Pyramid Review
Apocalypse (for CORPS)
Published by BTRC
Written by Ed Rice
128 pages, $17.00 (hardcopy/paperback), $8.50 (.pdf format from HyperBooks Online, where you can also download a free sample; or from fatbrain.com)
BTRC has received a fair amount of criticism for failing to adequately support its CORPS universal role-playing system with campaign supplements and worldbooks. Apocalypse is an interesting new setting for CORPS, if not a great one.
Apocalypse is a very dark setting. It details an alternative history where the use of atomic weapons in World War II allowed a host of supernatural horrors and extra-dimensional beings to invade -- and eventually conquer -- the earth. In many ways, the ideas behind the setting of Apocalypse are reminiscent of Paladium's Rifts (and even GURPS Technomancer), though Apocalypse doesn't appear to suffer as badly from Rifts's mish-mash of magic, alien races, high technology, and power gaming.
The first section of the book, the introduction and world background (22 pages), provides a detailed timeline, 1941 to the present; an explanation of the supernatural event (the "Juxtaposition") that created earth's problems; and a description of the various extra-dimensional races, undead monstrosities, and supernatural beings that now inhabit the earth. While some of these races are a bit two-dimensional, several are well done and could be easily lifted into other campaigns in need of new villainous races.
The next section (28 pages) details character . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: June 16, 2000
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