I stumbled across Reve by accident, while mindlessly searching RPG.NOW. Something about this obscure (in the U.S) game caught my attention. I really don't know what it was.

A quick search of RPG.NET lead me to a very "snarky" review (The reviewers name, I don't remember, and honestly it does not matter), complained that the book was just to hard to read, and that the average gamer would toss it aside, because the words were to big.

I have to admit, I did chuckle at the review, but I became obsesed with the game. For a month I toyed with buying a copy, and then finally I did.

First : I have no idea where the reviewer was coming from. The game is not that hard to read, and no, I didd not need a dictionary, despite your claims.

Second: No regrets. I don't know what it is about this game. Maybe it's the "old school" charm, or maybe it's just the style of wrtting, but it's wonderful. It's really to bad it took it so long to come to English speakers (readers?), because I have no doubt this is a classic.

Ask any role-player in France: twenty years after the publication of the first edition of Rêve, everybody knows about it, most have played it, and if they haven chances are they loved it.

Rêve was my game of reference for more than fifteen years, both as a player and a GM. It was my transition from D&D to the larger world of rpgs, and it answered every frustration that that D&D had slowly generated over the years.

Sure, Rêve's system is detailed, but not more so than the recent incarnation of D&D. Plus it's more consistent and intuitive. It's probably more detailed than many systems designed today (and even that remains to be seen when compared to TROS or Burning Wheel) but it does well what it sets out to do.

The gem in Rêve is not its system though, it's the wonderful tone of its meta-setting, a concept that allows you to create wild and detailed campaigns while maintaining a certain atmosphere of wonder and magic that is absent from too many settings.

Rêve is a monument. Now you get the chance to find out why so many French rpg-ers still love this game after all these years...

Okay, here's my disclaimer: because of my long history (twenty-seven years) with DnD I tend to compare everything to DnD. I have played many other games, of course, but I always compare everything to DnD.

With that spelled out, I have to say that I really enjoy Reve. The system plays more fluidly that most other systems I've tried. The genre is not definitely not hack-and-slash, more fantastic than gore driven, which means that any player like me is more likely to have truly new adventures than variations on a theme. For this reason alone the game is worth exploring.

But if you're a hard-core d20 gamer who measures success by the number of kills you've had in a given session is Reve for you? The answer is "no" and "yes:" a perfect fit for the dented-helmet-belching-axe-wielding dwarf that enjoys playing the same scenario over and over, no; a perfect fit for the dented-helmet-belching-axe-wielding dwarf that likes challenges, yes. Be creative in your gaming -- it doesn't hurt after you get used to it...

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this book. There are a few layout and font glitches, but not severe, and the publisher was quite welcoming of feedback. The layout is clean and easy to read, the illustrations are clear and evocative. I would rate this as a B+ to A- effort strictly on the quality of the book design and production. As it happens, it is also a brilliant game.

--
Viktor Haag

You can find my review on RPG.net:

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7898.html

As an update to that review, I'd like to point out here that "Dream Master" has since be replaced by "Dream Keeper." A very good change!

I have been reading and playing Reve for a few months now, and I believe that Reve is an outstanding system. I have been sharing the rules with my gaming group, and they have enjoyed what they have seen. I think that Reve is a wonderful blend of old school RPG's (like Chivalry & Sorcery) with a story and world view that is unique in the role playing community.

This game is fantastic! I discovered it in the original French version a few years ago and since then I stop playing anything else. The background is highly original and the rules are simple and powerful at the same time.

This new English edition contains more material than the French one and updated rules. I strongly suggest this game to any RPG enthusiast.

I've been playing RPGs for 25 years and in all that time there was no game that gave me the lattitude as a player and game master to explore the story as Reve. I started playing Reve 12 years ago (sans english rulebook - that college french suddenly came in awfully handy) and the world simply never stopped drawing me back.

Finally in english, the rules are clean and clear - but there's a subtle complexity to the mix of Reve that gives players the ability to consider their actions by applying their strengths. That open approach to problems makes the characters far more real than any system I've ever played (and believe me, I've played far too many).

As a result - worlds built in Reve tend to be far more richly detailed and far more 'alive'. Even RPG neophytes can pick this game up and enjoy the experience. Once one comprehends the skill vs stat lookup table - and adjusting difficulty based on the issue at hand, the game simply flows from there.