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Revelations of Mars $19.99
Average Rating:4.8 / 5
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Revelations of Mars
Publisher: Exile Game Studio
by Bence F. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/26/2016 16:09:43

This volume is very rich and evocative, I think it is also more diverse than the savage worlds Mars, and can be better used for sword and planet stories. There are rayguns, alien species, extra supernatural abilities, ancient looking armors, dying culture, ruins, exotic wildlife, connection with the Earth, anything you would like. See the other reviewers, I do not want to be repetitive.

I had two small problems only. First is, that, as a previous reviewer said, it is more like John Carter, and not really War of the Worlds. The problem is, that if it is so, then what shall we do with War of the Worlds elements, e g. the robot playable characters? The robots fit nowhere in the setting. This could have been more grounded. The robots fit a savant, mad scientist, Flash Gordon atmosphere, which we do not get here. The only other element which is similar are the rocketships, but those are neither martian, nor atlantean! So the whole tech style presented here is sort of masters of the universe type, so I think the robots at most can be connected to the Earth! But the Earth is not that advanced yet, either. So this could have been integrated more.

Second problem: It would have been nice, if we knew how the Atlanteans look like. Also how humans happen to be living on Mars! It is mystery. This is pretty big problem to me.

SMALL SPOILERS below (if you did not take a peek at the free sample characters yet)

[On the basis of the Hollow Earth books (and the free sample parts) we have suggestions that the Atlanteans are some kind of nordic "aryan" looking people (essentially semi-humans). And they blended into the earthlings. Perfect!

But on Mars, this becomes blurry. We have info that some Atlantean warlord souls can manifest - but they choose avatars from the existing races. These souls are of a few iconic lords. But are/were there original Atlantean remnants in great numbers? Did they gradually dissolve into the population like on Earth, or what?? This is unlikely because the martian population is very different then the earthlings. Also does not make any sense that there are humans living there. How so? No history is given. If they were aboriginals on Mars too, without any explanation, that would be weird...

SO: 1) how does the original Atlantean race look like? Like the Vril-ya, or like some Martians? If the latter, then WHICH martians? 2) Background and details of the martian humans???]

END OF SPOILERS

I honestly feel, the Martian Atlanteans and the Martian humans are hanging in the air, they do not fit in organically - but this should have been considered very important, because the whole setting explains everything with the atlanteans!. This is also sad, because Atlanteans are perfectly explained in the Hollow earth and the surface world. I expected more when I saw that a whole chapter is about the Atlanteans.

Maybe in the Venus expansion book we will get an overview explanation? I am just guessing.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Revelations of Mars
Publisher: Exile Game Studio
by Timothy B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/22/2015 09:42:56

Revelations of Mars is a nice thick tome. Or it will be when my hardcover comes in next week. The PDF is a healthy 224 pages. Color covers and inserts, but mostly black and white interior. Like it's older brother, Hollow Earth Expedition, this works well for the style and feel of the book. What is that style? Overtly it is Pulp Action, like HEX, but there is a good helping of "Sword and Planet" and "Planetary Romance" action here as well as, and this is fun, 50s sci-fi mentality. In fact while reading this I kept thinking more and more of the staples of 50s UFO invasion movies. I am not sure if that was the author's intent, but it is what I got. I had ideas for this game, but now I am thinking "Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Journey to the Seventh Planet" (ok that was early 60s). The Mars of RoM is closer to the Barsoom of Edgar Rice Burroughs than say War of the Worlds. This book is also a sourcebook for Hollow Earth, so you will need the Core HEX book to play.

Chapter 1 covers Characters which gives more material for Mars based and Mars travelling characters. We get the expected run of Martian nobles, nomads and even robots. There are plenty of new Talents and Flaws. Everything from four arms, dual brains, Vrii-based talents and more Atlantean-based ones. Looks like we are in for a treat here! There are also Robot and Alien creation templates. The Sample Characters/Archetypes are in beautiful full color and done really, really well.

Chapter 2 Supernatural Powers is another chapter I was eager to devour. This covers psychic powers. Everything from psychic healing, precognitive powers and pyrokinesis. Mix in with the Hollow Earth books and you have quite a bit of psychic powers to cover most situations.

Chapter 3 details more Equipment and weapons. For you fantasy role-players out there here is your list of swords, maces, flails and spears. Everything required by a Sword and Planet story. Not to worry, there are still "blasters" and "ray guns" to be had as well. Naturally. There is even Martian Red Steel that can be used in some weapons.

Chapter 4 Vehicle Combat covers all the new craft one can find on Mars. My favorite are the sky ships. Not a huge fan of pirates, but these are cool.

Chapter 5 is all about Martian Natives. Several races are covered. There is the expected four-armed "green" Martians (the Dheva) but there are plenty of others. There are insect-men (well, beetlemen), Grey Martians which do remind me of "Greys", Apemen, Purple Martians (that new!), dinosaur men, the Vrii, which are like giant crystal formations and finally the Red Martians. In a interesting choice the Red Martians are related to Atlanteans. There is a lot here and I am not doing it justice by any means.

