Try Before You Buy – Interface RED Volume 2 (Cyberpunk Red)

April 24, 2023 Linda Whitson Astral Projections, GN Review, Try Before You Buy 0

“Try Before You Buy” is an occasional segment of Astral Projections. It spotlights free or nearly free ($20 and under) supplements, quick-start rules, and modules for various RPGs.

Interface RED Volume 2 is the second of R. Talsorian Games’ (RTG) recent back-to-back releases for Cyberpunk RED. (The other, Black Chrome, I reviewed a few weeks ago.) As of this writing, Interface RED Volume 2 is only available at Drive Thru RPG as PDF, full-color softcover (print on demand), or PDF/softcover bundle, at the first link above. Respectively, they cost US$7, $15, or $18. As of this writing, there’s no word on RTG’s website as to when/if they will offer it in hardcover.

Like  Interface RED Volume 1, most of the content was previously released as free monthly DLCs. (If you haven’t checked those out, they are here.) Plus there’s a bonus chapter of new content, and a checklist of all the books in the line, so your Agent can easily order any book you missed.

This time around, the bonus is “Exotics of 2045,” an in-depth look at the wilder side – literally – of Bodysculpting. Ever seen the antique flatscreen movies about proto-ripperdoc Dr. Frankenfurter and their musical promise, “In just seven days I can make you a man”? Well, Biotechnica – who else? – can make you any real or fantasy critter in 31 days through their Bioexotics® “Zoo camp.” Of course you’ll pay in Eddies and Humanity, although the specialized therapy keeps the latter down. Discounted Humanity costs range from 12 (some fantasy archetypes) to 52 (UrsaForm®/bear). Prices range from 2,100 eb to 11,000eb. At character creation, your share of the “everyone sells their souls” option for additional Eddies can be used to help defray the fees. Edgerunners who don’t want to tangle with Max Tac should be mindful that going to Zoo camp is the only way to get the lesser Humanity loss.

These Exotics have gotten my group’s attention. There’s talk of an all-exotics crew one shot. I told them if it happened I was playing a kitsune (yes, with all the tails!) and the only response I got was a suggestion to re-skin the LupaForm®/dog. Another of my fellow-players suggested a GM might handwave costs, if it was for a new campaign or one-shot. And I think finding out what Biotechnica is getting out of all this, since it isn’t loads of Eddies, would make a great job for a crew.

What DLC is included?

  • Hardened Mooks and Lieutenants. Includes how to tell if your PCs are up for these upgraded NPCs.
  • Night City Weather. Charts to add atmosphere to your game.
  • Jumpstart Kit conversion guide. Use the pre-release set with the final rules.
  • Cargo Containers & Cube Hotels. Example properties and where they are in Night City.
  • Daeric Sylar’s Guide to ELO. Elflines Online.
  • Twelve Days of Gunmas. 2021 holiday weaponry DLC.

I enjoyed Interface RED 2. I think just the Exotics chapter is worth the cost. Plus, as I mentioned in my review of Interface RED 1, having so much of the DLC in one book – now two! – is handy.

The following two tabs change content below.

Linda Whitson

Contributing Writer & Copy Editor at D20 Radio
Linda Whitson is a long-time RPGer, amateur musician & artist, & an officer in the Rebel Legion Star Wars costuming club. Linda met her husband in an AD&D game and they have 2 teenagers, an anime fangirl daughter and a son who plays on his university's quidditch team. She is the Lead Mod of D20 Radio's forums and Copy Editor for the blog. Linda can be reached at GMLinda@d20radio.com

Latest posts by Linda Whitson (see all)