Anyone played this? How is it? What is it the most like RPG-wise? What's the core game play about, and what is the world like?

I have a friend who's quite excited about the game and would like to run it. I'd like to know what to expect if I end up playing. Thanks.

I have never played it so I am basing the following entirely on the tiny thumbnail image of the cover on Wikipedia:

So, apparently, the campaign world is mountains and occasional fog.  There's something going on in the campaign world, but it's behind us, because the sole character class available (Staring Japanese Girl) is looking pretty intently at it out of the cover.  There are no rules for movement, however combat seems the default, as the Staring Japanese Girl class always has a sword drawn.

NPC types include and are limited to Tiny Helmeted Men who get the ability Flank Staring Japanese Girl.  

Knowledge of written Japanese is a must, because Japanese words float above the sole playable classes' head in a sort of textured void; they must be important though since they're up there.

That is my review/overview of Anima: Beyond Fantasy.  I hope you found that helpful.

If I'm not forced to look at the illos for too long I might be okay.

Quote from: Benoist;607259Anyone played this? How is it? What is it the most like RPG-wise? What's the core game play about, and what is the world like?

I like Anima quite a bit, but it is atrociously written by today' standards. I often compare it BESM 3e if it were written in the style of AD&D1e

On the up side, like my DMG for AD&D1e, its a book that I read over and over again and constantly find new fiddly rules to enjoy

If you are prepared to put in effort to learn the rules, they work relatively well in play. The world is a relative straightforward medieval fantasy world, which is initially quite dark and gritty, but has hidden depths that are more OTT and fantastical.

Yeah, BESM 3e written in 1e prose is about right.

Also, you gotta use the various magic systems. The regular physical combat is made of suckage and whiffing, all along a glorious chart! I don't like the whole contesting roll for each and every attack (roll to attack, defender rolls against, if still successful looks up reduction/soak/etc.). And there's umpteen magic systems to use -- very reminiscent of the oft maligned Fantasy Imperium.

Overall, as a player, not a fan. I'd have to own the books and bore through the thing, then let each player twink out their PC build, and then pretty much craft a setting to justify the madness, before I'd get anything out of it. Currently that is not my cup of tea.

But if you like anime, D&D 3e char building, magic wuxia out the yin yang, and the patience to endure much dice rolling... it might just be better than Exalted (sans setting) for you?

Edit: Oh and those Japanese words floating above are just katakana of the same below, in general. It's just an aesthetic thing to make it more, "Japanesque," I guess. You see more (grammatically incorrect) Japanese in L5R.

The core mechanics of the game are very heavily Rolemaster related, streamlined in some places and quirk-ified in others. It is relatively consistent and logical once you get past the initial learning curve (not helped by the awful organization that it also seems to have inherited) and while fully playable from the core book, the supplements tend to provide a lot of additional value.

As for the setting, it has a sort of Rennaissance-ish vibe for the most part, but with more exotic stuff hiding in the shadows. The main macro conflicts in the setting are the recent breakup of the Empire that controlled most of the world, and race by every faction to collect as much ancient technology remaining around from the centuries old ancient empire as they can get their hands on.

Main powers in the setting include the Catholic Church (long story), remains of said Empire, its rebel splinter the Azur Alliance, coalition of nonhuman races surviving out of everyone's sight, a collective of mad scientists with varying degrees of mad, and a megacorporation that trades in magical artifacts and also builds some mechano-zombies on the sides because it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good Necronomicon.

Oh and the whole thing might or might not be Earth in 10,000 years or so. The authors leave it for everyone to decide on their own.

I love talking about Anima so feel free to ask to elaborate about whatever interests you.


Oh and katakana above the title says "Fiat Lux". Latin. In Japanese script.

It sort of sums up the whole game I think

Quote from: Opaopajr;607271Yeah, BESM 3e written in 1e prose is about right.

Wow. I envy you all for knowing the content of BESM 3e. I never even saw that game.
(My love for BESM has cooled down considerably but there was a time when I would have killed for a book of 3e.)

QuoteEdit: Oh and those Japanese words floating above are just katakana of the same below, in general. It's just an aesthetic thing to make it more, "Japanesque," I guess. You see more (grammatically incorrect) Japanese in L5R.

That's perfectly ok.
You see lots of incorrect or meaningless English, German, and French in anime...
("Neon Genesis Evangelion"? "Weiß Kreuz Glühen"? "Le Portrait de Petit Cossette"?)

Heh, got me on my sloppy shorthand. That'd be BESM + D&D 3e + D&D 1e prose.

And yeah, it was only a matter of time before Japanese language mash-up aesthetics ported over to English from otaku/weaboo fandom.

I just hope we don't have to endure the Japanese fad of ridiculous Japanese title lengths of the late 90's to today: "Cyber Troopers Virtual On Oratorio Tangram," "Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 1st Love Typing," "Atelier Violet ~ The Alchemist of Gramnad 2 ~ The Memories of Ultramarine," etc.

Books of Sorcery 4: Roll of Glorious Divininty: Gods & Elementals?

(It is a real book. It comes from, unsurprisingly, White Wolf.)

I'd still say Anima is more Rolemaster than D&D 3. Although they were both obviously inspired by Rolemaster, the execution is somewhat different.

Quote from: Opaopajr;607392And yeah, it was only a matter of time before Japanese language mash-up aesthetics ported over to English from otaku/weaboo fandom.

Offtopic:

Spoiler

I once made this mock-up to give Settembrini seizures...

About the resolution system I agree. It's more percentile and charts. However those magic systems made my eyes glaze over. And the latest thing to do that was D&D 3e Feats and other such fiddly bits. The fiddly during char gen made me immediately think of D&D 3e char op-ing. It was so much that the GM cut out magic completely and it still took like forever.

Hey, how come the cover looks so different now? What ever happened to the previous more pinkish, violet with ribbons and feathers about cover? My friend said he got his as a special (alpha? beta?) edition straight from the lead designer. But I'm wondering how come they opted for this new art? And I can't find that (alpha? beta?) image anywhere on the 'net.

I'd buy that!

edit: Opaopajr, the "feats" in Anima are pretty much literally Talents & Flaws. As for magic systems, it's a huge matter of taste but some people actually like that the "feel" of magic, psionic powers, invocations and ki is different from one another.

Never heard of any beta cover with ribbons although I got into the game pretty late.

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;607405Offtopic:

Spoiler

I once made this mock-up to give Settembrini seizures...

:rotfl:
The space rabbit is a nice touch...

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;607405Offtopic:

Spoiler

I once made this mock-up to give Settembrini seizures...

That is awesome, off to the Traveller SRD with you.

Quote from: Opaopajr;607410The space rabbit is a nice touch...

And so typical of the mascot-loving Japanese. (Paranoia Agent's Maromi, the Mokonas from Tsubasa Reservior Chronicle/xxxHolic/Cardcaptor Sakura, devious Kyubey from Puella Magi Madoka Magica...)

The anime and manga Kämpfer puts a satiric spin on this with its Entrails Animals, plush toys that are notable for having their guts sticking out and names referring to different methods of death: Disemboweled Tiger, Black Seppuku Rabbit, Electrocuted Wildcat, Strangled Stray Dog, Burnt Alive Lion, Hit-and-run Hippopotamus, Exploded Penguin...

Does Anima have mascots?