Customer Reviews

D&D Gamma World Roleplaying Game: A D&D Genre Setting (4th Edition D&D)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm going to start by saying that Gamma World IS loads of fun in play - I highly recommend the game. I'm unsure how it will play in a long-term campaign (it's too new to have an opinion on this) but it can work very well both as a short-term campaign (say, the time frame of your typical Cthulhu campaign - GW, like CoC, is a high lethality setting!) and for one-shot games. It's this latter aspect of the game that I really like; it can serve as a great "party game" because the MECHANICS make it just as fun as the SETTING does.

Physically, Gamma World is a fully self-contained boxed set, containing a comprehensive 160 page digest-size rulebook (containing all pertinent 4E rules, so it is NOT necessary to have, say, and D&D books), two packs of cards - Alpha Mutations and Omega Techs, a card booster pack, various maps, and a couple of sets of thick cardstock punch-out chits representing iconic GW monsters (adding to the old-school feel of the game). The book is made of nice stock, and the four-color artwork is evocative and amusing.

Gamma World, of course, is based on WoTC's 4E ruleset; GW uses a pared down version of the rules (akin to the D&D Essentials line) - involving throwing of dice - and adds to that elements of a card-based game. It works very well for Gamma World because the cards introduce randomness (random generation of mutations and strange techonology) and because it's the nature of GW mutations that they have a non-sequitur quality to them.

The first part of a Gamma World game - and practically a mini-game in itself - is character generation; my group, preparing to run the game for a DDXP weekend, spent about an hour generating characters; this is done with the group and GM at the table. Players roll 2 d20s, referencing the rolls against two Origins, one primary and one secondary - choices include such things as "Android", "Gravity Controller" and "Yeti" - and it is from these that one derives the primary and secondary ability scores (for example, my Android Gravity Controller had an 18 Intelligence and 16 Constitution), as well as At-Will powers (keyed to the stat linked to the Origin), skill bonuses, defense bonuses and so on - the Origins are essentially the character's "class". All other ability scores are rolled - yes ROLLED with 3d6 - again keeping with the random craziness that is GW.

Armor and weapons are described not in specifics, but in generalities, such as "Light Melee" (keyed to Int/Dex), "Heavy Armor" (AC 7, -1 move) because it's up to the player what these are - for example, you might decide your "Light Melee" weapon is a skillet, "Light Ranged" is a bag of billiard balls, and "Heavy Armor" is a collection of trash can lids duct-taped together - the description can be as serious or silly as the player likes. Again, GW uses a mechanics-lite version of 4E.

Once the Origins, stats and equipment are decided upon, it's time for mutant powers! Every player is dealt one card from the Alpha deck (mutations) and the Omega deck (ancient tech); Alpha powers themselves have origins (if these match your Origin - for example "bio" or "dark energy", you can overcharge them at a risk of greater effect - more gambling!) and vary in power type (most are Encounter, it seems); the Omega techs run the gamut from a fusion rifle to an animatronic toy which immobilizes opponents. Players can build their own card decks to use (and there are rules for keeping this fair, as well as situations in which they must draw from the GM's deck) as well.

Once character generation is complete - and players have a chance to describe their hapless warrior of the wastes - the game follows the familiar 4E encounter structure (with short and extended rests). There are simplifications - no one has surges, for example, just one second wind per encounter (yes, GW is high-lethality) and there are no action points. More random craziness ensues - after each extended rest, all players turn in their Alpha card and draw a new one (as reality changes in a process called Alpha Flux); if any Omega card has been used, a d20 roll is made for the tech to see if it broke (1-9 it broke, 10-20 it's reusable) - broken techs sometimes have salvage rules on the card, so all isn't (necessarily) lost. After a typical encounter, players will draw an Omega tech card to add to their pile (treasure!) As for hazards, they can be wacky (savage bunny men called Hoops) to deadly (the lethal Eviscerator warbot), and natural hazards - like radiation pools - can add or subtract new Alpha powers along with the damage. Anything goes!

