Episode 161: Review: D&D Basic Rules

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

“Dungeons & Dragons is some of the most crazy, deep, deep, deep nerd s**t ever invented. Every word you’re saying is made up. Motherf***ers talk like Yoda.”
– Ice T’s rejected cover quote for the 5e Player’s Handbook

In this episode, we review the D&D Basic Rules and give our thoughts on whether or not 5e is a success. We also discuss inclusiveness, how spell components should actually be used, and the real reason why there needed to be elves of colour.

Episode 141: Review: Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle Part 2

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

In our first Vampire: The Requiem game, one player found that his character didn’t feel like a vampire, which apparently meant being able to beat up random gangsters and using the promise of alcohol to “seduce” high school girls. (We were kind of creeped out by the second one as well in our pre-Twilight innocence.) The disappointment drove him to Savage Worlds.

Do we think that the rules in Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle will help to avoid such a tragedy in the future? Listen to find out.

Episode 140: Review: Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle Part 1

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

Before True Blood, Twilight, Underworld and Vampire Diaries (but a little after Dracula), there was Vampire: The Masquerade. It was a time when email was exotic and we didn’t really have a name yet for those kids that wished for more mall-friendly goth music. Years later, we got Vampire: The Requiem, a game that was lighter on mythology and tighter on rules. Now, in the post-Twilight era, Onyx Path Publishing, who Lyal insists on calling “Onyx Publishing”, gives us Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle.

In Part 1, we focus on the setting. What clans are in it? Who are the Strix? Can you play Edward? All these questions and more will be answered.

Episode 138: Review: The God-Machine Chronicle Part 2

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

“I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.”
– First Edition

The God Machine. A powerful and mysterious entity that was only hinted at in a short story in the New World of Darkness book. It’s been spawning questions and rumors for over a decade. What is it? How does it relate to the World of Darkness? Now, with the release of this book, none of these questions are answered.

In this episode, Wayne and Lyal continue their review of The God-Machine Chronicle.

Episode 137: Review: The God-Machine Chronicle Part 1

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Idle Red Hands

This is how you do edition rage, Internet: you don’t.

In this episode, World of Darkness superfans Wayne and Lyal review The God-Machine Chronicle, which includes the World of Darkness rules update. Chris also claims to be a fan. Yet, he can never remember the rules, and when it comes time to record the episode, his daughter gets “sick”.

This turned out to be a really long episode, so we broke it into two parts. This part covers most of the character rules. The “story” rules (e.g., combat) and the setting will be discussed in Part 2.

Episode 132: Review: Numenera and 13th Age Part 2

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Idle Red Hands

“Part 2 and there seems no end in sight to this episode. Will my children recognize me when we finish? Will my wife? I had cats. Two. How long do cats live for? Oh god.
I hear voices. No, it is not madness. It is the other hosts. Something about a 13th Age. When did we start? The 1st Age? I can’t remember. I do remember two books with such promise. Will this second deliver? Is it what we’ve been seeking? I’m so tired.”

In this episode, we review 13th Age. Is it worth the 3 a.m. bedtime that the hosts suffered to bring you this review?

Episode 131: Review: Numenera & 13th Age Part 1

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Idle Red Hands

In this two-part episode, we review Numenera and 13th Age. This episode focuses on Kickstarter sensation Numenera. Should you buy it?

It should be noted that these reviews are based on reading the books, not playing the games. After these reviews, we’ve decided to make one our next game. It should be clear which one after listening to both parts.

Idle Red Hands

A Podcast From Japan About Games and Gamer Culture

Category Archives: Review