Rebel Planet

Background - 

It is late 1985, the last of the autumn leavers have fallen and the first bite of a cold frost covers the landscape in a beautiful if not ethereal glow as a faint mist drifts over the countryside.

None of this is seen by Ian as he is marched through the bland corridors of Puffin HQ.  The men are not armed but their black suits and ear pieces show the seriousness of the situation.  I mean some of this tech looks like its from one of his books, he had no idea it existed!

They stop at an elevator, also flanked by two of these security guards.  They exchange a note and one of them presses the call button.  After a few seconds the doors open and there is Philippa.

A gentle nudge which to Ian feels more like a rough shove sends him into the elevator.  Philippa presses the only button and the doors close.  The lift starts its long descent.

Philippa "Ian what you are about to see is top secret.  If you breathe a word of this to anyone you will never write so much as a children's choose your own adventure again."

Ian nervously "ok."

Philippa "The powers at be could see you and Steve were flagging, but the success of Fighting Fantasy is more than we could have ever imagined.  So they have started to reinvest the millions we have made on new projects in order to keep the books coming out as fast as possible.  What you are about to see is some of those projects."

Ian "Wait!  You have made millions?  My cheques you send barely cover Steve's takeaways!"

Philippa shoots Ian an icy stare that chills him to the bone.

Ian cowed "Sorry."

The lift finally stops and the doors open into a metallic futuristic corridor that ends in a non descript T-junction.  

Ian "How do you know which way to go?"

Philippa ignores him and takes a right.

They pass a few doors with strange names on them.  Ian stops at one of them.  It says Project Green.

Ian "What is all this?"

Philippa "Each room is dedicated to one of the projects, do not worry about that one though its years away from any results.  The ones I want to show you are up here."

They stop at a room that says Project Reacquisition.

Philippa "This is one of our more promising ones.  The team are dedicated on hunting down missing people we know that can help.  Even now the noose is tightening around US Steve Jackson.  But come on this is what I wanted to show you."

The next door is labeled Project Cyborg.  Philippa enters a code into the keypad.  Ian is pretty sure its 1985 but pretends not to be looking.

They enter the room which is full of green screen computers, and a large bench with a covered object laying on it.  It is almost human sized.  The room is full of scientists who look around.

Philippa "Leave us!"

With that they all scatter out of the room.  Leaving just the two of them.  Philippa goes to a terminal and inputs a command.  The table starts to tip upright.

Philippa "You see the reason you and Steve are struggling is because you are human, you tire and you are limited.  What if we had a machine that never tired or struggled to find ideas?"

Ian is now looking very nervous at the shape in front of him.  Philippa walks over and pulls of the sheet.

Philippa "Is it not magnificent!?"

Ian stares in disbelief.  

Ian "Are you sure its not human?"

Philippa "It is the latest in cybernetics.  Underneath it is all machine, complete with 512KB RAM.  But on the surface it is synthetic skin and hair, it would be able to pass for human!"

Ian "What do you call it?"

Philippa "Robin."

Ian "What?  Robin, des it stand for something?"

Philippa "Nope, but we cant call it the T1000 or anything like that, would raise too much suspicion."

Ian "And it can write Fighting Fantasy?"

Philippa smirks "Oh Ian, HE already has" as she lifts a copy of Rebel Planet.

So its November 1985 and already book 18 has come out.  I never played Rebel Planet when I was younger as I was never into the non-fantasy ones and too be honest I was dreading them this time around but I have much preferred Rings of Kether and Appointment with F.E.A.R to say Seas of Blood so its not so much trepidation as earlier sci fi ones I reviewed.  

I also had no idea when I was younger that anyone other than Steve Jackson and Ian Livingston were writing these so I did not care as much about authors.  Now though it matters a lot as we have Robin Waterfield debuting behind the pen and I am really excited to see what a new name brings to the Fighting Fantasy table.  Reading up a bit (as in reading you are the hero) I found out that Robin had been editing previous books and also rejecting all the fan made ones.  So he really should know what works and what does not.  I used to write some when I was a kid of the ones I didn't have.  Could not have been more than twenty paragraphs and I wish I still had them for a laugh.

Covers - 

Just the one cover again with this book.  I actually think its a really good one!  Interestingly most of it looks like it could be from a fantasy book.  Big giant lizard creature wielding a sword.  What looks like a lava bridge and some kind of mountain city.  Even the space scene in the background could be from any planet.  The only hint of the Sci Fi is the robot type person in the bottom corner.  It is not going great for this dude.  I mean he does not have a weapon, he is standing in the lava and he does not even have the high ground!

But you know this guy is a baddy when you see this -

He murders bunnies and wears their skulls!