The setting's backstory is an update from the traditional "nuclear war" - there was a little problem with the Large Hadron Collider (the "Big Mistake") which has caused the worldliness of multiple universes (think Hugh Everett's "many worlds hypothesis" here) to get tangled up with each other, so that multiple realities are being expresses simultaneously: this is the cause of Alpha Flux, which can change characters from encounter to encounter (new Alpha cards) and certainly keeps the game amusing as one has a "core" character with alterable mutant powers!

From a GM's perspective, as I mentioned before, I don't think the game would support a long-term campaign (or a "serious" post-apocalyptic game), but it's perfect for a short-term campaign (characters are capped at 10th level, anyway) and GREAT for a one-shot at a party or as a break from another campaign (my group may play it as a break from our long-term Traveller campaign, for example) - that's its real strength, for me: it satisfies that need for something more "RPGish" than a board game, but less commitment-intensive than a proper "campaign". It's also a good template for wackiness and humor - just a fun game to play.

This edition of D&D Gamma World is a part of a new series of releases from WotC called D&D Genre Settings. In it, a humorous post-apocalyptic world called Gamma Terra is detailed, and 4th Edition D&D rules are modified to fit the setting more appropriately. Gamma World is an excellent 4e product for any casual or veteran group (at least, any group that likes post-apocalyptic worlds) due to its simplified rule system and sense of humor.

The game is packaged with everything you need to run it with the exception of dice. This includes a full rulebook, character sheets, monster & character tokens (which means there is no need for miniatures!), a couple battle mats, and a deck of Gamma World cards that includes Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech, as well as a random booster pack to supplement that deck.

In terms of rules and mechanics, Gamma World simplifies 4e's system, then adds its own twists. Characters lack a race, class, and daily resources and instead have two random mutant origins that grant them at-will and encounter powers, traits, and attributes. These origins are really more like 4e Paragon Paths than 4e classes in terms of scope, granting a total of three powers and a small group of traits each. At the game's maximum PC level of 10, the character will have access to all its traits and powers, so choice only impacts the order in which they are obtained.

Characters are given additional resources in the form of Alpha Mutation cards, Omega Tech cards, and mundane equipment. Alpha Mutations are random (and often hilarious) effects that can range from encounter powers that allow the PC to fire porcupine quills to constant teleportation benefits. These are replaced after each encounter or during Alpha Flux events, causing a good bit of variance from one encounter to another. PCs are encouraged to make their own Alpha Mutation deck in order to flavor a character or create interesting combat synergies, though they are not required to do so.

Omega Tech cards are Gamma World's replacement for magic gear. These are pieces of ancient technology that can be used during one encounter, then they must be recharged, discarded, or permanently salvaged (in a weaker form). The recharge is random, with about a 55% chance of success, and salvaging an item has a character level requirement, so Omega Tech will go in and out of play often. Both PCs and the DM can customize this deck as well, creating their own themes and power combos to vary encounters as much or as little as desired.

Mundane equipment in Gamma World has also taken a very interesting turn. As usual in 4e, equipment grants weapon accuracy, damage, and AC. In Gamma World, though, equipment is broken into relatively broad categories, like light, one-handed melee weapons and heavy armor. These pieces of gear are stat packages with only a suggested flavor. PCs are actively encouraged to describe their equipment as they like, often allowing the use of what D&D would consider an improvised weapon very effectively.

I have very little to say about the non-combat skills in Gamma World. They are trained based on a random roll and your origins, and are very similar to D&D's skill system. The attributes associated with skills tend to make sense, and the DCs for succeeding on skill checks are fairly reasonable. Some skills are consolidated and renamed to simplify play.

