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.

This is cosmic horror choose-your-own-adventure for adults and it was so fun! 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. It has made me want to check out Arkham Horror and more books related to it.

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.

This was a great concept for the Arkham series, I had enjoyed the choose your own element to this book. The characters were everything that I wanted and was able to customize the way the story was told. Jonathan Green has a great overall concept for the game and I'm glad I was able to read this. It left me wanting to reread this book and change the story.

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

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

This felt like more complex version of the choose your own adventure books. You have that ability to forge a path through the book by choosing options to take you to different pages, but you also have RPG elements such as dice rolling and character traits and stats and abilities. Where the book gives instructions at the start, it’s best to follow these closely to get the most out of the game, and definitely give yourself a way to track what you collect throughout.

This was a fun and entertaining venture into Arkham Horror. I played through as the Waitress. It was quite challenging and I failed several times, progressing a little bit more each time before I managed to solve the game by making the best choices (there are lots of different outcomes and endings). Sometimes the early ‘the ends’ came as quite a surprise and were unexpected which was a nice touch as it meant the game didn’t feel too easy.

The theme and story were good, there were lots of recognisable elements from Arkham Horror. Story wise it was quite familiar and wasn’t introducing anything groundbreaking, but it was more being able to take control of the narrative yourself and choose what to investigate that was really interesting. You are trying to uncover a mystery and there’s lots of different routes you can take so you can play through this a few times, experiencing a different story each time.

An enjoyable addition to the Arkham Horror universe. Fun to play through and a cool investigation in a book.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Aconyte Books for an advance copy of this new gamebook that puts you in the body of an investigator in the town of Arkham, where evil and madness are just one bad page flip away.

Arkham, Massachusetts is a town where people where many different garbs. One for example can be a waitress with a secret, a boxer out for vengeance, or reporter looking for a story. Some might even be pretending to be human. Arkham is a strange town, full of smells, and noises that nothing living could emit or utter. Where residents need a particular set of skills to keep their health and their will power. A place where the thin line between sanity and madness is a dice role away. The Darkness Over Arkham:An Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebook by author and game designer Jonathan Green is a book that leaves the story up to the reader, with a little help from some dice, and a whole lot of luck.

One is either working, getting story ideas, or even better eating at the local diner, when two other diners draw attention to themselves with the loudness of their argument. And strange eating habits. The couple, older and looking scholarly leave, and the your keen eyes spot a notebook on the floor. One can follow the couple, losing them in the busy streets of Arkham, or one can look inside and see the book is loaded with strange writing and sketches. Maybe the strange words can lead to a story, or a magical possibilities, even a chance at fighting the darkness that fills Arkham. Maybe one should have the notebooks looked at. Since there is a name inside the notebook, maybe a trip to the university is in order to return piece of found property. Each decision is the readers and can lead the seeker on many paths. One can be accused of muder. Attacked by cults. Or far, far worse. Even by chance, a decision could be made just to go home, and though one knows something is happening, something evil, for this investigator the case is closed.

A fun adventure for readers needing only paper, pen, dice, and imagination. Oh, a lot of luck. Those unfamiliar with gamebooks will enjoy the introduction which does a far better job than I telling one what to do. This is sort of like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story, with dice, and a love more creatures from beyond. Readers can be three different investigators that come with the book or download more from the website, along with character sheets that tell about the character, and the stats needed to play. Each part is numbered and as one reads, rolls dice and flips pages, readers are told at the end what chapter to flip too. The story is good, spooky in places, violent in others, and all fun. One does have to pay attention as questions are asked of readers that don't appear in the text, and some addition might have to be done. So make that a full pad of paper.

Recommended for people going on trips, who like the world of Arkham, or really enjoy playing gamebooks. The story is good, the plot really moves, and there are plenty of different ways to do things for a bit of replayability.

The Darkness Over Arkham is a gamebook where you try to solve the mystery behind a deceased renowned professor, but as you unravel the mystery you find out there's something far more sinister going on.

I haven't read a gamebook since I was a kid so this was a lot of fun! This one involved solving puzzles, character sheets, and dice to determine your fate. I loved that the book included pre-made and blank character sheets, so you can make your experience different every time.

This was also my first introduction to Arkham Horror and I enjoyed the vibe of it. It's very Lovecraftian and atmospheric. The storyline was really engaging; I ended up playing a bunch of times and I loved that each of my endings was a grim one.

The Darkness Over Arkham was such a cool experience, I highly recommend reading this when it comes out in May!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for the gifted copy!

Not a format I would wholly expect, but a fun exercise. Could be useful for someone curious about how Call of Cthulhu plays.

You are an Arkham Investigator – your choices will decide the outcome of a terrible murder mystery and a sinister plot threatening Arkham ­– in this brand new gamebook adventure in the world of Arkham HorrorWhen a renowned professor is found dead, his body melted, it’s up to the Investigators of Arkham to discover what occult horrors were behind his fate. Pick your path, Investigator, and collect allies along the way to hunt down his killer before they strike again. However, Arkham is full of mysteries, with many wishing to keep the truth buried, and who are hungry to usher in a new era full of death and darkness to devour the world you know it. Can you stop it before it is too late?

This was my first taste of the world of Arkham. It may have not been the best choice being as this was one of those "choose your own adventure" books. It reminded me of those old goosebumps books where you get to decide the outcome of your own story. There were some cool moments here, but ultimately this felt a little too YA for me, with this probably being better suited for younger audiences.