But what is this?  I don't normally like the green zig zag but had to flag it up here as it is the original and it shows that they flipped the image for the new version.  I was thinking of why they would do this but I think I have figured it out.

The robot dude in the corner would be partially covered by the Fighting Fantasy logo, making it look like the robots ass was being covered up like it was being exposed!

Not only do I not have the high ground but what a day to wear my ass less chaps!

Premise - 

A change of format in this book.   We start with a section called History.  We are in the year 2453 and humans have been exploring space since 2070, no doubt thanks to Space X!  We learn that the first planet to be colonized was Tropos, which is a bit backward but they discover alpha-ziridium which curiously leads to the discovery of letting space ships continue accelerating rather than traveling at the same speed.  Ill be honest I had no idea you could not accelerate in Space.  

Not many planets are habitable but humans find a few.  But its when they turn up at Arcadion that things go a bit awry.  The planet has three distinct species but they have been united for a while when the humans land.  They are more primitive and not that into space travel, until we introduce them to alpha-ziridium.  Fast forward twelve years and the Arcadians have a galactic empire and have enslaved the human race.

However the Arcadians are not great at galaxy management so they decide to build a massive organic computer and implant themselves with receivers to become in effect a massive space ant colony.   Or the borg.

Hopefully Arcadian implants were less invasive.

Everything is going great for the Arcadians apart from the fact they cant implant the humans without killing them so they have to control through tyranny.  But the humans know about hive minds and they know if they could ever destroy the big old bio computer on Arcadia it would reduce their slavers to nothing more than zombies.

The next section is the mission background.  Its more like the standard backgrounds from the other books.  SAROS (Search and Research of Space) have taken up the mantle of the resistance movement.  They know a full scale war is out of the question so the plan is a solid snake style solo sneaking mission.  Why is now the time?  Well two reasons according to the book.  First they have the perfect person for the job.  Me!  I know a lot about science, I am courageous and have spent many months learning martial arts!  Yep that's right, not years, but months.  I got to green belt in karate as a kid, I assume this is the same experience they are talking about.  

Second I have the perfect cover, a merchant!  Apparently only very recently have humans been allowed to travel in space and only if you are a merchant.  Time to dust off the Space Mangos!  Alas I am immediately told it will be wheat for the first planet.  I think this is a terrible idea by the people at SAROS.  

Spies have been sent out but its not all good news.  Some humans are loyal to the Arcadians and have been sabotaging the missions.  What we do know though is that the building that houses the queen computer can be entered using a numerical code of nine binary digits.  The underground leaders on each planet can help me with the numbers.  Only problem is we have no idea who the underground leaders are, only codenames.  And we need to stop on each planet to find them.

The next section is called contact with aliens where we find out a bit more about the Arcadian species.  North Arcadians are not very bright but big brutes with a tail.  Pretty sure that's the guy on the cover.  Southern Arcadians are described as roly-poly.  The do not have tails but they have antennae which they use to pick up peoples feelings.  And finally the imaginatively named Central Arcadians.  They are the most powerful, not through power but skill.  They are great at distracting their opponents and their thoughts are very abstract and they are very arrogant.

Armed with all this information its time to load up the Space Mangos and go and save the human race.

Playthrough - 

The rules are pretty standard.  We are in space though so some different rules.  But what I like is there is a long explanation involving force fields for space ships but not individuals of why there is no space combat.  Besides humans are not allowed weapons and you are meant to be a merchant so no space combat in this book.  

We do have an illegal laser sword for combat.  All the good stuff the Arcadians got rid of in case there was a human rebellion but its just good enough to have a normal Fighting Fantasy combat.  It does sound very much like one of these - 

But for legal reasons I am sure it is not at all like this.

Interestingly if you have unarmed combat if you win a round you get to roll a dice.  On a roll of a 6 you hit a pressure point using your bad ass green belt karate skills and get an instant win.  So sounds like you are actually handicapped using the light sabre erm sorry I mean laser sword.  Oh crap that's the Disney IP lawyers at the door already.

And there is an equipment restriction.  You can only carry six items at a time in your anti grav pack.  Very interesting development there and makes it much more realistic than having a bottomless bag.  

The fine folk at SAROS have also given me 2000 credits.  I have no idea if that is good or not.  But I am warned should I need to pay for something and not have the credits its game over so I will be frugal.

Skill - 10

Stamina - 16

Luck - 8

Well turns out SAROS found someone who was actually below average.  Not great stats and the stamina is a big worry.  Especially as we have no provisions or pep pills!

There is a lot happening here for a launch.