Chapter 6 follows with The Red Planet, background on Mars. Mars is very much a dying world. That is the same story we get in the Barsoom books and even in DC comics, so that much is familiar. There is also a feel of Vance's "Dying Earth" here too. First we cover how to get to Mars. There are your standard weird science rockets, but also projection from the Astral Projector, Atlantean Portals (which I rather like to be honest) and the good old fashioned abduction. The bulk of the chapter details various locations on Mars and the inhabitants. Very nicely detailed.

Chapter 7 Atlanteans details these ex-pats on Mars. Not only their involvement on Mars, but also their involvement in the greater Solar System. Even if you don't want to play on Mars but want more information on the Atlanteans for your Hollow Earth Game then this is a great, must read chapter. Several Atlantean "Gods" are also detailed and how their affairs affect Mars.

Chapter 8 Friends and Enemies covers the various peoples of Mars and what Earthlings can expect. Several unique characters are also discussed.

Chapter 9 Bestiary is exactly that, the beasts and monsters of Mars. We have a number of "Earth-like" creatures, some different sorts of Dinosaurs and lots of insects. There are some near-humanoid creatures as well. There are even "sand worms". There is some more modern influences here as well. The bestiary is more "Avatar" than it is "This Island Earth". There is nothing wrong with that, though with the lack of water and plants I don't see many of these creatures, save the bugs and scavengers, living long at all.

Next is a Sample Adventure, Revelations of Mars. I won't say much (spoilers!) but it is for human characters coming to Mars. That makes good sense really.

The appendix covers some inspirational books of the Planetary Romance sort. The usual suspects are here; Herbert, Vance, Howard, Burroughs, Zelazny and Wells. But there are others worth looking to. Comics, movies and TV shows are also mentioned. As with the other games in this line books are given the most attention.

There is a good index and list of Kickstarter backers. A few full color "ads" and a full color map of Mars.

Honestly there is so much in this book that you could easily make a completely Mars-based campaign. Just traveling from city to city would be adventure enough. Thankfully the book covers more than just that. Exile really has something nice here and I hope to see more in this line. Could a Venus book be in the future? Hope so.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Revelations of Mars
Publisher: Exile Game Studio
by Anthony B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/17/2015 20:34:39

Long-awaited, the gates of wonder have been kicked open allowing the hot winds of creativity and inspiration to whip past us HEX style! This new take on the dying Red Planet is definitely a location fitting for adventure, intrigue, exploration, desperation, and above all - planetary romance.

Intended as an expansion for Hollow Earth Expedition (Ubiquity Roleplaying System), fans of the planetary romance genre will find that this is not all that the book is. While certainly aimed at expanding and extending the rich setting for HEX, the authors recognize that gamers may wish to use the book to build their own Martian settings. Inspiration abounds for those who wish to do just that.

The game introduces its setting quickly through eight sample character templates which enable newcomers to take one and jump headlong into the storm of swords and sands of Mars. Four of these are humans, native to the HEX version of Earth or to Mars, and four amazing beings found only on Mars. It also gives you the tools to create your own native species and set them loose. Topping 200 pages, the book gives players a lot to go on when starting their journeys across the red face of Mars - including a sample adventure linked to the one provided in Hollow Earth Expedition (the game line's core rulebook).

To really drive home an alien nature for the world given birth by the pulp vistas and heroes from Edgar Rice Burroughs, Leigh Brackett, Robert E. Howard, Lin Carter and the like, the Exile Games crew have really pulled out all the stops. Abductions, ancient portals, oricalcum, sky galleons, aerial naval battles and sky pirates, energy weapons, swords, princesses and lost heroes of forgotten civilizations, lost technology, dying civilizations, and the plans of those who want it all.

For GMs who are curious about what things like aerial combat might bring to the game, the vehicle section is well-detailed and moves through chases, piracy, vessel types, volleys, and boarding, all with an eye to keeping things as blisteringly fast as you would expect from Ubiquity. For those who have been long-time GMs for the system, or those who have recently begun to think along these lines with the advent of the mechanically compatible ubiquity system release of the venerable Space: 1889, this chapter may be worth the price of admission alone – but there really is a lot more.

The new character archetypes, flaws, talents, resources, fighting styles, and advice for building your own Mars-themed creatures as we saw done for Beastmen of the Hollow Earth in a previous expansion (Mysteries of the Hollow Earth) show a lot of thought and a lot of creative use of the two packed pages of inspirations. This is an exciting Mars, an ancient and mysterious Mars, and a very deadly Mars. Cultures, gear, strange red metals, supernatural and technological powers, potent bloodlines, conspiracies, and the wars for waning knowledge and resources, make this version of the Red Planet a compelling place to visit, and attempt to survive.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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