For all the good Gamma World offers, it does fall off 4e's balance track a bit. The randomness introduced by rolling origins and drawing cards can create characters that lack at-will powers and suffer from the 3e low-level Wizard syndrome. After using their encounter powers, these characters may not have a good weapon stat for basic attacks, and are therefore out of effective combat-related options. Further, the origins do not seem to be as carefully balanced to one another as I would like. Allowing characters to choose origins could easily lead to a knowledgeable munchkin taking over a game, or to a less knowledgeable player making a very underwhelming combat character that is pure flavor. These issues can be forgiven, though, because Gamma World seems to thrive on imbalance and insanity. Combat tends to be quicker and dirtier than 4e D&D combat, with few healing options and enemies that deal a significant amount of damage at level one. Mutants can die quickly and easily at any turn, and fortunately the ease of rolling a new character means that a new mutant can see action within a few minutes of a player's old one dying.

Gamma World is an amazing casual RPG that lends itself well to new-comers and veterans alike. Humor can easily be found in the random fortunate and unfortunate events that occur (as well as the monsters, powers, characters, and the world in general), and an RPG that does not take itself seriously is a great way to introduce new players to the pen and paper genre. Finally, Gamma World's 4e mechanics are stream-lined and customized in a way that allows for fun, quick play in all aspects of the game. PCs require little maintenance between games, and players have much less to track and plan during game play than they do in D&D. I eagerly await the next genre setting's release, and I hope it continues in the same mechanics vein as Gamma World.

Evertime D&D changes editions there is a great outcry about how can they destroy the game or that they are just doing it to make a quid. Well yeah, they are a company, they need to make money. But far from ruining the game I believe that 4th edition D&D is an excellent product well worth the price. It don't say its perfect for their are a few house rules I enact to overcome the bits I think need fixing, but again, every game is like that.
And as for Gamma World, it is great as well. I had patiently waited for my copy to arrive and devoured it in one sitting. The rules are very streamlined, 160 pages covering character creation, DM's guide and critter collection. This is something that I have favoured since I first bought basic D&D back in '82. Character creation is completely random. Now current trend has been to have the players lovingly craft their characters as they see fit. While I find that good as well, I find it good to play a game where you have to deal with what you get stuck with. Roll a 4 for Strength and deal with it princess. With a few die rolls your characters origin (what genetic makeup you have) is determined, as well as two starting powers. A draw of the cards also determines your major mutant abilites.
Personally I don't like the 7 card mutations deck idea and just have my players draw one card which they keep forever, though I am always doing odd things to them to develop their characters anyhow. Characters only go to 10th level as well.
You also start with basic armour, weapons, and some assorted gear (also random), as well as a high-powered tech device. I also allow my players to jury-rig stuff with the junk they find (a la MacGyver) to make things they otherwise don't have.
As the book is a bit light on (I do believe in the less is more approach) some things were left out. I would have liked to see more of the original Gamma Terra background. The book mentions the big accident with the Hadron Collider which sounded a bit naff to me so I wen t with my own background. Some cryptic alliances are mentoined so I have had to fill in others with previous books I own.
The game is very tongue in check. Which is something I like. I've hear some reveiwers mention beer and pretzels and hell I think thats a fine way to play.
All in all I think that even as something that is only played occasionally it has the ability to amuse your players and can be used again and again. It could even be quite a challenge to get to level 10 as I have heard of a few TPK's happening just with the introductory scenario. As it is I am now waiting patiently for famine in Fargo to be released.

In creating Gamma World, WotC has combined a rollicking setting with fast-paced game mechanics and an ultra-streamlined character system. The end product? Sadly, it turns out to be something less than the sum of its parts. Don't get me wrong; it's a fun game the FIRST time you play it. Believe me, I do get the initial appeal. However, in attempting to "casualize" every element of D&D, they've made a game that's just too flimsy to have any real staying power.

Let's start with the setting. Post-apocalyptic, tongue-in-cheek, full of crazy, full of wild. Also vague, unpolished, and lacking in hooks. As a game master, there's just not a lot to grab onto, world-wise. This would be fine if the other elements of the game (mechanics and character system) were a little deeper. A GM can often use those other things to generate story where none is provided. No such option here, so once you've used up what little lore is provided, you're on your own. A seasoned GM will be OK, but a new one will soon find himself cruising bad SyFy movies for plot ideas.

