The Gentleman Gamer: Eclipse Phase RPG Review

[@DanielWootton]

OH GOD THAT NOISE AT 1:00. WHY WAS THE NECESSARY?

[@leosteiner5619]

I think it was meant to be music.

[@Gnarrkhaz]

Woah! Why did nobody warn me about that beforehand?

[@madbrainbox1945]

"Death is a disease!Cure it!".One can only hope.

[@DocFlamingo]

Will you ba able to afford it? Is it worth the risk of an eternal Paris Hilton?

[@JamesHarderTheReallyBIGDoor]

I hate the word 'fluff'. I has such negative connotations. Setting details, stories set in the world, backstories, etc? These are all good things. They help you define the world you're in, and help you build a character that will fit.

[@beejcarson]

It is my favorite setting period. The most insane, hilarious, scary games I've ever played are in EP.

[@Antdevamp]

Moving on the 2nd Ed, no I don't care for people who don't know. My players will get their minds blown!

[@TheFluffyWhiteCats]

Checked this out as part of the 'homework assignment' from your live chat. This sounds really interesting. Going to look into it.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

Brandon Steward Good man!

[@rockheimr]

I got the EP books (all except Sunward so far - will be ordering that today) and am very impressed with it as a game and setting. It is one of the most beautifully detailed and true to it's unique self rpg settings imo. I love the hard sf stuff, the transhumanism/body swapping, and the myriad of different stations etc, really, really good. However, boy would it require good players and GM to do justice to - also this is without doubt the only rpg game where pc's are essentially immortal.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@atari67 My thanks to you for watching!

[@pridday88]

Excellent review. I, too, am a big fan of "fluff" over "crunch" in game systems. Previous reviews I've read didn't make it sound very interesting, but now I'll give it another look.

[@rockheimr]

cont- mission to Mars. Their bodies not found until AF10. They were resurrected as a curiosity, questioned thoroughly, then eventually paid with a basic grade morph each and a month's basic living creds - and shown the door. Now they begin play almost as lost in the setting as the players, learning with the players how the solar system and humanity has changed.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@kailrim Thanks for watching! It's my pleasure.

[@Immersion-rpg]

Wow 10/10! Nice review. It sounds like a great setting.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@LastStand2010 Come to think of it, those books are referenced at the back of Eclipse Phase!

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@TowerGuardDM Thanks for watching, Wyn!

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DaysonBrillet Excellent! Do you now own it?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Onionkid99 There are a hell of a lot of different factions too, so I think it'd be worth checking with the GM to see which ones are likely to show up in the course of the storyline before investing all rep points in the Argonauts, for instance. Indeed. You can purchase merits in WoD such as Sabbat Status etc.

[@mollytherealdeal]

What an excellent review. I bought the game some time ago. After reading it thoroughly, I agree with your opinion. It is a wonderful, dark hard science fiction story set after a transhuman apocalypse. What I admire about this game is that after people become superhuman with technology, that there would still be forces in the universe that will still horrify the player.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Demolitiondude Which little mantra?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@highpriestrsw2 I know of it, but have not played it. I have mixed feelings on the ORE. I'll have to do a new review of Godlike.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@killadroid2 It can be indeed. I recommend advertising in a local library or games shop if there are any near you.

[@Onionkid99]

Hmm, I like this idea of investing "reputation" points at character creation amongst the different factions. Sounds like it would be a good idea in a nWoD game, seeing as they all tend to have 5 factions (at least) that are always plottin' n' schemin'.

[@FantasticDimensions]

Cat's chance in Hell you'll see this, but I'm beginning preparations for another 1or 2 shot of this and wondered if you'd be interested in playing...

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@boltorange Oh definitely, when I have some more money and play it a bit more. It's got a lot of scope. I may have to review Sunward at some point too.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DecKrash Oh? Do you have your players already arranged?

