Review & Commentary On Cyclops For The Hostile rpg By Paul Elliot From Zozer Games For Your Old School 2d6 or Cepheus Engine rpg Campaigns

 ""Grind us down. Exploit us. Push us so far... well that's far enough. Now we're taking over. It's our turn to push back."

A supplement for the Hostile RPG and Cepheus Engine.

"Oberman is the corporate governor of this cold desert world, that is low in oxygen. And the miners are revolting – literally. High radiation from UV and the ore they mine has induced genetic mutation. The miners are an underclass that have begun a rebellion…. but Oberman is cracking down."

"The major settlements on Cyclops are located within a 12 km deep asteroid crater, where water, farmland and air exists, supporting colonists and serving as a headquarters for the corporation. Their life is easier than that of the miners on the highlands, but the two worlds are about to clash, and the player characters are going to be caught in the middle."

"This is a play box of setting, locations, main characters, supporting NPCs, toys and other hardware, maps and plot suggestions. Dip in, mix and match, stay alive on a forbidding world!"

Paul Elliot from Zozer games contacted me about Cyclops yesterday & sent me the PdF the same day. Cyclops couldn't come at a better time. We've got our usual Hostile rpg tonight & Cyclops is going to be the main focus. We usuallly use Zozer games product videos as 'player hand outs'. This gets the players up to speed & gives them a thumb nail snap shot of the situation. 

In this case the situation on the desert world of Cyclops is a combination of the Eighties film Hardware & Chronicles of Riddick.Cyclops is the perfect world for a group of bounty dogs & tin badges to take on the miner or the corporate situation under  the corporate governor Oberman. And Cyclops is a harsh world without a doubt. And player's PC's are going to half too watch thier step because every side is going to have to watch thier step. All of the wonderful little traps & tricks that come with a full on corporate colony rebellion are in full swing on Cyclops. And the factions are at each other's throats within this Hostile world supplement book. 

Cyclops is really well laid out and the feel of an old fashioned 70's Western film mixed in with the politics of a classic such as Outlands is something that really jumps out to me as a DM. You've got interesting adventure set pieces, full on political & corporate intrigue, deadly NPC's and a full on & fully fleshed out alien planet within Cyclops. 

The stakes here are high because the profits are incredible so is the danger. 

Players are going to have to bring thier 'A' game here to really know how & why thier supporting the 'right side' of the rebellion. There's also money to be made here on Cyclops & lots of it for PC's. 

While there's lots of A.I. here in Cyclops. This is well done & actually fits the world really well. And it adds volumes to the factions, set up, gear, and the whole general feel of Cyclops as living and breathing setting. The idea of the miners having to contend with mutation & radiation induced genetic  damage to themselves & their kids is both harrowing & bites into the whole feel of the setting book. But is Cyclops worth the four dollars?! 

Sorry, I had to really look hard at the price tag on Cyclops! Four dollars for thirty five pages of well laid out, professional looking, and solidly fonted Hostile setting & adventure booklet all under the banner of a self contained world?! Seriously if you're into the Hostile rpg then your gonna want this book. 

Cyclops is a really complicated world & echoes so many Eighties Science Fiction film tropes. It also echoes other Western tropes as well," The down & out miners vs the greedy miner bosses or owners with thier minions".  Yes, it's a story we've seen a million times on a Saturday afternoon Million dollar movie on cable in the Eighties.
And it's exactly these points that make Cyclops a really well done univeral Cepheus Engine rpg supplement. And Cyclops could easily slot into Independence Games Space Western Setting Earth Sector with little problem. 
The corporate intrigue, the strung out miners, the hostile and dangerous world, it all fits right into Earth Sector so easily.. 

Cyclops itself is unique to say the least. A world with all of the ingrediants for a long haul Hostile or Cepheus Engine campaign. Do yourselves a favor & pick up Cyclops here!