Dark Champions: The Animated Series Review

**ghost-angel** · Dec 22nd, '06, 04:16 PM

RPG.Net (clicky)

In a nutshell:
Layout: 3 (decently organized)
Content: 3 (one of the worst Hero books to date, but the NPCs save it from a 2 or lower)

In A Nutshell:
It did a poor job of explaining the Animated Series to a complete newbie, 20 pages of actual content, 96 pages of NPCs.

This was closer to a Villains book than a Genre book unforetunately.

A bibliography of source material could have gone a long way to save this book. Mostly it just didn't go into enough detail on how to get the feel of the genre IMO.

It comes down to, well, I just didn't like the book.

**Killer Shrike** · Dec 22nd, '06, 04:38 PM

Me either. In fact, so much so I actually gave it a pass altogether after flipping thru it.

Oh, and the art was incredibly bad for the most part, which didnt help.

**Savinien** · Dec 26th, '06, 05:47 AM

I would have to agree. Unfortunately, I was trying to run such a game and got the book to help.

It didn't.

**Shaft** · Dec 27th, '06, 12:49 AM

Your review is 100% right on. I wish I had read it before picking it up. Repped.

**Killer Shrike** · Dec 27th, '06, 01:58 PM

Also, I must say, I dont see Animated Series supers as being particularly Dark. The older Batman cartoons, ok maybe, but other than that, for the most part the supers series I associate with "Animated Series" are pretty light.

It all boils down to the genre confusion inherent in retaining the "Champions" tag on the Dark Champions line when the new "Dark Champions" has nothing to do with the superhero genre and everything to do with the action adventure genre.

**ghost-angel** · Dec 27th, '06, 03:14 PM

That pretty much sums it up. It's trying to shoehorn the Supers back into Dark Champions.

It's really trying to cover two things: Dark Champions Strange Phenomenon and Champions: Animated Series.

Strange Phenonmenon would be the Action Adventure Drama with minor powers added onto it. The purely strange stuff in an otherwise Modern Action setting.

The Animated Series really belongs in the Champions line up as a "how to run a low powered Supers Game that isn't Teen Champions."

**JmOz** · Dec 27th, '06, 06:06 PM

The book called Dark Champions SHOULD have been caled Action Hero

This book should have been called Dark Champions, and had more of a focus like the original. It should have been FIRMLY put into the Champions line.

Also Darren should have written it instead of Steve

Ohh well, there money, there desision...

**ghost-angel** · Dec 27th, '06, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by JmOz

The book called Dark Champions SHOULD have been caled Action Hero

This book should have been called Dark Champions, and had more of a focus like the original. It should have been FIRMLY put into the Champions line.

Also Darren should have written it instead of Steve

Ohh well, there money, there desision...

Allen Thomas wrote DC:TAS.

Or were you refering to DC?

**JmOz** · Dec 28th, '06, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by ghost-angel

Allen Thomas wrote DC:TAS.

Or were you refering to DC?

That's what I get for NOT checking my facts...Sorry...

**Lord Liaden** · Dec 28th, '06, 10:34 AM

Allen Thomas's work for Hero Games was a little hit and miss IMHO, but as Line Developer Steve Long should receive some of the bouquets and the brickbats for how any book turns out. Individual authors contribute a great deal and put their distinctive stamp on the material, but Steve has final say on what concepts get accepted, what goes into the published product and the ultimate form it takes.

**ghost-angel** · Dec 28th, '06, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Lord Liaden

Allen Thomas's work for Hero Games was a little hit and miss IMHO, but as Line Developer Steve Long should receive some of the bouquets and the brickbats for how any book turns out. Individual authors contribute a great deal and put their distinctive stamp on the material, but Steve has final say on what concepts get accepted, what goes into the published product and the ultimate form it takes.

I agree completely and blame no one person for the utter disappointment that DC:TAS turned out to be for me.
(The credits mention playtesters, all of whom should have gone, "Hey! More meat!" on this one)

And on the other hand, as I touched on in my review, if your group is familiar with the genre and the source material the book is helpful in making Hero work for you to realize gaming in that genre. If you're not familiar it's a dismal failure.

**Killer Shrike** · Dec 28th, '06, 05:13 PM

Actually, my experience with the playtesting of the HERO products is that once they are ready for "playtesting", its really more a matter of looking for typos and checking the math. They're generally too far along in the process for major alterations or additions. One of the reasons I stopped bothering.

Thats just a quibble, however.