[@gaozhi2007]

saw this at the game shop today. hands down the most gorgeous art and design of any roleplaying game i have seen in a long, long time. wish i could get my group off dnd. sigh...

[@norcalonline1]

Hi, GG. Great brief overview of first edition Eclipse Phase. The second edition was just released and is now available. Any plans to review the newest version?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@woodwwad It's not a game for immature role-players by any means. The darkness in it is pervasive and clings to every facet like a nasty alien ichor. I'm no fan of % systems, but for a change it works well with Eclipse Phase. I didn't make the montage! I've given credit in the description, but it's from an Eclipse Phase trailer.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Ahrimancp Thank you!

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@LastStand2010 I don't know them. Would you recommend them?

[@woodwwad]

Nice little montage there, how long did it take you to make it? Hell yeah they are there to do a job! Octopus are good creatures to use for this, as they are very smart animals. I'm not a big fan of sci-fi games but this one does sound interesting, I like how dark it is, so I wouldn't mind giving this a try. I'm not sure how big a fan of % systems I am. Hmm, interesting that 00% is zero & not 100. The morph idea seems interesting, highly complex game & I like that.

[@Hellstorm87]

I am really enjoy yours reviews ;) and i wait for more :)!

[@calistman222]

OMG! I so want to come to England and join your RPG group! But I'm afraid of rain. I hear there is a lot of rain there.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DaysonBrillet Hero? You may have to assist me on that.

[@Carnefice]

You said Intergalactic travel, but I'm sure you meant travel throughout the solar system

[@nemezote]

Nope, you can actually go beyond our solar system, plus the rules allow for whatever the fuck you want to do.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@woodwwad I want to play a Gangrel Orc Combat Decker with six points in Thaumaturgy!

[@phaedruslive]

@clackclickbang What quirks did you roll?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Deckof51 My thinking as well. It works as an innovative concept, and wouldn't be nearly as applicable in a game like Cthulhu, using the same system.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@MeesterWolf99 Huzzah! Let me know what you think.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@huud007 Yep, it was a lot to fit in within 15 minutes, but such are my limitations these days! It's an excellent game and I recommend it most heartily.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Hellstorm87 Thank you!

[@rockheimr]

I did also have another idea where pcs are freeland Insurance Assessors and Recomen - working the jobs they choose from long lists published by various Backup Insurance Companies daily on the mesh - where they have to track down and recover stacks from dead highrollers who'd been rich enough in life to pay for top level backup insurance, or to assess whether people who've missed several backups are in fact still alive...

[@ZigCopasetic]

I too am a fan of game fiction as apposed to rules. You sold me on this game Gentleman, I ordered it and it just got here. Now all I have to do is get my players to move from a medieval vampire to future mindset. Not going to be easy.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@phaedruslive What are you referring to, sorry?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@TheHydra014 As I say, it's unique among the multiple space-faring RPGs out there. It has a hell of a lot of range whilst still staying essentially locked within our solar system. There are few alien races that are known about (in the published game, anyway) so the majority of enemies are fellow transhumans and AIs.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Samwise7RPG It's worth a look even if you're not a big sci-fi gamer. I'm not a huge Star Wars / Star Trek fan, going more for Farscape or Battlestar. This game fits into a nice dark niche.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@VoraxTranstellaris Nonsense! The system is lovely and simple. At least, I found it as such. I can see why some people may find it tricky. I find that with the WH 40K stuff.

[@LastStand2010]

@clackclickbang That makes sense. I thought the terminology was sounded quite similar. I'm definitely going to look into Eclipse Phase. It sounds pretty awesome.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Gridfire Very true! So much to fit into 15 minutes and so little time.

[@NicolasAnquet]

So funny! The two RPGs I am the most interested in at the moment are Vampire the Masquerade and... Eclipse Phase. Both reviewed by the excellent Gentleman Gamer.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

Nicolas Anquet Eclipse Phase is still my favourite RPG outside the offerings of White Wolf and Onyx Path.

