Week 6 Practical: Microlite20 Review

Review on Microlite20

by Edmund Phoon Jian Cheng

 

https://stargazersworld.com/2009/03/05/review-microlite20-purest-essence/

Microlite20 is a classic tabletop role-playing game meant for players who are very interested in this type of genre. Playing as a simpler variant of the d20 system, Microlite20 consists of a brief detailed summary of its predecessor, with the rulebook designed to emphasize on the rules, generation, combat, and level ups in an important aspect that makes the game easier and more flexible to play, without the need to refer to tons of separate rulebooks as opposed to the d20. In other words, players have the freedom to do whatever they want to create their character and perform their own actions during gameplay.

Microlite20: Purest Essence has 3 stats (Strength, Dexterity and Mind), 4 classes (Fighter, Rouge, Mage and Cleric each with their unique special abilities) and 4 races (Human, Dwarf, Elf and Halfling). Each player forms their RGB character through their selection of a class and race, and coming up with the stats determined by the dice roll, accompanied by the physical, subterfuge, knowledge and communication bonus attributes. The players’ characters must also be equipped with weapons, gear, and tools to help them survive in the game. Once the game begins, players get immersed into a fantasy world where they travel, explore worlds and fight monsters in the adventure and its sequences set for them by the game master. Players earn achievements from each success in the outcome of an action determined by the dice roll and may level up their experience and skillsets. Once a quest has ended, players have the choice to continue on with more customised adventures to increase their experiences in the game, at the same time levelling up their skills.

Our team played the ‘Bandit Chief’ campaign as the opening segment and first priority, before we moved on to more custom quests for the variety of twists and options in the plot of the game. Because I bought the necessary resources my rouge character would need for the quests, I was not interested in collecting more gold, hence never falling for the instinct of greed. Instead, I improvise my character’s weapons and skills or cooking food through collection of parts of slain monsters that would benefit my player’s character and his companions (see image 2). There will be competition, fear and aggressiveness in the players (as mostly depicted in my team as we faced hostilities in the form of non-playable characters and enemies during our ‘quests’), depending on the situation provided to them by the game master. Communication is initiated among ourselves as we interact and help in solving problems and clarifying on the rules and actions during gameplay.

Microlite20 is very successful and well-established for an RPG game, known for the less information, images, clear details and spontaneous storytelling it provides for the players, in which the gameplay is never over-complicated with a larger number of rules. Under the RPG genre, Microlite20 enable us to form groups and bond together as we play. With the benefits of the power of freedom to create, improvise and act, along with making relationships, the game is surely a ton of fun to be played and looked upon.