I've been toying with the Savage Worlds system. Of course, Hero is my first love. In my opinion, the problem with other systems is that they sacrifice realism in favor of a "cinematic" approach to simulation. What I mean is, they leave a lot up to the GM.
The problem with rules systems that are not Hero: As GM, I feel I can't kill a player character, since I am defining the reality of the situation, so if the roll ends in death then it seems like I bent it that way, so I feel pressure to give the player/character an out, where I would not in a highly realistic system like Hero.
No, I don't go into every adventure hell-bent on killing the PC's. Well, actually, sort of I do. I feel it's up to the players to avoid that "painted into the corner" moment where the rules say you gotta pay the piper...You made a series of decisions and now it's a handful of D6's that amount to a massive killing attack. (You let the reporter stay to watch the fight, now the subway train is bearing down on him, and you have to push him out of the way and take that hit.)
To me, without that possibility hanging over the players/characters, there is no dramatic tension in the game. If the system requires the GM to make too many on-the-fly rules, most GM's will be softhearted and give the players a much bigger chance (CINEMATIC) than they would have had if they been using the specifics of the Hero system.
So I guess what I'm saying is: I can't enjoy non-Hero systems (or, at least low-complexity cinematic rules systems).
What are your thoughts on this? Have you been in a non-Hero game and had these feelings?