The refractory coating of your Glitter Boy armor shrugs off the laser blasts and you bring your rail-gun to bear, preparing to return the favor to the Juicer who wanted to take a few pot shots at the Cyber-doc you were protecting from some of his less than satisfied cyborg patients. Just as you're about to do that suit of armor some damage, you realize that Juicer's partner isn't just another City Rat, he's a Ley Line Walker and whatever spell it is he's working on probably won't be good for your health. You hail your partner, a six month old dragon hatchling, on the comm-link and hope he can come to the rescue while you're still in one piece.
As the above example shows, Rifts is a mix of fantasy and Cyberpunk-style SF on an Earth shattered by Nuclear War. But after the bombs, the psychic shock generated by millions of dying humans tore open the rifts, holes in space and time that have let demons and other "D-Bees" (Dimensional Beings) through to wander the ravaged Earth. Supposedly coming to the America's rescue is the Coalition, a technocratic city-state led by Carl Prosek, a dictator who takes his cues from Adolph Hitler.
Rich in background and imagination, Rifts allows the player to become a powerful hero, wandering the remnants of America in search of his/her destiny. Unlike many other role playing systems where the rules can be used for any scenario, the background of Rifts is integral, and Palladium plans to continue releasing more details about the world they have created.
(A. Mayer)
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Rifts
Designed by Kevin Siembieda
Palladium Books
