Rating: 
Summary: A great game system
Review: "GURPS" is a very well thought out and balanced system; it is fairly easy to play any type of character you could think of. Not many systems have the flexibility of this one; you can play in a world where magic dominates or in a world where technology is the driving force or whatever you feel like... and all this using the same set of rules. If you want a game system that is easy to use and very flexible, "GURPS" is the RPG for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Roleplaying for Nit-Pickers
Review: This is a reasonably good roleplaying system. However, it has its short comings. On the good side, it is very flexible, and manages to do a reasonble job at repressenting most traditional and novel literary genera in roleplaying terms. It seems to work especially well with science-fiction. Creating "cross-over" adventures is also easy. Its character creation system also allows characters to be created in great detail while maintaining game balance between characters. The character system is, in my opinion, the greatest strength GURPS has -- it allows for very interresting and unique characters, perhaps the most interresting characters I've seen without sacrificing game balance with un paid for advantanges. Adventing novel campaigns and setting is also well supported. On the down side, much of the rules get bogged down in details and nit-picking. To GURPS's deffence, most of these are optional, and the game can be played in fairly simple way. However, the book is designed in such a way as to imply all these rules are expected to be used in most campaigns. It is easy to get caught up in nitty-gritty details, rule-lawyering, and specifying critical everything -- while the game crawls by with its one second combat rounds. GURPS thus gets an A+ in realism at the expence of a C- or D in drama. Also, though SJG claims the contrary, the linear ability and skill system become a problem in high-power campaigns (superheroes are supported, but this is not the best system for them). Also, game balance becomes shaky when very different genera are mixed. If you like obsessing over believability and accuracy, this is the game for you. If you just want one, simple system for many genera and with a lot of resourse available, this is pretty good. If you want speed and ease of play, with a dramatic focus, this is probably not the game for you.
Rating:
Summary: Great for Beginners to Expert Role Players
Review: Generic Universal Role Playing System (GURPS) has to be one of the most customizable Role Playing Games out there. There is no distinct class or race criteria to be followed. Any skill can be chosen for any character, and any character can use any weapon. If you enjoy Dungeons and Dragons, you will be hooked on GURPS from the first time. All of my role playing friends have switched over to the GURPS system. Once you realize the freedom and ease of GURPS, you won't go back. And you don't have to by 6 types of dice, just use 6 sided. In all, GURPS is good for anyone who likes role plaing!
Rating:
Summary: GURPS is the best role-playing system available
Review: Generic Universal Role Playing System truly is what the title says. It covers everything and still is manageable, clear and easy to learn. This system fits to most of the peaple as you can adjust the complexity of the rules. It can be very realistic, or very easy, or both. The heart of the GURPS is it's character creation system, which is most flexible of the ones I have seen. It encourages good roleplaying as it is easy to create characters that have their unique features - not just cathegorized achitypes as in some other games. As you probably have some favourite game-system already, you do not necessarily believe me. If so, download mini-version of the GURPS, read it and then you believe me. And buy the book. Mini version of GURPS and more information about it can be found in
Rating:
Summary: Best Over-All RPG System I've seen
Review: GURPS is a sure bet for anyone interested in Roleplaying games. It is easy to get started, but there is also alot of depth to the system. One of the great things is; it's simple... easy and alot of fun. There are tons of accesory books to spend bucks on.... but it's all optional. You can easily just get this book and be fine! Highly Recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Before "D20" there was GURPS
