Review of the gamebook Elfí les: Stíny nad Kazašárem

Mytago publishing has another treat for fans of gamebooks and interactive stories, this time from German author Karl-Heinz Zapf. Elfí les: Stíny nad Kazašárem will delight all fantasy fans and adventure lovers alike. In the afterword, the author mentions that he wrote this gamebook back in 1984 and drew heavy inspiration from classic fantasy works like Lone Wolf, so we should forgive him for a certain level of similarity.

The Story

In this gamebook, you enter a dark elven forest where danger, magical creatures, and treacherous enemies lurk at every turn. You take on the role of an elven mage who finds a dying messenger on their doorstep one day, bearing news of an attack by the Dark Lords. Only you can protect your homeland, so you must set out on a journey.

The world reminded me of classic old-school fantasy, which I really enjoyed. The author focuses heavily on world-building, which goes hand in hand with the extensive text. There is no shortage of unexpected twists, and there is also a choice between good and evil—for example, the type of interaction where the player can literally choose between options: kill first or talk first.

Gameplay

Playing is very similar to a tabletop RPG. The player creates their character and rolls dice to determine attributes. The character sheet is beautifully designed in the form of a bookmark.

The book contains relatively detailed rules that are not overly complicated, which is great for those who like a game system that is sophisticated yet simple. The experience is further enhanced by skill checks, random events, and a wide range of enemies, some of which may even be immune to certain attacks.

World and Atmosphere

I believe that fans of classic fantasy in particular will find something to love here through the extensive text and elaborate world. It is dark, gritty, and accompanied by a heavy atmosphere of looming danger. The author pays great attention to descriptions and cares about even the smallest details the world has to offer. Thanks to this, the text also contains a few very surprising plot twists that I would expect more in a novel. A very well-executed detail!

Final Verdict

Elfí les is another quality addition to the field of gamebooks. Detailed rules, a well-crafted world, and interesting choices ensure you will enjoy every second of gameplay. I personally appreciated the absence of riddles. The ability to decide whether to resolve a situation calmly or through a direct attack also offers the opportunity to choose your alignment, which contributes to replayability.

The only drawback is the small format. This production would deserve a classic larger notebook format, where the beautiful illustrations would stand out much better.

Author: "Bunny" Dominika Mátyásiová