Likewise, the character system is a streamlined version of 4th Edition D&D. VERY streamlined. This allows you to get into the action with a minimum of reading time and no deliberation. And because there is a high mortality rate, you never really feel bad when your character dies. The downside is, every character feels completely disposable. It's impossible to care at all about the fate of this unfinished quasi-creature when I spent all of five minutes creating him and I know he's got the life expectancy of a mayfly. The RPG Paranoia has a similar system, but the important distinction there is, Paranoia's world is very fleshed-out and clever. You don't mind having a disposable character in Paranoia because the game itself has so much personality. In Gamma World, you just feel like a cardboard cutout wandering through a bad acid trip.

And the game mechanics: take the most essential elements of the D&D combat system, throw out everything that seems too "rulesy," and randomize rewards to make things weird and chaotic. Well, yes, things do get chaotic, but the problem there is, too much chaos and everything collapses into a bland, homogeneous paste. And like several other reviewers, I take immense exception to the "collectable" nature of the Mutations and Tech cards. Apart from that, the stripped-down rules leave a lot of situations up in the air, which is fine for a veteran GM who is used to making judgment calls. But the paradox is, this game is supposed to be more casual, right? So the GM might not be all that experienced ... and his/her judgment calls will probably lead to an inconsistent or even contradictory gaming experience for the players. This might be fine, but it is just as likely to leave them feeling tossed about by the tempest whims of the GM -- a situation that invariably leaves new players wondering why anyone enjoys RPGs at all.

In closing, I turn my eye to those who rated this game 4 or 5 stars. I have to wonder how many of those people are still playing Gamma World with any regularity. I'm sure there are those who love the setting enough to make it work. Nostalgia can be a powerful force. But I really feel that most gamers will find themselves feeling uninvested, uninterested, and underwhelmed by the end of the second session.

I bought this game after having created a character and playing a session with my standard every-other-week gaming group. Our group consists of working professionals in different fields, age 30 and up, which I mention because some of them played the original Gamma World and were skeptical about a "rebirth." Others weren't sure about the concept of a full Roleplaying game in one box (since most Roleplaying games are lengthy rules-ridden manuals over 200 pages long). No one, however, was disappointed after playing just one session. While there are a few flaws in the game (detailed below), I still give it five stars.

Based on the 4th edition update to Dungeons and Dragons rules, Gamma World is set in a post-apocalyptic setting---ala the "Fallout" video game series, or "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome." In a nutshell, the world has gone into ruins following massive nuclear warfare on a global level and mankind is left to struggle for survival. Gamma World throws a twist into this setting by playing with multiple alternate dimensions where pigs, reptiles, and even swarms of rats evolved into humanoid beings.

Another fun aspect of this game is that players are all their own type of super hero. Your hero will have some type of ability worthy of the best comic, such as generating electricity or fire, or the ability to control the minds of your enemies. In addition, because of rampant mutation your character can gain temporary abilities that don't fall within her/his normal range through the use of Alpha mutation cards. These are shuffled and dealt one to a character (more as your character progresses) per encounter.

After having played the game once, I had to have it. I bought this with the intent of introducing my wife and my friend's wife to the genre of Role Playing Games (RPGs). The fact that this is not your standard sword-and-sorcery Dungeons and Dragons fare makes it easier for people who might have a negative idea in their mind about what RPGs are.

Character creation is the first step and can be a bit tricky at times, but we have fun with the process. While the included character sheets are nice, there are a few items that are not explained as well as I would have liked. My friend's wife was frustrated with not understanding what all of the numbers were for and was hence getting bored, but once we jumped into actual gameplay she not only began participating, she updated her status on Facebook the next day to talk about how much fun she had and how while she's scared of "becoming a nerd" she can't wait to play again.

