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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BradfordFerguson" data-source="post: 2011927" data-attributes="member: 20048">"Noir" (Mutants & Masterminds)About: 64 pages, soft cover, black & white interior, $18.Author: Christopher McGlothlinPublisher: <a href="http://www.greenronin.com" target="_blank">Green Ronin Publishing</a> (2004)Reviewed by: Bradford FergusonReview date: 01/14/2005This review originally appeared on the Silven Crossroads websiteIntroductionNoir is a book that both tells you what the film noir genre is and how to run a film noir game using the Mutants & Masterminds ruleset.  Noir is different from White Wolf's Adventure! in that it is not pulpy, but much more dark.  This book is shorter, yet provides guidelines for M&M skills, feats, powers, and throws in rules for reputation and wealth (two things that are glossed over in a superheroes game).  Characters in this genre are tragic and often draw their powers from items of black magic.  McGlothlin, the book’s author, also discusses major and minor themes of film noir, and he provides us with the description of a city and some heroes and villains with which to populate it.  Does the book succeed and is 64-pages enough?PresentationNoir is a soft cover book that spans 64 pages and has a black and white interior.  The art is plentiful between the covers and it is done in a comic-book, but not cartoony, style.  There is literally an illustration on every other page, so Green Ronin did not skimp on the amount of art, but the art is in black & white--unlike any other Mutants & Masterminds release to date.  This can be explained away in that the classic film noir movies were filmed and shown in black & white, however the characters are layered with shades of grey.  The book is very aggressively priced for a 64-page B&W book at $18.  Look at the recent price progression of the M&M product line:Mutants & Masterminds Annual #1: 128 pages, full color, (19.5 cents per page)Foes of Freedom: 96 pages, full color, $24. (25c)Noir: 64 pages, B&W, $18. (28c)Noir is not even full color and it is priced more steeply on a per page basis than its color counterparts.  Is it worth it?  Maybe, although it’s only 60 pages of actual content when you subtract credits and the Open Gaming License.  Noir CharactersOne thing that you will notice right away is the swarthy lingo that is used throughout the text.  This was great and is similar to how Sidewinder: Recoiled was written to get the reader in the mood.  The lingo doesn't let up or trail off after the introduction or first section, but continues through the entire book.This section (which is a quarter of the book) talks about stereotypical characters in film noir and provides restrictions upon the M&M rules so that characters do not have powers that are ill-suited for the genre.  For example, the dark of night provides suspense, so darkvision isn't allowed.  Also, guns are a thing to be feared, so characters have to hover around power level 6 and cannot take the power that makes them immune to bullets.Noir Themes & ElementsWhen Gamemastering, it is vitally important to get the atmosphere and themes right so that your players: know what to expect, can more easily get into character, and will have more fun in more memorable gaming sessions.  Unlike the Trinity Universe by White Wolf, which teaches you the genre through a scrapbook and stories, Noir smacks you in the mouth and tells you what the film noir genre is all about.  Some readers may not like this direct approach, but a hearty whack is good every now and then.According to the author, there are many books out there that debate/discuss the film noir genre.  Noir explores the main themes identified by the "Family Tree of Film Noir," a book written on the subject.  These themes are defined; it is stated what movies in which the themes play a prominent role; McGlothlin tells us how these themes transition from one to another and how to incorporate this into gaming.Noir City & CharactersThese sections encompass over half of the book.  The section on the film noir city is very well-written and is written in the voice of a cabbie that is driving you around the city.  26 locations are discussed by the cabbie and he does a good job of not chiseling the setting in stone, but talks about what could be going down and who may be corrupt.  The back of the book claims the book has a complete Noir setting, yet only one city is presented and it does not consider cross-country chases.  "Heroes" and villains are detailed, but typical functionaries, goons, and gunmen are left out--leaving the reader with the feeling that something is missing.Though some of the nitty-gritty details don't appear, the McGlothlin gets us in the mood with the excellent writing and by showing typical noir personas and villains.  With the character write-ups, we get their origin stories and learn their motivations for their criminal or vigilante lives.  The cool aspect to the characters is that all of them have a distinct style.  One of them is pictured as wearing a fedora over a gas mask and wearing a suit-and-tie under a trenchcoat, oh by the way, he wields two Colt .45 pistols.  Comic books and film noir are successfully merged in NoirFinally, it's always a bonus when a list of sources is provided at the end of a book.  McGlothlin includes a filmography with a brief discussion of 20 specific films and a listing of several dozen more film noir movies.  Imagine getting the gaming group together to watch a movie before they create their characters.ConclusionThough the price-point of Noir is high, it accomplishes what it sets out to do and does so with style.  It’s only 64 pages, so you can't mistake it as definitive and thorough, but it is distinctive.  Nonetheless, this book is recommended material if you are looking to explore dark noir themes such as sex, drugs, corruption, and racism in your modern gaming or writing.Score: 4.75 out of 5---Review is © Bradford Ferguson, 2005</blockquote>

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