain has done, proving to the population that technology isn't evil and can cause more good than harm. There's a dozen story spectrums other than the debate over technology so that's just an example, but hopefully this shows how the setting makes it easier to build world-affecting story arcs that give continuity to whatever nightly adventures your players enjoy getting up to.

[@kasperv967]

I really dig the overall setting and style of this, but I just think the level of crunch is a step too far for my casual players. I'll be eager to see what the system agnostic plot hook kickstarter looks like though!

[@newedorpg3328]

the plot hooks will evoke the non-punk-vibe of NewEdo, meaning it has lots of stories that don't revolve around a greedy corporation or an oppressive police state. There's lots in there to adapt to whatever modern setting you might be running (assuming you've got the imagination room for a bit of mysticism!)

[@erichuckabay5666]

Perhaps I missed it in the review, but what is the intended play cycle like? What do PCs do with their time? How are "adventures" structured, and is there any significant downtime system? Is that all left to the individual GM to come up with?

[@MrCMaccc]

Yes, it is very much left up to the players and the GM to work out. Things that may be encapsulated in traditional 'downtime activities' in other systems tend to fall under the Background system. Players can work on building new relations and networking to improve their contacts or followers, do misc work or make investments to try and earn wealth etc. Past that, adventure structure really depends on the type of game the players and dm want to play. It could be straight to the plot via mechanics like Contacts being able to "I know a guy" to get you to where you need to go or using some of the various skill features to achieve goals.

[@clown7666]

Honesty, the game is kinda complex but it gets really easy once youre used to it. I personally just dont try to learn everything at once. My first character didnt use magic at all and i learned how augs worked. My next didnt use augs so i learned magic. I find the game pretty straight forward, as a player at least

[@irhinohammer]

I just got this game the other day cause it caught my eye and looked great. I've only leafed through it, so getting an actual review is hype.

[@joshuamiller8259]

Thank you for this review. It has shown this is not for me. But that doesnt mean it is a bad game, just doesnt suit my interests.

[@Audiotrocious]

Belief made things reality? WAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHH!

[@DarkestCrusade]

This really sounds like shadowrun 5E : character creation A to E [same] Legend Points [ edge ] mythotech [cyber dwarfs, elves but even demons and fairytale creatures. ghost spirits and gods] Dicepool Atribute + skill [ diference is target nr. in shadowrun you compare hits ] more augs gives bad outcomes [ limits humanity ] . big diference is that shadowrun is classless and progresion can feel stale

[@newedorpg3328]

the game's biggest mechanical influences were SR, L5R and oWoD. I attempted to clean up a lot of the chaff from SR, making the game run smoother/quicker. It also largely does way with the hacking minigame problem that a lot of SR editions have - tech in NewEdo is "analog futuristic" like star wars - when you want to hack something, you've gotta break into a secure physical area first to access an isolated system, etc (meaning the whole team is involved). Some major differences from SR are: 1) thematics; NewEdo isn't a punk game at all, it is a game about change and aspiration; 2) augmentations do not hinder your sanity / humanity nor do they interfere with your ability to cast magic (do both!); 3) the Fate Card system is totally unique, and ties character/player choices to the actual mechanics or stats of your PC

[@davidbudzik5970]

Character creation reminds me of Shadowrun. The personal legend reminds me of City of Mist.

[@P4r2ival]

City of Mist creators are actually working on a myth-tech version of their game called "Tokyo - otherscape", with some updates to the core mechanics. Backed the Kickstarter a few months ago, waiting for the full release to read all the materials.

[@richardextall2002]

A solid review of a very interesting take on cyberpunk. Most cyberpunk games are just 'cyberpunk' and don't have a central vibe or core soul. This game looks different.

[@Alex-cq1zr]

Priority system reminds me heavily of shadowrun

[@newedorpg3328]

SR was definitely an influence on the game, but I made sure that your choice of race/lineage/physical form wasn't on the priority table, to open up more RP without penalizing players concerned with optimization. Also, NewEdo runs a lot smoother than SR (noting, of course, that some people love how SR runs). The biggest differentiator, though, is the themes of the game. As Dave says, NewEdo isn't cyberpunk. It shares the neon urban vibe of cyberpunk games, but its themes are those of change and aspiration, rather than rebellion and angst. Just because your city is neon, doesn't mean it has to be dystopian. That may not be for everyone, but it's certainly a change of pace!

[@libertyavalanche]

Getting strong John Wick L5R vibes from this. In the best way possible.

