5 comments about BioShock Signature Series Guide (Bradygames Signature).

1. Bioshock is an incredible game, no matter how you look at it. In truth, it's a game that one should explore on his or her own. However, that doesn't mean you won't get stuck, and if you happen to get stuck, this guide is a pretty good tool to use overall.
   
   I must say something on a personal level, though. Bioshock is a very very extraordinary game. I highly suggest one go through the game without the guide first because a strategy guide (for better or for worse) can ruin some of the fun of the game and some of its better surprises. That doesn't mean the guide is bad, it just means you're using it at your own risk. For what it's worth it's a GOOD guide and does exactly what it's supposed to do, but as with purchasing any strategy guide, you run the risk of having a less fulfilling gaming experience. If you must use the guide however, use it as you go and try your best not to read too far ahead.
   
   Anyway, now onto the review of the actual guide.
   
   The guide begins with a prologue and a bit about the guide on its own. The prologue doesn't spoil anything. It merely tells you what Andrew Ryan tells you within the first five minutes of the game. Nothing that'll give away any part of the storyline, but more or less introduce you to the philosophy of the game itself. It'll then tell you about the guide in a short intro before jumping into all the stuff you want from the guide.
   
   It first introduces you to the cast of characters in the game. The main guy doesn't have a name though (the guide commonly refers to him throughout the walkthrough as "Jack"), but it'll introduce you to other characters and tell you a bit about them. The guide then goes to talk about the adversaries you'll face along the way, even giving you a couple of tips to defeat them.
   
   The guide then jumps into the game basics section entitled: "Life Underwater." This is more or less the game basics section. Here you'll learn of the basic controls and basic combat skills. For anyone new to the game who doesn't want to read the instruction manual or learn the game for themselves, they can use this as it is a rather helpful section of the guide. Most probably won't need it too badly but it is there just in case. For the most part, though, these are some pretty good tips. Even some of which you won't find in the instruction manual, and some of which the game doesn't tell you about either. So even for those well experienced with the game you might find something good.
   
   We then go into weapons. Here the guide tells you about just about everything. About the upgrades, how well they perform in a firefight and how to effectively use them. It also tells you how much ammo you'll need. Again, a pretty basic thing and the guide gets through it pretty quickly.
   
   Then we get into the Plasmids section of the guide. Here, the guide will tell you about the Plasmids and list what they think are the best five. It'll tell you how to effectively use them, and give you a list of Plasmids you can buy with the ADAM you find. The guide does a remarkable job here. In addition here, it also tells you about all the tonics and like they did with the Plasmids, they listed their top five favorites. But the guide does talk about each and every one of them as well.
   
   To wrap up the game basics it then shows you about inventing items. It's pretty much the same as the two sections before it. But it is just as detailed and just as helpful to anyone who needs it.
   
   We finally get into the last section of the guide: The Walkthrough. Aptly titled, "City Directory." The guide is divided into sections. Each section represents a chapter of the game. For example, the first chapter is called "Welcome to Rapture" in the game, and so the first chapter in this guide is titled the same thing. In addition to that the guide also lists all the objectives you have to perform, and again, they're also titled exactly as the game titles them. The guide will also list "Any new discoveries" that you'll make. This includes Plasmids, Tonics, Weapons and enemies.
   
   The walkthrough is then divided by the Objectives. So even though it list them, it'll also provide a section for them outside the list and tell you everything you need to know in a detailed manner. It's very organized and goes on for a while.
   
   The maps presented throughout the walkthrough are pulled straight from the game itself, but for the most part they tell you where things are located, including all the radio diaries if you're interested. For the most part, however, Bioshock is a pretty straightforward game, and with being able to view the ingame map any time you want, you can actually make the maps in this guide a great ally. The in game maps don't point out all the items, but the BradyGAMES guide does, in other words, you can coordinate yourself and it's rather easy to do. You shouldn't miss a whole lot with this guide in that case.
   
   There are boss strategies for the games bosses and they're not so bad. For the most part they help. In fact, some of the suggestions are a must.
   
   There are a couple of other neat things about the walkthrough. The guide has pulled quotes from the game itself. This makes the guide very well artistically designed. Some guides have bland and boring pages, but here the pages present the look and feel of the game. From the artwork to the very font of the guide itself. So you definitely feel as though it's a companion. Equally appealing are the crystal clear screenshots taken in widescreen. They aren't grainy and clearly depict what has to be done.
   
   The only real problem with the guide is that it's chalk full of spoilers. As I mentioned earlier, it's the risk you run when purchasing a strategy guide, but when I say it's got spoilers I'm not kidding. A lot of the games surprises are ruined by this guide. It's a great companion, but if you're someone who is bothered by spoilers there are quite a few big ones here.
   
   On the whole it's a good guide. Minor spoilers aside, it is a good companion and a helpful one for when you're in trouble. Overall it's a good guide, but still you run the risk of getting a few things spoiled for you.
   
