Star Wars - Edge of the Empire is the new role-playing game based on the biggest science-fiction license out there. There have been numerous incarnations of Star Wars over the past few decades, with varying degrees of quality and value.
While I was incredibly happy to see Wizards of the Coast drop the license and eager to see a new game based on the franchise, I was hoping for something closer to the West End Games original. A one book is all you need affair, with simple rules, quick character creation and a lot of adventure support in the numerous eras of films, comics, books and video games.
Instead we're getting Edge of the Empire...
Shit.
Another of Fantasy Flight Games' stupid 'weird dice used for all rolls that only we sell' role-playing games that allows the players to be scoundrels and smugglers on the outer rim and nothing bloody else!
The core book will probably meet Fantasy Flight's usual high standard of production values and laughable editing. It is also going to carry the painful price tag of around £40 in real money.
Nearly 450 pages of rules about a very narrow and specific aspect of the Star Wars galaxy that has no place for Jedi, Sith, wars, armies or big scale adventure... Wonderful. We want Star Wars, instead we get a second rate Firefly.
The only thinking going into this game must have been "how long can we stretch out this license to squeeze the most money out of our players?" to come up with a game like this. The promise that eventually we will have more core books for the rebellion, empire and *gasp* Jedi makes none of this any better to me.
I'm sure some players will enjoy it, but I'm simply not interested. As much as I love Star Wars as a role-playing game setting, this approach already tells me everything I need to know to avoid the game entirely. Too limited in scope, too complicated in rules, too gimmicky in play and too slow in expanding to allow the types of player character we want and expect to be able to play.
Shit.
Guess I'll just go back to my old D6 books then shall I?