The Darkness Over Arkham by Jonathan Green is another fun and atmospheric Arkham Horror story. I'm so glad I started reading this series because it's a great historical fantasy horror series. This one is a bit different as it's a gamebook, also known as a choose your own adventure story. I haven't read one of those in a long time and it was cool to see how the story worked out in this type of format. Plus, I loved going back and changing up the story with my choices throughout.

A Arkham Horror chose your own adventure style book. While the book has many options and the game play is in depth and well done the story itself feels a bit dull when compared to other Arkham Horror games and booked.

A great item to pick up for a collector.

I received an advance review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

I love the world of Arkham Horror and to get a choose your own adventure style book is a dream come true. Its more involved that your average children's choose your own adventure so make sure you have everything you need and time to explore the story. Definitely pick this up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte for the ARC!

The Darkness Over Arkham: A Journey into the Unknown
Introduction: An Engaging Odyssey

The Darkness Over Arkham is a captivating gamebook that seamlessly blends elements of horror, mystery, and adventure, offering readers an immersive experience that transcends traditional storytelling. As a player, you navigate through a labyrinthine narrative, making critical decisions that shape the outcome of the story. This review will delve into various aspects of the gamebook, examining its plot, characters, atmosphere, gameplay mechanics, and overall impact.
Setting the Scene: Arkham Unveiled

From the outset, The Darkness Over Arkham establishes a richly detailed and eerie setting. Arkham, a fictional town with a storied past, serves as the perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama. The town is depicted with a sense of dread and foreboding, its history steeped in dark legends and supernatural occurrences. The atmospheric descriptions transport readers to the fog-laden streets, crumbling mansions, and shadowy alleyways of Arkham, creating a palpable sense of place.
A Tale of Intrigue: Plot and Narrative

The narrative of The Darkness Over Arkham is intricately woven, drawing players into a web of mystery and suspense. The story begins with the protagonist receiving a cryptic letter from an old friend, leading them to Arkham to uncover the truth behind a series of strange events. As the plot progresses, players encounter a myriad of twists and turns, with each decision impacting the story’s direction. The branching narrative ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, enhancing replayability and keeping the experience fresh.
Protagonist in Peril: Character Development

Character development is a key strength of The Darkness Over Arkham. The protagonist, though initially a blank slate, becomes a fully realized character through the choices made by the player. This personalized journey allows for deep emotional investment, as players must navigate moral dilemmas and face the consequences of their actions. Additionally, the supporting cast is well-crafted, with each character adding depth to the story. Allies and adversaries alike are imbued with distinct personalities, motivations, and secrets, enriching the narrative tapestry.
The Art of Atmosphere: Creating Tension and Suspense

The gamebook excels in creating an atmosphere of tension and suspense. The use of descriptive language, coupled with well-placed moments of silence and unexpected encounters, keeps players on edge. The creeping sense of dread is omnipresent, whether exploring a dilapidated mansion or delving into the depths of an ancient crypt. The atmosphere is further enhanced by the game’s pacing, which skillfully balances moments of quiet exploration with sudden bursts of action and terror.
Choices and Consequences: Gameplay Mechanics

One of the most compelling aspects of The Darkness Over Arkham is its gameplay mechanics. The gamebook employs a branching narrative structure, allowing players to make choices that directly impact the story’s outcome. These choices range from simple decisions, such as which path to take, to complex moral dilemmas that test the player’s values and instincts. The consequences of these choices are far-reaching, often leading to unexpected and sometimes tragic outcomes. This mechanic not only adds depth to the gameplay but also reinforces the sense of agency and immersion.
Puzzle and Peril: Challenges and Obstacles

The Darkness Over Arkham presents players with a variety of challenges and obstacles, ranging from intricate puzzles to dangerous adversaries. These elements are thoughtfully integrated into the narrative, requiring players to use both intellect and intuition to progress. The puzzles are well-designed, offering a satisfying level of difficulty without becoming frustrating. Similarly, encounters with enemies and other threats are tense and thrilling, often forcing players to think on their feet and adapt to changing circumstances.
The Power of Lore: Mythos and Backstory

