Shadowrun 2nd Edition was my first introduction to the game system. I loved it! There were elements of that world, including the resurgence of magic and the reintroduction of "meta-humans" (orks, trolls, elves, dwarves) that really piqued my interest, coming from AD&D.

The system itself is very good for fast-paced action, but not that great for the parts that I really wanted it to be good at: the technology aspects like riggers (drone drivers) and deckers (future hackers). The tech problems a More...

Oh my, I remember the cyber-future of 1992. It was all dark and cynical. The Japanese were going to rule the world. All the computers and the people were going to be connected with physical wires. The worldwide network of computers was called the Matrix; you fought virtually in the Grid. Not to mention the big, big hair.

Well, I enjoyed playing it, anyhow.

After Rolemaster, the game that defined my weekends as a teenager. To this day I love the premise, the world, the dark, gritty blend of fantasy and near-future sci-fi that works so much better than it seems it should. System wise, I still feel that the 2nd edition magic system is one of the best ever. Its loose, free-form, and alows the user to amplify power on a near unlimited level, at a high cost of risk and possible death. And of course the net-running rules are quick and intuitive as well. More...

Best Futuristic game on the market!

Despite my fears that mixing fantasy with cyberpunk would create a mess, I found that I liked this game more than R. Talsorian's original Cyberpunk RPG. The thought and consistent details put into the setting really worked well to create a vibrant and evocative world. I was never really able to get a handle on the setting, though, which always seemed overly complex to me.