If enjoy horror, then there are a few gamebooks that have an atmosphere of horror and hold up as gamebooks too.
Gamebooks - 5 to start | deeper combat | 5 fighting fantasy | 5 horror | all gamebooks
Gamebooks for Horror
In many ways gamebooks are well-suited for horror. They are often read alone, on dark nights in dead tree (physical book) format...
Bonus mentions for House on Sentinel Hill by Graham Plowman, Necromancer by Rex Talionis and Alone against Nyarlathotep, all of which I've yet to play in any meaningful manner!
1) Nightshift
Nightshift by Victoria Hancox is a diceless gamebook with 401 sections. It's the first in the Cluster of Echoes series, so if you enjoy it there's a whole lot more of horror to enjoy.
You are in a Victorian-era hospital, trying to avoid the gruesome fate of others who have been killed by the murderer on the loose. You must put together the clues to avoid the fate of several of those you talk to in the book.
It's horror genre so there are elements of horror, blood, gore, violence and murder involved.
2) House of Hell
A Haunted House in a modern-ish setting, House of Hell by Steve Jackson (UK) is a classic of Fighting Fantasy.
You seek refuge in a mansion after your car breaks down (this was before mobile phones). And then you try to make it through the night and survive the horrors of the House of Hell...
It's an atmospheric Fighting Fantasy, quite different to all of the others thanks to setting and tone. It's also quite a hard book, with many ways to die.
Other Fighting Fantasy horror mentions include Dead of Night and Night of the Necromancer.
3) House on Sentinel Hill by Graham Plowman
It might look like other haunted houses, but this one has another feel. The first part is you trying to investigate a murder from 10 years ago in a haunted house.
You'll be following clues in the small town beforehand and then in the house itself.
Then in the second part it gets...weirder, as you'll be dealing with more lovecraftian weirdness and a more traditional gamebook crawl, with some horror elements!
Atmospheric and well written.
4) Dracula: Curse of the Vampire
Jonathan Green has written several horror-themed gamebooks, including Howl of the Werewolf and Night of the Necromancer for Fighting Fantasy, The Darkness over Akham (and others) in the Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebooks and Dracula...
In Dracula you play as several different characters (including Dracula), exploring locations in Victorian England as you try to avoid the curse of the vampire.
It's one of the ACE Gamebook series, so has dice rolls and a few mechanics to help you along.
5) The Ghost of Craven Manor
The Ghosts of Craven Manor by Joseph Daniels is set in New England, with your girlfriend possessed by a spirit after you move into a mansion together.
To rescue her you have to try to uncover the secrets of the mansion, with the help of a time-travelling amulet. There is some dice rolling, but most of the story revolves around clues and using the unique time-travel mechanics that make use of the different choices that gamebooks present.
It's a complex, creepy and well-written gamebook, with a sequel in the Legacy of Craven Manor and other follow-on adventures.
Finishing Up
If you're interested in Gamebooks join the 100 Endings Book Club, look over the other gamebook articles or Join the gamebook community on our Discord.
