MEGA Role-Playing System

Last updated
MEGA Role-Playing System.jpg

MEGA Role-Playing System, Fantasy Edition is a Norwegian role-playing game published by MEGA Games Ltd. (U.K.) in 1987.

Contents

Description

MEGA Role-Playing System is a fantasy system, translated from a Norwegian design, with a distinctly Norse slant on swords-and-sorcery. [1] The system is "generic", meaning it is not tied to any particular game such as Dungeons & Dragons or Runequest , but can be used in any fantasy setting. [2] The rules cover character creation (including a detailed list of characters' quirks), combat, priestly and wizardly magic, and more. [1]

Publication history

MEGA Role-Playing System was designed by Isy Allon and Ben Brakas and published by MEGA Games Ltd. in 1987 as a 144-page hardcover book. [1] MEGA Games planned to publish further books using the same rules system but in different genres, [3] but the only other publications released were a gamemaster's screen, and an adventure, Ogre Forest. [4]

Reception

In Issue 6 of The Games Machine , John Woods was initially pleased by the quality of the book and the clean layout. But he found the rules laboriously complex, and not well written, commenting, "This is a particularly serious problem in the sections explaining the more complex parts of the rules such as the combat system. What turn out, on careful reading, to be fairly sound and straightforward rules are explained in such a hurried and confusing fashion as to make them almost unintelligible." He concluded on a down note, saying, "All in all the system is exceedingly disappointing, with what I can only describe as a half-finished feel. [...] I really can’t recommend MEGA to anyone." [3]

Stewart Wieck reviewed The MEGA Role-Playing System in White Wolf #18 (Nov./Dec., 1989), rating it a 2 out of 5 and stated that "a few bright spots among the rules cannot dig MEGA out of the 'no background' hole [...] MEGA's setting is stale and offers a gamer little reason to try it out instead of a better supported or more richly developed game." [5]

In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games , game critic Rick Swan thought MEGA was very out-dated, writing, "this Norwegian design might have generated some interest if it had been published in the 1970s, but now it's little more than a curious anachronism." Swan did find the character generation system was "moderately interesting", but "The rest of it reads liked warmed-over Dungeons & Dragons." Swan gave the game a poor rating of only 1.5 out of 4. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>TWERPS</i> Role playing game

TWERPS is a minimalist role-playing game (RPG) originally created by Reindeer Games in 1987 and distributed by Gamescience. Presented as a parody of the complicated RPG systems which were prevalent at the time while still being a playable game in its own right, its simple structure and humorous nature gave it unexpected popularity.

<i>Talislanta</i> Fantasy role-playing game

Talislanta is a fantasy role-playing game published by Bard Games in 1987 that forgoes many of the tropes used by popular games of the genre in favor of a unique world and many new game mechanisms. There have been six different English-language editions and several foreign language editions published.

<i>Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game

The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game is a fantasy role-playing game published by Palladium Books in 1983.

<i>Battlesystem</i> Tabletop miniature wargame

Battlesystem is a tabletop miniature wargame designed as a supplement for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The original Battlesystem was printed as a boxed set in 1985 for use with the first edition AD&D rules. For the second edition of AD&D, a new version of Battesystem was printed as a softcover book in 1989.

<i>Skyrealms of Jorune</i> Science fantasy role-playing game

Skyrealms of Jorune is a science-fantasy role-playing game that was first published in 1984 through SkyRealms Publishing. The game is set on the fictional alien planet of Jorune above which float levitating islands. The second edition was published in 1986 as a boxed set, and a third edition was published by Chessex in 1992. The computer game Alien Logic: A Skyrealms of Jorune Adventure was published in 1994. The various editions received positive reviews in game periodicals including Casus Belli, White Dwarf, White Wolf, Different Worlds, Dragon, Polyhedron, The Games Machine, and Challenge.

<i>Cyborg Commando</i> Post-apocalyptic role-playing game

Cyborg Commando is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game (RPG) published by New Infinities Productions, Inc. (NIPI) in 1987. The designers were well-known in the role-playing game market — Gary Gygax, Frank Mentzer and Kim Mohan, but despite this name recognition, the game was a commercial failure.

<i>Powers & Perils</i> 1983 fantasy role-playing game

Powers & Perils (P&P) is a fantasy role-playing game published by Avalon Hill in 1984. The highly complex game was Avalon Hill's first foray into the role-playing game market, and proved to be a commercial failure.

<i>The Complete Wizards Handbook</i>

The Complete Wizard's Handbook is a supplementary rulebook published in 1990 for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Accompanying manuals are The Complete Fighter's Handbook, Priest's Handbook, and Thief's Handbook.

<i>Lands of Adventure</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Lands of Adventure is a role-playing game published by Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU) in 1983. Although similar to fantasy role-playing games in its scope, the suggested setting is historical rather than pure fantasy.

<i>Psi World</i> Tabletop science fiction role-playing game

Psi World is a science fiction role-playing game published by Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU) in 1984 that takes place in a near-future society in which certain individuals have psionic powers.

<i>Hawkmoon</i> (role-playing game) Science fantasy tabletop role-playing game

Hawkmoon is a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game designed by Kerie Campbell-Robson and published by Chaosium in 1986.

<i>Enforcers</i> (role-playing game) 1987 superhero role-playing game

Enforcers is a near-future superhero role-playing game published by 21st Century Games in 1987.

<i>Ysgarth</i> Fantasy role-playing game

Ysgarth is a fantasy role-playing game published in 1979 by Ragnarok Enterprises. Several editions were subsequently published over the next twenty-five years.

<i>Mutazoids</i> Tabletop science fiction role-playing game

Mutazoids is a science fiction role-playing game published by Whit Productions Inc. in 1989, set in the 21st century, when a virus has mutated many humans.

<i>Expendables</i> (role-playing game) 1987 science fiction role-playing game

Expendables is a science fiction role-playing game published by Stellar Games in 1987 in which the players take on the roles of interstellar explorers

<i>High Colonies</i> Science fiction role-playing game

High Colonies is a science fiction role-playing game published by the Canadian firm Waterford Publishing House in 1988.

<i>Eternal Soldier</i> 1986 combat role-playing game

Eternal Soldier is a set of rules for role-playing game combat that was published by Tai-Gear Simulations in 1986.

Ironhedge is a role-playing game published by Empire Wargames in 1979.

<i>Covenants</i> (Ars Magica)

Covenants is a supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in 1990 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

<i>Legendary Lives Players Primer</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Legendary Lives Player's Primer is the first of two books published by Marquee Press in 1990 required for the role-playing game Legendary Lives.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 189. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. 1 2 Swan, Rick (1990). The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games . New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 132.
  3. 1 2 Woods, John (May 1988). "Reviews". The Games Machine . No. 6. pp. 105–106.
  4. "The MEGA Role-Playing System". RPG Geek. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  5. Wieck, Stewart (November–December 1989). "Capsule Reviews". White Wolf Magazine . No. 18. p. 34-35.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)