When the macabre stories of Edgar Allan Poe combine with the twists and turns of a choose your own adventure book, you get one wild tale that’s bound to keep you on your toes. Does the Edgar Allan Poe Horror Gamebook do the stories and the format justice, or do they only fall flat when combined? Let’s find out.

What Is It?

A horror novel game that has the reader work their way through the story by making choices and solving puzzles. The player must keep track of important information, items they may be holding, and their avatar’s current condition. The avatar may die, but the player will be able to get back up and start anew to muddle through the tale and find their ending, however good or bad it may be.

Who Is It For?

  • Single Player – Could work with 2 if you each have a copy of the book to follow along with, but it’s best suited for a solo experience
  • Fans of Edgar Allan Poe and/or Choose Your Own Adventure books
  • Ages 15 and up – It can get a little intense at points, and some puzzles may be tough for younger readers
  • Players who like horror/spooky atmosphere, and an immersive story

PROS

  • Gender neutral reference to your avatar
  • Aesthetics – There’s not a ton of art, but what is there fits so well with the overall atmosphere and it’s great looking
  • Different fonts for speakers / items / et cetera, which was a nice touch
  • There are some “checkpoints” so when the player dies, they don’t always start over from the very beginning, they’ll respawn within the story, which I think is cool as it lets you keep moving
  • Immersive / Engaging
  • Tons of paths; could see something different in another playthrough
  • Portable
  • Can be passed on once you’re done with it (if you don’t write in it)

CONS

  • Page numbers at the bottom of the pages can sometimes be confusing when you’re looking for certain section numbers
  • Can be very long to get to an ending, depending on your path, and it’s easy to forget where you left off if you aren’t taking a lot of notes

Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, this is a whole new and very cool way to re-experience some of your favorite classic stories. Even if you aren’t super familiar with Edgar Allen Poe though, if you like Choose Your Own Adventure books, it gives you a very immersive story to read through with great atmosphere, and interesting twists. Like I said, it can be a bit long for a single sitting, so be prepared to take some notes so you don’t forget where you left off. But overall, it’s a really cool book and a great rainy day or weekend activity!

Additional Information:
My Final Rating – 7/10
Plot by Valentino Sergi
Cover and Illustrations by Francesco Corli
Map and Symbols by Moreno Paissan
Graphics and Layout by Issacco Saccoman
English Translation by Oonagh Stransky
Publisher – Officinia Meningi

*I was provided a copy of this game to do this review*

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