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**For the sake of transparency I'd like to say that both Racoons and Cyberpunk both hold a very special place in my heart. With that said...

You may be reading this comment/review asking yourself, "Is Cybergaze a good game?" To which I would compulsively blurt out that "Good" would be a vast understatement of this feast of crunchy yet simple mechanics that are all blended seamlessly in a strong and cheeky allegorical theme.

The first thing that needs to be said is that the game requires a full six players and will make that worth your time. No one is the GM (though a natural GM may arise as the role shifts between missions) and having an eclectic cast of 'ccoons is an essential part of the story telling. You'll also each be making the world and scenarios collaboratively as you go, something which makes this delightfully low-prep and great for groups that comprise of a lot of creative players (or like my group which is mostly comprised of GMs who pass the baton).

Cybergaze's core mechanic is a simple roll-under system paired with a tracker that makes health management a game unto itself. Stacked on this are a myriad of smaller mechanics that can affect these rolls and a plethora of clocks for tracking their consequences. This along with Victory Points (yes there's a cheeky Victory system in a co-op game, as per the game's theme) and a fairly straight-forward downtime / upgrade system combine to create an amazing Tetris of interconnected mechanics that never feels overwhelming.

What ties all these smaller bits together the best is some phenomenally layed-out Character Sheets and mission trackers. These sheets pop with style and keep everything very manageable.

This is all enhanced by Cybergaze's distinctly dystopian vibes crossed with a layering of 50s silliness and the omnipresence of Raccoons to keep it from getting too dark. My favorite mechanic in the whole book may be the requirement to linger on the trash and filth of the Dump you and your compatriots live in, in sharp contrast to the Mega-Corps' pristine Ultra-Spires™. There's a real sense of melancholy and oppression that the game provokes to undertone its cyber-theft with-mild-fantasy bombast.

All in all, I can't recommend this game enough. It has enough prompts and solid rules to be good for more traditional players, but enough bend and open-endedness to thrive in a group of creative ones...

Also, Raccoons and Cyberpunk?!?! How could a person not love this??