   The Good
   
   +Really great look and feel to the guide... you definitely know it's for Bioshock
   +Crystal clear screenshots
   +Detailed well organized walkthrough
   +Complete list of Plasmids, Tonics, U-Invent and weapons
   +Good, basic, and helpful tips
   
   The Bad
   
   -Story spoilers
   -Achievements section is a foldout. Not that it's a big thing, but if you lose it, you've basically lost your secrets section! Probably would've been better off had it been included in the walkthrough itself.



2. I agree with a different reviewer in that you really don't need this book. I only looked at it while playing this game once and what I was looking for wasn't even there (don't remember what it was now or I would say). I've decreased what would've been a 3 star review to 2 because Bradygames' QA people are slipping. My cover is glued on backwards, upsidedown AND offcenter - the copy I was sent should've never made it off the production line!
   
   Bradygames and Prima both normally do a descent job with their guides and its not that this one isn't OK but you really don't need it at all in the the game ... I was mostly put off by Bradygames' lack of quality assurance with this one (the cover is horrible!)



3. This is the offcial guide to one of the greatest video games in years. Unfortunately, it seems they focused on how NOT to give answers as much as possible. It is full of hints, but hardly any answers. If you want to pay money for a book to get hints and clues to the answers, then this book does its job. If you want the answers (such as the combinations to locks) then try the internet.
   
   It even does not give a good summary of the storyline. I have found the Wiki's version of the story to be much more comprehensive.
   
   The book provides good illustration of the game. It provides some good advice, such as the 5 best Plasmids and how one should spend the money at the Circus of Values. Other than that, its clues are very skimpy and even stingy. For example, I have tried to obtain the keys to the Chomper's Dental for many hours. This book merely says to look for it using newfound plasmid (Telekinesis) in the Dandy's Dental. It wasn't helpful.
   
   I suggest using the internet as the guide, and not this book, which annoyingly tries to be cryptic and give as few answers as possible to the paying reader.



4. This game is great. I've been playing it for days on end. The ability to save, or if you get killed go back to a preset condition or start over at a preset game level makes getting killed not so hard to take. I've finished the game once and started all over again. It's addictive.



5. It is a fun game, though the final boss is the easiest part of the game. I could not bring myself to play it a second time to get the few achievements I'd missed. Even changing the difficulty does not do more than affect how fast you kill and are killed. The surprise 3/4 of the way through was great, though the ensuing battle is on autopilot. Being able to hack the automatic defenses around town to use against the bad guys adds some interesting strategy against the infinite stream of evildoers. That was the most annoying part for me, to be sent back to a rez chamber (thankful that damage on enemies persists when you die) only to find an enemy right outside the chamber who esnds you right back in. Second most annoying is when you die while firing a weapon and you just keep on firing and wasting ammo against the chamber door when you come back to life. There is an option to turn the chambers off with a download, but I never did.

2 comments about More Team-Building Activities for Every Group.

1. The sequel to "Team Building Activities for Every Group" is another decent activity resource book by Alanna Jones. I was pleasantly surprised by the first and equally happy with this publication.

   Some of the similarities are unfortunate. Like the first book, there are few diagrams and illustrations. Also, several of the activities might have been better served with more detailed descriptions. Finally, those with access to other experiential activity resource books will discover several renamed, recycled selections. For example, what you may know as "bull ring" becomes "ball ring" in this publication.

   The good news? The book provides a number of decent, portable, no-props - low props, experiential activities. The majority of the 107 descriptions are clear and concise. Discussion prompts and activity variations are included whenever appropriate. Finally, when compared to other more costly publications or poor quality books, "More Team Building Activities" is a terrific value.

   If you have experience facilitating groups you will almost certainly discover (or rediscover) activities to enhance your programs. I anticipate this selection becoming a frequently referenced book in our program's resource library.




2. I use the book "Team-Building Activities for Every Group" all the time and found this book is full of just as many new and great activities, if not more! This book seems to have more active games and a wider variety of new games! I use this book for my church group, soccer team and at the ropes course where I am a facilitator.

2 comments about Original O'Ekaki: Intelligent Designs from Its Creator.

1. This is by far one of the best pixel puzzles books out there. I can only wish that he would publish monthly instead of annually! The grids are mostly no larger than 30 X 30, with many, many in the 25 X 25 range, and just a few challengers bigger than 30 X 30. The grading of the puzzles from 1-5 are fairly accurate, so you can choose what level you feel like working at and have fun with it. Like all pixels, the smaller puzzles leave a little to be desired in the quality of the picture, but that's to be expected. The larger puzzles turn out pretty nice to beautiful in some cases, and the ones in between are pretty fair representations of some object, not too busy (like the Griddlers).
   
   The only reason I took off one star is for the quality of the paper. It's not as bad as those terrible Griddlers, but it does have some problems. Fortunately, it erases fairly easily, but it also absorbs moisture from the air very easily, so ONLY use this as an indoor book (not recommended for taking to the beach or camping!)



2. This is probably one of the most fun books of this puzzle out there. I'm addicted to them so have bought quite a few. This would be a good one for both beginners and experienced solvers. It has a nice mix of easy to challenging, and the results are interesting puzzles.

5 comments about Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life.

