| Johnny Favourite | |
| by Measle | |
| Akhronath’s Review | |
Sickening. That’s all I have to say about Johnny Favourite.
Well, no. That’s not all I have to say. It’s a scenario worthy of review. With a solitary point to make, the scenario makes it extremely well. All it manages to do, however, is to make that point. Where it might have been developed into something more, it simply skimmed by.
Its solitary point is to be intensely violent while not plunging the party into any active combat. In this, it succeeds. Following a cohesive (if somewhat artificial) storyline, it tells a chilling story. The story’s unwinding and the climax are smooth and powerful, presented clearly and concisely.
Despite its limited length, the scenario is also highly replayable. I found myself incapable of, after enduring half an hour of loathing, resisting from playing the scenario one more time to find a better ending. There are several possible endings for the scenario, some of them more satisfying than others. Endings so different within the scope of the short adventure are to be applauded.
On the other hand, Johnny Favourite presents a total lack of interesting characters. What few personalities there are seem to be taken straight out of stock modules. Almost every NPC is totally one-dimensional. This might have been excused were the scenario not based entirely on plot, but in this case it is difficult to tolerate. In a sense, none of the people in the scenario were alive for more than an instant. Their snapshots were taken, each one taking on a single meaning. All possible sympathy for victims of a disaster is lost in grotesque, gratuitous violence.
Terrain loses purpose in the scenario. The atmosphere of the swamp, which could have enhanced the emotions of the plotline, is never fleshed out. Much of the world is blank, but not desolate either: simply very empty. The custom graphics do not serve too much purpose, and seem to have been thrown into the mix for the sake of having something new to look at, not for any impact.
Again, this scenario’s purpose is expertly accomplished. If the player is interested in sampling this purpose, or if the designer wishes to see how real violence can be, Johnny Favourite is a must-have. Otherwise, the entire scenario is meaningless, or worse. And that, really, is all I have to say.
Score: 5.0.
— Akhronath