AMP: Year One

From: Third Eye Games

Reviewed by:W. E. Mitchell

AMP: Year One is a new Superhero RPG from Third Eye Games.

Have you ever wanted to tear apart your enemies using twisted powers of unholy science? Does this idea repel your heroic sensibilities? Then Third Eye Games has the RPG setting for you!

From the website:
“The year is 2015 and the world is getting its first taste of super-powered individuals making their presence known all around the globe.”

In the AMP setting superpowers are the result of genetic modification in an attempt to create a super solider back in the early 20th century. These experiments continued for decades without any positive results. Now in the 21rst century the descendants of those original test subjects begin showing wonderful powers. These individuals are said to have Accelerated Mutant Potential, or AMP’s for short. The players build a character who has this AMP. The arrival of these AMP’s has had a huge impact on the world. The chaos and interplay of various factions makes for a setting rife for adventurous and villainous potential.

From the website:
“Powered by the new DGS-Combo system, every roll of the die is packed with excitement. Players can use the easy-to-learn rules to create their own AMP and pick from over 50 unique powers or choose one of more than 20 pregenerated AMPs and jump right into the action.”

Superhero RPG systems tend to be very complicated in order to accommodate the vast array of imaginative powers superheros can have. While not as straight forward as World of Darkness or Cosmic Patrol, AMP:Y1 has a more simplified character creation system.

Each AMP’s powers come from a self-explanatory category called a Strain: Elemental, Bulk, Blaster, Shifter, Mindbender, Shaper, Feral, Traveler, and Psyche. Each of these strains has a short list of associated powers which players spend points to obtain. Mixing and matching is possible, but points are limited. While not as exhaustive as other systems, AMP:Y1 allows a decent amount of customization without the risk of lethal papercuts from flipping through tomes of pages.

As for the actual mechanics of game play, AMP:Y1 uses a variation of the Dynamic Gaming System called DGS Combo. This is a straightforward system that combines two different skills scores and a d20 roll. This number needs to be higher than the difficulty for the task set by the Game Master. These rolls can also be affected by selected powers as well as gifts/disadvantages similar to the World of Darkness system. The system works the same for using super powers. The AMP takes a power and a skill value and then adds them to a d20 roll.

In conclusion,
AMP:Y1 has an interesting setting that allows for a lot of imaginative play. However, this reliance of the rules on the setting makes AMP:Y1 rules a little difficult to use in a different setting. Yet the ease of character creation and the straightforward nature of the gameplay mechanic ensures that it won’t get in the way of the story. This game system is a decent system for fans of superhero RPG’s if not quite as customizable as Mutant and Masterminds.

For more details on Third Eye Games and their new Superhero RPG “AMP: Year One” check them out at their website http://http://thirdeyegames.net/, and at all of your local game stores.

Codex Rating: 11

Product Summary

AMP: Year One

From: Third Eye Games

Type of Game: Superhero RPG

Written by: Eloy Lasanta

Edited by: Carol Darnell

Game Design by: Eloy Lasanta

Layout and Typesetting by by: Eloy Lasanta

Cover Art by: Maxim Lardinois

Additional Art by: Maxim Lardinois and Daniel Oshouki

Number of Pages: 254

Game Components Included: Core Rulebook

Game Components Not Included: Printed Character Sheets, dice

Retail Price: $36.99(US)

Retail Price: $46.82 (Can)

Number of Players: As many or as few as the GM is comfortable running

Player Ages: Varies according to GM preference

Play Time: Varies

Item Number: 3EG601

ISBN: 978-0-9848266-9-8

Email:

eloy AT thirdeyegames DOT net

Website: http://thirdeyegames.net/

Reviewed by:W. E. Mitchell

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About the author

William Mitchell (William)

Aspiring autodidactic raconteur from the wilds of North Carolina in the former Democrat Republic of America. Survivor of mid-Western Winters, South West Summers and the Apocalypse of 2012.