I really like the player-facing sections of this book, but I feel that the lack of setting information, even if the writers intended for each group to make their own setting, really drags it down. For example, the format is that the group is meant to work for an organiation called ORPHEUS, but we have barely any information on it beyond what is provided in a single page adn what context clues can be figured out from the rest of the book. It is really quite frustrating. Otherwise is good.

So I paid full price for this, about $27 CAD, and boy was it ever worth it! I have stumbled upon a variety of KotE fan-remakes for the present day and this is by far the best one. So first I will say that the first half, with the character creation and cool powers are all great, but I think that is less of an achievement then the new Dharmas, like the Ram-Hearted, the new take on the Scorpion-Eaters, as well as the much more gamable feeling descriptions on the classic Dharmas, without removing the interesting parts that made them really stand out. Those are all amazing, you have a ton of great tools to make really cool characters from all over the world.

However what really surprised me was the second half, where the book goes over the various regions of Asia in 1998 as well as the Appendices with NPCs and spirit creation rules. Those blew me away because of how well really interesting and gameable plot hooks were integrated into the descriptions of these regions. I think that hsienfan and co. understood that they didn't really need to go over real world explanations of what each region was (we all have the Internet, after all), so they instead focused on the situations that specifically involved the Night Folk (the term used for various supernaturals in the World of Darkness) and the Hungry Dead in particular. From Hiroshima, where Changelings jealously guard their now dominant position, to a certain very humble American-Chinese restaurant that hides a horrific sleeper, to my favourite: The Jinhae Earth Prison in South Korea where something unspeakable waits in the 108th level basement, these places are all given very interesting and fun scenarios that are ready for your players to interact with! The NPCs are just as good, all of them interesting, with ready-made plot hooks ready to insert into anyone's game!

I very highly recommend this, as someone who has followed hsienfan's RPGnet thread for years, this was absolutely was worth the wait!

I really like the early 2000s webcomic aesthetic married with a quite well-thought out and detailed setting and rules. Clearly a lot of thought and heart went into this game!

A very skillfully made combination of Legend of the Five Rings and Shadowrun, but managing to keep a very distinctive style, world, and mood. I can't wait to see what is in store for the future with this very promising property!

so first things first, this book has a really comedic tone. One that I was ready to roll my eyes at and dismiss. I'm glad I didn't because Boomer somehow walks the very thin line of keeping things funny without it getting obnoxious AND keeping things creepy. Even better, it's actually a really useful and fun guide to generatinf weird fomori monsters and the First Team generator questionnaire is a lot of fun too! Great job!!

I spent a few days reading this book and I came away quite impressed by it. Although there are some small imperfections I noticed, most of them I chalk up to personal preference rather then any actual mistake.

Although I expected this to feel like World of Darkness, it actually has more in common with Call of Cthulhu or a more Lovecraftian Unknown Armies. The basic set-up is that you have experienced a traumatic event related to some kind of supernatural horror, and although that event has left you with long-term scars (psychological and possibly physical) that look into the supernatural world has also left you with a connection to the Things Beyond.

The good news is you get cool powers and the ability to detect the influence of the corruption of cosmic beings seeping into the universe The bad news is those cool powers are traumatic to use and you have the ability to detect the influence of cosmic beings seeping into the universe.

While you are more durable then a standard CoC protagonist, this game is clearly not set up for years-long campaigns. The characters burning out is baked into the mechanics through the very intriguing Midnight Clock, which gives you the ability to advance your character, but also counts down the borrowed time you are living on. It is strangely freeing though, knowing your character is going to die, and that time can be held off if you're careful. It's all up to you if you want your character to burn bright and fast or fade away slowly!

The descriptions of the Dread Beings and the Cults are pretty cool, although I do wish we had more examples of monsters to throw at the players. The templates are helpful of course, and written in detail, but I enjoy a good bestiary.

Anyway, I'm really glad I read this book! Heartily recommended!

This book was so great to read that even if I were to never run or play in a King in Yellow game, it was worth the cost. Some of the scenes were so atmospheric and creative that I had to show my friends just cause they made me so excited. The art was top notch and really added to the mood as well. BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT!

An excellent book that answered questions I didn't know I needed to ask! The only reason it's not a 5-star rating is that there's always room for improvement, and that some of the sections were unclear about which was the default setting assumption in "canon" Ascension.

The chapter on the Tempest feels like it was written by someone who has never actually read Wraith or understands how things like the seperation between the living and dead work. For example, flooding in the real world shouldn't completely flood the Underworld. It's not literally under the living world.