Night's Black Agents - Initial reaction

It looks really good, on first inspection.  There are some good additions to the rule-set, mainly inspired by other games.  There is now an optional Trust mechanic (Cold City), for instance.  Most abilities grant extra options once they hit 8+; these benefits are called Cherries (Unknown Armies).  The chase and combat rules have been modified for gamers who want to ramp-up the octane in their games.  There are some good options for vampires and plenty of room for a GM to concoct his own.  The game can be run in several modes (much like ToC), from full-on spy action mayhem to low-key John Le Carre type shenanigans.  The core conceit of the game is that the PCs stumble across a vast conspiracy, with vampires (or a vampire) at the top of the pyramid.  The main geographical focus of the game is Europe, which makes for a pleasant change from the glut of US-dominated settings for modern RPGs.

It's an expensive one at £30. Pelgrane have done their usual high-end, glossy production, which always jacks up the RRP.   In this case I believe the actual content is worth the expense.  I believe that Kenneth Hite is a far better designer than Robin Laws and the gulf in quality between NBA and Ashen Stars is noticeably gaping.  There is an adventure in the book, which is designed to be a springboard into a small campaign called The Zalozhniy Quartet.  I haven't bought this, mainly because I already have the foundations of a conspiracy built, complete with notes and ideas about the cities I want to use; Budapest, Berlin, Venice and Barcelona.  However, I think it would be good to play the included scenario as a taster.