Masterbook
was WEG's attempt at making a more generic version of the Torg system.
Initially I was very excited about "second edition Torg" but anticipation
turned to disappointment when I finally read it. It wasn't heroic in mechanics,
the PCs weren't larger-than-life and the rules weren't consistent between
the various worldbooks they produced. In short, most of what I loved about
Torg had been taken out.
In 1995
I attempted to do an in-depth review/analysis of Masterbook, though
I'm sure to many people it appeared more like a bitch session about how
I thought the original Torg system was better. I wasn't able to finish
the review, my vitriol ran out before I could even begin ripping into Chapter
Four. But I did manage to churn about more than 100 KB of text concerning
the first three chapters, which is now available for your persusal here on
my website.
Originally
my review was posted over the course of about five months in ten installments,
one for Chapter One, two for Chapter Two and seven for Chapter Three. For
easier reading I've combined and edited the original posts down to three
installments:
Torg, Masterbook, Shatterzone, West End Games, and WEG are trademarks of Purgatory
Publishing. You can find out more about Torg at www.westendgames.com.
page created 10/26/97 , modified 4/11/2000