Secrets of Naboo Campaign Pack (Star Wars Roleplaying Game) Review

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(More customer reviews)As the first real supplement for the new Star Wars Role Playing Game from Wizards of the Coast, `Secrets of Naboo' could have had a little more...well, a little more. `Secrets' is a complete misnomer, because it reveals nothing that could be considered unusual or out of the ordinary. In fact there are no secrets revealed that any moderately dyed in the wool Star Wars fan wouldn't already know. The proper title should have read something like `Fodor's Guide to Naboo', because although it is well written, it reads a little like one of the many country guides available in most book stores today.
It briefly covers both species to the planet-the humans and the gungans, but doesn't go into much detail about either. It talked about how when the humans first arrived on Naboo almost four-thousand years ago they went to war with the gungans because of vast differences, but in the end both races come off as being basically they same-both revere nature, but the Naboo build in harmony around it the gungans build in harmony with it. And the highly artistic, refined and intelligent Naboo view the gungans as backwards, primitive screwheads. It does have some Naboo customs, but most involve the Queen (as if she were the only interesting person on the planet), and what it lacks for either species is diet-what kind of foods do they eat, manufactured goods-what stuff do they make, marriage customs, you know, important stuff.
What it does spell out is that the Naboo are influenced strongly off Plato's Republic and Confucianism-children are constantly tested to see where the aptitude lies and they are placed into the profess. It also said that even the lowliest sanitation workers talked about poetry, and then went on to say that there is rising organized crime, and one is given to wonder if Naboo gangsters discuss politics while they break someone's knees. It doesn't really detail any of the cities other than brief mentions, and the maps are such a complete waste of time that might have not bothered with them at all.
Where it is good were portions on the various flora and fauna-including a section on poisons. All of the animal and monster stats were much appreciated as well. Plus the section on the criminal element on the planet was good, but again it could have done with more detail. And excluding the pictures from the film, all of the interior art and maps are basically worthless. But there just isn't enough meat to this source book, and I am pretty sure they could have filled the last 36 pages of a 96 page book with yet another retelling of the invasion of Theed! Come on, they already have a boxed set- that does just that and the Phantom Menace video game, and it really doesn't matter if this adventure is a little more detailed-it has been done already.
Is it worth owning. Tough call, but I'd say that it is. The game information is quite good and it is a genuinely well-written book. Plus, if you're like me and have to have most things Star Wars, then yes, go buy it. I only hope Wizards can stop fixating on the Phantom Menace.

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