A significant strength of The Darkness Over Arkham lies in its rich lore and backstory. The gamebook draws heavily from Lovecraftian themes, weaving a complex tapestry of mythos that underpins the entire narrative. Ancient tomes, forbidden rituals, and eldritch beings populate the world, creating a sense of wonder and terror. This deep lore not only enhances the story but also invites players to explore and uncover the hidden secrets of Arkham, rewarding curiosity and thorough investigation.
Visual and Aesthetic Appeal: Art and Design

The visual and aesthetic elements of The Darkness Over Arkham contribute significantly to its overall appeal. The gamebook is adorned with evocative illustrations that bring the world of Arkham to life. These images, ranging from detailed character portraits to haunting landscapes, enhance the narrative by providing visual context and amplifying the atmosphere. The design of the book itself, including the layout and typography, is meticulously crafted to complement the story and facilitate an engaging reading experience.
Emotional Resonance: Impact on the Player

The Darkness Over Arkham succeeds in creating a deep emotional resonance with its players. The combination of compelling narrative, well-developed characters, and immersive atmosphere evokes a range of emotions, from fear and suspense to empathy and triumph. The gamebook’s ability to elicit such responses speaks to its effectiveness as a piece of interactive fiction. Players are not merely passive observers but active participants in a story that challenges, thrills, and ultimately moves them.
Replayability and Longevity: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

One of the standout features of The Darkness Over Arkham is its high replayability. The branching narrative structure ensures that each playthrough offers a unique experience, with different choices leading to new paths, encounters, and endings. This replayability, combined with the depth of the story and characters, gives the gamebook lasting appeal. Players are encouraged to revisit Arkham, exploring alternative decisions and uncovering hidden aspects of the narrative, thereby extending the game’s longevity.
Conclusion: A Masterpiece of Interactive Fiction

In conclusion, The Darkness Over Arkham stands as a masterpiece of interactive fiction. Its meticulously crafted narrative, rich character development, immersive atmosphere, and engaging gameplay mechanics come together to create an unforgettable experience. The gamebook not only captures the essence of Lovecraftian horror but also elevates it through innovative storytelling and design. Whether you are a seasoned fan of the genre or a newcomer to gamebooks, The Darkness Over Arkham is a journey worth undertaking.

The Darkness Over Arkham is a solo rpg: for those who aren't terribly familiar, it's essentially a choose your own adventure, but with a character sheet and dice rolling to determine whether you succeed or fail at certain of the challenges (so, some of the pages you choose which to turn to, and some, luck determines for you).

It uses one of three possible starting investigators (with more available from the website, it looks like), which are provided on specific pages of the book. It doesn't seem to allow you to roll your own, but for a self-contained book that makes perfect sense. On top of that, the characters offered are familiar faces from the Arkham Horror franchise.

The best selling point of this is its complexity (it's HUGE for a choose-your-own style solo rpg) and the fact that it is extremely well-written. You definitely feel like you're living out an arkham horror novel as well as playing in your own rp, and it balances both beautifully. The mystery and narrative is strong, and the writing really sells it.

Highly recommend it, and looking forward to further Arkham Horror game books.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley:

Back in the day, I owned a number of fighting fantasy books, but for whatever reason I never actually played them. After checking out The Darkness Over Arkham and finally playing one of these, I was missing out.

This was tremendously fun for an evening of investigation and intrigue. I ended up running through a game as both the reporter and as the waitress. As the reporter I found myself hitting a brick wall in terms of investigation, but luckily as the second character I managed to run through the entire story. Admittedly with a few instances of classic "woops made the wrong decision, time to backtrack".

A fun story with a lot of twists/turns that kept me entertained throughout. I was shocked how well this worked as an ebook, but for books like these I'd always recommend a physical copy.

This was a weirdly placed choose your own adventure style book. I found the idea good but it didn't really work for me. The premise of the world was the most interesting part and maybe this would have got a higher rating as a physical book rather than an ebook but i just found this difficult even after restarting it several times.

