Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!
Time for a double feature review for Shadowrun. Let’s go over two recently released Shadowrun items- 5e GM screen and the latest PDF Coyotes
First the Screen
Product- Shadowrun 5e GM Screen
Producer- Catalyst Game Labs
Price-$20
TL;DR-Great product you need for the new edition 95%
Crunch/Mechanics- The tables you need without the page flipping! I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Now I don’t have to scroll across the whole book to find the one table I need to resolve that one test. The absolute BEST part of these tables is that each one comes with PAGE NUMBERS! If I don’t remember a small detail, now I know exactly where to go to get it. On my side of the screen, it’s a fabulous product I’ve needed for a long time. 5/5
Execution- The front of the screen is a scene from an Ork underground rock concert. Lot’s of metahumanity in one place. Someone is giving the players a finger. Looks beautiful. I want my screen to be lower to I can see the players better and wider so I can fit more behind the screen, but the cardboard is high quality and stands up well with a nice shiny coat for protection. A great job. 4.5/5
Summary- I love this product. It’s well done. I want something a little different, but they didn’t ask me! The price is a bit high, but it’s comparable to all the other GM screens out there. Basically, if you run lots of Shadowrun, you want this product. I wish this was a PDF so I could use it to help my players without tipping my screen to them. 95%
Now, Coyotes
Product- Coyotes
Producer- Catalyst Game Labs
Price- $8
TL;DR- Good add for GMs looking to add international tension to a game. 90%
Basics-You need a ride? Coyotes are specialist smugglers who get people across borders. This supplement covers what to expect when you cross different kinds of borders ranging from the simple guarded gate to countries at war. The book is mostly told through a web post by a professional Coyote near Seattle. Near the end of the book, different example Coyotes are presented. The last section of the book is a complete adventure any GM can run where the players are hired Coyotes.
Fluff/Story- Most of this book is fluff. The book focus on how different border crossings will occur as well as giving runners hints on how to cross these borders. The stories are well written and an interesting read. I enjoyed it. 5/5
Crunch/Mechanics- This is not a numbers book. Make no mistake, the book does give statistics, but this isn't a general spat book for everyone. The book outlines what to expect at different borders and give what defenses the guards will have on hand. I would have liked a few example drawings as some border crossings are referenced, but never shown. The inclusion of the adventure really makes this awesome. 4.5/5
Execution- The book is well laid out. It's a bit expensive for $8 bucks for 30 pages, but I didn't hate reading this. 4/5
Art- The art in this book is pretty good. Some art is recycled from previous stuff which I don't like but most of the referenced characters get their own picture. That makes me happy. I would have liked pictures/maps of a few things, but I do like what I see. 4.5/5
Summary- This is a good book. It's not something everyone at the tables needs, but if you want to be a coyote, this is the book for you. If you are a GM and you want either a quick adventure for the next game, or you want to add tension when most players assume their safe like on a highway between places/adventures, this is an excellent addition to your library. 90%
Time for a double feature review for Shadowrun. Let’s go over two recently released Shadowrun items- 5e GM screen and the latest PDF Coyotes
First the Screen
Product- Shadowrun 5e GM Screen
Producer- Catalyst Game Labs
Price-$20
TL;DR-Great product you need for the new edition 95%
Crunch/Mechanics- The tables you need without the page flipping! I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Now I don’t have to scroll across the whole book to find the one table I need to resolve that one test. The absolute BEST part of these tables is that each one comes with PAGE NUMBERS! If I don’t remember a small detail, now I know exactly where to go to get it. On my side of the screen, it’s a fabulous product I’ve needed for a long time. 5/5
Execution- The front of the screen is a scene from an Ork underground rock concert. Lot’s of metahumanity in one place. Someone is giving the players a finger. Looks beautiful. I want my screen to be lower to I can see the players better and wider so I can fit more behind the screen, but the cardboard is high quality and stands up well with a nice shiny coat for protection. A great job. 4.5/5
Summary- I love this product. It’s well done. I want something a little different, but they didn’t ask me! The price is a bit high, but it’s comparable to all the other GM screens out there. Basically, if you run lots of Shadowrun, you want this product. I wish this was a PDF so I could use it to help my players without tipping my screen to them. 95%
Now, Coyotes
Product- Coyotes
Producer- Catalyst Game Labs
Price- $8
TL;DR- Good add for GMs looking to add international tension to a game. 90%
Basics-You need a ride? Coyotes are specialist smugglers who get people across borders. This supplement covers what to expect when you cross different kinds of borders ranging from the simple guarded gate to countries at war. The book is mostly told through a web post by a professional Coyote near Seattle. Near the end of the book, different example Coyotes are presented. The last section of the book is a complete adventure any GM can run where the players are hired Coyotes.
Fluff/Story- Most of this book is fluff. The book focus on how different border crossings will occur as well as giving runners hints on how to cross these borders. The stories are well written and an interesting read. I enjoyed it. 5/5
Crunch/Mechanics- This is not a numbers book. Make no mistake, the book does give statistics, but this isn't a general spat book for everyone. The book outlines what to expect at different borders and give what defenses the guards will have on hand. I would have liked a few example drawings as some border crossings are referenced, but never shown. The inclusion of the adventure really makes this awesome. 4.5/5
Execution- The book is well laid out. It's a bit expensive for $8 bucks for 30 pages, but I didn't hate reading this. 4/5
Art- The art in this book is pretty good. Some art is recycled from previous stuff which I don't like but most of the referenced characters get their own picture. That makes me happy. I would have liked pictures/maps of a few things, but I do like what I see. 4.5/5
Summary- This is a good book. It's not something everyone at the tables needs, but if you want to be a coyote, this is the book for you. If you are a GM and you want either a quick adventure for the next game, or you want to add tension when most players assume their safe like on a highway between places/adventures, this is an excellent addition to your library. 90%