Review: GURPS is an unbelievably adaptable set of role-playing game rules. "GURPS: Basic" is a book of the core rules which are used by a massive number of other GURPS books. Whether you want to play modern day intensely realistic spy adventures, wild futuristic space opera, heroic sword and sorcery fantasy, four-color super heroes, tales from the Wild West, or anything in between, GURPS will let you do it. GURPS features one of the most flexible, open ended character generation systems ever developed. Yet despite its universal adaptability, it's still easy to learn to play and run. The basics of GURPS can be explained in about 15 minutes. There's even a "GURPS: Lite" available =free= online that has an even simpler version of the basic system. The entire system lets you design and build whatever and whenever and whomever you want. There are no classes or levels - you create exactly the type of character you want. You use character points to decide what you want to build. The only limitation is in how many points you want to spend. GURPS uses only standard six-sided dice that anyone can get almost anywhere. What's even better, you only need three to play. You roll three dice to hit - if you roll low, you generally hit, and if you roll high, you generally miss. What could be simpler? Then, to add to your enjoyment of your new RPG system, GURPS Worldbooks are something that describes a specific universe to adventure in, such as "GURPS: Discworld" or "GURPS: Lensmen". GURPS Sourcebooks are something that helps you build a specific genre, such as "GURPS: Old West", "GURPS: Fantasy", or "GURPS: Space". There are enough Worldbooks and Sourcebooks for GURPS for anyone to build just about any universe their hearts desire, and, what's even better, you only buy what you need. Not planning a fantasy adventure? Then you won't need "GURPS: Fantasy". Not adventuring in the Final Frontier? Don't buy a copy of "GURPS: Space". Hate Super Hero campaigns? Forget the "GURPS: Supers" book. But if you do need additional background material, it's there. Many of the Sourcebooks have a related Worldbook. For example, the recently released "GURPS: Castle Falkenstein" already has a world building supplement - "GURPS: Castle Falkenstein: The Ottoman Empire". Even more player and game master support is available online thru the "Pyramid" newsletter - which also covers other gaming systems besides GURPS. Steve Jackson Games continues to licence popular games and worlds for use in their system, including the currently available "GURPS: Traveller", (based on Marc Miller's original game) which already has many supplements, "GURPS: Myth" (based on the popular computer game), "GURPS: Alpha Centauri" (another computer game to RPG conversion), GURPS: Planet Krishna (based on some of L Sprague DeCamp's SF books), "GURPS: New Sun" (based on Gene Wolfe's SF series), and others are coming. Older books have covered such diverse material as Philip Jose Farmer's "Riverworld", and White Wolf's very popular "Vampire", "Werewolf", and "Mage". Other companies are jumping on the bandwagon. The "Powered By GURPS" line started with a new game from Steve Jackson Games called "Transhuman Space". Eden Studios released a GURPS version of their popular "Conspiracy X" game. Amarillo Design Bureau has satisfied one of my dreams by using GURPS for RPG's set in their "Star Fleet Battles" universe (which basically gives us "GURPS: Star Trek") and is promising more role-playing supplements for the Final Frontier. Steve Jackson Games currently makes over 150 different supplements for GURPS, and over 70 of those are currently in print, making it one of the most comprehensive sets of rules for role-playing available. GURPS has my highest recommendation for anyone interested in trying a system that has the flexibility of the new "D20" rules, and yet has been out longer and has a wider range of possibilities. I've been playing RPG's and game mastering for over 20 years and there's no system I've ever been more fond of, and I've used virtually all of them. Try it. You will not be disappointed. GURPS is truly the "Generic Universal Role Playing System".
