Monday, 27 August 2012

Over the Edge RPG 20th Anniversary Edition

Over the Edge RPG
special 20th Ann. ed.
$75 on Amazon
See also:
Atlas Games direct: $75
Noble Knight $68 +p&p
"...Welcome to Al Amarja, the mysterious Mediterranean island that is home to all that is sinister and bizarre. If it troubles you in your dreams, if it scares you, if you hope it isn't true, you'll find it here. This is the setting of Over the Edge, the roleplaying game of surreal danger..."

Atlas Games are doing a limited print run of 400 hardbacked high quality signed copies of the Over the Edge RPG - the sinister, classically paranoid, RPG game by Jonathon Tweet and Robin D Laws - originally published in 1992 - which is why it's a 20th anniversary edition.   All hail the celebration of time!  Everyone gets to buy everything again!

Strangely enough, I don't remember seeing this game much in the shops but I did randomly buy a CCG card pack of the same franchise, On the Edge - which appeared influenced by the magical (un-)realities of William Burroughs.  Nice art, strange ideas, utterly unplayable. ;)

It was during my dark times in the early 1990s when RPGs in (my jaded, twisted version of) the UK vanished from displays in shops like Games Workshop and Virgin Megastore, and at best were hidden at the back of comic shops.  Or maybe, instead of games shopping, I was trying to focus on not failing my Drama degree (which was in an ancient college, in a field, in Yorkshire, with no cash machine, limited phones and no internet, oh god... make the memories go away...).

Atlas Games product description:
The Over the Edge 20th Anniversary Edition Features:
  • Limited Edition: The printing is of only 400 of this collector's item. The books are individually numbered, and signed by game designer Jonathan Tweet, on an attractive color bookplate.
  • Deluxe Binding: Featuring a dark blue leatherette hardcover with gold foil stamped logo and high-quality smythe sewing.
  • Premium Interior: A NEW 16-page full-color section introduces the book, while the interior is a reprint of the B&W 2nd Edition on premium coated paper stock.
  • Exclusive Extras: The new introduction includes essays by Jonathan Tweet, Robin Laws, Greg Stolze, Keith Baker, and John Nephew. Plus a newly commissioned 2-page full-color map of the island of Al Amarja and quotes from fans.
This Georgian Gentlemen peruses
his collection of special anniversary
role-playing game reprints from
his bestoke-for-the-task built library
(incidentally, he has a whole other
chamber dedicated to the
preservation of rare
polyhedral dice)
This cover reminds me a little of some of Chaosium's special editions.  I sometimes wonder why publishers don't provide glossy dust jackets with the original art - you would then have the option to display the book with or without the dust cover.  Those AD&D reprints partly addressed this with the embossed silvered "homage" art in the centre whilst still retaining the look of something which wouldn't be out of place in an Edwardian gentlemen's personal library.  Naturally, we all want to be Edwardian gentlemen, with plush leather chairs near a fire, within easy reach of shelves lined with brown and wine coloured tomes, with a glass of port in hand... This edition of Over of the Edge is clearly only available to the discerning - with a price to match.  It would be awful if it fell into vulgar hands.

And these copies will be signed!
(I hope Jonathan Tweet has a rubber stamp - 400 copies is a lot of scribble. "Enjoy -J. Tweet" "Don't go mental, Jonathon T." "What no dice? JT" ...)



The Over the Edge RPG 20th Anniversary Edition is $75 on Amazon, and at Atlas Games.  It looks like you might be able to save a few dollars if you buy from  Noble Knight Games: $68 +shipping

"...If it troubles you in your dreams,
... if it scares you, if you hope it isn't true,
... you'll find it here..." 

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