Fighting Fantasy: House Of Hell Review

The latest Fighting Fantasy release from Tin Man Games, Fighting Fantasy: House of Hell, is perhaps one of the weaker books of the series to convert, but it's still quite fun and will certainly provide a significant challenge for gamers.

Trapped in the infamous House of Hell by a terrible storm, it's down to the player to essentially survive a night in the awful mansion. Unlike other Fighting Fantasy books and games, Fighting Fantasy: House of Hell focuses less on combat and more on the simple ability to survive long enough. A fear meter, ascertained through a roll of the dice, is what stands between the player and being scared to death before the story ends.

There is some combat to be had, which may appear quite different to the simple nature of previous title, Blood of the Zombies. This is because it resorts to traditional Fighting Fantasy ways with the player rolling two pair of dice, one for themselves and one for the monster. It's a longer process than before, but appropriate for the series. It's possible to influence the dice, too, with a shake of the iOS device.

Such help might be needed, given that Fighting Fantasy: House of Hell is a much harder game than before. Three difficulty modes are available: Hardcore, Medium and Free Play. While Hardcore is exactly the same as the book, Medium offers some extra health and fear, and Free Play basically allows the player to cheat by backtracking when they want as well as restore their health when it suits them. Even with such aids, Fighting Fantasy: House of Hell is a challenging title though with a myriad of rooms to negotiate in a quest to survive.

It's a fun ride, but one that isn't quite as gripping as it should be. Tin Man Games has done a fine job of converting the book to the iOS format, but it's just not the greatest of Fighting Fantasy titles. Still, nostalgic fans will enjoy it sufficiently for the asking price. Others can feel their interest piqued ready for further instalments.