1. Overall, not a terribly useful book, but very cute and clever. A good gift for the geek in your life.



2. I haven't had this much fun with math since I calculated my latest tax refund! This book not only gives good, useful information, but it is a great way to review some basic algebra. Better for the brain than crosswords. I loved it!



3. Very witty/fun book. Geve this to my husband, who's a senior level statistical analyst, and he took it to work and had a ball with it. The other analysts were asking to borrow it over the weekend.



4. As a high school (and later college) student, I always struggled with the utility of algebra, asking the ages old question, "When am I going to use this stuff in life?" Sundem's _Geek Logik_ finally answers that question with 50 equations that provide a mathematical answer to such burning real-life questions as "Should I get a tatoo?" or "Am I over qualified for my job?" The answers may surprise you. Certainly its not the sort of book one takes too seriously, but the process of crunching through the formulae is both entertaining and (to me) fascinating to see how the equations were put together.



5. The easiest refresher of introductory algebra I've ever seen. No cold-turkey review of numerous rules, this! Geek Logic introduces a mnemonic indicationg the order of arithmatic functions, then the fun begins--readers assign numerical values to formulae and calculate personal answers to hilarious life quandries. It's so entertaining, I forgot I was "studying." I hope the sequel delves into more advanced algebraic functions.

5 comments about Preston Bailey's Design for Entertaining: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams.

1. Subtitled: Inspiration for Creating the Party of Your Dreams
   
   Worried about the upcoming holiday party you have to plan? You (and all your friends) know what Martha would do but it's time to shake things up. The problem is you aren't sure where to start.
   
   Luckily for you, Inspirations by Preston Bailey is available. Preston Bailey is a well-known event planner for Hollywood stars. Recently, he's worked on Oprah's fiftieth birthday celebration and Donald and Melania's wedding celebration.
   
   Ten parties, eight of which are weddings, are photographed and discussed in this book. Locations include Niagra Falls, a Virginia stable that is converted into a wedding chapel and the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each chapter celebrates a different theme. Yes, there are eight weddings covered but each wedding has its own theme, color scheme and something unique to offer. The last chapter provides ways to organize and showcase your dining table.
   
   This book dazzles with its full-size color photographs. It celebrates colors, flowers and the unexpected. Reading this book was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon as there are a lot of things to ooh and aah over. Two of my favorite are pineapples made out of sunflowers and a dog made out of dogwood flowers.
   
   Bailey's philosophy is you aren't just throwing a party, you are creating a theatrical event for your guests. It's important to pay attention to the details so your guests will know they are in for a wonderful, magical night. Some examples of small but important details that Bailey uses are: a wedding menu made out of edible chocolate, displaying sculptures that support the party's theme and embellishing cloth napkins with silk roses.
   
   This book is not a "how to" because there aren't any step-by-step instructions. Rather, it's designed to be a "how about this idea" book. It's a peek into Bailey's creative process.
   
   Bailey finds inspiration in nature, artwork and the various cities he has visited. He doesn't want you to simply copy his ideas but he wants you to use this book as a springboard for your imagination and personal style.
   
   Armchair Interview says feeling ambitious and daring? Incorporate Bailey's suggestions into your celebrations.



2. I love this book. The themes and pictures are great. It's more for the higher end weddings



3. This is an amazing book! While most people may not be able to re-create these parties, you can definitely get ideas from all of them. Take the ideas here and apply them to one or two tables or a small area. The pictures are wonderful and I am amazed at what is done in some of these parties. Would love to have a chance just to walk through one of these!!!!



4. What a fabulous book for inspiration to all professional florist, Event and party planners every where. As a high end Event and Party planner in Seattle, WA we use Mr. Bailey's book for reference to customers who are looking to throw an "over the top" party or event.
   
   I recommend this to all flower lovers.
   
   Magnolia Village Florist
   Seattle, WA



5. 
   I bought this book so I can find ideas for my wedding decoration, it has great and beautiful pictures, but obviously it's impossible to try to imitate Preston Bailey's ideas. I do recommend this book. You can use it afterwards for a coffee table book.

5 comments about d20 Modern Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook.

1. I've always been a fan of the Dungeons & Dragons type games, so when I saw the d20 Modern, I couldn't help myself. Overall, I'd say it's a good perchace, though it does leave some to be desired, and can be confusing if you don't have enough base knowlege in traditional D&D rules.
   
   It does a good job of keeping the weaponry balanced, and allowing tactics that are used modern-day (dropping prone, darting from cover to cover, et cetera) to be used with realistic efficiency, which I find satisfing.
   
   However, the fact that the Player's Handbook, DM's Guide, and Monster Manual are all compressed into one book means that naturaly some depth had to be sacrificed. Its combat section, while it covers most key points, has only breif mention of many rules. This came up once in a session, and I ended up having to make an ad hoc ruling because I couldn't find the rule. This was a combination of a confusing index which isn't as thorough as those in the traditional D&D books and the sometimes as short as two-line mentions of a rule that can be crucial in a firefight. The only other issue is that the GM's (Game Master, as opposed to Dungeon Master in the tradittional D&D game) guide doesn't specify what to do with characters over 20th level. This is an example of where you'd need a fair traditional D&D base to know what to do, and even then you still have to make a fair number of ad hoc rulings to keep the game balanced and going.
   