[@newedorpg3328]

that is bang on

[@tine1012]

Game sounds interesting, but I'm personally kind of done with Neon Japan and Japanese mythology even if it is done well. Samurais, Fox ladies and neon ninjas are so universally present in all media I consume I am a bit over it. Even traditionally western setting RPGs have kitsunes as a race these days. And I don't understand why it's always Japanese mythology often skirting over other asian mythologies for whatever reason, I'd like some variety. So while I understand you finding the lack of oppressive corporations refreshing, it's not the part that bothers me most about the everlasting stream of cyberpunk. I do like the whole "we believe it so it is" idea, but I wish it was explored in a different setting.

[@newedorpg3328]

A fair criticism. NewEdo actually began as NewToronto (my home at the time), and was only re-skinned as NewEdo after I spent extensive time in Japan. It's hard to light up players' imaginations with "like Toronto, but flashier" because most people can't picture Toronto. Tokyo, on the other hand, needs no introduction. Players fill in the details of the world without having to be led to them, making the storyteller's job easier (though noting that the Tokyo of imagination is pretty damn different than the Tokyo of reality haha). If you like the underlying paradigm of belief defining reality, the meta behind that is to make room for other geographies / settings where local belief has created very different realities - including, possibly, Toronto ha. Thanks for taking the time to watch and consider NewEdo!

[@tine1012]

@@newedorpg3328 I'm still looking into it if I might get it for the system and the utopian ideas. New Toronto or New Amsterdam do sound interesting.

[@skovlanpeoplesrepublic]

Not gonna lie, I totally underestimated the game when I first saw it. Now I'm interested

[@jasonandkrishandy-kraus123]

At some point, and I don't know exactly when, descriptions of book print quality (color, finish, binding) became better than porn. I guess that's what happens when you live a happy life. ;) The game sounds interesting but where is the dramatic tension in this safe utopia? Is it running heists or something? Maybe I missed that... Thanks, Dave!

[@newedorpg3328]

[copy/pasted from a similar question above] the big differentiator from NewEdo and "-punk" games are its themes of aspiration and change. The way that plays out at the table somewhat answers your question. The game world is set at a series of inflection points - between tradition and technology, duty and self determination, etc. - and the whole "belief defines reality" thing means that whatever tenet or concept grows in popular belief or trust will be reinforced by that belief. PCs are meant to take sides in that debate, pushing for a future where technology doesn't impugn on tradition, or one where science overtakes superstition, pushing back the monsters at the edges of civilization. The game's various Factions (touched on briefly in the video) are major players fostering one or another of those tenets, giving structure to PCs' motivations - when you choose to play a character from a certain Faction, you understand that your politics will be assumed to be X or Y (though you may change that as you play). The Factions battle each other (politically, financially, literally) and other major players (foreign powers, uncivilized threats, non-Faction influences) to push their agenda, hoping to shape the future. So adventures will have acute goals like any adventure game, but also aggregate ones that create a broader story arc that should result in the PCs having a tangible effect on the future of their setting. For example, you may hear of a wetwork (cybernetics) specialist who is performing augmentation installations that result in the psychotic break of their patients. Most tables will want to shut down that lab as an adventure. But depending on your Faction, you could try to spin the situation for various outcomes that help your cause: maybe you let him continue operating, and record all the negative effects of his technological hubris, pointing out that unfettered futurism risks our humanity. Alternately, you might shut him down then find another specialist to develop a piece of technology to repair the damage your villain has done, proving to the population that technology isn't evil and can cause more good than harm. There's a dozen story spectrums other than the debate over technology so that's just an example, but hopefully this shows how the setting makes it easier to build world-affecting story arcs that give continuity to whatever nightly adventures your players enjoy getting up to.

[@ejsmith7626]

Magitech is a touch and go for me. I love the urban fantasy aesthetic and weird mix of tropes but it tends to come with weird stuff like the believing it makes it so mechanic in this game. It feels too much like meta-gaming and I prefer my characters to be witty and behind the curve. Kinda of like gumshoe, CoC, or OSR.

[@newedorpg3328]

ah, ya, characters in NewEdo are intentionally larger than life. The Legend and Fate Card systems build mechanics around the concept of belief defining reality, and are the structure by which PCs become awesome. They're great for providing character motivation, but result in heroic (or anti-hero) characters for sure.

[@jnever9768]

idk quite a bit of crazy crunch here. i do love cyberpunk stuff

[@DaveThaumavore]

Not as bad as Shadowrun but yeah, it’s got some complexity.

[@newedorpg3328]

if you're familiar with either (most) L5R systems, or oWoD, this is about the same crunch as those. But it aint a rules lite game, that's for sure!

[@JTMC93]

The priority table reminds me of shadowrun. Might need to pick this up for my group's next cyberpunk campaign.

[@newedorpg3328]

The biggest difference from SR's priority is that your race/lineage/form isn't on NewEdo's priority, so you can make RP appropriate choices without feeling so forced with your race optimization.

[@JTMC93]

@@newedorpg3328 which is brilliant.

