Rifts World Book 1: Vampire Kingdoms

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Summary: I feel this was one of Kevins most in depth books to date.
Review: I think that Kevin jumped into this book head first and gave it one heck of a go. When i was first starting to role play, Rifts really attracted my attention. I relish the detail that the Palladium the masters threw into this series of books and have been playing for 6 years. Vampire Kindoms is one of the most in depth books i've seen so far for Rifts. This book comes highly recomended from some one who has been with Kevin ever since the release of the RPG. Bang up job Kevin and all the guys at Palladium. Just one more thing, I need to see more art work from Long.

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Summary: Vampires-Rifts Style
Review: Paladium tackled vamps in an all new way. These critters are the bane of any Rifts campaign! This book was awesome in that it opened the first new area of the Rifts World. If your heroes think they are tough, send them into Mexico. I promise you hours of entertainment!!

Rating:
Summary: A good source book for vampires.
Review: Prsonally I like all the vampire goodies it has in there. As it's a unique and refreshing look at them, and there society.

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Summary: Over the top at times, but really well laid-out
Review: The premise of the Vampire Kingdoms is that with the collapse of human government, vampires thrived in the dry (i.e., no rainstorms to wipe out an unwary undead)wastes of Mexico. Towards the north, near Texas are human cities and outposts like Ciudad Juarez, Tampico, and the anti-vampire crusaders like Doc Reid.

Now, if you had a nation of vampires that are as strong as say, the vampires in Ravenloft or AD&D in general, humanity is going to die. So what Palladium did was weaken vampires considerably from what you would see in other gaming systems (they are basically the same as vampires in Beyond the Supernatural). Therefore, PCs will have a fighting chance. I personally think they may vampires less fearsome, and while I make vampires much less numerous and organized, I make them more personalized and stronger (I yoinked ideas from Ravenloft for this).

Despite my gripes, I really like most of this worldbook. Ciudad Juarez is described in great detail, with loads of information on the gangs, government (often indistinguishable from the latter item), and people of the city. I wish that Rifts Atlantis had a similar eye for detail--Splynn could have been fleshed out better. The technowizard anti-vampire weapons are a particularly good concept.

Now what I really dislike is the often graphic nature of the worldbook. Yes, vampires are gross--never get an undead supplement expecting cheeriness!--but some of the Vampire Kingdoms often have an Auschwitz twist to them (these are one of the aspects of the vampires that I delete for campaigns). Likewise, many of the Reid's Rangers have become hardened and depraved by continued exposure to the undead, which can become a little unsettling. But by making those dark elements in the Rangers, Palladium gives PCs a chance to be heroes who can redeem a noble idea, so perhaps I'm being too pessimistic.

A book is only an outline for a GM--if you are willing to exercise discretion and are not particularly put-off by the book (I wasn't, and I hope I didn't make the few bad points too magnified), this is one of Palladium's best pieces of work.

Rating:
Summary: A better buy would be the South America duo and/or Atlantis.
Review: This book could have been way better! After all it is Kevin Siembieda's first world book. World book Two Atlantis is a MAJOR improvement in writing! The only things in this book I found semi-redeming were: stats for the Vampire, TW anti-vampire weapons, Reid's Rangers, gangs, and travling shows.

The book fleshed out cities more than ENTIRE KINGDOMS in other books! I also think Mr. Siembieda made the vampires WAY to hard to kill by a "normal human"- you have to be a dragon or something! I hope all the G.M.'s out their feel free to modify the Vamps stats, (esp. the wooden stake thru the heart not killing it!)

Like the summary states the South America books+Atlantis have PLENTY of nasty things to throw at your P.C.'s!

All in all the book wasn't great but wasn't bad.

Rating:
Summary: A good source book for vampires.
Review: This book gives the Gamemaster alot of background material, but lacks much technical details and devices to rate 5 stars. Well written to get any gamemaster set up quickly in a Vampire campaign. In all, an excellant quality sourcebook by Seimbieda and his crew.

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Summary: Very Detailed look at Mexico and Vampires
Review: This book gives the Gamemaster alot of background material, but lacks much technical details and devices to rate 5 stars. Well written to get any gamemaster set up quickly in a Vampire campaign. In all, an excellant quality sourcebook by Seimbieda and his crew.

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Summary: Must have on every RPG shelf!
Review: This book was wonderfully written, with great attention to all aspects of Mexico, not just vampires. The monsters and R.C.C.'s were done splendidly. The N.P.C.'s and the organizations have added much juice to my campaign. The information on travelling shows are great when wanting to add that extra spice to an already great RPG.