A brief review of 'Assassin in Orlandes'

For those who have not encountered them before, gamebooks are games that are books. Yep, that simple. They are non linear stories with game elements.

They reached their heyday in the late 1980's and early 90's but to my great delight they appear to be making something of a comeback.

One of the champions of this new wave of interactive fiction is the Melbourne based Tin Man Games. They have produced numerous new titles as well as reviving some classics in the form of mobile apps. Now in a new venture with Snowbooks they are beginning to publish these digital stories in physical form.

There is a certain poetic justice in this. The genre is returning to its roots perhaps?

The first of these publications is 'Assassin in Orlandes." I had downloaded the excellent Android App some time ago and I had explored the world of Orlandes City (rather unsuccessfully! I kept getting killed...!) but I am a physical kind of guy and I love books so imagine my reaction when I knew I read this award winning game in good old fashion wood pulp. The paperback edition became available on Amazon and I ordered my copy without hesitation.

I was not disappointed.

The book arrived a few days ago and it took me a couple of hours for me to complete. I have a confession to make. I did cheat a bit. I read gamebooks rather than play them. I found the story in 'Assassin in Orlandes' interesting enough to hold my attention. I was amused at the way the rules were integrated into the main flow of the book. Unlimited cheating is possible. Thankfully!

The early part of the book is fairly straight forward. The middle section increases the complexity of the game. There is plenty of opportunities to engage in fights and there are a few puzzles. The final section enfolds with a surprise towards the end.

There are no spoilers here.

I think I would give this gamebook a score of 8 out of 10. As I say, the story held my attention and the rule system was simple. I can see why this gamebook won awards. The writing is also well crafted. I did think that the print quality of the paperback wasn't as good as it could be but the price I paid (£8:99 on Amazon) was not exorbitant and I felt I had value for money. One of the things I loved about the app version was the maps that were included. That was one thing missing from the book and I would have been willing to part with more money if for these kinds of features.

To summarise is enjoyed the paperback and I look forward to more gamebooks from Tin Man Games and Snowbooks.