(Review with Spoilers) Holy Crap! Buy POW Revival!
Nov 25, 2007 23:11:21 GMT -5
Post by Chewey on Nov 25, 2007 23:11:21 GMT -5
I tested out the MMA game engine last night, and I've gotta say I can't wait to try it out some more. It's a fresh new way of rolling the dice in the COTG Universe, and alone is enough of a reason to pick up this set.
But the real value of this set is the amazing booklet that comes with the MMA and wrestler cards. Mark did an outstanding job of putting together 37 pages of pure, gitty-goodness (single spaced, with margins extended to the limits but still seemed short) that will easily allow any newcomer to CPC dive right into the set. I began reading the booklet last night and finished it this morning, and the way the booklet ran through chronological events that transpired over the last four months of 2121 (along with frequent flashbacks to fill the casual reader in on the background) flowed so naturally that I felt like I was ready to go, just as soon as I finished reading.
As someone who only owned about four sets into the CPC series, I was able to feel both familiar with the early existence of the promotion and excited to read about the major events that occurred in between 2114 and 2122.
Shylock and Saboteur
As much as I had heard about Euritar, Dante, and Mensar, the main story here in 2122 was the feud between Shylock and Saboteur. The story gradually unfolds from the time that they both entered the CPC, and even before, all the way up until the shocking climax of the entire novella that highlights a writing style that leaves the reader pumped to play out the feud.
I really enjoyed how the intricate plotlines, schemes, deceptions, history, and conflict of emotions all built up to the ultimate payoff. This one is definitely a winner.
The Revival of POW
The downside of this masterly woven epic that is the Shylock-Saboteur feud is that it seems to cast everyone else into the role of side characters, not dissimilar to how an undercard of a MMA event supports the main draw. Despite the name of the set, the return of Jack Hood and the POW Revival is the second feature topic of this set, but the full impact of both will have to be further developed by the promoter him/herself. Of course, there is a vast variety of ways that this can play out, since we all know about the sleazy nature of both Hood and POW (anyone who knows anything about the way I play the game can probably guess who I may introduce as a minority stakeholder in this venture - and yes, that is a threat, Mark.
) Of course, this liberty of interpretation will probably only exist until Mark drops another bombshell with his next set, which is all the more reason to pick this set up now rather than later.
Pre-Existing Major Characters
With the handover of power to Faustus Grael, I'll be interested to see how much power the existing management of POW continues to hold. We know who is in and who is out, but despite Magnus Colby's request retain Prodigy's role in the organization, there is no guarantee as to how smooth the transition will be.
In addition, there are tons of questions as to how the double-switch between Euritar/Dante and Brainstorm/Mensar will unfold. Fans seem to love Euritar and Dante's new heelish ways for now, but the narrative's labeling of this being a double turn leads for much speculation to be considered. Brainstorm's new protege, Matinee Idol, was not even mentioned by name in the narrative. Nor was Brainstorm's relationship with Matinee Idol, who was linked with Latasha and Jesterelli instead.
Dr. Barnabas' suspension for disobeying the two-person stable rule seemingly serves only as a mere tool to indicate that the "no stables allowed" rule will be taken seriously. However, I can't see him obeying the policy, nor can I see him getting fired. It will be interesting to see how his role in POW continues to develop.
The True Way storyline is also interesting, if not the least developed portion for fans new to the CPC/POW product. However, the underlying commentary is clear: spritual leaders who use their positions for personal gain, and separatists who also use their positions for personal gain.
And finally, the impromptu appearance of a physically decaying Exo-King provided the greatest feel-good moment of the novella. Performance enhancement drugs and engineering may ruin the body in the long run, but at least Exo-King didn't die young... although come to think of it, we never did find out what happened to Death Knight...
There are others, but these were the ones that came to mind. Plus, with the "no stables allowed" rule, I'm already too tired to comment on any more... perhaps when I get the feel for the three weight divisions it will come much more easily.
Final Thoughts
With both wrestling and MMA being used in this promotion, it will be interesting to read the results of other promoter feds due to the vast differences in the two sports. I wonder how storyline-driven the MMA feds will be, as there are far too many storylines included with this set to be ignored, but the MMA portion of the game is the freshest topic on people's mind.
I also wonder about both the size of the roster and the disbanding of teams. With three different weight classes and a women's division, there really is no limit to how large the CPC roster can be. In fact, the more the better, and a larger roster would allow the possibility of creating more weight classes in the future. Right now there are an even number of weight divisions. Add one more, and you could have team competitions, similar to a high school wrestling dual meet.
GWF is sports entertainment. aCe is science fiction. CPC is very storyline-driven, but ultimately focuses more on actual athletic contests. The Filsinger Games team has done an excellent job of creating three very unique products.
