Product Review

I’ve been a pretty big fan of this game from the very first time I played it, but it took me a long time to decide exactly what it was that I liked so much. I finally managed to put it down to two things. Firstly I like the idea of playing powerful, shadowy, government agents who show up in suits, flash badges, call in clean-up crews and deny all knowledge.

Secondly, I like the way the Conspiracy X setting has been designed to just keep getting better. Because of the whole conspiracy nature of the game you learn new secrets and gain access to new info with every supplement. It’s a bit like getting promoted in a real secret government agency (...probably), where your security clearance goes up and hence you see more of the sneaky alien / hairy werewolf kind of things that we all know goes on behind the door of 10 Downing Street (I have no evidence to back this up, but I could try and make some photos).

Now then, although I love this game I do have to admit – it has a major problem. That’s right, the lovely background and setting have an evil brother called “The Layout and the Rules”. The book is initially well laid out but falls apart when you start to encounter things like Df and +2t. It has a tendency to use terms and abbreviations it hasn’t explained yet, which can make for some tough reading. I found that best thing to do is read the first chapter, which gives you an idea of the setting and then skim through the next few chapters until you get to chapter four, which should then be given a good going over.

When you have read chapter four and you’re armed with your newly found rule knowledge you will be able to start the book again and this time you’ll be able to enjoy the experience and start to understand what all the weird abbreviations stand for. Of the eight chapters that make up the book, the players could do with getting the basics from the first four.

Chapter one is about the world the game is based in. The game is set in the present and everything is much like it is now, with a few exceptions. Aliens not only exist, they are among us and various organisations have been established to deal with this threat. The characters you play in the game are from a secret group called Aegis, which is trying to determine the true goals of the different alien races that are currently on Earth. They are also preparing for what could happen if the aliens haven’t come in peace. The characters will normally have been recruited from various US organisations, like the CIA and the Air Force. They are then formed into cells (individual units) by Aegis and given missions, which can range from investigation to extermination.

Chapter two is all about character creation. It gives you some information on how a cell works and let’s you choose what organisation your character is from. The origin of your character will have a direct effect on what your skilled at and what you may be able to do with your influence. Influence is one of the really good bits; it’s basically a special ability, which your character can use during the game. This includes things like - the authority to quarantine an area and could even stretch to alien technology access.

Chapter three is great fun. This is where you sit down with all you amigos and go shopping on your cells behalf. You can buy anything from a military base to an underground facility. You can then kit it out with soldiers, scientists, computers and loads of other equipment.

Chapter four is the rules section and I suggest you read it first, or at least have a good look. It’s slightly harder to get the hang of than other game systems and you may have to read one or two bits twice. The main problem with the system in general is it’s over complication of what could have been a simple and effective system. You will eventually work out what it’s getting at though and the more you play the better you’ll get at using it. I would suggest that before you play the game for the first time you should go through a simple task with all the players. This could be getting into an office where your players will have to pick the door lock and use the computer to steal some files. Then have a couple of security guards turn up and test the combat rules.

Chapter five is all about psychics but then you’ll already know that if this section is relevant to you… I like the idea of using these characters in games but you may want to leave them out of your first one until you have the rest of the rules sussed. They have lots of great powers and can be a good way adding another level to one of your campaigns.

Chapter six is about the supernatural. It explains seepage, which is uncontrolled psychic energy that comes from mankind. This is not normal energy though, it has become vaguely sentient and is a little twisted and insane. The rest of this chapter then tells you a bit about what seepage is and how it affects your game. It also explains a bit about why we have werewolves and vampires (I thought it was due to White Wolf, but apparently not).

Chapter seven is about extraterrestrials, inevitable really. This is a good chapter to let the players have a look through as it gives them a bit of information on the three alien types on Earth. This will help them to get a feel of what each race is like and should help them identify what pummelled them on the last mission.

Chapter eight is for the GM’s eyes only. The early parts are about being a GM and how to sort out your games so they run smoothly. The later parts give you more secretive information on the major players in Conspiracy X. It has a good section on the Black Book, which is another secretive organisation that don’t get on very well with Aegis to say the least. At the end of this chapter there is a scenario for you to run. It has been well thought out and is ideal for a first time group who may need to get a feel for the game before you launch them into anything to complex.

All in all this is a good sound game. It could do with sorting out the rules section, not changing necessarily, just sorting. I found that the game works best if you try and stay away from one off missions with new characters, as your games will certainly benefit from your players becoming more and more experienced and therefore more trusted by Aegis. This is definitely worth a look if you like the idea of big government cover-ups, aliens and shady characters in suits.

Pray it’s only a game... or you may get beamed up and probed.

Reviewed By Jon Simpson