[@NicolasAnquet]

Cool! Thanks!!

[@JamesBrowningII]

I'll have to buy this game! You make it sound so cool! Have you read and/or played Reign by Greg Stolze? It uses the ORE system. Its very cool and the supplements are available for free online.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@xL3G3NDxsniper Thanks!

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@23penguins32 Well it was especially aimed at you. Earth Grue is ever I saw one.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DaysonBrillet Let's hope it's good!

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DirtyBriefcase It's an incredibly well put together book, both for pure readability as well as gameplay.

[@Elround4]

Thinking about psi... Maybe it would make more sense to treat it in a similar way to how "Biotics" work in Mass Effect. Such as it being the result of a singularity seeker attempting to reverse engineer T.I.T.A.N technology for the purpose of creating an implant. This then would make the psi trait a base requisite for use of that implant. Anyone with the strain but not the implant would just be a partially insane infection risk. But those with the implant would gain quantum_Mec based abilities.

[@rockheimr]

I'm also not keen on the default campaign idea (working for Firewall) - as I'm not keen on 'working for the man' games, I prefer pcs to pick their own battles, their own path through a setting. Doing jobs set before you by the company is by it's nature limiting - pc's ultimately cannot say no. I had one idea for a starting game, where the pcs are astronauts from a short while ahead of our rw modern day (say the 2030s), who had experimental stacks implanted - but who were lost on an early -

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@LastStand2010 I may well do that. Thanks!

[@marcelogonzalez8547]

Sounds a lot like Altered Carbon. Cool.

[@thetrumanshow4791]

More like Altered Carbon technology placed in "The Expanse" environment. ;)

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@pridday88 There's plenty of rules in here, but the setting is the winner in the core rulebook.

[@DamielBE]

Note that it's not mandatory to play a Firewall agent. My players are starting on their own, and will eventually be offered to join, or not. I'm even going as far as presenting Firewall the way Cerberus is portrayed in Mass Effect.

[@Elround4]

I fully agree with this rating. ^^ Personally, my favorite location within Eclipse Phase is the upper atmosphere of Venus. I'm one of those people that love to fly--and just feel "better" up in the air than on the ground or on/in water--,so obviously a setting where you're literally restricted to just flight is immensely appealing.

[@trevorboynton342]

If anyone's watching this after 2018 this game is basically hardcore version of Altered Carbon

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@TheHydra014 Well quite. And sometimes when things come through the gate, there's no sending them back. Who controls the Pandora Gates really?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Illservan Glad we agree!

[@riprendandroar]

@clackclickbang i may sujest it after our Hollow earth campgain! ( were allso running Masks of Nyarlathotep so may take some time haha)

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@lethargicmoby Thanks! I think.

[@teejinater88]

How was your experience playing this? I started a D&D campaign last year with some college buddies of mine, and after it's successful completion we decided it be interesting to experiment with Eclipse Phase at the opposite end of the spectrum. I know it's based on the DM's or GM's narrative capabilities, but which game would you say you've enjoyed participating in more (if you played D&D), and what were some of your favorite aspects of EP?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Demolitiondude Ah I see! Yes, I suppose it does fit in well with Rapture.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@mollytherealdeal Glad we agree! This is one of my favourite RPG core rulebooks.

[@MrDeaks89]

I'm sold, I've been thinking about this game quite a bit and will pick up a copy. Do you know if they have released rules on space travel? If not, anything you could recommend to incorporate space travel?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

I would say I've enjoyed D&D more, but only because of my constant exposure to it. I think Eclipse Phase is an excellent setting, and that's it's greatest strength. It has so many elements and a lot of them really force the player and the GM to think. The idea of adopting different bodies is a wonderful one.

