'Zine Review: Tales From The GAME TAVERN Halloween Issue 2015

I've never reviewed a 'zine so this will be a first.

I haven't really dealt with gaming 'zines since before the Internet was graphical. Certainly I've checked out more mainstream forays like Dragon and Gygax.

I can't accurately describe my excitement when this arrived in the mail so quickly from the States. It was inexpensive. It arrived promptly. It was attuned to the upcoming festivities.

First impressions were solid. The cover was immaculately laid out in a simple but elegant format. The art was pleasing to the eyes and the title stood out. I loved the bright orange background.

Flipping through it I felt some tugs on this old gaming passion I've had for decades. The layout felt professional to me and yet kept a rustic indie feel. 

I was still in the parking lot by the post office as I started reading it, unable to wait to get home a mere 15 seconds away. 

Every section had something I could add to my games. 

Currently I'm running Lejendary Adventure and while Game Tavern seems directed at OSRIC style games, there would be very little in the way of work to utilize the resources here for any system. It's the old guard feel that's attractive. 

The prize in all 'zines for me is the scenario and this one looks fun. It's not overly fleshed out but has all the pertinent work done for you like the contents in a room. When you decide to roll for encounters is up to you. There is some depth in the ideas presented for longer play as well. It rides that middle road between sandbox and railroad giving you plot and structure along with freedom. 

One of the highlights is the inclusion of a simple punny recipe. I hope future issues continue this trend!

I'm not going to rehash the content as other reviewers have done a fine job. I'll just say that this 'zine has some great potential and if nothing else happens, this issue is well worth picking up for any gamer. 

A+
Get a dead tree copy at Utanya or a PDF at RPGNow.