Against the Dead is a fantastic treatment of the zombie apocalypse genre for the d20 system D20 system that features a modular setting, bold comic-book style artwork, and a great variety of options for any gaming group hoping to get the opportunity to waste some undead.
The system is a slight adjustment of the D20 Modern rules that adds a few setting-appropriate mechanics such as scavenging rules and Ration Points (which simulate the difficulty of acquiring food after the collapse of civilization). Fans of the d20 system should have no trouble at all adapting to AtD.
My favorite element of this RPG is the modular setting. There are three stages of zombie outbreak in AtD - Emergence (when zombies first appear), Ascendance (when zombies become commonplace and most of the living are fighting them) and Apocalypse (when zombies are the majority and the living are threatened with extinction). Each of these stages is presented with different character classes, feats, and starting gear for characters, representing the drastically changing world that the undead are forcing upon the living.
No central theme for the zombie outbreak is presented in AtD - the GM can decide, or leave it a mystery. There are many varieties of undead included to help that decision: the standard Romero-style zombie, plague zombies, technological zombies (radioactive, military experiment), arcane zombies (judgment, spellbound, elder evil). The zombie creation section allows the GM to fine-tune his undead hordes to taste.
To top off an already great product, there is a section of tips on creating mood and keeping the story scary and exciting. This is a well-organized, beautifully illustrated, and content rich RPG. If you're looking for a zombie-themed D20 game, consider this one first.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] |