Rating: 
Summary: Don't bother
Review: As I scanned this book, I could only shake my head. WizardsOTC had the golden opportunity to produce the canonical product to encompass 19th, 20th, and 21st century role-playing. Instead, they gave us orcs with firearms. There are plenty of source-books and games out there that simulate these eras better than d20 Modern - for instance, Call of Cthulhu, Spycraft, even d20 Traveller.It's clear that the designers and developers are out of touch with their audience.
Rating: 
Summary: An okay buy, but still disappointing
Review: The long-awaited (and long-hyped?) d20 Modern is now available, and you might be wondering whether or not this book is for you. That depends on what you are looking for in a game. If you want to drop firearms and heavy explosives into your D&D game, this certainly gives you enough material to do so. The character classes are generic enough to represent almost nay sort of character you can imagine in the setting, although there is such a thing as "too generic." This definitely isn't a jump-in-and-go-at-it game, anyone running it must already have a firm concept in mind for their game before you can even generate characters. I myself am planning to use it to run a game set in the Resident Evil setting, to which this game does an adequate job. The entire thing lacks zest and flavor though, flipping through it doesn't really get me jonesing to play a d20 Modern game. The artwork, while relatively high in quality, lacks direction. It conveys no general theme or mood, other than "here are illustrations for a d20 Modern game." It is, basically, D&D or d20 Star Wars with bells and whistles, given a high-gloss spin to make you shell out [money] for another product. I'm pretty disappointed in the product, since I was expecting this great new sourcebook full of modern material for d20 games. What I got was a slapdash repackaging of older d20 products with a few new classes, skills and feats. Even the combat system, monsters, and weapons aren't much different from Call of Cthulhu, D&D, or Star Wars. Maybe I shouldn't have had high expectations for the game, since it is called "d20 Modern" afer all... if nothing else because the monsters, spells and so forth are, hmmm... what's the word I'm looking for? DIFFERENT, yes that's it, DIFFERENT than those in D&D. But if all you want is D&D for the modern day, this is your bag.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, but could have been better
Review: This book definitely has its place. If one wishes to use more modern d20 supplements like Afghanistan d20, Forbidden Kingdoms, or any of the numerous historical supplements from Avalanche Press, this book will do nicely. The six basic character classes are generic enough to fit in any "realistic" campaign setting, or at least ones more realistic. However, if you are short on funds, you can skip this book for now if you have 3e D&D. WotC forced themselves to have a character class based on each ability score, and it makes you wonder. Does the "Strong Hero" and "Tough Hero" really need to be separate? These two are the classes most meant to fight, yet splitting them just seems likely to hurt the playing experience. The differences between "Smart Hero" and "Dedicated Hero" are also rather similar. The wealth system is also odd; its a compromise that will probably please only a few. The new feats and skills were needed, but the advanced classes (d20 Modern's version of prestige classes) don't offer enough diversity. Still, if you got the money and want to run more realistic campaigns, get it.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Crafted Role-Playing Experiance
Review: I just picked up the book last night and I must say it is very well thought out and a great read. I created a character last night and I just am amazed at the diversity and options given a character. The artwork is very different and may take some getting used to, but I think it is awesome. I love the idea of a Wealth system instead of keeping track of money (I made a character that was able to have a Mansion and a BMW right off the bat) Every object has a DC to purchase and you roll vs. your wealth score. The experiance table is just as abstract of a system and puts an emphisis on survival of obstacles more than just hacking and slashing.
If I could I would rate the book as a whole a 4 1/2 stars because I beleive they could have cut out all of the monster descriptions that were repeated from D&D and gave us more equipment or NPCs which I believe will be difficult for GMs to make since each character is such an individual. Also they could have cut out the campaign info because I am interested in making my own campaign world. But I gave it 5 stars because even though it wasn't perfect it was very well thought out and in my 15 years of GMing experiance I really can't say I've played a game like this. The closest I can say is GURPS, but without the headache of buying abilities with points. Now all they have to do is release a book full of either equipment or NPCs (GM characters) and I will be most satisfyed. WotC if you are listening how about a book called: "Friends and Foes"? I would say this book is a must buy for anyone into RPGs.
Rating:
Summary: definitely modern
Review: Hey, my name is Pete I've been gaming for 15+ years. Only a few really productively though. I've played basic D&D, 2nd ed. Ad&d, and now third edition. I run a bi-weekly third edition game at a gaming store, and Have played GURPS a few times. While my review is based on only a first glance of this material I hope it will help some of you out. For fresh and new gamers the information is very thorough, and this book should cover you completely to play a game. I think the mechanics may be a little harder for veteran gamers to grab onto because of the subtle differences. Many gamers know the D&D rules so well that a lot of calls are reflex and this is just unfamiliar enough to trip them up. The monetary system is very easy to grasp, but a little awkward to try to run. From a role playing perspective. The information is clear and concise giving the characters ample opportunity to flesh out their personality and lifestyle with day-to-day jobs/occupations and plenty of highly specific skills and feats. Once characters are completed everything is really going to have to be on the Game Master to keep the flow and feel fun and believable. For those hoping for sci-fi stuff this book really does draw the line at modern, but I'd wager there'll be plenty of D20 source material out there. Personally I think the current day tech-level is fine, and the book also allows for characters who want to go Archaic with swords etc. I'm getting a little too long-winded so I'll cut this short now, basically the possibilities are endless and I can't wait to play so I can start memorizing the nuances of the rules.
