Games That Really "Wowed" You?

[Celebrim]

It has been a long time since a game wowed me. There are, I think, four: Star Wars d6, Shadowrun 1st Ed, Vampire: the Masquerade, and D&D 3e. I don't play any of them any more, and suspect SW is the only one I'd consider revisiting.

In the third year of a Star Wars D6 campaign set three years after the end of the Clone Wars, with the PC's being bounty hunters based out of the Aparo sector.

Star Wars D6 is in my top 3 games of all time along with Call of Cthulhu and D&D 3e.

 

[Celebrim]

On topic, I didn't make it to GenCon, but I went to Origins.

Best new game for me goes to Goblonia. One of the better rules light games I've ever played. Interesting fortune mechanic. Tight focus. I have some problems with the canonical divisions between the attributes and might do a little tweaking, redefining, and rebalancing but overall the game is quite solid, a lot of fun, plays fast, and seems great for one shots.

Understand, if I don't feel the need to utterly tear the rules of a game apart and rebuild them, then it's pretty solid.

 

[HorusZA]

Vampire: The Masquerade
Never seen anything like it when it first came out. The style, the mechanics, theme... the audacity of the whole thing.

The One Ring
The care and attention given to staying true to the spirit of Middle-Earth was amazing. The support material was superb too.

Ars Magica
Similar reaction I had to V:tM (it was around the same time, so maybe I was at an impressionable age?!). Incredible ideas and scope. Ran a four-year campaign using 3rd edition rules which remains one of my gaming triumphs.

Shadowrun
Cyberpunk meets magic. WTF?! The original Larry Elmore cover did a stellar job in showing you the game in a single image.

 

[Panzeh]

I'd heard a lot about GURPS when i started with it, like it was gonna be crazy but it really got me when I played it- once I understood, i was super impressive in the breadth of stuff it did well.

 

[aramis erak]

Vampire: The Masquerade
Never seen anything like it when it first came out. The style, the mechanics, theme... the audacity of the whole thing.
[snip]
Ars Magica
Similar reaction I had to V:tM (it was around the same time, so maybe I was at an impressionable age?!). Incredible ideas and scope. Ran a four-year campaign using 3rd edition rules which remains one of my gaming triumphs.

Same designer and some of the same developers. No surprise.

 

[Ulfgeir]

For me the following:

Call of Cthulhu. the best game for roleplaying characters imo. The system doesn't get in the way of playing.

Shadowrun 1e. Yes, the rules were bad, but the concept and the setting was very interesting. And the cover by Larry Elmore, was so good at showing the setting.

FATE. First time I found it was through Spirit of the Century. the application there was a bit hamfisted. I thing Dresden Files & Atomic Robo are the bestr incarnations of it. Both are beautiful books as well.

The Troubleshooters. A wonderful idea, very carefully put together and with exquisite art and layout.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I realize there was at least one other I should have mentioned earlier: when TORG first came out, it pretty well lit me up.

 

[wicked cool]

1. Beyond the Wall - a perfect fusion of simplified Basic D&D with a much more modern philosophy. Fantastic playbook-based character/world creation, magical magic, and you can go from character creation to a completed session in under 3, extremely satisfying, hours. So. Much. Fun.

2. The Yellow King - possibly my favourite iteration of the GUMSHOE rules (though Swords of the Serpentine vies for that spot) alongside four fabulous settings.

3. Liminal - it just works so well.

beyond the wall sounds cool

 

[Aldarc]

Star Wars d6.

To this day, the Gamemaster Handbook for 2nd edition remains the only GM book I've ever seen that actually teaches gamemastering instead of being a bundle of mechanics that didn't fit into the player book.

You may want to check out the Index Card RPG (2e, Master Edition). The has a good GM section with a lot of practical advice.

 

[Thomas Shey]

beyond the wall sounds cool

Its at least conceptually interesting. I think its a little too rules light in an old school sort of way for my taste, but within what its trying to do its well put together.