   However, these are perhaps the only shortcoming I can name. Its advanced class system (A quicker version of "presteige classes") is very fun, and its action point system (In wich you are allocated a set number of "action points" per level, and can one to increase the results of a d20 roll) adds something interesting to the mix. The modern skills temper all of the above by letting the players do things in as roundabout or direct of a way as they wish, which is something we all find entertaining.
   
   In short, I would say that while it leaves some to be desired, the d20 Modern Role Playing Game book is a good buy for a D&D fan who always wanted to roam around fighting crime or evil, stealing just for the heck of it, enganging in high-stakes industrial espianouge, or otherwise have a heck of a time doing things you could never get away with in real life.



2. Very well written and easy to understand, but the Ideas within are of the complexity needed to run a fully encompassing campaign. There are even pre-rolled baddies and other monsters to facilitate the GM in quick creation of quests and different areas in an already going quest.



3. I won't repeat anything others have said, instead I will just add my views that aren't similar. Overall I love d20 Modern. with my only real problem being that many (or even most) of the monsters are slightly or in some cases vastly different than their D&D counterparts. For example, in D&D a "natural" werewolf gets a +2 Wis in human form, then in their wolf and hybrid forms they get the stat bonuses of the wolf form, plus two claw attacks and a secondary bite attack, and pass on the curse of lycanthropy with their bite attack. They have low-light vision and scent in all forms. Finally, they have 10/silver damage reduction with magical weapons NOT bypassing unless they are silver. The 'afflicted" werewolf gets all of the above, except his damage reduction is only 5/silver and he does NOT pass on the curse via his bite. In the d20 Modern version, the werewolf gets +2 Wis and +4 Con in human form, then the rest of the stats are added in the wolf and hybrid form. They do NOT get the claw attacks, they only get a bite as a primary attack. The "Curse of Lycanthropy" is a feature of both natural and afflicted. Furthermore, instead of low-light vision they have darkvision 60 feet, and their scent ability is only in hybrid and wolf forms, damage reduction is 15/silver or magical. So, they end up more powerful in some ways, but less powerful in other ways, with the justification being that magic is rarer in d20 modern, therefore monsters must be less powerful, but honestly, I prefer the 3.5 D&D werewolf to the one in the d20 modern book. Another example is that in standard D&D a drow can cast darkness once per day, this ability is removed from d20 Modern drow.



4. Before I get to the review, here's a short description of my previous Pencil and Paper RPG experiences: I started out in 2001 with Dungeons and Dragons third edition, as well as RIFTS. I eventually continued onto Dungeons and Dragons edition 3.5 and Shadowrun.
   
   Now, onto d20 Modern itself:
   
   I had first learned of the book in late 2003, but I only glanced at it briefly and brushed it off as "inferior" to D&D.
   
   How wrong I was.
   
   After seeing the d20 Modern website in early 2005, and actually taking the time to examine what the system could handle and replicate, I re-read the Core Rulebook and was thoroughly pleased.
   
   ---
   
   For starters, Modern differs from it's predecessor enough that even veterans of D&D will have some new rules to learn.
   
   Character classes (a representation of experience in a variety of life paths) are not narrowly defined terms such as "Fighter" or "Rogue", but rather, they are based off of the six main attributes all characters have - Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
   
   The Strong Hero class represents physical training to exert more damage in melee combat, as well as training in athletic pursuits (climbing, jumping, swimming)
   
   The Fast Hero class represents physical training to become more agile and capable of avoiding incoming danger, as well as training in ranged combat and stealthy pursuits (hiding, moving silently, sleight of hand)
   
   The Tough Hero class represents physical training to withstand more punishment from the environment and recovering from injury quickly, as well as training to resist poisons, disease and keeping one's body focused (concentrating)
   
   The Smart Hero class represents mental training to pick up on a wide variety of academic and technical skills to be prepared for any situation that calls for book smarts, as well as training to outsmart one's enemy in combat (crafting, knowledge)
   
   The Dedicated Hero class represents mental training to be in tune with one's surroundings, aware of danger, able to ferret out deception, as well as training to be well versed in a wide variety of pursuits (listening, sensing motive, treating injuries)
   
   The Charismatic Hero class represents mental training to become likeable or frightening to others, and one that movies through social circles with ease, as well as training to command others in conflict (diplomacy, intimidation, gathering information, inspiration)
   
   In addition to the six basic classes above, there are twelve "Advanced Classes" that focus more on one aspect of a character, such as the Soldier class for general combat excellence, or the Field Medic, for the ability to work miracles and heal the mortally wounded.
   
   Each class has ten levels of progression, and each character can achieve up to twenty levels through their journey. Therefore, you will inevitably come to a point where you must take one or more levels in a variety of classes.
   
   For example, a boxer would typically be a Strong Hero / Tough Hero. Or, for one that is speedy and dodges well, they may be a Fast Hero / Strong Hero instead.
   
   Want a scout? A Fast Hero / Dedicated Hero is ideal.
   
