Little Wizards (Contes Ensorcelés), by 7ème Cercle (7th Circle), translated by Franck Florentin and Amanda Valentine, and distributed by Crafty Games, is a game of magical adventure in the fictional setting of Coinworld.
Above and beyond everything else, Little Wizards is cute. The premise is that you play a young Wizard of either the Sorcerer or Magician tradition and travel Coinworld having adventures. These generally take the form of seeing and learning new things, meeting new people and making friends, getting into some mostly harmless trouble and generally helping out.
Coinworld itself is a curious place and the name mostly gives it away. This disc-shaped world has two sides, named Heads and Tails; though the sides are mostly unaware of each other. Each of the sides is made of five archipelagos that appear somewhat as reflections of each other. There is even some musing that everything on one side has a counterpart on the other, but it is expressed as theory (though clearly a plot seed in disguise).
The Heads side of Coinworld is full of light and cheerful, while the Tails side is darker and appears a little more dangerous. Don't be fooled, the Tails side just seems that way, underneath the craggy exterior, it is just as fun and welcoming, only in a different way. The various island chains on each side at times operate on their own rules - Coinworld isn't a place where you try and make sense of these things, rather you accept them for what they are.
There aren't any known ways to move between Heads and Tails, which is why the existence of the flip side is largely unknown, but there are some magical effects that can transport a Wizard between them. In fact, that very thing happens in one of the included adventures.
While every Wizard has magic, it isn't the end all, be all of the game. It is encouraged (and mechanically reinforced) to have magic simply be an aid which allows you to do things you couldn't normally, not be a replacement for your creativity and natural talents. Creative problem solving is the most useful tool you can bring to the table in this game.
Each of the traditions is different in how they practice magic and what they can do with it. Sorcerers have magic passed down through their lineage - somewhere there was another Sorcerer in your family, even if it wasn't your parents or grandparents. The unique magic a Sorcerer can gain access to are Alchemy and Divination. Magicians, on the other hand, learn magic the hard way: through training. They can gain access to Conjuring and Shapechaging. Every Wizard has Broom Riding and all can learn Spellcasting.
The system behind Little Wizards is very simple, requiring only 2d6 and applying a modifier (up to a +2, unless you get a little help) compared against a difficulty from 5 to 10. Character creation focuses primarily on describing your character, from their appearance and personality, to their signature feature that really sets them apart and tastes. There are tables for all of these elements to give ideas and provide some guidance if needed.
Beyond your traits and powers, which have bonuses, the most important things to choose are your Wizard Gear. This includes describing your Broom, Hat, Wand and Familiar. Every Wizard has those and they make up an important part of your character, often relating something about them; visual clues to what they like and where they come from. Perhaps your Sorcerer's hat was handed down from a favorite aunt, or your Magician's wand a gift from a mentor?
The exception is the familiar, which is your Wizard's constant friend and companion. Familiars come in every variety of animal out there and you can have any color you want, as long as you want black. That being said, there are obviously some considerations to make for size and being exclusively aquatic. An orca is pretty awesome, but going to limit the kind of adventures you can have quite a bit.
With all of that, what is Little Wizards really good at? There are a couple areas that it really excels in. One is a game for younger players, particularly to introduce them to gaming. There is quite a bit of advice given regarding children as players and the nature of the game encourages teamwork, creativity, building friendships, and generally making good decisions. The lack of any violence whatsoever also plays to this strength a great deal.
Another area where Little Wizards shines is as an introductory game into GMing. The system is simple and emphasizes applying a difficulties with minimal modifiers; there isn't a lot to keep track of. As well, the setting is very light with some strong themes, but very little content to master. This makes it easy to have a place to start, but without the sense that you have to know everything. It seems that can be an easy place for prospective GMs to stall out.
Throughout the book, GMing advice is given and frequently repeated when it is relevant. One of the techniques discuss is failing forward, which is a valuable skill to learn and can have important lessons for younger players: it's not that you failed, but that you learned from your failure. This is built on by the inclusion of three adventures, each building on the previous in both story and complexity. The first is a simple, linear adventure with minimal setting. It focuses on telling the story, setting difficulties and introducing situations where players can explore creative solutions.