In closing, edge of the seat drama and deception, larger than life personalities, crossover appeal, acknowledgement of the past, mixed with a great deal of sleaziness from its owner and commissioner... POW is a must-buy for any COTG fan.
But the real value of this set is the amazing booklet that comes with the MMA and wrestler cards. Mark did an outstanding job of putting together 37 pages of pure, gitty-goodness (single spaced, with margins extended to the limits but still seemed short) that will easily allow any newcomer to CPC dive right into the set. I began reading the booklet last night and finished it this morning, and the way the booklet ran through chronological events that transpired over the last four months of 2121 (along with frequent flashbacks to fill the casual reader in on the background) flowed so naturally that I felt like I was ready to go, just as soon as I finished reading.
As someone who only owned about four sets into the CPC series, I was able to feel both familiar with the early existence of the promotion and excited to read about the major events that occurred in between 2114 and 2122.
Shylock and Saboteur
As much as I had heard about Euritar, Dante, and Mensar, the main story here in 2122 was the feud between Shylock and Saboteur. The story gradually unfolds from the time that they both entered the CPC, and even before, all the way up until the shocking climax of the entire novella that highlights a writing style that leaves the reader pumped to play out the feud.
I really enjoyed how the intricate plotlines, schemes, deceptions, history, and conflict of emotions all built up to the ultimate payoff. This one is definitely a winner.
The Revival of POW
The downside of this masterly woven epic that is the Shylock-Saboteur feud is that it seems to cast everyone else into the role of side characters, not dissimilar to how an undercard of a MMA event supports the main draw. Despite the name of the set, the return of Jack Hood and the POW Revival is the second feature topic of this set, but the full impact of both will have to be further developed by the promoter him/herself. Of course, there is a vast variety of ways that this can play out, since we all know about the sleazy nature of both Hood and POW (anyone who knows anything about the way I play the game can probably guess who I may introduce as a minority stakeholder in this venture - and yes, that is a threat, Mark.
) Of course, this liberty of interpretation will probably only exist until Mark drops another bombshell with his next set, which is all the more reason to pick this set up now rather than later.Pre-Existing Major Characters
With the handover of power to Faustus Grael, I'll be interested to see how much power the existing management of POW continues to hold. We know who is in and who is out, but despite Magnus Colby's request retain Prodigy's role in the organization, there is no guarantee as to how smooth the transition will be.
In addition, there are tons of questions as to how the double-switch between Euritar/Dante and Brainstorm/Mensar will unfold. Fans seem to love Euritar and Dante's new heelish ways for now, but the narrative's labeling of this being a double turn leads for much speculation to be considered. Brainstorm's new protege, Matinee Idol, was not even mentioned by name in the narrative. Nor was Brainstorm's relationship with Matinee Idol, who was linked with Latasha and Jesterelli instead.
Dr. Barnabas' suspension for disobeying the two-person stable rule seemingly serves only as a mere tool to indicate that the "no stables allowed" rule will be taken seriously. However, I can't see him obeying the policy, nor can I see him getting fired. It will be interesting to see how his role in POW continues to develop.
The True Way storyline is also interesting, if not the least developed portion for fans new to the CPC/POW product. However, the underlying commentary is clear: spritual leaders who use their positions for personal gain, and separatists who also use their positions for personal gain.
And finally, the impromptu appearance of a physically decaying Exo-King provided the greatest feel-good moment of the novella. Performance enhancement drugs and engineering may ruin the body in the long run, but at least Exo-King didn't die young... although come to think of it, we never did find out what happened to Death Knight...
There are others, but these were the ones that came to mind. Plus, with the "no stables allowed" rule, I'm already too tired to comment on any more... perhaps when I get the feel for the three weight divisions it will come much more easily.
Final Thoughts
With both wrestling and MMA being used in this promotion, it will be interesting to read the results of other promoter feds due to the vast differences in the two sports. I wonder how storyline-driven the MMA feds will be, as there are far too many storylines included with this set to be ignored, but the MMA portion of the game is the freshest topic on people's mind.
I also wonder about both the size of the roster and the disbanding of teams. With three different weight classes and a women's division, there really is no limit to how large the CPC roster can be. In fact, the more the better, and a larger roster would allow the possibility of creating more weight classes in the future. Right now there are an even number of weight divisions. Add one more, and you could have team competitions, similar to a high school wrestling dual meet.
GWF is sports entertainment. aCe is science fiction. CPC is very storyline-driven, but ultimately focuses more on actual athletic contests. The Filsinger Games team has done an excellent job of creating three very unique products.
In closing, edge of the seat drama and deception, larger than life personalities, crossover appeal, acknowledgement of the past, mixed with a great deal of sleaziness from its owner and commissioner... POW is a must-buy for any COTG fan.
