At Temple Con ( February 2012), I was lucky enough to join in on a beta game of Clockwork: Empire led by one of the creators, Nathaniel Dean. My friends and I absolutely loved the game and set up another opportunity to play a couple of weeks later at TotalCon.
The available adventure is the first one we played and I would have to say is my favorite. The pre-made characters are interesting and quirky. I would love to play the character I had again, as I was unable to even scratch at the many hidden layers in one adventure.
The story itself was engaging and allowed us to actually play our characters. It had flow and purpose and we weren't simply sent off on wild goose chases to waste time for hours until the "big bad" was finally revealed. (I've experienced this with other games two too many times!) The research and twists on history that have gone into this game provide a game that is also truly a story.
I was unsure if I would enjoy diceless combat, but the card system works so well for both battle and social conflict that I am more than willing to keep my dice comfy in their bag for this game. And believe me, that is saying a lot.
What is social conflict? Clockwork: Empire is not simply a beat up the bad guys RPG. It is a wonderfully intricate, complex storytelling RPG that is surprisingly simple to learn (as the player anyway!). The world is rich and full and the system allows for PCs to guide the story the way they wish. Sometimes this involves serious battles. Other times this involves negotiation, seduction, or heated arguments. While the last three can be fun with the right person, it is not always what you want to see from your gaming group. The cards allow for these social conflicts to take place within the story, without turning your group itself into a bickering battleground.
When we played the second adventure, we never engaged in a single battle. Not one. The entire story was told and resolved through social conflict and we were not bored or wanting to stab someone to "get the show on the road". Again, this is saying a lot. I tend to play impulsive characters because I hate sitting around waiting for people to roll on the nature of the gazebo they've stumbled across. Because of the brilliant game system, we were able to enjoy an entire adventure with only social conflict and we loved it.
If it seems as though I am gushing about this game, it is because I am. Personally, I cannot wait until the full version is released in 2014. I want to play my Idle Hands character again and I want to run a different adventure for my group. Both roles seem exciting to me.
If you like RPGs, storytelling, or steampunk- grab this game now. It is a winner. I love, love, love it.
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