THE DARKNESS OVER ARKHAM is the newest Interactive Gamebook from Aconyte Books, set in the game world of "Arkham Horror." Deeply founded in the Cosmic Horror of H. P. Lovecraft, these Gamebooks are fictional interactions to guide players into solving occult mysteries based in Arkham, Massachusetts, and combatting Eldritch Horrors [the Ancient Ones].

Do you want to play an Arkham game, but are stuck alone with nobody else willing to brave the weirdness with you? Fear not! Jonathan Green has you covered.

This book is so much fun. Written in a 'Choose your Own Adventure'-style, the reader picks a character (three are given in the book, with more online) and follows their path, turning to the relevant page based on their skills and decisions. No two readings will be the same, and it's the best sort of way to play an Arkham game if you can't get out to a physical board with friends.

As always, Jonathan Green's writing is excellent, as mood ramps up and decisions become increasingly critical. These aren't just characters on a page, after all - this is us making the choices for them! They could very well die at the next turn... or suffer a fate even worse. This is Lovecraftian adventure, after all.

My only quibble was that the Kindle formatting of this title made it rather hard to see the details of images (particularly character information). I'm hoping that a physical book will rectify this; that would certainly be preferable in terms of flipping pages as well. I remember the old Fighting Fantasy books fondly, and ebooks will never overtake that for me!

A great setting for an interactive adventure, with writing that draws the reader in. Excellent fun.

It’s table top role playing without the need of multiple people or, indeed, much role playing. This book was a heck of a good time to play through (obviously as my favorite cursed reporter Rex Murphy…Just waiting on a game book where I can play as my favorite Arkham Investigator Ashcan Pete (gimme that doggo bestie!)). Definitely see a lot of fun potential here for future similar books. Absolutely would buy all of them to play through.

I’m a massive fan of the Arkham Files board games and any excuse to see my favorite playable characters in more narrative forms is really pleasing for me. Definitely recommend to Lovecraft and Arkham Files fans!

Like many my age, the "Choose Your Own Adventure" and "Fighting Fantasy" style of gamebook of the 80's and 90's were a great source of fun and an early gateway into roleplaying games. Though this genre fell somewhat by the wayside as videogames and other distractions took centre stage, there has been a strong revival of screen-less entertainment in the last decade or so. I first noticed this with board games, but I have also dived deeply into the world of modern gamebooks and found that they have aged well.
Enter "The Darkness over Arkham", a entry into the genre based on the Arkham Files games from Fantasy Flight Games.
In it, you play an investigator of your choice from three pre-made characters familiar to Arkham Files fans- Agnes Baker (the descendant of an ancient witch queen), Nathaniel Cho (a boxer with a mob issue), or Rex Murphy (a comically unlucky/cursed reporter). Starting at Velma's diner, you find a notebook full of strange designs, which leads you to the Miskatonic University, Murder, and Mystical Mayhem. Very Arkham.
If you're a fan of the board and card games, you will enjoy finding all the references which appear throughout this adventure, and it does offer something a little different by having a choice of character to play. Aconyte press has even mentioned the possibility of adding more free characters on their webpage, so I'm curious to see what new investigators will bring to the table. Being a player of the FFG games, I also enjoyed using components from those games for this gamebook - clues, doom, resource, damage and sanity are all here!
The gamebook is also very easy to get into, as most of the rules are explained as you play, but there is one major difficulty here: you need to pay attention. There were several points where the book asked me to remember information, and come up with a number based on that information, so as to know where to go next. If you have no idea what the book is talking about, then it's game over. I like this. It reinforces the idea that you are an investigator looking for answers, and forces you to read carefully. Obviously, for some this may prove an issue if you miss a vital clue and have to start all over again, but that is not unusual for gamebooks.
Would I recommend it? It was fun. Not the deepest of modern-day gamebook offerings, but I enjoyed my time with it, especially as an Arkham player.

This is a different and unique way to experience a Arkham story. Your choices and decisions change and defy the outcome of the story. If you’re old enough you May remember the “choose your own adventure” books. It’s a bit like that but set in the Arkham horror universe. I’ve yet to play the Arkham card game but I would imagine this is a similar experience. I overall enjoyed it but I know I can go through it multiple times and get more fun out of it. I would also put it out there that this would be more user friendly in a physical form and not a e book form.

