Fate Worlds Volume One Worlds on Fire review

So, if you know anything about me, you know that I am huge lover of the Fate Core system. So, I finally got the books in the mail recently and am posting my review.

Now, there are six settings in the book and I am going to be reviewing them from my least favorite to most favorite.

Saying that, please understand something. It is impossible to love everything the same. Some of the settings are interesting, but just don’t hit my particular niche in gaming. That doesn’t mean they still aren’t really cool (or that I would not play them). I just don’t’ want people to think I did not enjoy all of them…just some more than others. J

Tower of the Serpents by Brennan Taylor

Initially one of the ones I was most excited about, since I am a huge fantasy gamer. It was simple and clean and sets up a small setting with different factions in the city. This is both what I appreciated and was the thing I liked the least about it.

I am not sure if that was intentional (although it does look that way). This is one of the settings that would be the fastest one to start immediately. So, I am torn with it, as part of wish it was more complex, and another part of me appreciates the direct approach.

White Picket Witches by Filamena Young

This is another setting that I have a hard time getting my mind around. I love the setting of Moon Island and the idea behind it. There is a lot of cool stuff that was done to make this really feel like a dramatic tv show.

Not really my niche setting wise for the most part. That is not saying anything bad about this, but it feels like it would be a show on CW. Which can be a lot of fun (as I do want to play it), but not the setting that really tugged at me. I did LOVE the “monster” npc’s they created at the back of it. There was some cool stuff, and the idea of the compel flashback was cool as well.

Fight Fire by Jason Morningstar

Wow, what a unique setting! Of all the settings that came out of the Kickstarter, this was one of the ones I was most interested to read. Mostly due to the outside of the box idea of it.

It did not fail to deliver.

Just the idea of you being part of a firefighting crew is kind of cool. You have to trust each other, but that also doesn’t mean there isn’t some drama available there as well. Also, the rules are on how fire is an active thing are very well done and interesting as hell.

Lastly, Jason did a good job of example fires and even had a nice appendix with a glossary and table to help you on your way. Cool stuff.

Burn Shift by Sarah Newton

There is a lot that makes this unique. It is a post-apocalyptic world that not only deals with mutants, survival and such. But also adds community to the game. This is a cool thing as it allows the player more options in the game. Not only can you play your character, the scope of the game is increased by having potential issues with other communities.

They give you 9 different themes, which is a nice variety for a campaign game in this world. They aren’t anything earth shattering, but they don’t have to be.

The ability to play a mutant, techie, human, and others give a lot of options for character creation. A nice bestiary is included as well.

A lot of options are available here and it looks awesome.

Wild Blue by Brian Engard

The old west+ super powers=awesome. Not sure what else you need to say.

I love the idea of the players being wardens for the Queen. Maybe it is my love of good versus evil, but it just feels right to me. Another great thing is that each power also has a cost. It is a nice balance that can create a lot of cool drama in the game at worst (best) possible time. This is a very easy and cool thing to implement.

Example. Walk on air as if it were solid, but cannot say something that is not true.

You have a kickass power, but it comes at a cost that can be a lot of fun to play with in the game. I love the idea of this and the options are limitless.

There is just enough world information to really dig into if you wish. I love campaign games and I think you could do that pretty easily with this setting. A pleasure to read.

Kriegszeppelin Valkrie by Clark Valentine

Of the twelve settings, I may be the most excited about this one. There is something about being a fighter pilot aboard a zeppelin, hunting down a cyborg bent on world domination. Yep. That is all I need. But there is some cool stuff here. Like the 12 pilots you can choose, half of them are women…and they all seem different.  The nice addition of Hemingway being on the Zeppelin is kind of cool and how fame is used to push the pilots to the limits (which also could mean betrayal, lying, etc).

All of this was very neatly laid out by Clark Valentine. I also like that it had an actual walkthrough on the plot. Yes, you can change it up however you want, but not everyone is good at that. Very easily could slip this into a spirit of the century game as well. I really want to play this one.

Overall

There was not one setting in here I would not play. I obviously like some more than others, but that is how it should be as we are all different. I am really excited to start reading the second book and I will have a review of that as well when I am done.

Awesome.