Experience the Necronomicon: A Review of the Dagon and Carcosa Gamebooks

Have you ever tried gamebooks? I hadn't until now. Just like with video games or D&D, fate hasn't been on my side, and I've spent countless hours stuck playing board games instead.

However, two gamebooks inspired by the stories of H. P. Lovecraft recently fell into my hands – Necronomicon Dagon and Necronomicon Carcosa. I decided it was time to dive into this new form of entertainment. And honestly, what could be better? Reading a book that is also a game where your decisions shape the outcome is a dream come true for a bookworm like me.

If you don't have plans for a sleepy winter afternoon, there's nothing like immersing yourself in the world of the Necronomicon. I recommend finding a Cthulhu playlist on Spotify to provide the perfect backdrop for your adventure. Grab your favorite drink to fortify yourself (tea worked for me, but those with a weaker constitution might prefer something stronger when facing demons from the deep or insane cultists) and open the first slim volume of this adventure-filled series.

Both books are structured similarly. At the beginning, you'll find clear, easy-to-understand rules along with a character sheet. I recommend making a copy of the sheet so you can use it repeatedly, because one attempt definitely won't be enough to conquer the story. The narrative itself is divided into numbered paragraphs that you jump between based on your choices. At the end, there's a section dedicated to the Dreamlands, where you can travel during your journey to face even more nightmares.

I really appreciate the simplicity and clarity of the rules. I can honestly say that if you're a beginner like me and haven't had the courage to tackle a gamebook yet, the Necronomicon is perfect. You'll understand everything after just a few pages. The game system isn't rocket science, which is a huge plus—no need to spend hours studying rules; you can start playing in minutes.

Necronomicon Dagon

First, I became the hero of a story about an officer on a ship attacked by pirates, who manages to escape. Using a stolen boat, he reaches the port town of Kingsport, where he grew up and where a grim, terrifying atmosphere now reigns. The story is incredibly evocative. You are drawn into the plot, and your series of decisions determines whether you head to the cemetery, visit the inn to gather information, or search for your ancestors' house. Either way, you eventually learn that the winter solstice is approaching, along with the ritual tied to it. It's up to you how you handle the situation and what happens next.

I won't lie—as you'd expect in the Lovecraft universe, dying is very easy. It depends on how you set your strength and willpower stats at the start, but if the dice aren't in your favor, you'll be a corpse before you know it. Of course, you might receive the highest honor—being sacrificed to the worshippers of Dagon. That's just one possibility. There are many others, and your journey can end abruptly several times in a row. I don't see that as a negative, though. As a player, you can entertain yourself for hours, trying different ways to push the story forward and uncovering new snippets of information each time. It's actually more than I expected from a gamebook; I originally thought I'd just follow a narrative with a single outcome. In the end, I spent several hours experimenting, and every attempt turned out differently.

Necronomicon Carcosa

The protagonist of this story is a war refugee who settles in the land of his ancestors with his fiancée. He carries a nasty morphine addiction from his wartime experiences, which helps him cope with anxiety and hallucinations. And he'll need it, because evil is awakening…

In Carcosa, even a walk through town is dangerous and can cost you your life. The oppressive atmosphere of a town that is just opening a death chamber for those tired of life is not meant for tea and biscuits. No, here you offer a beggar a dollar, get a piece of paper with a mysterious symbol, and a dice roll for a willpower test determines if you survive or if black tentacles are the last thing you'll ever see.

If the dice don't allow you to progress, no worries—you can try again, just like in Dagon. I would say, however, that staying alive in Carcosa is much more challenging. Even if you collect equipment along the way to give you combat advantages, if you meet a monster with maxed-out stats early on and roll poorly, you'll have to go back to the start and try again. Maybe next time, on your way to the doctor who lives outside of town, you'll have better luck (or maybe not). But it all depends on you, because you are the hero determining the course of the adventure!

Verdict?

If you are already familiar with the Cthulhu Mythos and the work of H. P. Lovecraft, I definitely recommend experiencing the tension and adventure of these gamebooks firsthand.

If Lovecraft's work is foreign to you, as are interactive stories, you're in the right place too. I think these are great entry-level gamebooks, and the reader gets served a decent dose of Lovecraftian lore. And who knows, maybe gamebooks will get you hooked just like they did me, and you'll reach for the original texts by H. P. Lovecraft.

And since the Cthulhu mythos has inspired more than just gamebooks, you shouldn't miss the cooperative card game Arkham Horror LCG. It's not new, but personally, after my experience with these gamebooks, I have the urge to play the good old Arkham Horror again.

As for the gamebooks reviewed here, I would definitely start with Dagon, where it might take a bit longer before you die for the first time—after all, a quick death at the very beginning might discourage some. So, off to adventure! Ancient sea deities are waiting, and evil is awakening…

author Jana Mrkvicová