My ship actually sounds quite nice, I have a comfy seat and robots to take care of the engines.  I depressingly watch earth disappearing in the background wondering if I will ever see it again.  Its not long before another ship starts shadowing me.  I get the option to tell the computer to use evasive maneuvers but that sounds daft to me.  If I want to sell the story of a merchant I should just cruise on along like things are expected.  

I am told by the book quite right!  Nice to get some positive reinforcement.  I spend the journey having a great time, eating, sleeping, exercising and playing chess.  I arrive on Tropos and get through customs with no problem.  My Light Sword has been treated with a special chemical to not set off the metal detectors.  I only have one day on Tropos before we set off again so time is of the essence.

I get into a hover taxi and its clear everyone is being monitored as it has the oppressive feeling of a police state.  Worse, the planet is populated by the war like North Arcadians.  I review my information about the person I am looking for.  Their name is Bellatrix and they can be found in a club called Fission Chips (terrible).  Interestingly it says Bellatrix has a strict code of honour.  With 6 hours before curfew I can either go straight there or to a hostel.  Time is against us so over to Fission Chips we go.

Not a good choice, apparently vehicles are not allowed in town so it takes me to the hostel anyway minus one luck point.

The Hostel is a dive.  Its very 21st century complete with pollution and Tropos flies.  Two big Arcadians are at the door with a different type behind the desk.  I decide to wait patiently to be noticed as don't want to anger them.

I eventually give up waiting and just go upstairs to the room.  Its shared but only one other guy is there having a good cry.  I decide to be nice and ask what's up.  Turns out the poor fellow was suspected of being a rebel and his family had been killed.  

Things escalate quickly!

So despite just having a conversation and wanting to stay out of combat I end up in a fight.  The receptionist has been murdered, no shock he was terrible at his job.  But for every Arcadian life taken they take ten human lives.  We are in the wrong part of town at the wrong time.  The guy I am talking to has given up and just going to take it so I fire up the Lightsaber and go for a fight.

The guard is only skill 6 but every second attack round he gets a chance to hit me with his tail.  He does not though and I absolutely destroy him.  

The man is delighted and leads me out of the hostel into the city.  He introduces himself as Grus and I ask if he can get me to Fission Chips.  He says yes and takes me through the city which as described in a grid layout.  We go down a back alley and Grus asks me to wait while he sees someone about getting us in.  Not really keen to be left in the dodgy alley I insist on going in with him.

I have clearly been too trusting as it turns out Grus and his friend in the house, Indus, are thieves.  They got caught and now work for the Arcadians as spies.  The disarm me but I am able to get an arm free and its unarmed combat time on a 2 on 1 fight.  

Grus gets a hit on me but then boom!  Karate chop to both within three attack rounds and both are down!  I apparently feel wretched for killing two humans.  Nope these guys were going to kill me so I have no qualms.  A search of the house nets me 500 credits, a Ziridium bracelet and an infra red scanner.

I am getting hungry so I lose another 2 stamina points which is concerning.  I dive into the grocer to get some food.

I eat quite a lot.

20 Credits spent and back up to my starting stamina.  Shame I can't make some provisions out of these!  Anyway I can ask for directions but last time talking about Fission Chips got me into trouble.  Grus the dick did say it was in the basement of the old Adolpho Videorama though so I figure safer asking where that is.

I get my directions in grid format so its pretty easy to work out the correct answer and I arrive at Fission Chips.  Who of course wont let me in without a password.  Ah ha, lucky I have a codeword.  Bellatrix I say happily.  Only to be told to get lost.  Crap I thought that was obvious.  Anyway I decide to go back to the hostel and try again tomorrow but before I leave I get knocked on the head and kidnapped, losing 2 stamina points.

At least the take me straight to Bellatrix.  They want me to prove I am not an Arcadian spy.  I retort back that how do I know they are the resistance?  Bellatrix goes on a long ramble (that's what the book says, not me) and it boils down that she believes nobody, not even Arcadians are guilty without evidence.  Everything is about honour with her.  I decide yep I am in the right place and give them all my details of the mission.  They agree I am genuine but ask me a favour first.  The barman at Fission Chips is an Arcadian double agent and they need me to kill him.  Which to be honest flies in the the face of everything she has just said so I refuse.

I ask for proof first and this is all Bellatrix needs to trust me.  She says the army guys have a marching song that they used to remember the first numbers in the code.

Oh Mortal combat is such joy:

No messing about, no subtle ploy.

Empire of Arcadian!  Empire of Arcadian!

Onward, Ever Onward!

Open pitched battles make me high;

Never mind the odds - Let's do or die!

Evermore Arcadian! Empire of Arcadian!

And that's all they have.  I get  my luck points back to max but I turn down the stamina potion for 50 creds as I want to preserve money.