   Or are you more of a highly intelligent smooth talker? Smart Hero / Charismatic Hero.
   
   Did your character serve in the Marines, but is now a Detective? Tough Hero / Dedicated Hero / Investigator.
   
   ---
   
   Asides from the classes, there are Occupations such as Academic, Law Enforcement and Technician - sets of permanent skills and a wealth increase, Feats - special abilities any character can eventually learn, and Skills - training anyone can pick up on. Most any character concept you can imagine, you can create.
   
   Equipment - Outfit your character with everything from Desert Eagles, to PSG-1 sniper rifles, to mesh vests, to electrical tool kits and even a BMW M3 to carry all that gear around.
   
   Admittedly there are some problem areas: non-lethal damage (knocking out opponents) is horribly ineffective and not worth it as-is. But with a house-rule (change to the rules as is) or two, you won't have any problems.
   
   Finally, the book itself is well made. The binding is solid, the cover is durable and the pages are of a high quality stock.
   
   All in all, d20 Modern is an extensive and engaging game sure to bring many hours worth of cinematic fun to you and your friends.



5. This d20 book, incrast to other books of the d20 persuasion is realy quite good, because it gives the user/GM an easy, bare-boned account on how to make a very interesting campaign for a modern setting. I disagree heartily with the idea that d20 modern is a way to imitate modern thrillers, movies and action adventures. The book is too goord for that. This a very well-put-together rpg system that seems, to me, an OK redating of the now historic Dungeons and Dragons game. Actually, the interface and mechanics of the game are so similar to DnD 2-3, that it is attractive to both old DnD players and new players of rpg's. As with other Wizard's books, this book is merely the tip of the iceburg and GM and his/her players may wish to buy up to $100 of more books to supplement this one. The saving factor f this game is its relative depth of content in just one book. If you like d20 systems, this is a good start for you. If you like, however, cyber-punk, space travel or even alien races, this gamessuffers a lack of those things. Unfortunately, I highly recommend this book for lovers of d20 systems, this book (and the entire d20 modern series) will be almost priceless. On the other hand, this game is not good for cyber-punk or traditional "SF" role-playing." The series (or just this book) just doesn't provide a systems that can be used for cyber-punk (Call of Cthulhu)), science fiction/fantasy. I just felt that the book, like all of the books in the series. Dn't get me wrong. The system is goiod, but the game seems to be written for White Anglo Saxon rich kids. In a way, I seriously wish that D20 modern had provided a way to role play characters who are not rich, white or human. That is why I write the one star.

5 comments about Vampire: The Requiem.

1. If you're expecting the same ole same ole in Vampire: The Requiem, best to look elsewhere, because Vampire: The Requiem isn't Vampire: The Masquerade, Fourth Edition. It certainly qualifies as being different from Vampire: The Masquerade, with some improvements to the basic rules to make playing and Storytelling easier, despite the fact you need the World Of Darkness rulebook in order to play the game.
   
   While the number of basic vampire clans have been paired down to five, the bloodlines of those clans have expanded considerably (many of the original clans of Vampire: The Masquerade have been relegated to bloodline status), and this allows players to create richly textured, more complex characters, continuing the basic mortal characters they created with the World Of Darkness rulebook.
   
   Also, five vampiric Covenants will allow your vampire character to become a more interesting character because he/she has to live within (or attempt to escape from) the boundaries and strictures of a particular Covenant, because a Covenant is similar, in many ways, to choosing a particular "religion". Characters can leave a particular Covenant, if they wish, but escaping from a vampiric Covenant can be much more difficult than you might think.
   
   Each Covenant -- Ordo Dracul, Circle Of The Crone, Lancea Sanctum, Invictus and Carthians -- has its own book, but the V:tR core rule book gives you an overview of each Covenant, and this should help you decide whether or not you should get one or more of the Covenant books (why, oh, why did White Wolf decide to publish all of their supplement books in hardcover form? Hardcovers ARE pricey, so if you decide to play in the World Of Darkness, better have plenty of cash and a strong bookshelf.).
   
   Some reviewers have complained (and with some justification) that much of the history, the rich backstory and suspense which made Vampire; The Masquerade an RPG classic is missing from Vampire: The Requiem. While some are pleased with those changes, especially the removal of the oft-confusing "metaplot", the rich backstory which V:tM had made it interesting and fun to play was one of the highlights of the game, and that's the problem I have with Vampire: The Requiem. Where's the history and the rich backstory about ancient vampires playing games of power? I miss that particular element, but perhaps this has been done in order to make room for other books which offer several versions of the V:tR backstory, like MYTHOLOGIES, which is now available.
   
   If the good folks at White Wolf had included a much richer backstory, I'd gladly give this book five stars, but since that's the one element which it lacks, I give it four and a half stars.
   
   It's not bad, overall, but it could have used a little more ... bite.



2. To begin with, this is a review by a new player for new players. I like horror role-playing and picked this book up on a whim. I really love the system and the setting and have bought a lot of the White Wolf games since. But I've never played or read Masquerade, so I can't possibly talk about whether the changes have been better or worse. But I can relate to someone who is interested in trying this game for the first time and I'll try to make this review useful to you.
   
