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Critical IF Gamebooks

The close of the 23rd century and the Earth is dying. Gaia, a satellite array designed to repair the effects of global warming, is out of control. A new Ice Age tightens its inexorable grip on the planet. Humanity is on the edge of extinction.

Mankind's last hope is the Heart of Volent, a strange meteorite which has already brought mutation and chaos to the world. Legend says that the one who finds it shall wield the power to reshape the universe.

As the ice sheets spread and the world slides towards the brink, you and a handful of bitter rivals compete in the race for the Heart. Only one can win. Are you ruthless and resourceful enough to claim the ultimate prize?

War is brewing between the kingdoms of Glorianne and Sidonia, a war waged for control of the territories of the New World. Galleons laden with gold ply the seas, and in their wake sail pirates and privateers eager for plunder.

Adrift in an open boat, you make your desperate bid to escape from the sadistic Captain Skarvench. The odds are stacked against you. Even if thirst, hunger and storms don't kill you, there are still formidable dangers to overcome in crossing hundreds of miles of uncharted ocean to reach safe harbour.

Yet you must survive. Because only you know Skarvench's latest and most heinous plan. You are determined to round up a crew, get yourself a ship, and set sail on a voyage of vengeance and justice. You are destined to face many perils: undead pirates, sea monsters, cursed ships, witches and ancient gods. And the greatest threat of all: the premonition of your own death at the hands of your hated foe.

The sole survivor of an expedition brings news of disaster. Your twin brother is lost in the trackless western sierra. Resolving to find out his fate, you leave the safety of your home far behind. Your quest takes you to lost jungle cities, across mountains and seas, and even into the depths of the underworld.

You must plunge into the eerie world of Mayan myth. Here you will confront ghosts and gods, bargain for your life against wily demons, find allies and enemies among both the living and the dead. If you are brave enough to survive the dangers of the spirit-haunted western desert, you must still confront the wizard called Necklace of Skulls in a deadly contest whose stakes are nothing less than your own soul.

You have made a deadly enemy. Jafar, advisor to the Caliph, plans a coup that will put him on the throne of Baghdad. You are the only one who can warn the Caliph, but who will listen to a penniless adventurer? Especially as Jafar’s assassins are scouring the city to find you.

To the outer wilds of the Arabian lands, you venture in search of the fame and fortune that will give you the means to expose Jafar’s treachery. Your travels take you to ghoul-haunted oases, magical palaces, lost cities of gold, and uncharted isles full of mystery and danger. Threatened by bandits, fire wizards, thieves and fearsome creatures, you must risk all in your sworn quest to save the kingdom.

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Put yourself at the heart of the story...

Critical IF books are interactive adventures with a difference. You can be a mutant with the power to warp reality. A buccaneer whose sword and pistol are a match for any foe. A daring rogue leaping from rooftop to rooftop. A wizard who can command the elements. Be anyone you can imagine. Choose from almost five hundred different character types, each with their own unique skills.

Strong stories, vivid settings and compelling characters make Critical IF the game-changers of the interactive fiction genre.