Open playtesting kicked off in mid-February for ARC – The Underworld. Prior to that, the game underwent extensive limited playtesting. That early playtesting greatly helped construct the game and its mechanics.
Some impressions and comments:
- Love the setting, it is very atmospheric, it reminds me of the movies from my youth (80, 90) like a Predator movie, but directed by John Carpenter mixed with a little bit of Tom Clancy.
- It has all the seriousness I expect from a James Day tactical game, but with a more playful sci-fi approach, which will allow me to play it with more people.
- Great theme. Sci-fi, but not in space or on another planet.
- Creative/effective combat system. Very quick resolution.
- Excellent weapon modeling.
- … and jump onto a grenade and save my mates (not an optional rule in my book).
- I can customize the equipment before the fight.
- Great scenario replay with the force customization.
- Action card play adds “events” and a great deal of variation to the scenarios.
- Really like the organization of character cards and weapon/support counters.
- It has a campaign mode.
- Can play solo.
- With many possibilities for expansion.
- I can make a homemade deluxe miniature version easily.
- I’m enjoying the serialized series on InsideGMT, and I’m looking forward to the third one.
- It’s one of those games that leaves you with many stories to tell after you’ve finished playing.
Some thoughts on ARC from a playtester:
First off, the game is fun. It can be a challenge from both sides, though, given the asymmetrical nature of the game; it is important that each player understands their side’s strengths and weaknesses.
ARC is perhaps the easier side to understand and play, as it involves the basics of Terran combat techniques for the past 150 years. Firepower, interlocking fields of fire, and coordination of fire – get the point? It’s all about controlling the battlespace with firepower, which is completely in concert with the force structure portrayed: a SpecOps team. Coupled with their unique features, such as Tango and the Tech-guy’s WizToys, it is a formidable opponent.
REZ is an entirely different fish (Lizard ?, Bug ?, critter). The side thrives on close combat, speed, and a certain amount of guile. They have the capability of ranged combat, but the bread & butter threat they
impart is close combat. Each type of REZ character has a distinct role to play, and each character plays its role deadly. Even the lowly Scout armed with a Blade can change the entire game in an instant. And of course, the Wizard skill adds a dimension to a game that throws a very large, very nasty wrench into an ARC player’s plan of action – some of those creatures are so overpowering they suck up all the firepower ARC can throw at them for as long as they remain in the battlespace.
The design does a fine job of modelling modern small arms and a very fine job of creating a set of asymmetrical weapons for REZ; believable, alien, and effective. From the perspective of al life-long gamer (I cut my teeth on Avalon Hill’s Jutland many, many years ago), I look forward to not only this game in print, but also wonder at the possibilities of expansions – placed in other countries (USSR, BRD, UK, Israel, etc.), in other times (WWII, Medieval), heck why not a full-blown Sci-Fi one set on another planet?
Author: James M. Day
