Heart of Ice

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking demonstration of the potential of interactivity
Review: It's thrilling to see "Heart of Ice" in print again. For those of you unaware of what the interactive fiction genre really offers, this is a "must read". The characterisation is strong, and while the plot is traditional, Dave Morris has used this as a backdrop against which to display his dazzling originality. A great read - again and again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking demonstration of the potential of interactivity
Review: It's thrilling to see "Heart of Ice" in print again. For those of you unaware of what the interactive fiction genre really offers, this is a "must read". The characterisation is strong, and while the plot is traditional, Dave Morris has used this as a backdrop against which to display his dazzling originality. A great read - again and again and again.

Rating:
Summary: The best in interactive fiction
Review: This has got to be one of the best gamebooks ever written. The story takes place several hundred years in the future in a post-apocalyptic setting. Gaia, a supercomputer that was designed to combat global warming and other climate problems by regulating the world's climate, has gone "mad"- whether from a virus, a malfunction, or some other reason, it has used its abilities to produce devastating consequences for the world. In the time that the story takes place, most of the world's population has been wiped out, save for a few scattered pockets of civilization. YOU play the role of a survivor in this harsh world. Rumors about the Heart of Volent- a meteorite that fell to earth centuries ago- reach you. The one who finds it will supposedly obtain unimaginable powers. You set out to find the heart- but there are others who seek it as well, for reasons which may be disastrous for everyone else should they succeed.
The story is extemely descriptive, involving, and well developed. The characters are more well devoloped than what you'd find in most gamebooks. As far as gameplay goes, the difficulty level is about right- challenging, but not extremely difficult. Multiple pathways, i.e. many different possible directions for your character to take, make this a book you can read many times with different results. If you like gamebooks, this is a must read; if you've never read a gamebook but you enjoy science fiction, I definitely recommend this as well, since the story reads almost like a novel. Dave Morris really produced a winner with this one, and Russ Nicholson's detailed illustrations are a nice touch.

Rating:
Summary: Return of an old favourite
Review: Wow! I remember playing this book years ago and it's still just as enjoyable. Far more enjoyable then your average game book. If you are only going to play one, make it this one!