Adam ALWAYS takes this directive. It is that good. Sadly, nobody import it in their deck. Especially now that Docklands Pass is easily available for one influence less, 2 more and an hardware. Maybe Zahya Sadeghi: Versatile Smuggler could use Neutralize All Threats to make a cool 3 when breaching HQ (by a direct run or with Sneakdoor Beta). Otherwise, it is simply not worth it.

With this directive, Adam can control HQ from the start of the game, making Adam a very aggressive runner.

Of course, this pairs well with Sneakdoor Beta, especially since this is a "whenever" ability. Allowing you to (probably) see the whole of HQ in one turn, if you run about three times with Sneakdoor Beta or directly.

The art is nice but I fail to see the relation with neutralizing threats or accessing more cards. At least the name relate to the effect of the card. The quote gives us a good bit of lore about bioroids. Good enough for me.

Even at one influence, this resource is pretty much never imported out of faction. And almost never used in faction. Is that normal?

The idea of this card is to allow Adam: Compulsive Hacker to blank one of their directive, most probably Always Be Running. So, it is good for that reason. But all this card do is actually mitigate a self imposed disadvantage. Considering that you would have built you deck around the direction that you planned to use (in this example, it would be Always Be Running) then your need for such a card is not great.

Other uses cases are to blank a card on the board that you do want to be activated. Here are some card that could benefit from this.

• Earthrise Hotel, when you don't want the additional draw for a turn, because you need it in a different turn.
• Time Bomb, because you want the sabotage to be at the same time as a different action that you are preparing (for example, Chastushka).
• Clot, to preserve it from getting trashed by a purge (but then it does nothing).
• Any AI breaker, to not get a tag from IP Block (but not being able to use the breaker).
• Companions (Paladin Poemu, Mystic Maemi, Fencer Fueno and Trickster Taka) because they are at 3 and you don't want to lose them.
• Dadiana Chacon, to prevent the damage when you think you'll go to 0 that turn.
• Lewi Guilherme, to no pay for it for a turn.

While there are some possible benefits, taking a card slow and having to pay 2 (and one influence) it just not worth it for the vast majority of decks.

The art, quote, name and lore is just plain amazing. It is kind of sad that it is for such a weak card. Still, very good design.

This is at the same time the most fun directive, the most dangerous directive, the most restrictive directive, the most aggressive directive and the least imported directive of all the directives that Adam has.

With it, in the early stage of the game, you can pressure ANY server since you are certain to be able pass most of them for (nearly) free. Of course, paying 2 to break the ice will leave you with a single to setup. And you must run on your first click.

In the Q2 2023 meta, you can alleviate this with Algernon, Jak Sinclair, Basilar Synthgland 2KVJ and Beth Kilrain-Chang, which can give you additionnal clicks.

Also, you can use Poison Vial to be able to fully break any ice with Always Be Running.

When the meta is full of rush decks, this is invaluable! With it, you can pressure early and steal those agendas before the corp has any time to setup.

But against slower corp, which often have a high agenda density, you can get in big trouble. Especially if the corp has put heavy ices everywhere and you cannot break those ices.

While the art is amazing, unfortunately it does not convey the fealing of "Always Be Running". The quote is very nice, but again fail to convey the meaning and effect of the card. Only the name gives (in a straightforward manner) the effect of the card. More effort should have been put into the design of this fantastic card.

This is the more affordable, influence wise, equivalent to Cezve. The nearest comparison to it is Mantle, which can also be used to pay for using program, with the need to run a central, like Cezve. All for the same influence.

Since it "gives" 2, it repay itself back on the second time you used it. But 3 is not cheap and can set the runner back a bit, but running ices for nearly nothing is always worth it.

As of the Q2 2023 meta, it is not widely used. Shapers have Mantle and K2CP Turbine, Criminals have Cezve and Anarchs have Leech and Ice Carver, all of which does reduce the number of credits needed to pass ices. Of course, for program like Misdirection, having Multithreader makes it easy to pay for it. Same goes for the seldom used Tracker.

It pairs well with another seldom used program from the card pool of Adam : Algernon. With it, you can have an additional click "for free" each turn. This would offset the cost of using Always Be Running.

It also pairs well with Hyperbaric, because it let you boost the strenght of it for free each turn, without the need to run a server.

Finally, it also pairs well with Self-modifying Code, making it free to use.

The art is nice, if slightly strange, because it represent a simulation of a bioroid and its capacity to multitask. The quote bring to the foreground a piece of lore about the bioroid design, which is great and thematic. Finally, the name bring everything together in harmony. Excellent work!

One of the best console in the game. As the runner progresses in the game, stealing agendas, the console progresses as well. This is unique! By the end game, you'll have more MU and a bigger hand size than your need! All of this for the very low price of 2, making it the cheapest way to gain that many MU and handsize.

The closest comparable consoles are Obelus, Supercorridor and T400 Memory Diamond. The first need tags, making you build your entire deck around it. The second has a rider that happen, at best, once or twice per game. The third outscale the second and can sort of progress with you, as the game progresses. But none can do it like Brain Chip.

But 3 influences is a lot and in the early game, it does nothing for the runner. But it is still worth it if you plan to use more and more programs as the game progresses. But unlike Adam, you will not be able to tutor it and must hope to get it early enough.

For Adam, it is perfect with Safety First, since you will be able to draw card while having more cards in your hand, as the game progresses. And since Adam can tutor Brain Chip with Emergent Creativity, it is much easier to get it on time for it to have a lot of value.

The art shows us a piece of lore about bioroid : the brain is in the torso. Again, a phrase for a quote would have been easy to fit in I think. Rather plain for such an exceptionnal console.