In the second adventure, one of the archipelagos is discussed in some detail as the setting. This gives some information regarding world-building. The adventure itself has more interactions and is a little less linear. The players are encouraged to explore their surroundings more and eventually engaging in some adventure.
Finally, the third adventure introduces a more detailed and different setting. There is simply more to learn, but it shows off a great deal more variety in what can be accomplished. The task itself is very open ended and requires learning pacing, as well as multiple avenues to victory.
In the end, this is a fun, lighthearted game that is wonderful for families or any groups with younger players. Even adults that are looking for something cute will find something to like here. Anyone that is interested in, but intimidated by the prospect of becoming a GM can also find some valuable techniques and information here.
Kuro, by 7ème Cercle (7th Circle) and translated and distributed by Cubicle 7, is a game of supernatural horror set in a futuristic Japan.
The year is 2046 and technology has advanced significantly across the world, but particularly in Japan - a place known for always being on the cutting edge. These changes have affected all walks of life, augmented reality is commonplace, as is nanotechnology and biotechnology in many forms. This has created an even greater sense of haves and have nots in an already stratified society - at the top is the Genocracy who have attained functional immortality through technological advances. Below them is everyone else who will often mortgage their future for even the smallest taste of the biomedical implants that a Genocrat has.
Science isn't the only thing that has been changing, the geopolitics of the world have shifted as well. Japan decided to depart the Western world in favor of an Asia-centric view. This alienated their previous Western allies and the new relationship between China and Japan soured in time. A series of diplomatic blunders followed, leaving Japan facing political isolation with no real allies. As simmering regional tensions reached a boil, an massive and untimely earthquake triggered the automatic launch of nuclear weapons against Japan. One malfunctioned before reaching it's intended target. The second performed perfectly and should have struck the archipelago.
Moments before impact, it disappeared in a vast electromagnetic storm that engulfed the entire nation and massive winds whipped through the islands. What is now referred to as the "Kuro Incident" is a complete mystery, but to the outside world watching Japan face a second attack by nuclear weapons it appeared that they possessed a secret missile shield. Part of the fallout from the attack was confusion over the elections that had just been held, leaving no clear government to give a response, not that there was anything to say - the leadership of Japan had no idea what happened.
Fear of a rising Japanese military immune from any strategic reprisals resulted in major powers around the world demanding that Japan share its technology. A rising tide of nationalism and lack of leadership to issue statements and engage in diplomacy caused an escalation in rhetoric from all sides. The end result was an international blockade of Japan. That was six months ago.
The blockade still persists and the aftereffects of the Kuro Incident can still be felt. Blackouts are common and parts of Shin-Edo (renamed from Tokyo) were destroyed during the Incident. New technology has made Japan largely self-sufficient in energy and food, but the effects of the blockade can still be felt and will only get worse as time wears on. There is still no real government in place and the two factions vie with each other for position behind the scenes, waiting for a struggle to begin in earnest.
Those are not the most concerning changes to the island nation. Japan has always been a study in contradictions. New technological developments are embraced, just as old religious traditions are observed. These are ingrained in everyday life, perhaps not even understood. In the shadows of Shin-Edo, things are changing. Strange things are happening, things are being seen, a general awareness is spreading. Something happened during the Kuro Incident, perhaps was starting before it occured, but the kamikaze, the divine wind, has awoken the spirit world.
In Kuro, you take the role of a normal person in Shin-Edo that is going to have some extraordinary encounters. They are unlikely to be pleasant and will only get worse in time. The international blockade has tensions within the city high and the supernatural happenings are only stoking the embers. Technology is pervasive, but it is not necessarily a savior - just another vehicle for things that can go wrong.