I grew up playing the fighting fantasy adventure games and have played several solo adventure game books since. I am also an avid RPG player be it by book or videogame. Unfortunately being an adult cuts into gaming time and makes it difficult to find a time when all the crew are free so solo game books or solo adventures are always a fun way to scratch that itch. I am glad to say that The Darkness Over Arkham does just that. I adored being an investigator and playing through this one and best of all it’s got lots of reply ability too!

Like the previous game books by Aconyte (set in the Marvel universe) I was sure this one would work just as well and I have to say I think it is my favourite so far. With the Moon Knight title coming a close second. You are able to plan and plot and potentially fail as you play and best of all it’s got all the things you could expect from Arkham Horror.

I would recommend to any one who is a fan of choose-your-own-adventure books or a fan of Arkham Horror who wants to try something new. There is loads of re-playability as well so it’s a win-win. I’ve already ordered a physical copy!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this and play some of it with my husband .

As boardgame player and DnD lover , this is fantastic it’s a chose your own adventure story book. All you need is a character sheet a dice and someone who enjoys the reading out of characters.

Two people is enough and although three would be better it can be played with the couple.

I would recommend this to anyone who isn’t familiar with DnD or any role playing games that this is a starter and a beautiful one at that.

The book it’s beautifully illustrated and really easy to understand. I only wish I knew they existed sooner or I would be playing them much more.

The writing of the book is well thought out and deeply detailed. It has a gothic and eerie gumshoe appeal.

Looking for something new to do with friends or even a boardgame group that meets maybe once a month this could be the next game for you.

Giving you time to think and plan you’re next move even though you never know which page you could end up or your characters demise of glory .

Thanks John Green wonderful book and I’ll be asking for it for Christmas.

I really love the idea of this book. Part choose your adventure (heck yes, loves those as a kid so let me relive my childhood for a bit), part table top game (again, so much fun) and set in the Arkham Horror world (which is always a fun game). But I think the execution fell flat. There's several points where you have to come up with where to go next but you have no map or choice and there's too many possibilities and no guidance. You have to use a code to convert that place into which page to go to next .... And it just doesn't work. Worse, as you try different possibilities you get snippets the story which ruins the whole idea of a choose your adventure. There's also a code talked about in the notebook that you're supposed to crack and it feels like you're supposed to have the code and the key and solve it yourself but you don't. It makes for a frustrating experience trying to work this out. I'm not mad I played the game, but it could and should have been much better.

The Darkness Over Arkham is a gamebook set in the Arkham Horror universe in which you investigate the murder of a professor from Miskatonic University.

You pick your path through the adventure and you will need to roll dice and pass certain tests. The book is more focused on investigation rather than the more combat heavy fantasy based gamebooks.You will collect Items, Abilities and Weaknesses which will aid and hinder your character. The game part of the book plays very similar to Marvel Multiverse Missions books also published by Aconyte.

One new mechanic that I really liked is the Clues and Resources which you collect during your investigation. These can be spent in order to help you succeed on a skill check or in combat.

You get the choice to play as three different investigators that have their own stats, strengths and weaknesses which makes each one unique and adds replayability to the book.

I think anyone who enjoys other gamebooks such as Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf etc would enjoy this as a break from the combat focused fantasy adventures. This would also be great for RPG players to play between their normal TTRPG sessions.

I look forward to the physical version being released and I hope there are more books to come in the Arkham Horror: Investigation Gamebooks series.

This is cosmic horror choose-your-own-adventure for adults and it was so fun! If you're familiar with any of the Arkham Horror universe, you'll find that the cosmic horror from yesteryear vibes are captured perfectly. It really felt like playing through a solo version of the lore from the games. The choose-your-own-adventure elements are crafted very well. I found myself reading through multiple times to try different characters and options in an attempt to see as many secrets and possible endings as I could. After several run throughs, it still felt like there was a ton of content to explore.

This is a neat concept executed well. This book would work for anyone, but especially fans of TTRPGs looking for a solo option. Fans of other AH content are in for an especially big treat.

Special thanks to Aconyte Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for review.