   To start at the very beginning, REQUIEM uses the Storytelling System, so you'll want to buy the WORLD OF DARKNESS corebook. This corebook runs through the basics of the system: each dramatic action has a number of 10 sided dice that you roll called your dicepool. Usually this number is the sum of an ability score and a skill, plus or minus situational modifiers. You get one success for each die that rolls 8 or above and you get to reroll 10's. Most actions succeed with a single "success", although many require a certain number of successes over time, or you compete against a target for the msot successes. This corebook explains how to make mortal characters, and other sourcebooks (like REQUIEM) have you start with a mortal character based on these rules and add "supernatural" elements to have a vampire, mage, or whatever. Some people are unhappy that more than one book is needed. I love it for 3 reasons: the corebook is awesome on its own and it allows you to play mortal horror games all by itself (which a great many people have discovered the joy of; I would now only run CALL OF CTHULHU using World of Darkness characters); if you buy more than one gameline, having character generation and the rulesystem repeated in every book seems a waste of time and money; and finally, REQUIEM is already a pretty big book and something would have to go in order to add the extra rules. It would be a shame to wedge in the extra rules since REQUIEM is so well developed its like a work of art.
   
   Speaking of art, I thought I'd note the high production quality of the book. Some people are embarassed that they like a book based on its cover. Not me - as a bibliophile, I like a book that looks nice on the shelf and holds up well in addition to being useful between the covers. REQUIEM is a gorgeous holographic red hardcover with tight binding that has held up well. The pages have a glossy finish to them that makes this tome really stand out in a crowd. I like how each of the game lines has a distinctive cover that draws your eye to which series a book belongs to. The interior art is all black-and-white; some is a little cartoonish, but for the most part it is good and gritty.
   
   So, what's so great about REQUIEM besides a pretty face? Well, the content is well laid out, is clear and orderly, and supports the theme of the game. Maybe the first quarter of the book is nothing but flavor text. This is important; a game designed around "storytelling" should itself tell a good story. Even if it isn't terribly narrative, the reader should feel immersed in the setting before breaking in with rules and numbers. REQUIEM does an excellent job of discussing what vampires are, what are the different biological and sociological groups, how they relate to each other and what they do. No rules-jargon is used at this point; everything is conversational (not that I mean that the wordcount is puffed up, but that you don't need special knowledge to understand everything that is going on). The section is concise, informative, interesting, and colorful, and it leads into character generation very smoothly. I never felt the need to flip forward or backward in order to understand something and I was very excited about the setting by the end of these chapters.
   
   The middle half of the book is devoted to character creation. You start by creating a "mortal" - you assign points as if you were a mortal, and then you add on the bonuses based on your vampiric clan and choose vampire powers. You get discount access to some abilities due to your clan but the others are harder to learn. Each ability is well explained and they all seem fairly well balanced. If you buy status in your covenant you can buy "magic" or get a discount on other merits. The covenant Ordo Dracul gets the most poweful abilities in that they can overcome vampiric curses by changing their physisology but the XP cost is extremely high. Again, everything in this chapter is well-ordered and easy to understand. I was able to make interesting characters right away (no need to buy additional supplements to do interesting things) . The Humanity system is explained, which introduces a tangible mechanic for acting in violence or cruelty; as you act like less of a decent person, humans see through your facade to the predator within. The character can't "pass" as human any more, with caps on dice pools when interacting with people. Feeding and loosing control of the monster within are also discussed. Rules for Blood Potency are given, which is a measure of the relative power of the vampire (the "super stat").
   
   The final section has is on using REQUIEM to play a game. This chapter is more high-level than I hoped for, in that it discusses how to make sample campaigns, how to break up the action into digestible scenes, how to make a coherent plot, etc. It would also have been useful to have some turn-by-turn play examples. This section also details "bloodlines", which is a way to introduce your own tailored kind of vampire with special powers and disadvantages. This is a very useful chapter if you are not experienced with the Storytelling System.
   
   There is also an Appendix which describes the signature city of New Orleans. It seems a little dated since Katrina, but it spells out (to the extent of usefulness) the movers and shakers, what there is in the city, and the vampire history of the city. It is very helpful to have a setting right out of the box, with no additional purchases demanded of you. There is some political intrigue to start a new story, or just to allow your characters to explore the town.
   
   Overall, this is a superb product. The production quality is outstanding, the layout and design shows maturity in the field, and the setting is exciting. Character generation is easy. There is sufficient explanation of every class and ability to make it immediately useful. And there is a setting to start play in right away, which also ties into the free demo for download from White Wolf's website.



3. Im new to this game and I think this game is the best one out there. Unlike Dungeons and Dragons this game offers more potential for roleplaying and is more mature in nature. You do need to buy the World of Darkness along with this book in order to play, but that is still cheaper than buying a Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual in order to play D&D.
   
   Plus this game allows alot more flexibility if you want to play with Werewolves, Mages and other supernatural creatures. It gives you the freedom to create almost any character concept from lord of the night to shapeshifting vampires.
   