[@GarredHATES]

Sounds like the Ork power of Belief but with less Waaaagh!

[@newedorpg3328]

someone taught me this over the weekend and I love it, because yes, exactly!

[@travisrichards9823]

13:03 is it actually called Yeet?

[@newedorpg3328]

Yes.

[@newedorpg3328]

The book is written very casually, like a conversation with the author over a beer. Helps break up the crunch.

[@alfredaflatooni]

This looks like a great rpg to try out, I'm definitely going to get copy.

[@newedorpg3328]

thanks for taking a chance!

[@jbaidley]

Thanks for the review of an interesting looking game with an interesting looking setting. I think it's probably too crunchy for my tastes, but that doesn't mean there aren't interesting ideas to mine for other campaigns.

[@plus1creator]

"Why are there so many weapons if there's little violent crime?" A well armed society is a polite society....

[@beyondfantasy4972]

Where are the bookmarks a Kickstarter-only thing? I got my book in the mail today, but I didn't get the bookmarks.

[@newedorpg3328]

Ah sorry, yes, those bookmark tokens were a kickstarter exclusive. Dave must have got one of the last ones. I hope you're not too disappointed and that you're enjoying the book!

[@beyondfantasy4972]

The book is really good. I like it.@@newedorpg3328

[@escivencain8653]

This has my interest, i just really like rolling alot of different dice

[@newedorpg3328]

dice goblins love NewEdo, it's just science

[@Vasquez2150]

Interesting setting but as soon as you start talking about mechanics I was discourage but their solution. Thank you for review.

[@jrlonergan6773]

Awesome stuff

[@newedorpg3328]

Agreed :D

[@davidbudzik5970]

Yeah, I’m not sure how they’re gonna do neo-feudal Japan and NOT have personal violence. It seems like that could’ve been better explained in the rule book.

[@newedorpg3328]

see my reply under @kroeghe's comment below (or above...) for a bit more detail on this thought. Personal violence exists below the level of your standard cyberpunk dystopia, where murder is cheap and common, but it isn't absent from the setting.

[@rexjaguarius]

Great review! New EDO is great.

[@newedorpg3328]

Thanks Rex!

[@opscontaylor8195]

So, it's like a playable Anti-Shadowrun?

[@newedorpg3328]

yes, mixed with Legend of the Five Rings ha

[@chevkoch]

Great video and review as so often. I too find the absence of sexualized character art a relief.

[@DoctorTopper]

Dave sounds mystified, but the presence of weapons doesn't contradict the statement that violence is low. People are unlikely to start a fight if they know there will be consequences. Their target is armed, all other bystanders are armed, and the Law is right there watching and waiting for them to try.

[@LihimSidhe]

The setting looks interesting. However, the engine and mechanics running the game looks needlessly complicated. I'd rather play this using Fate Core, Savage Worlds, or Chronicles of Darkness rules.

[@DaveThaumavore]

I thought the interlocking systems were pretty cool, but complexity is a completely subjective personal preference.

[@newedorpg3328]

the systems have about the same crunch as oWoD, with one additional trick thrown in (the Fate Card) that really elevates gameplay. The mechanics of the game reinforce the setting/theme, by tying PCs to their Legend and their Fate. But, ya, there's some crunch there that isn't for everyone!

[@meatbyproducts]

Great game and a well made book. Good review

[@Rodrigo_Vega]

I'm not entirely sold on the premise of this game. I haven't looked deep into it, but based on the first impression you give it sound kind of hollow? Like they just grabbed the aesthetics of "JAPAN" old and new and packaged it all together because they are iconic and cool. The themes of virtuous traditions, belief and japanese folklore seems the strongest, so it makes me wonder why they decided to add the "cyber" elements of modern technology at all, when this works just fine as a plain edo period game. You could argue that you don't like cyberpunk games because their tropes are repeated and tired, but even the most trite Cyberpunk setting usually _says_ something with their use of technology. It's anti-corporation, anti-government, underdogs have the game stacked against them and they are gona lose! but first they are still gonna try their best to strike a dent on this uncaring World. Go. "The Empire never colonized anyone, tech industry giants are alright guys actually, crime is not a big thing really" has got to need some massive thematic payoff to justify being part of the lore at all, imo. Otherwise it doesn't say anything at all, neither novel nor cliched.

