Rating: 
Summary: First edition AD&D with some very minor additions
Review: "Hackmaster" originally was a parody of the out-of-print 1st edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons game played by the characters in the comic "Knights of the Dinner Table" (produced by Kenzer and Company). Eventually Kenzer and Company gained the rights to produce official AD&D material.
K&C then decided to produce an actual "Hackmaster" game. Unfortunately 90% of the Player's Handbook is taken verbatim from the old out-of-print first edition AD&D guides or Dragon magazine articles (such as the Cavalier class which is taken word for word from the Dragon article).This isn't a parody of first edition AD&D: It IS AD&D! There are a couple of new races (Grunge Elf, Pixie Fairy) and classes (Dark Knight) but better variations of these have been done before in the Dragon magazine. The biggest fault is that "Hackmaster" in the comic is about a bunch of crazed power-gamers, but "Hackmaster: Players Handbook" keeps all of the information from first edition AD&D about alignment and added a chapter about Honour. If the entire point of Hackmaster is to "hack and slash" why would you keep the honour bound Lawful Good Paladin as a main character choice AND keep the alignment rules?
The only character that actually seems to fit the concept of "Hackmaster" is the Knight Errant who doesn't actually follow the alignment rules in the first place! As such, if you have never played the old AD&D game you might enjoy this. (But it would probably be cheaper to just get the old AD&D editions from a used book store)
If you actually own 1st edition AD&D don't bother with this product.
Rating: 
Summary: The way an RPG should be
Review: Back in the day, an RPG was about fun and the DM ruled the table with an iron fist... Kenzer has brought those days back to life.
The Hackmaster system takes a tried and true AD&D engine and builds upon it with a new (and practical) skill system and a boatload of new and original material.
The game is not a joke! People who read KODT and think this game is just a spoof of the comic game have obviously NOT played it. I've run umpteen hundred games of D&D 3E and despite the mechanics there is always a rule issue or inconsistency that the players will harp on or what not. Hackmaster lets the GM, be the GM and keep the game on track however necessary.
Admittedly, the system can be cumbersome (just as AD&D was) and if you've never played original AD&D 1st or 2nd edition the learning curve can be pretty steep but the end result is well worth it. The game has enough humor built in to keep the sessions enjoyable without being overly 'stupid'.
I would highly recommend Hackmaster to veteran AD&D players who aren't impressed with the new version and for new players looking for a system that supports more colorful role playing.
Rating:
Summary: The way an RPG should be
Review: Back in the day, an RPG was about fun and the DM ruled the table with an iron fist... Kenzer has brought those days back to life.
The Hackmaster system takes a tried and true AD&D engine and builds upon it with a new (and practical) skill system and a boatload of new and original material.
The game is not a joke! People who read KODT and think this game is just a spoof of the comic game have obviously NOT played it. I've run umpteen hundred games of D&D 3E and despite the mechanics there is always a rule issue or inconsistency that the players will harp on or what not. Hackmaster lets the GM, be the GM and keep the game on track however necessary.
Admittedly, the system can be cumbersome (just as AD&D was) and if you've never played original AD&D 1st or 2nd edition the learning curve can be pretty steep but the end result is well worth it. The game has enough humor built in to keep the sessions enjoyable without being overly 'stupid'.
I would highly recommend Hackmaster to veteran AD&D players who aren't impressed with the new version and for new players looking for a system that supports more colorful role playing.
Rating:
Summary: Old School Gamers Galore
Review: For those of you who grew up on Dungeons and Dungeons before Wizards of the Coast took over, have no fear. This game uses basicly the same rules from 1st and 2nd Editions. It takes the classic role playing game and adds so much more. Developed by KenzerCo, the guys who created the comic "Knights of the Dinner Table", it is a game that was developed from the ongoing adventures of a group of players from the comic book. Both vetran and novice players will have a fantastic time playing this game.
Rating:
Summary: Old School Gamers Galore
Review: For those of you who grew up on Dungeons and Dungeons before Wizards of the Coast took over, have no fear. This game uses basicly the same rules from 1st and 2nd Editions. It takes the classic role playing game and adds so much more. Developed by KenzerCo, the guys who created the comic "Knights of the Dinner Table", it is a game that was developed from the ongoing adventures of a group of players from the comic book. Both vetran and novice players will have a fantastic time playing this game.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Fantasy RPG with that 'Old-School' Feel
Review: HackMaster is the fantasy roleplaying game played by BA and friends in the Knights of the Dinner Table comic book and it has been brought wonderfully to life by the designers at Kenzer and Company. HackMaster takes the core of the 1st Edition AD&D game engine (with a dash of 2nd edition) and spices it up with additional rules that you probably always wanted. You get a comprehensive character creation system using build points that includes skills, talents, and quirks/flaws, rules for honor that reward good play and punish poor play, rules for armor damage/penetration and a lot more. It's all wrapped up with a healthy dose of humor and fun. If you long for the days when demi-humans had level limits and a good armor class had a negative sign in front of it then HackMaster is the game for you. And after you have digested the 400 page Player's Handbook, you can pick up the GameMaster's Guide, the multi-volume Hacklopedia of Beasts and an ever-growing number of adventures. So what are you waiting for? Strap on your HackMaster +5 and get hacking - hoody-hoo!
Rating: 
Summary: I want to get it...
Review: I want to get this thing a lot. Part of it is that it seems like fun, also that I'd enjoy seeing some of the stuff in here since it can be converted to 2nd edition etc. My group refuses to play though because I found the field guide and after I mentioned leperosychauns they said that they would not play.
Rating:
Summary: A masterful parody plus a great game to play
Review: If you're reading this, you almost certainly know that HackMaster started out as a fictitious game played by characters in the Knights of the Dinner Table comic, but now it's a reality. It's a game that pokes fun at both people who play role-playing games as well as the people who create the games. And, if you have a tolerance for the excessive silly rules, it's actually a fun game to play. After all, you have never played any other role-playing game using every printed rule, have you? So don't try to do it with HackMaster, and you'll have all sorts of fun. What is the game like? It's a throwback to the older versions of Dungeons and Dragons, the ones known as the 1st and 2nd edition of the AD&D game. Plus a few additional elements are added, like critical hits, fumbles, and so on. In addition, players are expected to play like people did over 20 years ago. No using a game to express teen angst or to help deal with troubling personal issues. No pretending that you're a vampire. No subtle diplomacy. No, in this game you heroically battle powerful evil monsters and take their treasure. If that's what you're looking for in a game, this is the one for you.
Rating:
Summary: TSR meets Kenzer Co.
Review: Miss the old days of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Love reading KODT...Well here you go. The game that puts both of them together. Uses a mix of 1st and 2nd edition AD&D rules (you know, the good ones) and adds in all the details from the KODT and Hackmaster comics. Nothing could be better. Do not let all the charst scare you. Just sit back and have fun. See why the death of a character affects a player so much. Kenzer has even brought the HMPA alive.....
Rating:
Summary: TSR meets Kenzer Co.
Review: Miss the old days of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Love reading KODT...Well here you go. The game that puts both of them together. Uses a mix of 1st and 2nd edition AD&D rules (you know, the good ones) and adds in all the details from the KODT and Hackmaster comics. Nothing could be better. Do not let all the charst scare you. Just sit back and have fun. See why the death of a character affects a player so much. Kenzer has even brought the HMPA alive.....
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