by BradyLS
I finally picked up the new Ystari English edition of the Consulting Detective reprint. I'm scheduled to give the game a play this Friday, but thought I'd share my initial impression that I've saved to my capsule review of the game:I have the Sleuth Publications original Consulting Detective and the first expansion, The Mansion Murders. I remember distinctly playing with one of the authors at a game convention in Chicago in 1982 or '83. On the strength of that one tough play, I bought the game and the first expansion—but could never convince anyone at home to play. Slaying goblins in D&D or sinking third-rates in WS&IM was the order of the day with my group most of the time.
I've been eyeing the Ystari/Asmodee reprint for some time and have finally secured a copy in English. I look forward to giving this unique game a second chance with a new cotorie of players. I'm sure, with games like Tales of the Arabian Nights and Star Trek: the Adventure Game already having traction, I can find someone else to give it a spin. I would play solo, but that just doesn't seem like much fun to me. But I will certainly do that with the new game, if necessary.
The production in this new edition is top-notch, though the syntax for the English edition could have stood another pass with a native speaker. The one clear advantage of the original game over the new: the original made lavish use of the old Sydney Paget Strand magazine illustrations and I quite miss them in the new game, though a new generation of gamers is really not missing anything. Just a touch that gave the original some welcome period feeling. I'll be happy to report on this one again when I have some cases under my belt.