Criminal Contact - Dead Ringers

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I'll preface this with some comments then using the star structure I'll justify my ratings before adding some anecdotes at the end. I have played this system twice now: once at a fairly quiet day as a freelance character to get to grips with the system and the second time at a much busier event as the Casino Owner/Arms Dealer role, which is the event listed. I came to this system as a very experienced Airsofter (6 years) but with little LARP experience (had crewed one event previously - Shadow Wars).

Costume/Props: Absolutely cannot fault this at all, the host has an incredible spread of PhysReps for all of the items in the economic system so that it actually works. He also has set-dressing details, spare costume if you need some and even lends out his own Airsoft Weaponry if you don't own your own. This is also rewarded by most of the player really getting into it, and bringing their own high standard of costume and props to the event too.
Role-playing Standard: I've put this at a 3*, but that is in a positive way. The whole experience isn't hugely immersive, it is a game played for fun, for laughs and for a good time. There is no constant need to be a character with a 16-page back-story as each day is discrete. As long as you act (and react!) appropriately, everything will go fine!

Rule System: The rule system is great, it still has a few niggles to iron out, and some of the minutae can be difficult to grasp first time round but the rules are generally comprehensive, did not disrupt the flow of the game or require much assistance or quibbling.
Customer Service: Completely adequate, perhaps a little bit more could be done to break new players in, as it can be very bewildering but other than that, the OOC stuff is well-managed.

Plot/Background: What Criminal Contact does is provides one of the greatest frameworks for a story to naturally evolve from the players during the course of the game. Whilst it may seem hard to give a game with no written plot 4* in this regard, Criminal Contact absolutely fulfills its objective of being a creative environment for players.

With a great number of core roles to choose from and the opportunity to be a free agent or run your gang there are 1000 ways to play Criminal Contact.

Things I've witnessed:
- A farmer with a grudge going overboard with a sniper rifle.
- The Undertaker deciding he wasn't earning enough and therefore committing a massacre.
- The attempted murder of a police officer for his cup of tea.
- The News Reporter getting bored and deciding to create some news...
- Enough guns being sold in 30 minutes to completely shift the balance of power and make the village a warzone.