   This game is absolutely amazing and I plan on buying the other supplements for it.



4. White Wolf ended the Original World of Darkness with grand fanfare. They promised after its discontinuation a new line, a new setting, and a new vision where fans of the original lines could tell a whole array of horror stories that had not been well supported by the original setting.
   
   Requiem was to be the first offering in fulfillment of that promise. It fails to deliver.
   
   In all fairness, I must offer three distinct ratings to the three distinct subsections of this game.
   
   Mechanics 4/5
   
   Presentation 4/5
   
   Setting content 1/5
   
   The mechanics are solid, and while some of the names seem a touch hokey (especially in comparison to their counterparts in Masquerade), the actual mechanics function well, and serve their purpose admirably.
   
   The presentation is beautiful, downright breathtaking in many places. The game tries hard to look good, and it shines for it (I find it somewhat amusing to note that the developer, Justin Achilli, actually stated in his live journal that a coworker had put a drop of blood into the ink vat used on the first print run.... very fitting for a game about vampires)
   
   The setting though... The setting is nothing new. It reuses three of the clans from Masquerade with almost no tweaking of their respective themes, and the two original clans have all the vibe of simply being composites of discarded clans. The advent of covenants, admittedly new, in many ways redraws the faction lines that they tried to eliminate by removing the Camarilla. The whole thing comes away feeling like a simplified iteration of Masquerade, with an alternate history founded on the same roots.
   
   The choice to eliminate Metaplot from the New WoD lines hits Requiem hard. Masquerade was arguably the most metaplot dependent of the original world of darkness, and while many felt that this constrained the game by writing material that the individual storytellers could have worked up themselves... it did create a sense of a dynamic, inhabited world. Requiem lacks this. Anyone intending to run this game will have a lot of work cut out for them, because material on individual cities is sparse, and examples to inspire are similarly hard to find.
   
   Overall, this feels like Masquerade with training wheels put on for the newcomers. It's not what the old guard was promised, it's insulting to the newcomers who should have been offered a game of at least equal complexity and quality to it's predecessor, and it just plain doesn't measure up to the high standards that White Wolf has set for itself.



5. The Vampire: Requiem is a nice offspring of the well-know storyteller game, Vampire: the Maquerade.
   
   Fortunatelly, all the vampire's history is built upon the new world view. The combinations of Clans, Covenants and Bloodlines gives a lot more options for the players and storytellers alike. The atmosphere of the game is still gothic horror.
   
   The system is revised and better than the old one. It's a bit more player-friendly in a way.
   
   I didn't like the idea of buying more books than one to start playing.
   
   Altogather, it's a nice book that's worth it's price!

3 comments about Revenge of Killer Sudoku.

1. If you enjoyed Djape's "Killer Sudoku" you will also love this book. I've tried a couple of puzzles at each level and managed (very slowly in some cases) to complete them all except for level 5 zero killer sudoku. In the zero puzzles there are only a few cages and a lot of empty space - REALLY hard, and great fun.
   In general I think the puzzles (except for the zero puzzles) are slightly easier than in his last book, or maybe I'm just get used to his fiendish ways?



2. Easy to use. Very ggod puzzles. DJAPE has the best killer sudoku books!



3. As a veteran of killer sudoku, I found this volume to be quite engaging. It offers a range of skill levels, but few so simple that they aren't enjoyable at the right moment. And then there are the new challenges: diagonal killer sudokus and blank killer sudokus. Cool stuff.
   
   Rock on Djape!

5 comments about Expanded Psionics Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement).

1. This one is 3.5 right? Hardcover. 224 pages - that's the most ever. Good enough right? WOTC is coming out with yet another hardcover psionic book on April 11, 2006, 160 pages. What the hell is that about? Psionics Handbook, Expanded Psionics, and now the most ironically entitled book I've heard since "The Closing of the American Mind" by Allan Bloom..."COMPLETE PSIONICS". I kid you not. And WOTC says it's supposed to "COMPLEMENT" the Expanded Psionics book. So if it complements that book and has 64 pages less, it's hardly frikkin' COMPLETE NOW IS IT!!!



2. Much better than the original. Flows much more logically and makes alot more sense. However, I would not recommend getting it unless you plan on psionics being a major part of your campaign.



3. I was really eager to add this book to my DnD library, and I'm not sorry I did. This book is a wealth of information. The psionic monsters are really interesting and well-written, and the variety of feats available could knock you over. The revamp of psionics from 3.0 was much-needed; all the classes are now much more balanced. You won't be dissapointed, and it's worth the money.
   I highly reccomend getting The Complete Psionic; it gives you a few new options that could enhance your psionic characters. Complete Psionic (Dungeons & Dragons Supplement)
   
   However, there are a few things lacking. First off, a lot of the prestige classes are almost identical. It would have been better to offer a wider variety of prestige classes, especially ones that cater to more of psion disciplines, and keep the similiar ones for a web enhancement. Also, they only give you ONE model of a psionic golem in the book, no guidelines for creating one, and no variety to choose from. This was very dissapointing and was never addressed in the errata (or The Complete Psionic, for all that matters). There were also only two racial feats available for maenads; I think they deserved a little more attention than that.