Pros:
+ Great for introducing friends to the RPG genre
+ A LOT of fun
+ Very nice artwork, color schemes, etc.
+ Comes with maps, instruction book, Alpha/Omega cards, and cardboard tokens of most major character types
+ Included adventure can take a few hours to completely play through but is easy to break up into sessions, and at least you're getting your money's worth. :)
+If you enjoy the game, there is a community of players on Wizards of the Coast's website that write their own adventures, equipment lists, alternate rules, and other contributions that they share for free.

Cons:
+ Character creation can be tricky to figure out what numbers go where
+ Game requires standard RPG dice - 20-sided, 12-sided, two 10-sided (percentile), 8-sided, 6-sided, and a 4-sided. Amazon has a good selection, e.g. Polyhedral 7-Die Translucent Dice Set - Green, but even the D&D 4th Ed Red Box came with a basic set.
+ Included cardboard tokens still feel limited - there was nothing for the Cockroach subtype, for example.

In order to get the complaints out of the way: they should have included dice and the character sheet is annoyingly small, which means you can't fit your entire skillset on there-there's also not a lot of room to write in your origin powers. Basically, I think they should have given you a wee bit more in the set-more room on the sheet and maybe some crazy looking dice ;0

The good stuff: I've run this game for a couple of young people all under 16 and it's gone pretty smoothly. They liked the idea of cards but I had to push them to actually use them. However, once the yexil did some nasty damage to them, they were pretty quick to do so!

The humor is a double-edged sword. One hilarious moment was when our doppelganger hawkoid used his Alpha card. In addition to the copy of himself, he gained an inflatable friend! So he was followed by two buddies who suddenly disappeared when the inflated friend exploded! But our more serious stone yeti was a bit upset by his mutations. He seemed annoyed when he suddenly sprouted giant clown feet. This surprised me but I suppose as an adolescent boy, he envisioned himself in a much more grand way. I'm playing with the idea of letting him skip the cards entirely if he wants.

I'm running the scenario included in the booklet and while it's certainly not the world's most exciting adventure at its bare bones, it is well-balanced and certainly the maps are pretty creepy and moody. The tokens are very useful and if you add a pair of dice and a pencil to the box, you can easily grab it and go, playing easily. I've really enjoyed running this and I'm looking forward to chance to playing it as a player sometime!

As someone who generally did not care for 4th edition d&d, I was a little skeptical when a friend of mine brought this game out at a recent gaming session. I was really concerned that this would be similar to a 4th edition "futuristic" campaign setting or outer space style world.

Well boy was I wrong...

And very, very pleasantly surprised!

Gamma World is a great little game that runs smoothly, is fun to play, and is really streamlined and easy to grasp.
It is designed to play well as a "one-shot" adventure, or as a brief campaign. It makes an excellent alternative and is perfect for times when players don't show up, have to leave early, etc.

My group played with a GM and only 3 players and it was still a lot of fun.

Character creation is very, very straightforward and will remind you in some ways of a D&D character but with really cool mutation "twists". One of the best things is that there is an alternate character sheet specifically for 1st level characters and it makes character creation a breeze. The GM read what we needed to do (also his 1st time playing it) and we filled out the sheets as he went along with minimal questions. Very well explained. he stopped a few times to look at our sheets simply to see how it was worded compared to what he was instructing and it matched up really well.

As for gameplay, the game lends itself incredibly easily to terrain (which we used, homemade) but all you need is a map of any kind and with a little imagination, you're off.

The characters have certain abilities (at will, per encounter, etc) that you will recognize as well as certain other mutation-related abilities that make the game fun and interesting. You can also buy equipment as needed to customize even more.

The mutation deck of cards that comes with the game is awesome as it gives you a random mutation at certain times that lends itself to your combat or encounter as well as other "item" type cards that you might find as relics and treasure along the way.

Just a really, really fun overall game based (somewhat) on 4th edition d&d. I can't wait to play it again, and may even purchase a custom mutation card deck!

On the down side, if you are expecting an epic style lenghty campaign, this is really not designed for something like that. It also may not appeal to hardcore high fantasy setting fans. I do admit that some of the combat terms and conditions had to be looked up as they had varying effects. That kind of slowed things down a little bit, but that is a minor complaint.