Absolutely love this. Its essentially a choose your adventure book for adults. Anything having to do with the Arkham Horror universe is enjoyable to me but I loved the idea of a book form of RPG. Would definitely pick up more like this!

Notes to publisher:
- It is not specified whether Clues and Resources can go negative, and Health and Sanity can. It will be better if that is strictly defined.
- At section 101 players might no longer have the notebook (lost on 291) but the main character yet shows it.
- PBLs are used in the worst manner possible - this amount of "Secrets" makes no sense and this is a story-driven gamebook, which shouldn't aim too much at replayability anyways. However, having 5-10 interesting secrets might make players actually find them, having a 100 will make everyone lose interest.
- In section 13 there are some symbols (2323) which seem to be just an error.
- Having 9 locations 15 characters each, converting to numbers and then summing up is tedious. So is the notebook puzzle (way too long conversion), so are item names, long to record, so are secrets every 2-3 sections.
- More meaningful choices, less luck and blind choices are needed.

Review:
As the name suggests, "The Darkness Over Arkham" is a Lovecraftian themed story. Without saying too much, there is a strange scene that the main character witnesses and thus he/she decides to investigate further and no matter the cost get to the bottom of the mystery and there what you expect from Lovecraftian story follows - ancient artefacts, otherworldly beings, mysterious houses, cults, etc...

Jonathan Green is experienced in writing light interactive horror, based on popular fiction and the text here is fluid and there are several good scenes. For the most part, he plays too safe and the scenes feel more like a themed board game cards text, instead of true Lovecraftian horror, though. It doesn't help that players can pick among a few characters (and more to come online, so far none of which is actually an investigator, regardless what the synopsis says) and thus during the adventure the main character has zero personality; and zero motivation as well - they just are thrown in the adventure, which is rather short and without sufficient built up, we reach the finale, where (excluding minor breadcrumbs) the entire story is told. I find it as the strongest part and not a bad story itself, but personally, I couldn't get too immersed in the adventure.

Each selectable character has different main attributes (Intellect, Combat, Willpower), used for checks, stats (Health and Sanity) and resources (Resources, Clues, Items), as well as abilities and weaknesses, which might provide bonuses/penalties, as well as branch the story at some places. Considering this variety to be taken in consideration on 300 sections, it seems clear why the story feels so short - whichever character you get, many possibilities will be either locked directly, or through checks you are unlikely to succeed in. This and the nearly 100 "secrets and achievements" probably aim at increasing the replayability, but this is in absolute conflict with the concept of investigation - this story is worth completing successfully once and then you already know everything interesting about it, as well as where to go, what are the location codes and so on and I doubt many players will feel like replaying it again and again.
As a balance it feels unfairly hard and without really making full analysis, I feel many or all characters will require a lot of luck to pass the major checks - some I think might be doomed really early on, before even understanding what the story is about. Gameplay choices are also lacking - entering a random wrong room might be dooming, there are direct deaths after choices like "you decide to wait", as well as "you decide not to wait" and many many situation are decided by the dice, not by choices. There are tedious calculations of location numbers, on every 2-3 section you need to tick a checkbox of a secret (practically for every scene, which quickly wears off and no "secret" found feels secret or overwhelming). Overall, the gameplay it is not too bad, but it is definitely not great.

As a conclusion, there are a few good parts and nothing is too bad, but it feels more as a craftsman's work and packed as another Lovecraftian product with "unimaginable", "unnamable" and "impossible geometry" spammed within, rather than something actually capturing the heart and soul of this sub-genre. It also feels too much as a board game and not enough as a book with actual strong characters, dialogue, motivation, conflict. However, the potential is there and if this continues as a series, I'd love to see what comes next.

It's an interesting concept with a good plot so far. I like how each decision you make as a reader can take you in different directions but still lead you the essential points that drive the story. Recommended for those who actually want to play a game book and not just reading it for the plot because then you might be disappointed by hitting dead-ends (happens very easily) . It requires patience to enjoy and you will need to break out a pen and paper to keep track of a lot of things. I have yet to complete it because I keep hitting dead ends but it's still kind of fun to do. (I just use the search bar to backtrack my decisions. Is that cheating?) Enjoying it so far