The Boston Globe newspaper
“Hey, who needs reality all the time? Certainly not members of the New England Roleplaying Organization, who believe that regular doses of fantasy, preferably large and colorful doses, make the pressures of real life a lot more bearable."
"It’s a game with complex rules that blend elements of Robin Hood, classic fantasy fiction such as “Lord of the Rings,” improvisational theatre, the epic of King Arthur, table games like Dungeons & Dragons, a Renaissance fair and maybe a little psychodrama. The game is propelled in unpredictable directions by players ranging in age from 14 to 60 who create and act the roles of assorted fantasy characters such as magicians, princesses, alien creatures, noblemen, dwarfs, gypsy seeresses, knights and warriors.”

Renaissance magazine
“NERO’s emphasis is on character interaction in a well-developed setting, with a single, coherent world background which allows for more player initiative. You can go as far as your imagination and your physical endurance are able to take you.”

Quest magazine
“NERO is a classic and the first American live action roleplaying game to set major trends. NERO has a membership of around 5,000 nationwide and runs events through numerous chapters throughout the country.”

The Christian Science Monitor News Network radio
“Mortals who never set foot on a real stage are playing out a fantasy of medieval life as they would prefer it to be. The action never stops!”

Dragon magazine

NERO basically leaves us alone. No one told us to steal the Dagger of Morganna, nor did anyone follow us around with clipboards and dice. We decided to do this on our own. As long as we follow the rules, we have free will...

In the NERO world, everyone is a player. For an entire weekend, over 300 players fill the town with barons, knights, squires, wizards, thieves, healers, gypsies, merchants and beggars - each with his own personal goals, quests and desires...

NERO games and live-action games like them are certainly the next wave of roleplaying games. A NERO event trusts and depends on the fairness of its players (those who cheat are discovered and kicked out easily enough) and it is unlike any other live-roleplaying game out there.

LARP magazine
“NERO is dedicated to running a game that is as realistic as possible while still being easy to grasp.”

LARP Magazine II

One thing all live action games have in their favor is an immediate emotional thrill; it's hard to really be scared as your character sneaks through the woods while you're just sitting around a table eating potato chips. To actually sneak through the woods and really feel scared, even though you know that you aren't really going to get hurt, is the appeal of the LARP.

NERO was founded in 1989 with the idea that the less seen of dungeon masters and dice the better. Free will is encouraged and nurtured and a policy of "the more the merrier" rules its events.

NERO games (and other games based on the NERO system) are dedicated to trying to portray realism as much as possible while still allowing for character advancement. In NERO, no dice are rolled. If you want to hide in shadows, you have to hide in shadows...

Each player is encouraged to create their own goals and aspirations to encourage as many different plots to be going on all at the same time. Some players want to pass the tests of the Court of Chivalry to become knights, some want to join the thieves' guild and make their fortune that way, some want to become powerful wizards - and there is no one there telling you that you can't. Add to this the myriad other plots that are always going on and it's a guarantee that the only reason for being bored at a NERO event is because you aren't taking advantage of all that is going on around you...

There are people playing NPCs and monsters, but there is absolutely nothing to prevent players from hunting each other, siding with the monsters, or doing anything they want...

This dedication to making the feel of the game as realistic as possible is that final step that other roleplaying games haven't made (or can't make)...

Unlike many other games, NERO strives to present a game that does not reflect the social prejudices of medieval society (or even much of our society for that matter). There are women knights, guild leaders, and fighters who are given the same respect as their male counterparts. The in-game world of NERO has no religion, and discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, race, or other out-of-game factor is not allowed. This does not mean that the characters in a NERO game live in an egalitarian paradise; there are NPCs who discriminate. They are the bad guys...

Brooklyn Bridge magazine
“Although there are no scripts and players have to improvise, the adventurers are guided by plots devised by NERO’s plot committee; these include fighting monsters, solving puzzles, and casting spells.”

d8 magazine
“NERO was founded in 1989 with the idea that the less seen of dungeon masters and dice the better. Free will is encouraged and nurtured and a policy of “the more the merrier” rules its events. Each player is encouraged to create their own goals and aspirations to encourage as many different plots to be going on all at the same time. Some players want to pass the tests of the Court of Chivalry to become knights, some want to join the thieves’ guild and make their fortune that way, some want to become powerful wizards—and there is no one there telling you that you can’t. Add to this the myriad other plots that are always going on and it’s a guarantee that the only reason for being bored at a NERO event is because you aren’t taking advantage of all that is going on around you.”

FW Weekly newspaper
“To the heart of the woods and in the dark of the night they come—chemists, construction workers, and computer programmers—living out a fantasy full of monsters and magic, heroes and villains. Armed with duct tape and foam rubber, they gather to battle monsters, magic spells and the occasional tree stump.”

