"It is a world of treachery and evil, where violence is a continual threat and doing a good deed could get you killed. Powerful Archfiends dominate a world filled with the lost and the damned, but are themselves dominated by the Lords of the Inferno. It is a world where absolute evil is mirrored by absolute good. Even the Lords of the Abyss must heed the servants of the Divine, or face the Wrath of God and his sword, the Host."
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Dante's Inferno - a tactical RPG called Abyss,
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This review is from: Abyss: A Roleplaying Game Based on Dante's Inferno (Paperback)
Everybody aware of Dante's Inferno knows that there are myriad translations, each standing on its own merits. I never thought I'd see a version that required the use of dice.Abyss is a role-playing game in which players make demonic characters, each trying to ply for favor and work in the best interests of their demonic patron. Right there, you can tell it will be an ambitious work. Players are given a number of Soul Points which are spent to specifically design all aspects of their character. A fair number of archetypes are presented, each unique and easily adjusted for personal tastes, designed with roughly 250 points and leaving another 50 for said personal tastes. Players may use these templates or create their demon from the floor up; players get control over every area of the character from strength and demonic powers to spells and equipment. The point system makes the entire process go by smoothly and quickly. Task resolution is simple as well: characters have a pool of d6 rolled for any given task. Scoring a roll of a 6 indicates success, with additional 6's possibly indicating a higher degree of success. Combat uses a system of Action points, each action requiring a certain number of points - much like the Fallout games. Once all Action points are spent, the character is done for that combat round. Abyss is based off a tactical war game known as Inferno, so combat has a whole slew of tactical options ranging from critical hits to environmental modifiers. Despite such complications, the system maintains its simplicity and represents itself as fairly intuitive. Abyss also has a much simpler and abbreviated version of the combat rules - something that can truly be appreciated. You can enjoy a huge tactical battle once and then use the abbreviated rules for combat encounters of less importance. It may sound too good to be true, but it works well. Outside of the crunch factor, we have the fluff, and this is where the game seems to falter a step or three. Most noticeable is the use of the artwork of Gustav Dore, who is best known for his artwork for Dante's Inferno and Paradise Lost. It was a pleasent surprise to see his work used in the book. However, not all the art is by Dore and what is not detracts from the overall appearance of the book. For me, the biggest problem I had with the fluff is the sheer number of pages printed on greyscale and set in italics - it makes reading the sections a little more of a chore than I'd like. The overview of the levels of hell is exactly what you'd expect it to be. Those already familiar with the Inferno can concentrate on learning the mechanics while those who have never read the epic poem can enjoy a scaled back, almost Cliffnotes break down of what to expect. The gamemaster's section is pretty weak. Novice GMs may have a hard time with running the game straight from the book, but there is a starter scenario at least. Overall, I would suggest this work to advanced role-players looking for something more challenging than the average fare. It is easily comparable to the World of Darkness games in terms of setting and themes, but the book stands on its own honoring one of the greatest literary works of mankind. If you played and enjoyed the video game for Dante's Inferno, chances are you'll love this game. Grab a copy and enjoy a geekier and darker side of gaming. It's a poem that needs dice - need I really say more?
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