Just like Quickstart 1: The Hunt, this opens with an overview of role-playing, the Storytelling ruleset and the concept behind this game - it's intended as a stand-alone product, and there is no need to have read, let alone played, The Hunt unless you want to do so. However if you have, the same setting and characters are used, and it is assumed that the events therein happened to the characters (sufficient background is supplied to give the necessary knowledge if it wasn't played, though) about a year earlier. Some of this comes through the story and some is in the comprehensive backgrounds that come with the character sheets provided.

Now relatively-experienced as monster-hunting cops go, the adventure begins with the characters in mid-surveillance of a suspect in the case on which they are working. Naturally, the normal tedium of routine surveillance is rudely interrupted... and the characters, with heavy personal involvement, are soon swept up in the action - with opportunity for good role-playing as well as activity. There is plenty of detail for the Storyteller (GM) on how to administer the various options available, with notes on which skills can be applied, what die rolls would be appropriate and so on, which gives a comprehensive introduction to the ruleset to a novice Storyteller as well as the necessary specialised resources a more experienced one might need if new to police procedural games. It's not dull, though (yet the notes give ideas for how to keep things going if the players find any particular aspect boring) with opportunities for a vehicle chase and a visit to a dark tunnel where even night vision goggles don't work...

Overall, the adventure is a fine mix of different types of activity. By the time you've finished it, you should know as a group whether Hunter: The Vigil appeals as a concept, and even which aspects of the sort of things you can get involved with work best for you. Action, investigation, interaction, intrigue, horror - it's all there and more. Not only has this the makings of an excellent game, this product is a fine example of how to introduce a new system and let potential players see if it's for them.

Return to Quickstart 2: One Year Later page.

Reviewed: 13 August 2008