Creature of Havoc. Steve Jackson

I read/played through this adventure probably about 15 years ago and still remember it vividly. It is a well written, challenging and original representative of its genre. A great deal of the originality comes from the players inability to control the bestial savagery of the "creature of havoc" the story is based around. This deepens the players immersion and helps overcome some of the limitations inherent in "pick-a-path" books.

Creature of Havoc has a well-earned reputation as one of the best and toughest gamebooks. It's longer than most Fighting Fantasy books; there's a small degree of filler between set pieces, with many dead ends and red herrings. Meticulous note-taking is a must -- as is a fair dose of luck. The detailed backstory is integrated beautifully into the main story. You play a monster trying to master its instincts and gain understanding of its nature and control of its fate. This is more than just a gimmick; it sets the scene for a masterful adventure and memorable climax. Newcomers to Fighting Fantasy will find a more forgiving intro elsewhere -- I recommend City of Thieves, Citadel of Chaos or Steve Jackson's Sorcery! series. Aficionados who haven't yet played this one are in for a treat.

Creature of Havoc has been on the top of many fighting fantasy lists, and is well deserving of this recognition. However, this is also one of the most difficult fighting fantasy books and beginners to the series may be frustrated. Nonetheless, this book has a very intricate storyline which is set up by many pages of background material. Even with the background material, you start off as a creature unknowing of the world, and begin a quest for identity. There are a diverse number of environments that you will traverse. This updated book does correct a glaring error in the previous edition which made the book extremely difficult to solve. Also, the production value of this book is top notch, from the wonderful cover to the quality of the paper. A must for any fighting fantasy or gamebook fan.