So, yesterday I gathered a few folks and we had our first game of SR6, by playing the Beginner Box.

I'm not going to delve into the editing and proofreading issues, we all know about them by now. Instead I want to stress that despite these issues, we had a LOT of fun.

Contrary to other games, each new edition of SR has always felt like its own beast to me, with its own philosophy if you like. I got bored of SR4 because it felt too much like a power fantasy. I liked SR5 because of its very brutal, deadly combat, even if it came at the cost of somewhat cumbersome additional systems like the limits (your mileage may vary of course, I only speak for myself).

With SR6, I can see the writers have attempted to make the game faster and more streamlined, while encouraging player creativity through the revamped Edge. While we haven't used Edge's new mechanics to their full potential yet (we have to get used to it, and old habits die hard), the most memorable moment from last night's game was when Rude's player used her 5 points of Edge to push the Stuffer Shack's shelves like dominos, burying a couple of gangers below piles of random stuff. I like that it encourages the players to look beyond what's on their character sheet and try some fun/crazy stuff based on the current situation.

The changes to Armor, Initiative, etc. were a bit confusing at first (again, force of habit), but it didn't bother us in the long run.

Okay, one criticism I have as a GM: I'd say the adventure included in the Box is pretty weak, and I had to change a few things to make it work. To be fair I've always found Food Fight, regardless of its incarnation, to not be such a good introductory scenario for Shadowrun anyway, and this time is no exception. But beyond that I really feel it doesn't work for a Beginner Box. I think it would have been better to have a more traditional shadowrun (even a cliché "steal the prototype" kind of scenario), with situations allowing each character to use their special set of skills.

Another comment I need to make about the writing is I feel it is a mistake to write rules in a tongue-in-cheek / streetwise manner. Rules should be as simple, clear and neutral as possible, rather than attempt to be witty (which only makes things confusing). That's my opinion anyway, again YMMV and all that.

By the end of the night, all my players asked me when we would play again, and when they'd be able to create their own characters. Which I take as a strong sign that despite its editorial flaws, SR6 has appeal and potential. It just needed a couple more months in the oven, but hey, c'est la vie, chummers.

In any case, I'm looking forward to play it some more.

There isn't much more for me to add than what has already been said. This title is bad, really, really bad. DO NOT BUY THIS. There are so many mistakes with the rules, and cards, and pregenerated characters that I cannot run this without re-editing the whole thing. I shouldn't have to do that for something I paid for. Catalyst just doesn't give a damn about this IP. Don't support this kind of incompetence. There are better choices for cyberpunk on this site.

Note: We got an early copy of the physical Sixth World Begginer Box, which we've based our review on after a few play-throughs. Note that not all of what we discuss is present in the digital starter kit:

The Shadowrun Sixth World Beginner Box is a boxed set that introduces players to the rules for Shadowrun 6th edition. It's a great introductory set that has all the material you need to get a game started quickly. This includes a 24-page rulebook, a 24 page scenario, four character portfolios, a map of Seatle in the year 2080, scenario maps, a deck of equipment cards (which also includes spells and some NPC stats for the DM), and a set of 12 beautiful custom Shadowrun dice. You'll need a lot of dice, because Shadowrun has always been about three things: futuristic technology, magic, and rolling handfuls of dice--and 6th edition is no different.

A brief word on the world of Shadowrun--the game is set in an alternate future where magic of ancient legend has returned to the world in the early 2000s. The return of magic also brought creatures such as dwarves and elves, and even monsters such as dragons and ghouls into existence. This future is set in and around 2080, in a time when high-tech lasers and cybernetic implants are rather common. This future is a distopian one, with different national boundaries than we know today, and corporations controlling many aspects of daily life. You and your fellow players are shadowrunners--hired mercenaries that end up doing the dirty work for the corporations, often in the form of espionage, kidnapping, computer hacking, robbery, etc. Among the character options are deckers (hackers), a riggers (mechanics), mages, and street samurai (the muscle).

Now, for the quickstart rules. This is a nice 24-page set of simplified rules that give us a taste of what is to come in 6th edition. The quickstart rules don't include much in the way of character creation, but focus more on gameplay. If you're a veteran of the game, you may remember that Shadowrun's basic mechanics have been centered on forming a dice pool and rolling a bunch of dice. This version of Shadowrun, like recent iterations has us building a pool from an ability + skill and rolling a number of dice equal to the total. For example, if your character is attempting to hack into a computer, you would add your character's logic (representing her natural intelligence) and your electronics skill (her knowledge of electronics). You would then take that result and roll that number of dice to determine the effect. Each result of a 5 or 6 is a success, and contributes to the effectiveness of her attempt to hack the computer. Sixth edition places increased importance on the concept of 'edge', a stat that has been used in previous editions to represent the charcter's luck. Characters enter battle with edge points and more can be gained based on circumstance, such as having the high ground on a battlefield. This edition has expanded rules on gaining and using edge, allowing you to spend edge points in different amounts (1-5) to gain increasing bonuses on actions. Lower-end edge effects allow for things like buy a single re-roll or add to the outcome of 1 die. Higher-end edge expenditures let you do things like roll an additional die for each 6 you roll on your initial test, or increase your enemy's chances of having a critical failure. These are just some examples, but this edition really brings edge to the forefront as a major mechanic. At the heart of the game, you're still rolling a ton of dice and anticipating the outcome. Edge now makes that process more exciting, and players seem to enjoy thinking tactically to gain edge in combat. Veteran players will notice other changes to magic, combat, etc. that largely lean toward simplification. As well, there are some editing errors, particularly in the card set that can lead to confusion. It's likely that the core rulebook will clear up the confusion due to editing, and also possible that we'll see expansion on the rules that often aren't present in a starter kit like this.