4. For those looking for new material to get inspiration from, this is not the best thing to buy. But, it has tons and i mean TONS of new rules, feats, powers and items to enhance the D&D experiencie. The classes are very fun to play and the powers are also. Great for those looking for something new to start from.



5. I've always enjoyed psionics, but this is the first version that has finally gotten it right.
   
   The only gripe I have, other than a few typos and errors, is the fact that psionic dragons didn't make it into a Dungeons & DRAGONS book about psionics. 4 out of 5 because of that.

5 comments about Monster Manual IV (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. In the beginning, after my original read of the MMIV, I had the same thoughts as many of the other reviews. The new stat blocks, being not like the old stat blocks, were a nusience to read. The extended information on ecology, encounters, knowledge, treasure, and whatnot, while kind of useful, sucked up space where more monsters could have been. And the endless inclusion of well-known monsters with class levels was just a waste of space. I mean, what DM worth their salt couldn't throw a few class levels on an orc or drow when they needed them?
   
   And then there I was, ten minutes to my next session with a burning need to have a pair of lizardfolk barbarians fight my players. Yeah, I could have added some attack bonuses and whatnot on the fly, but then I realized, "Wait! I have the MMIV! That has more lizardfolk types than I could possibly need! And they're statistically correct!" Thusly, my game was saved.
   
   Yes, any DM worth their salt can add a few class levels to monsters... if they have the time. For us more harried DMs, having pre-generated leveled monsters is a boon beyond reckoning. And the maps can be used over and over again. Certainly I've used a cavern map of mine at least four times with my current group. Each time it was the lair or corridor or ambush site of totally different creatures, and the group thought it cool each time. The geode caverns of the gnoll tribes could be used for any wilderness encounter, and etc.
   
   The various encounter suggestions are excellent as well, as they occasionally provide ideas and adventure seeds. As I also play in the Realms and Eberron, suggestions for how monsters tie in to both places works on multiple levels, or can give people ideas on how monsters can fit into their own worlds.
   
   As for the monsters themselves, I have to say I like 'em! I haven't had a chance to use a lot of them, because I have over a dozen monster books, and there's only so much death you can throw at your players in a single session. However, there were some excellent constructs, fey, and plants, always favorites of mine, in addition to some nasty oozes, elementals, and aberrations. I don't often use demons, devils, and various outsiders that often, so I can only say they look suitibly evil/good/neutral.
   
   The reason this book gets three stars instead of higher, is that there are less monsters for the buck, even though what is there is perhaps more useful. Also, switching the format for the stat blocks makes me sad, as I have to constantly search for the information I used to be able to find in a snap. Yes, perhaps I will eventually get used to the new format, but right now it just drives me up the wall.



2. Although it has some interesting critters, I found the inclusion of so many NPCs a waste of space. NPCs like those presented here should be doled out on the web. The book should be all about new monsters, not modifications of existing monsters. It's not the worst book I've seen from Wizards of the Coast, but it's definately one of the worst.



3. Of the additional MM supplements, this one is by far my favorite. As a DM who enjoys immersing my players into the eternal struggle between the evils of the dragon goddess Tiamat and those of the Good Dragon King Bahamut, the spawn of Tiamat are a frequently encountered enemy in my adventures. For those who are used to the format of previous editions, the monster statistics block had a slight change, but not to worry! Everything you need to know is still there. It took me some getting used to, but I think most DMs will find it convenient. Take advantage of the myriad creatures within, but be warned, there may be more monsters than your adventurers can cleave.



4. I've been a DM for about 15 years, and can see why many think that this book was not on par with previous editions. on the positive, for new dm's, or those without large amounts of time to plan can appreciate the monsters with class levels in the base 4 archtypes. i will admit, there have been plenty of times that i've had to do a shoddy mismatch of humanoid and class levels in a pinch. having it pre-planned gives a little more spark. weigh that against new monsters, its like apples and oranges. with the monsters in the other manuals, add to those from other publishers, it isn't going to kill the creature catalog to loose a few pages to the class levels, maps, and organizations within the book. Nit-pick for me was having the templates within the manual and not at the end of the book (my anal-retentiveness for remembering what books have what templates) Over all, liked the clockworks (more smaller ones needed, that's the jules vernian fascination in me tho), for me, the time saving beats the pages lost. Will i ever use half the monsters, no, but thats the same with most of the other books, i go theme based, over hit list any day of the game.
   
   my 2 copper



5. I purchased this book thinking I'd get a modest addition to the variety of monsters available to throw at my parties, perhaps spark some ideas.
   
   I was woefully disappointed when I received it. Dozens upon dozens of write-ups of leveled-up and templated creatures (Drow, etc.) from the Monster Manual and elsewhere.
   
   The new (?) creatures included were simply bizarre, and not in the good way. More the "Huh, that's.. strange... I can't ever imagine using that" sort of way.
   
   My suggestion - go to used bookstore, pick it up, peruse it. If you find a group of monsters that you are *already using* (or about to use) fleshed out nicely, go for it. Otherwise... well, up to you.