I enjoyed playing Gamma World and recommend it to anyone looking for a simple, fun, interesting alternative at the gaming table!

I've been keeping my eye out for this game since summer when WOTC started to discuss all the neat new ideas that went into creating this game, but was bit disappointed with the overall product. For a $40 self-contained rpg this feels woefully incomplete. It's as if they took a $10 rpg and "jazzed" it up with just enough components to keep you busy for a few games or so.

And is there really anyone who likes the collectible card aspect? I buy board games all the time at this price point and most include 120 cards easy, along with plastic miniatures, tiles, dice, etc. Other than a stupid gimmick to milk players for money, what's the purpose of keeping these cards separate? And don't tell me about the random aspect - it doesn't take a genius to randomize the cards by yourself if they were all included.

By having such a vague system and setting the team really should have focused on making a more complex board game rather than the watered down RPG they ended up. How cool would it have been to have a players book (the bulk of the guide), a small monster manual (the creature section), and then a separate adventure book with a dozen or so scenarios that used all the creatures and took characters from levels 1 - 10 (max level)?! With as fast as players advance levels I promise that isn't as unreasonable as it sounds, and would really make for a more satisfying, complete, self-contained product.

I'm hopping this is what the expansions aim to accomplish, but the thought of spending even more money puts me off a bit. In fact, I get the distinct impression that was the overall goal of this product: to find out how thin they can spread a game in order to maximize profit.

The newest incarnation of Gamma World really delivers an excellent gaming experience! I would best describe this as a roleplaying/boardgame hybrid. Using a simplified version of the Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition ruleset, anyone with a passing familiarity with D&D could have a game using the premade adventure up and running with little preparation.

Character-making is a real gem in this game, and sets the tone for the experience. To make a character, you roll up two character archetypes and you have your own unique mutant. Archetypes include android, plant, hawkoid, rat swarm, pyrokinetic, among others, a total of 21 archetypes that may each combine with any other. Some don't make sense entirely, but the player is encouraged to figure out some wacky way to reconcile them. In all, you can have a character built in 5-15 minutes, which few roleplaying games can boast. Standard equipment is also basic, with the designers leaving description of weapons to players and just giving basic stats for 'light one-handed melee weapon' or 'heavy two-handed ranged weapon', for examples.

Beyond the powers granted by player archetypes, there are also Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech, which are distributed as cards. These really add a lot, but they also represent a little frustration (more on that later). At game start, each player is dealt a random mutation and a random tech. Due to the zany nature of the game, you'll only have the mutation for the duration of a single encounter, though it is worth noting that any time you roll a natural 1 (on a twenty-sided die) in an encounter, you will discard it and draw a new one. The mutations range from growing extra limbs or enormous feet to powerful psychic or radioactive attacks. The tech tends to be single-use items. I had a handheld spy computer, a 'lightsaber'-like weapon and an inflatable companion in my playthrough.

As I mentioned, there are several points of frustration with the cards. First, the Alpha and Omega decks have the same backs, though they should never be mixed (you only ever draw from one type, not a mixed deck). Second, there is no art on the cards. It seems a little cheap to not even have a generic line drawing on each, particularly due to the next, and most irritating, feature. Additional cards are available, but in randomly assorted boosters and with varying rarities. The boosters are available in eight card packs at $4 a pack. Compare to Magic: The Gathering boosters (also a Wizards of the Coast product): 15 card boosters, retail $3.50, unique art. It really feels like gouging. Of course, these are not necessary... but I don't feel that an RPG needs this collectible element.

Despite this, I really like this game. It is far lighter in tone than the d20 edition of Gamma World (based on 3rd edition D&D). Consider this game if you think you would like a light-hearted, fast-paced dungeon crawl-type game. Easy to jump into, easy to like. I fully expect to play this again and again, despite my mild irritations about the cards.

I play and own this version of Gamma World.