The adventure book contains a simple scenario called 'Battle Royale', in which the runners find themselves in the middle of a gang war. Without spoiling too much, they'll have to find a way to rescue a high value target from the gangsters and get out safely to collect their reward. Players can choose from 4 character options: Frostburn--ork combat mage, Rude--troll street samurai, Yu-- Elf covert ops specialist, and Zipfile--Dwarf decker. Each character comes with an 8-page folio that contains an overview of the rules, some background and role-playing tips, and some charts for quick reference during the game. This makes it really easy to get started. The box includes a set of cards that have the stats for the equipment and spells that each character has, which also makes for easier reference. The scenario is about 24 pages with a lot of helpful tips for first-time game masters. There's even a map to help players and GM visualize the scene.

Overall, the Shadowrun Sixth World Beginner Box really has everything that you need to get started. First time players can get a game prepared in probably a couple of hours or less. The box retails for about $25, and it's an amazing value considering that a dozen custom Shadowrun dice will probably cost you at least $20. Not to mention the cost of the card set and adventure book. As a veteran Shadowrun player, this has me excited to play and run the game again. Though this boxed set doesn't present the full rules, it gives us a taste, and I like what I'm seeing so far. This preview of the game shows a lot of promise and it I can't wait to pick up the core rulebook when it's available in a few months.

See our full review at GeeksAGogo.com

awesome love the colors love the game! Its broken into bite size pieces that make learning easy. Can't wait for the whole book!

I have to concur with many of the other purchasers, this product is just plain bad and feels like a half-assed attempt to cash in on the new edition. Within moments of looking through the set, any fan of Shadowrun will immediately begin to notice the (often glaring) errors and the truly terrible characters. The only thing that this set accomplishes is to make already existing Shadowrun fans hesitate in transitioning over from the last edition.

The numerous errors and convoluted/contradictory rules provided here do little to entice players to try the new system and the adventure provided within (that should be sparking interest/excitement especially with new players) is lacklustre at best and attempts the barest nod of nostalgia to previous introductory scenarios (Food Fight).

Very Disappointed CGL. Battletech is knocking it out of the park but it seems there is no joy for Shadowrun fans - instead it feels like a grubby cash grab to get in on the Cyberpunk 2077 hype.

As has been mentioned by other reviewers... this is a really poor effort from Catalyst. As someone who loves Battletech and Shadowrun, I'm amazed by how the two games have diverged. BT is in good hands and is producing some of its best content in a long time - from content to editing, etc. Shadowrun is a mess though. This product and what I've seen of 6th edition - after the problems of 5e - I'm done with this game until someone other than Jason Hardy is in charge of it. Please listen to the fans on this one CGL. Your team holds two beloved franchises and you are doing well by one of them (BT) while digging a deeper and deeper hole for Shadowrun.

This is a lousy product. Little meaningful content, lots of errors, poor editing, and not really a good intro to the system when your core book is out in a month (ish).

I regret this ten dollars.

DO NOT BUY THIS! This is not worth your money! If you compare it to the Quick Start Rules for previous editions, there isn't much more meat on the bone - and the Quick Start Rules for 5e and 4e were FREE! The only two things this has going for it are the reference cards (which are full of errors and are missing the backside) and the Seattle Poster Map (a superiour version of which is included within the 5e Seattle Boxed Set). And that Catalyst Game Labs has the AUDACITY to even PRETEND that this product is worth 24.99 $ and was marked down to 9.99 $ is downright REPULSIVE! I've noticed at least another error on one of the character sheets and I'm suspecting that even more will show up upon closer inspection.

TL;DR: This product in it's digital version isn't worth it's asking price and should be free. It is poorly edited, full of errors and is looking far better than it actually is. Avoid buying it at all costs.

I too want my money back. The designers, editors, proofreaders, and everyone else who worked on this project should be ashamed of themselves for having put out such a shoddy product. The booklets, cards, and map are loaded with typos, mistakes, and misinformation. This box is nothing more than slap in the face to the Shadowrun community.

Catalyst, fire your staff and sell the Shadowrun IP to a company that will do the license justice.

I want my money back.

Not judging on the system itself, but on the non existing proof reading, editing and organization that has happened here.

• Files in the zip-file not organized. Would have been an effort of 2 minutes to put numbers in front of each file name. (Pro-Tip: Use number 1 for a "Read this first" file such as the "Instruction sheet")
• Reference cards (at least for spells) have complete nonsense written on them which makes them useless
  • All single target spells marked as "Direct combat spells", all AOE spells as "Indirect combat spells"
  • Complete inaccurate and senseless gibberish written on the reference cards for spells, e.g. flamestrike "Roll Sorcery + Magic and add net hits to target’s Defense Rating and to Body for Damage Resistance tests."

You have this particular card even reprinted in the rulebook where an example of using the rules for indirect spell totally disregards this nonsense written on the card.

Have not even checked for further faults in the documents, as I'm totally disgusted by the lack of effort for any proofreading.

CGL shows total disrespect to fans and customers for (again) putting half-finished waste on the market