24Mar 2024 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Wasteland: Reviewing a Post-Apocalyptic Gamebook From Savage Realms Gamebooks

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If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic settings like the ones from Mad Max and Fall Out, and love gamebooks, I think you will enjoy Wasteland by H. L. Truslove. This is the fifth release from prolific publisher Savage Realms Gamebooks. You begin the story as an orphan who grew up in a community of survivors. Now reaching adulthood you're given a choice of staying to help protect the village or going out to scavenge supplies. There are few post-apocalyptic titles in the fantasy-dominated gamebook space so I found this pleasantly refreshing. Your choices propel you into different storylines with additional branches from there. Your character will likely encounter nasty creatures with nasty mutations, fellow survivors, and various tricky situations. Oh and death. Lots and lots of death. Some characters you…
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21Mar 2024 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

3d6: The Myth, The Legend, The Intuitive Dice Mechanic

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Years ago when I was working on the 1st ed. of Don’t Look Back (my supernatural and paranormal horror RPG), I came up with what a pretty novel and extremely easy to use core game mechanic. It was one of the things that the magazines really liked at the time. When I made the new third edition I opted to use use Lester Smith’s D6xD6 rules because A) I really like them, and B) I wanted DLB to have more immediate material available. I still get people who bring it up the old mechanics from time to time and I may bring them back for a different project. I really need your help though to know if they have held up as well as I hope. If you like the core…
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01Mar 2024 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Core 5e: Distilling the Game Mechanics

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For those who may not know, I'm what you might call a shade tree dice mechanic. I like to tinker with different types of systems to see how things like rules, character traits, and randomizers come together. I believe that nexus is what ultimately makes the game experience either flow well effortlessly and coherently or turn into a hot mess of tedium. My background in research and statistics (they don't call me "Doc" for nothing) sometimes gives me an appreciation for how math works in games that may not be apparent to everyone but is tirelessly working in the background. The mechanics in the most popular role-playing game (RPG) of all time -- Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons and Dragons* -- have evolved over at least five different versions. A…
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26Jul 2023 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

The Wolves of Langston 5e Solo Adventure — Review

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Want to play a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) but don’t have a gaming group or maybe you have a group but always have to GM? Maybe you’re like me and enjoy RPGs but just don’t have time for regular gaming sessions. Langston might just be the place for you. The Wolves of Langston (Wolves for short) is a solo role-playing adventure based on the rules of Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons and Dragons: 5th Edition (5e) by way of leveraging the Creative Commons licensed version 5.1. It was written by Daniel Howard and published by Obvious Mimic following an extremely successful Kickstarter (a little less than 3500 supporters and just over $85,000). I know I usually review gamebooks; however, I think you will find that Wolves does a great job…
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09Jul 2023 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Destiny Quest: The Raiders of Dune Sea — A Review

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Greetings, fellow adventurers! Today, we delve into the thrilling realm of Destiny Quest with a review of the latest installment in the series, The Raiders of Dune Sea (Raiders) by Michael J. Ward. Raiders is the first book in the Sands of Time trilogy and the fourth book overall in the Destiny Quest series. If you haven’t read the three preceding titles, don’t worry. It isn’t necessary to enjoy this one. Raiders begins a whole new story.  The next title in the series – The Wrath of Ragnarok – will be released shortly. Destiny Quest has solidified its position as one of the modern frontrunners in this space that blends gamebooks and more traditional role-playing. Raiders upholds the high standards of its predecessors. This series stands out for its unique…
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22May 2023 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Heroes and Monsters: A Stranger Things Choose Your Own Adventure Book

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Stranger Things has captured the hearts of viewers worldwide with its nostalgic 80s setting, compelling characters, and thrilling storyline. The show's fusion of science fiction, horror, and mystery has made it a cultural phenomenon while ringing that nostalgia bell for all of us former 80’s kids. It seems like a no-brainer that a tie-in Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) book would have to show up at some time.  I’m unsure if they plan to release other Stranger Things titles. This first one is called Heroes and Monsters and it’s set during the fourth season of the show. It was written by Rana Tahir, illustrated by Patrick and Katherine Spaziante, and published by ChooseCo -- the official company behind all the CYOA titles. Please note that Choose Your Own Adventure is…
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13May 2023 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Shadow of the Giants by Ian Livingstone — Reviewing a Newer Fighting Fantasy Gamebook

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I was tempted to title this review There and Back Again and Back Again Again. So maybe you visited The Warlock of Firetop Mountain in the first Fighting Fantasy book then maybe you went back in Return to Firetop Mountain and now yet again, you find yourself returning once more when you learn about a secret treasure room that nobody else has found.  That’s where the story starts. I don’t want to give away too many details but you *might* or *might not* trigger an apocalyptic scourge that could destroy the lands and then spend the rest of the adventure trying to fix things. Okay, you can probably guess that scourge has something to do with a bunch of giants. Shadow of the Giants is one of the latest titles…
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11Apr 2023 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Lone Wolf is Back and Not so Lonely

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It's hard to be lonely when you've got more than 30 books in your series, a new publisher making high quality new editions of your books, video and tabletop adaptations, and rumors that you're prime to have your story turned into something on the big or not so big screen; but, here such is the plight of the Lone Wolf. Recently I have chosen to step once more into the shoes of the last surviving member of the Kai Lords. This epic fantasy gamebook series is second only to Fighting Fantasy. The original series took the world by storm in 1984 with the release of Flight from the Dark. The mid-eighties were a good time for gamebooks. Wikipedia states that more than twelve million copies of the Lone Wolf titles…
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08Apr 2023 by cmcgrew67@gmail.com No Comments

Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks — Classic Solo Roleplaying Making a Comeback

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Just like the first time I saw the red Basic D&D rulebook, I can remember the first time I saw a copy of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (the first entry in the Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks series) in 1982 or ’83. I was heading to the game session at the Radcliff Bookstore (the only place to find D&D material where I grew up) when it caught my eye on a shelf adjacent to the RPG racks. That moment is burned into my memory as vividly as the first time I saw the red box Basic D&D rulebook. I was immediately drawn to the image of the warrior standing victorious among all the treasures. Reading YOU are the Hero on the cover pushed me over the edge. Seriously, has there ever…
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