Reality’s Edge

Osprey Games have released the latest in their new range of hardback rules systems, this time focussed upon skirmish level rules for adventures during the classic Cyberpunk setting, complete with mega corporations, dystopian themes and combat from street to hyper reality level. This is a roughly US Letter format rulebook, which has a whopping 320-pages within its hardback covers. When a rulebook has a 6-page content list, some gamers may be instantly put off. However, as the author explains on page 10 and 11, this is not a book to be read and digested all in one sitting. Rather, it is a resource which tries to offer rules, background and explanation regarding pretty much every conceivable aspect of the game. Once you are past page 11, you encounter the first of the background examples, an overview of the game universe which underpins the whole ethos of the game. This is a dark future, not that far away from now, where power is held by mega corporations who vie against each other for resources, sales and money.   By the time you get to page 21, you’ll be pretty much conversant with where your choice of in-game characters belong. The rules really start on page 23, which cover the types of models which may be used, the importance of facing, maximum board size and the use of D10 dice for Opposed and Stat tests. Each figure is an individual member of a team, and has a statline which has a numerical value, which is added to the roll of a D10. The first part of the Turn Sequence is explored, the Activation of the figures each player is using, and the use of Action Points or AP’s to carry out a number of actions, all of which have a certain cost. Although intended for use with two players, there is some advice on how to run games with more, before we get to the realms of the different actions available, their AP point cost and a full explanation of the limits or otherwise of the action. Having grasped the rules for activation and the use of Apps, the rules move fairly rapidly through the basics of Movement, Ranged and Melee Combat, plus the effects of the latter two on the morale of the characters. Like everything so far, the overall layout of the book is very clear, and there are some good textual examples for the main aspects. I would have personally preferred if there had been some diagrams as well, just to aid the level of explanation. Having said that, the explanations of the rules are done very well. The whole ‘battle and results’ system comes together as a relatively easy