[@tetsubo57]

I haven't had a chance to read this yet. So many books, so little time. Did they move to new star systems or actually make it to new galaxies? Because that is a BIG deference. It's Gamma World Cryptic Alliances all over again! I love uplifted races. So cool. I want to be a werebear. Those gates don't sound like 'hard' science to me... I like % systems by and large. Moxie doesn't thrill me. I guess I should read it. Someday...

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DaysonBrillet I have honestly never heard of it. Eclipse Phase does work well with its own system though.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DeepEndOfTheDicePool They do seem to have been. I also find the game is close in some aspects to the Culture novels by Iain M Banks.

[@riprendandroar]

i love the sound of being a uplifted Octopus!! reminds me of blue planet xD

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@Demolitiondude Rapture in space? Hm... Interesting idea.

[@atari67]

Your review speaks volumes about the quality of this game. Nicely done, sir.

[@TemplarsCrusade01]

lol Fantastic vid, only just found your channel, Super.

[@slavaukraini1991]

Sounds extremely well written, or perhaps just extremely well reviewed! Definitely one to investigate when spare wonga allows :)

[@TheCowboyHat]

odd question for you: where did you get your b&w line drawing picture from, as it looks almost identical to my late friends V:tM artwork for an old LARP of ours... Great review btw ;)

[@TheAndyGiant]

I think I shall order this game. Great review, thanks old boy!

[@Lestat21500]

A lot of terms here that sound very familiar to Eve online. jovians, Pandora gates etc. Very interesting game.

[@DecKrash]

@clackclickbang I'm looking to join in an Eclipse Phase Skype campaign myself.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@riprendandroar Excellent!

[@kailrim]

Thank you for pointing to this RPG - it indeed sounds very interesting o..o

[@pistachioinlove2862]

I'm pretty new to tabletop RPGs, and i wanted to know something: Can i take out the fluff and backstory of a system like this one, and give it my own lore and all those things? Because i have an interesting setting for a cyberpunk world, and i looked up systems for it, i found EP, and i thought it was awesome, but i didn't really want to use all this lore with my friends because i know they won't read it all It's probably a dumb question and the answer may be very obvious, but i don't think my friends will enjoy the setting EP has, only the system

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

You definitely can!

[@pistachioinlove2862]

Oh, thanks for replying so quickly lol. I guess i'll get to that. Any advice for a noob gm?

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@@pistachioinlove2862 Run games that are intimate and concern your player characters before expanding to anything more grand!

[@pistachioinlove2862]

I'll have that in mind, thanks a lot

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

I agree. This entire setting is fantastic.

[@GaryAnastasio]

Fantastic review. I own this game and agree with your review 100%. Its the best hard sci-fi game on the market at the moment.

[@LostInNumbers]

In the end the heroin of Lack sends the Data to firewall and not to Preject ozma that blackmaild her. "The information contained on the femur, however, found its way almost instantly through the blackest depths of space, landing safely onto a dedicated Firewall receiver elsewhere in the solar system." EP Core P. 15

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DarthAzabrush I prefer the idea of an uplifted octopus, but an orangutan should be suitably vicious. You could fling shit at your enemies.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@boltorange When I find the source of time and provide more for myself, then yes!

[@DecKrash]

@clackclickbang Oh, and I have the main sourcebook, as well as the gatecrashers PDF, just so you know.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@riprendandroar Well indeed. There's a lot of freedom providing you're descriptive and imaginative.

[@Deckof51]

That dice-flipping idea is pretty amazing, actually. You really couldn't do it anywhere else either, so within the system it's really unique.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@ZigCopasetic And now I see it has arrived! Excellent!

[@killadroid2]

This game sounds really interesting :). Finding clubs and things to play with is tough though :(

[@LastStand2010]

Huh, it sounds a lot like the Takeshi Kovacs books by Richard Morgan.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@DamielBE I think that's an excellent idea. I'm a big fan of Mass Effect too.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@odin422 There are definitely some similarities.

[@TheGentlemanGamer]

@TemplarsCrusade01 Glad you find me and liked the review!