Inspect Q Manual (James Bond 007 Role-playing Game) Rendered By Victory Games File Paper Edition

you think James Bond after the institutional violence and the personal misogyny and the imperialism and maybe a few other things you probably think about gadgets and guns.
There's the Aston Martin with the ejector seat, there's Bond's famous because odd Walther PPK, there's various gadgets to break into safes that Q always happens to give Bond right before he needs it.


When I was a teen and had a Bond summer, I think it was that conceit that turned me off the franchise the most: bad politics is one thing, but the world bending over to get out of the protagonist's way is quite another.


What you probably don't think of is a Honda Accord, but if you ever need one in a game, this book has stats for you.
And it's not that that inclusion kills the book for me, but I find it paradigmatic of a certain problem I lately have with gear guides which is: who fucking cares about all this

This was definitely a thing in the 's, when RPGs largely went for "simulationist" descriptions of the world, so that nerds could argue about what caliber of gun was best, so maybe at worst I could describe this book as "of its time.
"

And, sure, I could imagine a time when the players grab the nearest car for a chase, and it's a memorable and a fun chase because you're in an Accord and they're in

a Lamborghini Countach, or where it's important and emotionally impactful to realize that the assassin is using this strange gun that you recognize because it's the same odd choice your dad used to make.


But all of these gadgets right now are just floating, untethered from any story or any story seed, Which is actually an issue captured maybe clearest in the chapter that's on the history and personnel of Q Branch, which are these lovingly written up bios and character stats, which includes nice little details like this one guy likes music and often hums while he works.
I'm not being sarcasticI like that detail!, But while all these details may bring the world of James Bond to life for the players, it doesn't really give the GM/player any opening to make this world their own.
An excellent book for thegame system, The complete equipment guide and briefing manual for Q branch, .