With a strong start to the fourth season of Shadowrun Missions, SRM 04-00 Back In Business is great peek back in time, and sets the stage for the rest of the new season as the Seattle shadows start heating up. In addition to memorable NPCs and contacts, the scenario is great nod to the line’s twenty anniversary and the classic adventures of previous editions.

SRM 04-00 is heavy on combat, with additional some detective and legwork. Fair warning, some of the encounters can be quite dangerous- I recommend GMs give some forethought to scaling, especially with a party of inexperienced players. Additional roleplaying opportunities would have been nice, though gamers seeking this style of play can be easily accommodated by a prepared GM. For a convention setting, players will need to move quickly to finish this adventure within four hours, and for a home game, expect this module to cover at least two evenings- a fair value for the $3.95 price point.

Players knowledgeable in the lore and backstory of the universe will particularly appreciate the adventure, since there are lots of Easter eggs hidden in the 34-page PDF, including some very familiar faces. Newer players won’t necessary be at a disadvantage, but will likely miss some of the subtleties and innuendos. The module sports excellent design, layout and artwork, and fits in well with the style of the latest books. Handouts are especially well done.

GM should plan on re-reading their Seattle Sourcebook while prepping; while the module does a great job of capturing the atmosphere of particular scenes, it up to the GM to fill in the color for the transitions, and showcase the flavor of 2070s Seattle.

Finally, Old vs New / Age vs Youth is a reoccurring theme in this adventure. I suggest GMs play up these aspects, and anticipate adapting accordingly. For example, if the players are in awe of some of the old school heavy hitters, it is easy to play up the inexperienced, disrespectful youth as a counterpoint, outclassed by the skill and wisdom of their elders. On the other hand, drifting the adventure in the opposite direction could mean NPCs are portrayed as faded has-beens, hopelessly behind the curve on the latest tech, style and technique. Even better would be a mixture of both, a hinting question to the PCs asking What’s in store for them in the years to come?