Rating:
Summary: A Recipe for Modern Roleplaying
Review: Take Dungeons and Dragons, add a couple handfuls of modern concepts, add a pinch of Alternity, stir and let sit for nine months. Serves all flavours of cinematic modern roleplaying. I have been following the development of d20 Modern since the beginning of 2002. I saw the many changes that were made over the months. I also heard some of the reasons behind these changes and all these reasons are now justified as I hold the book in my hands. The d20 Modern rules are similar to Dungeon and Dragons, similar enough that it is easy to drop in a creature from the Monster Manual or add a spell to the Mage's spell list from the Player's Handbook. With the many products available from Wizards of the Coast and 3rd party publishers for Dungeons and Dragons this compatibility is definitely a positive one. The layout and art leaps out at you as you thumb through the pages. It conveys the message of action, adventure and heroics in a modern setting. d20 Modern will do to modern day roleplaying what Dungeons and Dragons did to medieval fantasy roleplaying. It will provide hours upon hours of fun and interaction for a group of participants immersed in a story. Be it playing as a soldier infiltrating an enemy base under the cover of night or casting a spell that instantly transports you and your companions to safety away from certain death. d20 Modern allows this to be achieved through consistent and simple mechanics. Awesome!
Rating:
Summary: better than the original?
Review: To be honest, I was exceptional sceptic about this... Oh goody, an other d20 product. My dislike for the d20 is grounded on the fact, that you need something like a nuclear fission bomb to kill a 20 lvl fighter, among other things and the old West End Games) Star Wars was really deadly. Well, no doubt about it... this one has the same appeal. Suddenly, the guy with a holdout blaster can get you into real trouble and that makes gaming so much more interesting.
As the Star Wars Universe expanded after Episode VI was done and gone, so did the Star Wars RPG after WotC baught the rights and relaunched it. The modular system allows for a story-driven appoach to character development without complication and balancing the game is not hard since Jedis are only Twi`Leks, too (or Whookies, Trandoshans, Humans, whatever) and not some overpowered fighting machines.
The layout is great, full colour through and through, which is a rare thing in RPG books, and the rules are easy comprehendable. Furthermore, this is the book you need. That`s it. Oh, sure there are other great books about the Star Wars RPG out there, but to PLAY you only need this. Therefore, a great buy for a Star Was Fan and people who like to become one.
Rating:
Summary: Move over, D&D...
Review: First off, let me say that if you are one of those people who, for some reason, is absolutely rabid about hating the D20 system, or one of those people who just hates Wizards of the Coast, well, that's a pretty narrow view. This is first and foremost a D20 product, and has all the advantages and disadvantages that comes with that. If you can't get past that, you're definitely missing out. Aesthetically, this is one beautiful book. It's full-color throughout, with tons of illustrations and pictures from the movies, most of which are relevant to whatever is discussed on that page. The style is clean, attention-grabbing, easy to read, and most importantly, it catches the spirit of Star Wars. But how does it work, you ask? Very well. Combat is fast and deadly, as it should be. The setting is far more skill-oriented than D&D, which is a welcome change. The universe is huge, and it lends itself to roleplaying and the rulebook takes advantage of that by allowing you to be anyone, go virtually anywhere, and do almost anything. There is no magic, of course, and the way the Force is integrated into the basic fabric of the game is particularly welcome. There are no less than 17 player races and 9 character classes, including two Jedi classes, to choose from. The book gives good advice on character creation and gamemastering. There is an extensive list of personal weaponry, armor, and mundane (yet high-tech) items. There is a vast list of creatures and character archetypes for the PCs to encounter, some friendly, some not. Ever wanted to see if you could be like Obi-Wan and fight the insect-like Acklay in the arena? My money's on the Acklay. There are a few down sides. I don't particularly like the starship combat system. It works, but it could definitely be better. The capital ships are simply ridiculously fragile. When something like a Star Destroyer shows up on the scene, the enemy should scatter; that just doesn't happen here unless you modify the stats (which is what I did). I would have also liked to have seen a more in-depth discussion of Droids as a player character choice. Overall, though, I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you already like Star Wars. And who doesnt?! Try it out; you just might find yourself rushing to put away your sword in favor of a blaster pistol. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Star Wars d20
Review: Great gaming using the Wizards of the Coast D20 rules. If you know thier rules, switching to Star Wars should only take 10-15 minutes. Most stuff from the released movies Episode 1, 2, 4-6 are in this book! Only problem that my group and I see is that the Jedi are too powerfull compared to the rest of the available classes. Why be anything else? We solved the problem by not allowing Jedi as character classes. May the force be with you.
Rating:
Summary: Improves an already great game
Review: This is my favorite RPG to date and I've been playing since the first edition of AD&D. I love the D20 system and I love what they've done with Star Wars. I know Hasbro doesn't make the wisest business decisions these days and have gotten rid of much of the staff that were responsible for this masterpiece but I am still hopeful for the future of the game.
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