Let's talk about the game first. You are looking at a recognizably D&D product with an optionally collectible card-based mechanic. It is a fairly easy-to-learn game that can sustain a three to four hour session easily. I always end up at the end of a session wishing there were more time to play.

A stripped-down version of D&D 4.0, everything that could be simplified has been (with the puzzling exception of opportunity attacks).

Also, players of D&D 4.0 will have come to realize that the game system is optimized for (read "written for") encounters on the grid. Yes you can augment this with all sorts of off-the-grid RPing but the system is what it is and the "Encounters" hobby store activity phenomenon is not an afterthought.

So, games of Gamma World will feature grid-based combat quite heavily - especially when you play the included mini-campaign.

The conceit of the setting is that the players are adventuring in a world in which parallel universes have merged in a cataclysmic event called "The Big Mistake", leaving an almighty post apocalyptic mess of everything since some of those universes contained Earths in which atomic war had been waged, planes of existence had been breached and so forth.

Each player randomly determines two origins which he/she/it must combine to produce the player character type. Origins include "Gravity Controller", "Hawkoid", "Plant". Players may begin to detect a hint of light-heartedness around this point in a game. Each origin comes with a starting "power" and two others that may be earned with experience. Good luck with that.

The cards represent Alpha Mutations, which are encounter-based character power-ups that can and do change with the breeze (roll a one and you replace a mutation with a new one) and Omega Tech, old-tech loot that can be used as is or "salvaged" - ported onto the character sheet in a lower-powered form.

The game is obviously very tongue in cheek, and if that doesn't do it for you you should walk away now. it also reaps a high casualty rate, so don't fall in love with those PCs. It's tremendous fun.

What do you get in the box?

A bunch of thick cardboard printed counters, printed both sides to represent monsters/PCs and their bloodied state (half HP gone). It matters sometimes.

Maps on which to play the encounters thrown up by the mini campaign in the rulebook. They are about 15 inches or so by around two feet, double-sided, full color glossy affairs. I like 'em, and they will be useful play aids for Gamma World games in general.

Character sheets, which are wrong. Throw them away and download one without typos that will have everyone scratching their heads. The sheet is an important reference aid in this version of the game so it needs to be right (half a star gone for that stupid oversight).

A rulebook, which has everything you need to play *somewhere* in it, but isn't well organized and lacks an index that isn't a complete joke and a waste of two pages. Lots of whitespace too. I think they could have chopped the rulebook by at least a third if they had been a bit more parsimonious with the whitespace. My guess is that their research shows that if more than 3/4 of the page has writing on it, your average gamer will cross their eyes and go stupid. My experience with 3.5 players seems to bear this out. Half a star gone because it takes me so long to find stuff in these rules.

If you are the sort of person who reads a rulebook from cover to cover before you play a game, you should be all right. I prefer not to have to do that (my background is in SPI/Avalon Hill sim games with rules written to the case system that allows rapid look-up in-game) and had difficulty as a result.

And you get a bunch of cards. Two decks, one Alpha Mutation and one Omega Tech, so if you don't want to buy cards you never have to do so. They are high quality items too. I sleeved mine.

There are no dice in the box though. You'll need a selection of polydice.

The box is oversized as at least one other reviewer has remarked on. I reckon this is a very good thing as you can store all the materials from the expansions (D&D Gamma World Expansion: Famine in Far-go: A D&D Genre Supplement (4th Edition D&D) D&D Gamma World Expansion: Legion of Gold: A D&D Genre Supplement (4th Edition D&D)) in the one box and finally save some space on the old game shelf. I do.

I'd say if you pick this up for $40 you might feel slightly taken aback at what you get, as at that price it's not a bargain, value-wise (though not over-priced by much given the production values throughout - full color on every component and high-gloss paper is not cheap to provide). If you pay Amazon prices I think you really won't have much to complain about at all.

Entertainment value? Depends on what floats your boat. I find this a hysterical distraction from the other games I play and run (Song of Ice and Fire, Call of Cthulhu, Space 1889) and look forward to the games with much eager anticipation.