[@tylerhildebran3479]

I've read the book, and I definitely had similar concerns at first, but I think his comparison to star wars is an apt one. Augmentations (cybernetics) play a fairly significant role in the game, and while magic *can* do all the stuff you'd expect magic to do, it also has unique interactions with tech. The crime thing was confusing at first for me too, but it becomes clear pretty quickly that the world is about as violent as ours is in terms of police brutality, gang violence, and corporate malfeasance. While "mega corps" aren't a thing, the corporations play a big role in the politics of the setting, buying off and taking advantage of politicians to their advantage. Basically, the book says towards the end of the world building chapter that the world isn't a cyberpunk dystopia *yet* but that that is still a very real direction the world can go in. This conceit lets the world have cute little cafe's, and parks, and all the trappings of life you'd expect in a modern urban landscape, but puts all of that under threat from corporate, political, or criminal elements. You aren't likely to see corporate military in the world, but you ARE likely to see corporate propaganda spread, and since the world is shaped by people's beliefs, that propaganda can be more effective than a military invasion. This also means that you aren't likely to go on a killing spree to end a corporation's control over your district or something, you'll instead take action to ensure that their schemes are foiled, and the phone don't buy what they're selling (either literally or metaphorically) to keep your neighborhood safe.

[@kalleendo7577]

Awesome!!!

[@Kroeghe]

What's the main source of conflict here? There's no crime, no war, the corporations are weak, the government benevolent, the traditional "monster" creatures are races to choose from instead. What do the player characters do here? "Oh Kroeghe, don't be simple, not every rpg has to be about violence and conflict." "Okay, agreed. ... Why are there two pages of firearms and samurai weaponry?"

[@DaveThaumavore]

Well, it says there's no violence in one part of the book, but the vast majority of the book describes a world of potential violence. This will mostly come from conflict between the factions.

[@newedorpg3328]

the primary source of conflict is the Factions system, where various forces are vying to shape the future of what people believe (since belief defines reality). Personal violence, rather than crime in aggregate, is more rare than in a typical -punk style dystopia, and problems are still solvable with a sword. Monsters (beyond the playable Lineages) exist and can threaten the peace of the city. Foreign actors linger on the periphery, waiting to puncture the protective bubble of the inward-facing Empire. The lack of dystopian hyperviolence creates a setting where violent choices have consequences beyond having to purchase more ammo, but the game isn't supposed to comprise only poetry writing and interpretive dance (at least, not exclusively...). Imagine a futuristic feudal setting, where laws are strict and crime is rare, but there's ample room for conflict to arise.

[@GldnMnky]

So Six Side Sushi is basashi not fish... interesting.

[@jordanetherington1922]

I like the system a lot, and I feel the setting has a lot of potential. That said, the insistence that this is an alternate timeline rather then a straight up fantasy world stretches credulity. I am also not a fan of having Empires and other autocratic institutions where people aren't oppressed. It feels like it is written by someone who loves the setting and doesn't want anyone to see flaws in it

[@newedorpg3328]

The book and game world are wholly fantastical, not an alternate timeline. It is only inspired by reality.

[@eldridsmith9871]

I got it, it's great.

[@justusthedeep]

Love this shit. So dope.

[@DaveThaumavore]

Agreed.

[@tylerh2548]

Cybermyth 0202

[@arheru]

Mage: the Shadowrun! 😊

[@megasquidd]

I can tell whether I'm going to like a game based on the character sheet. This one is hard pass for me. Thank you for continuing to review indie and small publisher games. You are doing great work.

[@fartgod25]

Dont run away so early, Salty has released a more simple character sheet that i believe is on the salty games website

[@tracyburnham604]

I read the title as “Ne Weedo”

[@Denbak80]

Thanks for the video overview, really informative. Ultimately, the setting sounds silly rather than cool and it doesn’t sound like sufficient consideration was given for a ton of world building choices. Plus the system kind of sounds like a mess. Thanks for the guidance.

[@sportyeight7769]

Feeling like cyberpunk is derivative, and yet covers every med-fantasy under the sun that looks like d&d

[@WilkesBarreWrestling]

Its 2023 people aren't pretending Cyberpunk 2077 is bad anymore. jsyk.

[@newedorpg3328]

NewEdo isn't a "punk" game at all! It shares the neon urban setting, but its themes are very different - aspiration versus rebellion, hope instead of oppression, etc. That isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's a change from the genre tropes.

[@Lantern_Light]

Pretending?

[@WilkesBarreWrestling]

@@newedorpg3328 im talking about the goofy intro showing the glitches

[@WilkesBarreWrestling]

@@Lantern_Light anyone who wasnt poor and played on PC knew it was a gem from the jump. I didn't need an Anime to show me that like y'all.

[@YaqoubAlTayib]

New Weebo

[@gnoblin2528]

Isn’t this just Kamigawa?

[@DaveThaumavore]

No clue what that is.

[@newedorpg3328]

It was released before Kamigawa ;)

[@gnoblin2528]

@@DaveThaumavore a “new kamigawa” magic the gathering set and setting, has some similar qualities but as I watched the video fully NewEdo has it’s own unique theme

[@newedorpg3328]

@@gnoblin2528 they've got similar aesthetics, but you've nailed it, the themes are very different than common cyberpunk-y tropes.