The biggest selling point of Kuro is the setting. It is evocative and a fantastic read. There is extensive discussion regarding the new advances and how they have impacted everyday life, how advertisements bombard you constantly, what augmented reality means for someone on the street, developments in communication, etc. As well, Japanese culture is covered, particularly attitudes to the supernatural and society. The districts of Shin-Edo are examined in some detail, enough to give you a sense of what it is about and provide some ideas, but not exhaustive - there is plenty of room for you to make it your own.
Throughout the text, setting examples are provided that you can drop into a game, but also give an indication of the general feel of the game. For example, there are numerous pieces of personal tech and implants presented, but the lists are by no means exhaustive and there is a great deal of space to include your own ideas in these areas. Of particular interest is the occultech. This is the fusion of technology and occult techniques and one of the best takes on the subject available. It helps to drive home some of the important spiritual aspects of the setting and is one of the best takes on this type of thing out there. That is how the entire game is presented - it gives ideas and examples, but your are going to have to fill in the rest on your own. This may be a feature to some, it may be a drawback to others.
There are some small bits of setting weirdness. It is somewhat clear that the authors had an endpoint in mind (isolation of Japan, which works as an amazing backdrop for things to unfold against) and worked backwards from there. Specifically the geopolitics that get there are a little strange and bother me more than the rationally should since they are fundamentally unimportant to the setting. Still, it's there. Similarly is optical data transmission that is pervasive throughout Shin-Edo. It's a little thing, but if it requires line-of-sight, that isn't going to work out in a crowded city. Very small nitpicks and that is, in all seriousness, the entirety of the issues with the setting.
One of the best sections is the GMing advice. The ideas on how to use the game, for one-shots or a campaign, provide some good starting points, but the real magic is how to deal with horror. It is one of the best explanations of the somewhat elusive J-Horror genre that has ever been committed to writing, particularly with regard on how to evoke that one your own. It breaks down the various elements and how to implement them. If you've ever been interested in running a game like that, this reading is highly suggested.
An outline of an adventure is provided which gives a good, general feel for the setting, expectations, how to implement some of the previously given advice. It also drops the underlying metaplot square in your lap and is actually a very good starting place for a campaign. Kuro is the first of two games, the second is Kuro Tensei which takes the supernatural influences to another level. Kuro Tensei isn't supernatural horror, but supernatural action, and the metaplot leads the players in that direction.
What the scenario doesn't do is give you a lot of details. True to the rest of the book, there is a great deal of expectation for the GM to fill in the blanks. Key scenes are presented in general terms, as well as some ideas on how to proceed between them, but you will either have to build everything else extemporaneously or make it your own with some advance planning.
The mechanics are easily the weakest part of the game. They are simple (roll d6 equal to your attribute, add skill) and likely to fall into the background, but there is also little to recommend them. A small cultural note was added, the number "4" is a 0 due to the Japanese superstition regarding the number 4 (it and the word for death are virtual homonyms, leading to a similar, but much more severe treatment like the number 13 in the West). It is a neat, if small reminder of the larger cultural elements in the game.
There is an optional Botch rule presented in the game. Unless your group enjoys having frequent botches (and some do), I cannot stress how much you should avoid this rule. If you roll a majority of 4s in a single roll, it is a Critical Failure. Keep in mind that dice pools are going to range from 1 to 3, which has two effects. For starters, they are going to be extremely common - if a player wants a 3 in something, they are going to have a 1 and that is a lot of botches. Also, having 2 dice, while giving worse results overall, will have less botches than 3 dice because the only way to get a majority on 2 dice is by all of them showing that result, where as for 3 dice only two of them must have that result.
The good news is that system isn't ingrained into the setting and very easy to remove and replace with something else, if that is your preference. Mechanics aren't pervasive, even for most of the equipment, and the game is setting driven.
If you are looking for a very different setting that is dark and compelling, this is a great game to look into. Mechanics aren't a selling point or a detraction either - they are certainly serviceable. The presented setting is amazing and well worth just reading. Cultural details presented can be useful for a variety of games, as with some of the ideas presented. If you have any interest in running a horror scenario, the advice on that is worth looking into as well. If you liked anything that you read here, consider picking this game up.
