So, the game the RPGPundit stated as one of the best RPGs released this year, and with it being nominated for the Best Writing category for the Ennies (and the sale associated with said Ennie Nomination), I picked up Two-Fisted Tales and am reading the .pdf version while I wait for my hardcopy to arrive.
 
So far the game seems pretty excellent, with interesting, well designed and simple mechanics. The designer(s?) obviously have a great familiarity and love for their source material(the book even opens up with a multipage history of the Pulp era/genre). The mechanics are some of the most elegant I've seen since the WoD core.
 
Character Creation: Simple, select your template, adjust your template by buying specialties and masteries, shticks and attibute bonuses. It's basically point buy, but by hanging them on the templates they've made it infinitely more simple than GURPS or WoD. In a gritty game, characters have 6 points to play with. My basic estimate is 1 hr. for a group of 5 to be ready to go.
 
As far as character variety, you can easily make characters from Conan to the Shadow to Flash Gordon. The game does great job of providing variety without feeling generic, it always plays close to it's pulp sources whether they are Westerns or Lovecraftian Horror.
 
Mechanics: If your ability rating is higher than your tasks difficulty...you succeed. If not, you fail (you can play cards to make yourself succeed, but you only have a limited number of cards). This is what should resolve most non-combat situations.
 
In combat, or other situations that involve a good amount of chance as well as skill, you use 2d10s. One is your bonus dice, one is you penalty dice. A zero is a zero (not a ten) and if you roll a 9 it explodes. You can also play cards to add to these skill rolls. You take your skill, add your bonus, subtract your penalty, if your roll beats the other guys, you inflict damage (not random) based on your strength/weapon.
 
There's also a more advanced combat scheme if you want more details/mechanics involved.
 
Presentation: Solidly built in black and white (full color cover resembling a cover of a pulp magazine). The writing is concise, and straightforward. No padding and no wasted space. Plenty of examples of the rules in play. Easy to read and it makes you want to quit reading a get out there and play.
 
 
So overall, I think it's a game deserving of it's praise. It's not shiny with production values (like say, a WW game), but it's appealing, solid and invitingly playable. It also contains one of the best GMing sections I've read in a good while. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone trying to invoke a classic pulp-style adventure is the style of Howard (Conan), Lovecraft or Burroughs. This is a RPG that definitely stands apart from all of the small press indy stuff out there by being solidly built, consistent and and evocative of the characters and situations that it aspires for.

Thanks for taking the time to review it, KrakaJak. I'm glad you liked it.

Nice overview, man.  Glad to see I wasn't alone.

Brett... will you/TfT be at/have representation at GenCon this year? I'd like to pick up a copy.

Quote from: Caesar Slaad;226990Brett... will you/TfT be at/have representation at GenCon this year? I'd like to pick up a copy.

I won't be there, but 2FT should be available at the IPR booth. To be honest, if you're in the U.S., it would be cheaper to get it now through the Precis Intermedia web site, since it's on sale.