Pyramid Review
The Colonies RPG
Published by Politically Incorrect Games
Written by Brett M. Bernstein
Illustrated by Dennis J. McGarry
67-page PDF Document (3 megs); $7.50
The Colonies is an RPG published by Politically Incorrect Games, and is a near future set game that can be seen to clearly wear its influences on its sleeve. In reading through its contents it was reminiscent of the BBC Television series Blake's 7; upon checking, there it was listed in the bibliography. The weapon illustrations looked vaguely like those from GDW's near future SF RPG, 2300AD, and yes, there it is listed in the bibliography. Other relevant televisual references include Earth: Final Conflict and V, while movies like Blade Runner and Total Recall and the RPGs Cyberpunk and Shadowrun are also included in the source material appendix. This is not to suggest that the author has done anything untoward, but rather that in the case of the television series and films, The Colonies could be used to emulate them, at least in feel if not actuality.
The Colonies is available in two versions. The first requires the EABA rulebook (which supports several other games including a version of BTRC's Timelords RPG) and comes as a 15 MB PDF document for $8. The second uses the PIG House Rules system, and it is this version being reviewed here.
The setting for The Colonies is roughly a hundred years in the future. By 2030 the fusion drive enabled tourism on Mars and it had replaced all fission plants. Every member of the United . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: August 8, 2003
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