Metagame magazine
“In many game systems, the way to earn Experience Points is to kill monsters. In fact, some games only allow you to use your real out-of-game skills when fighting. This means that the biggest toughest athletes always get to be the heroes in the game, while those of us who are of a more normal body type end up merely being their followers."

"NERO is a fantasy game which means that (as the slogan goes) you can “Be all that you can’t be.” Your character can learn skills to make him or her a better fighter despite your out-of-game skills (or lack thereof!). So you don’t have to only be a fighter to advance in this truly roleplaying system. In fact, many of the most powerful characters in the NERO game are the merchants, gamblers, and entertainers—and the fact that NERO rewards this sort of playing adds greatly to the atmosphere and feel of the game as a whole.”

Cryptych magazine
At low levels, characters' capabilities and skills tend to be predictable, but the players are free to explore how they use their skills. At higher levels, the distinction between classes becomes blurred, as characters grow in unforseen directions and acquire skills uncommon to their class...
The experience of forty eight hours of constant roleplaying is one not easily conveyed on paper. the live aspect has such far reaching effects that an entire article could be dedicated to analyzing them alone. Tabletop players who are used to knowing their character's percentage chances of hitting with a sword or spell, picking a lock or sneaking up on someone: get ready for reality (sort of)...
While the rules for NERO are simple, the game itself is immeasurably complex, involving political intrigue, the amassing of coin or fame, or the pursuit of just about any agenda you can conceive of...
"There is a saying that NERO that you can't be paranoid since everything is out to get you. This is the last aspect of the game which you have to experience to understand: the intensity. Adrenaline-induced exhilaration, rage, greed and fear (always fear) are not common in tabletop games. A weekend in NERO will keep you on your toes: you may not sleep, you'll run yourself ragged, you won't want to put your sword down to eat, and when it's over you'll be eagerly waiting for the next weekend to do it all again.

Metagame Magazine

NERO was the first major LARP fantasy game to move away from the "module" idea of roleplaying where a marshal follows the players around with a clipboard, directing the action, while everybody else plays the NPCs who then sit around bored when the players aren't around. Under the NERO idea, each player could create their own goals and aspirations and many different plots could be going on all at the same time.

Other groups then came along and did much of the same thing. Some came up with their own versions quite independently (Apparently, the timing was just right for this sort of thing) and some were (and are) blatant "tributes" to the NERO way of doing things...

Most games only run a few times a year, but with NERO, if you have a weekend off, NERO is there for you...

In many game systems, the way to earn Experience Points is to kill monsters. In fact, some games only allow you to use your real out-of-game skills when fighting. This means that the biggest toughest athletes always get to be the best heroes in the game, while those of us who are of a more normal body type end up merely being their followers.

NERO is a fantasy game which means that (as the slogan says) you can "Be all That You Can't Be." Your character can "learn" skills to make him or her a better fighter despite your out-of-game skills (or lack thereof)!

So you don't have to only be a fighter to advance in this truly roleplaying system. In fact, many of the most powerful characters in the NERO game are the merchants, gamblers, and entertainers - and the fact that NERO rewards this sort of playing adds greatly to the atmosphere and feel of the game as a whole...

NERO has chapters all over the United States and Canada, and your character can visit these other chapters, each with their own separate plots, histories, and backgrounds.

Players from other games often complain that they felt like they were merely extras in someone else's story. Character histories in NERO are acted upon and worked into the plot. The Plot Committee approves every module and weekend plot and makes sure that not only do they work well with other plots but they also are logical and fun...

Unlike most other similar games, NERO does not require its players to play monsters and other NPCs. NERO's attitude is that requiring paying customers to work for NERO is like going to McDonald's and being told "You can't buy a hamburger until you come back here and make fries for a few hours." Instead, NERO believes the way to get good NPCs is by giving them good roles, costumes, weapons, armor, makeup, and respect...

Other games may have a lower annual fee but only run a few events per year. With an event every weekend, you definitely get your money's worth with NERO.

Copyright 1998-2011 NERO® LIVE ADVENTURES GAMES, LLC, All Rights Reserved
NERO is the Registered Trademark of NERO® LIVE ADVENTURES GAMES, LLC, USPTO Trademark Registration Number 2,270,409
Use of the NERO® Name, Logo, or NERO Game System© is strictly prohibited.
The NERO® Rule Book© is Copyrighted 1989-2011 by NERO® LIVE ADVENTURES GAMES, LLC, All Rights Reserved.

Renaissance magazine “NERO’s emphasis is on character interaction in a well-developed setting, with a single, coherent world background which allows for more player initiative. You can go as far as your imagination and your physical endurance are able to take you.”