Rating:
Summary: Before "D20" there was GURPS
Review: GURPS is an unbelievably adaptable set of role-playing game rules. "GURPS: Basic" is a book of the core rules which are used by a massive number of other GURPS books. Whether you want to play modern day intensely realistic spy adventures, wild futuristic space opera, heroic sword and sorcery fantasy, four-color super heroes, tales from the Wild West, or anything in between, GURPS will let you do it. GURPS features one of the most flexible, open ended character generation systems ever developed. Yet despite its universal adaptability, it's still easy to learn to play and run. The basics of GURPS can be explained in about 15 minutes. There's even a "GURPS: Lite" available =free= online that has an even simpler version of the basic system. The entire system lets you design and build whatever and whenever and whomever you want. There are no classes or levels - you create exactly the type of character you want. You use character points to decide what you want to build. The only limitation is in how many points you want to spend. GURPS uses only standard six-sided dice that anyone can get almost anywhere. What's even better, you only need three to play. You roll three dice to hit - if you roll low, you generally hit, and if you roll high, you generally miss. What could be simpler? Then, to add to your enjoyment of your new RPG system, GURPS Worldbooks are something that describes a specific universe to adventure in, such as "GURPS: Discworld" or "GURPS: Lensmen". GURPS Sourcebooks are something that helps you build a specific genre, such as "GURPS: Old West", "GURPS: Fantasy", or "GURPS: Space". There are enough Worldbooks and Sourcebooks for GURPS for anyone to build just about any universe their hearts desire, and, what's even better, you only buy what you need. Not planning a fantasy adventure? Then you won't need "GURPS: Fantasy". Not adventuring in the Final Frontier? Don't buy a copy of "GURPS: Space". Hate Super Hero campaigns? Forget the "GURPS: Supers" book. But if you do need additional background material, it's there. Many of the Sourcebooks have a related Worldbook. For example, the recently released "GURPS: Castle Falkenstein" already has a world building supplement - "GURPS: Castle Falkenstein: The Ottoman Empire". Even more player and game master support is available online thru the "Pyramid" newsletter - which also covers other gaming systems besides GURPS. Steve Jackson Games continues to licence popular games and worlds for use in their system, including the currently available "GURPS: Traveller", (based on Marc Miller's original game) which already has many supplements, "GURPS: Myth" (based on the popular computer game), "GURPS: Alpha Centauri" (another computer game to RPG conversion), GURPS: Planet Krishna (based on some of L Sprague DeCamp's SF books), "GURPS: New Sun" (based on Gene Wolfe's SF series), and others are coming. Older books have covered such diverse material as Philip Jose Farmer's "Riverworld", and White Wolf's very popular "Vampire", "Werewolf", and "Mage". Other companies are jumping on the bandwagon. The "Powered By GURPS" line started with a new game from Steve Jackson Games called "Transhuman Space". Eden Studios released a GURPS version of their popular "Conspiracy X" game. Amarillo Design Bureau has satisfied one of my dreams by using GURPS for RPG's set in their "Star Fleet Battles" universe (which basically gives us "GURPS: Star Trek") and is promising more role-playing supplements for the Final Frontier. Steve Jackson Games currently makes over 150 different supplements for GURPS, and over 70 of those are currently in print, making it one of the most comprehensive sets of rules for role-playing available. GURPS has my highest recommendation for anyone interested in trying a system that has the flexibility of the new "D20" rules, and yet has been out longer and has a wider range of possibilities. I've been playing RPG's and game mastering for over 20 years and there's no system I've ever been more fond of, and I've used virtually all of them. Try it. You will not be disappointed. GURPS is truly the "Generic Universal Role Playing System".
Rating:
Summary: An excellent system in any game where humans are the norm.
Review: GURPS is one of the finest role playing systems i have yet used. It wins my selection as best roleplaying system for low-fantasy, historic, and modern genre stories. GURPS lets a player design a character that really resembles what they want. The core rules elegantly describe most things a person would think to do. An excelent balance is struck between realism and simplicity. On the downside, GURPS begins to break down when humanity is not the norm within the stories you wish to tell. In the copious library of GURPs suppliments, designers seem to have wildly different ideas of how to deal with super-human and alien abilities in a character. For such settings, Champions/the Hero System often works better, in my experiece. GURPs, by virtue of its richly detailed character creation system, is also a poor choice of systems for genres where Life Is Cheap. Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu and R.Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 pull off that genre element with much more panache.
Rating:
Summary: The best RPG system for all time.
Review: GURPS is the final evolution in roleplaying games. The system offers realism and flexibility with a smooth flow of play. The character generation mechanics (the heart of any rpg) are the best of any game I have ever seen. The GURPS world source books are extremely well researched and provide a strong foundation of support for campaigns of any kind.
Rating:
Summary: What I've always wanted...
Review: GURPS is the game I've always wanted. Every time I open the book I like it more and more. The group I game with has more than 80 years of collective gaming experience, and we all agree. Gurps is by far the most flexible gaming system available. The combat system is frighteningly lethal, but extremely realistic. Some aspects of the game SEEM complex initialy, but in reality are very simple. GURPS is the one game system I own that I honestly DO NOT need to shell out more money for extra books. The top advantage of GURPS though, is balance. Every character starts equal. So called "Power Characters" are non existant.
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