I wont lie I have no idea how to get any number codes from that marching song.  I hope there will be more clues further on.

I arrive back at the hostel where the guard has been trebled but to my shock I have a good nights sleep and restore two stamina points.  Delighted I did not splurge on that potion. 

Heading to the spaceport the place is crawling with guards.  Luckily when asked if I let a guard escape in Grus's street I can say no and safely move to customs.

I worry about the hotel shower gel being over the liquids limit.

In bad news my kit is being inspected by a high ranking military Arcadian.  Unfortunately I still have the infra red scanner.  In good news though it does not seem to be a problem and I convince him its harmless and he lets me through.

With that we blast off to Radix.  As I am travelling I reflect that I do not even have the codename for the contact on the planet.  In fact I am given nothing at all other than it is dominated by Southern Arcadians who are more easy going but difficult to communicate with.

Customs this time is no problem, in fact they seem delighted with my shipment as its for a project they are working on.  The world is very advanced with moving platforms and a personal monorail system.  I look up where humans can stay and its either the fancy Zodiac or the not even rated Porky's Palace.  Urgh I really want to go to the Zodiac and live it up but no way the resistance is there.  

On my way to Porkies I notice a lot of random areas that have been demolished.  After a shower and a snack at the hotel I decide to ask Porkie himself about this.  He is reluctant to talk though and just mentions something called Street Fighter has been deployed to crush any student protests.  Ah protest you say?  Its off to the university to ask some questions.

Its a lovely city.

Instead of going straight to the university though I take a detour to the natural history museum.  However I have to say I did not plan this, the option was to stay outside the university for awhile.  I was hoping to observe not go somewhere else!

At the museum the guard starts speaking scripture to me and luckily my character knows the correct response.  I accept his offer to show me around (its very cryptic) but my character did not want that and the Arcadian can tell this by picking up my emotions.  Feeling like I am losing a bit of control of my guy here.  Anyway its actually enjoyable and I find out the previous civilization on this planet wiped everyone out in a phacium war.  They used to send out flying saucers to scout other planets in the 21st century.

I decide to get back on track as soon as I get the chance and head back to the university.  Its crawling with Arcadian guards which shows how much unrest their is.  The option is to go to the science or arts sections.  Well rebellion is more really for the arty types.  

I get asked if I have a contact and to go to that paragraph.  Alas I do not so I wait around instead.  A student puts up a notice organising a protest.  However he is soon jumped by a couple of louts and all of sudden I am in an unarmed combat fight with them.  Luckily they are not much when it comes to fighting.  It takes a while but I put them both down without getting hit.  I of course roll a knock out 6 on the second last round after knocking one guy out the old fashioned way.

Turns out the louts are part of the black eyes who are pro Arcadians.  The students only hint though is that the university keeps records on all students.  So I head so I head to the secretaries office.  

Alas its an Arcadian rather a human secretary.  Its time to play bad cop and I get in a tussle with him.  They are not used to violence here and he is unarmed so I get an extra skill point this combat.  He manages to get one hit on my but I run him through with my laser sword.  I pass a luck test and nobody is around to hear.

They are not using microfiche.

I find some records but decide to get out of dodge before reading them.  However I soon figure out I am being tailed.

I mean they are not even trying.  They are right there talking into ear pieces and looking right at me!

I pass a luck test and lose them in the side streets.  My luck is down to 6 now though.  But am I lucky?  I run straight into the Street Fighter!

Oh please don't be Ryu.  He is bound to be at least Skill 11.

Nope, its erm....this?

Alas I do not have the fancy weapon I am asked for so its a Skill 9 fight.  However each time I lose it does one more point of stamina.  So for example the second time I am hit its 3 stamina, a third time 4 stamina etc.

However I spot a weakness, the aerial!  If I win a combat I can take off a skill point instead of stamina if I want.  So even though it is stamina 16 I spend my time chipping down the skill.  It gets easier each time and it never hits me.  Not sure I got that right but hey ho.

I finally make it back to Porky's but he wont let me use his computer easily.  I get the option to fight him but instead pay him 400 credits as it would be a bit of a dick move to kill someone over use of his own computer.  

The information turns up a Professor Zacharias.  I give him a call and we arrange a meet the following morning.  Alas when I turn up the Professor has already been arrested by the Arcadians as the ring leader of the rebels on this planet.  I go in for a look to see if he left a clue and I am told the clue is in the picture.

Hard to see in this picture but I see a 2 and a 4 on the left...

But I am immediately arrested as well for being in a known rebels house.  I lose all equipment and my sword.  Only retaining my money pouch.

I am told my trial is a farce, but they know something is up.  I am sentenced to death and it will only be commuted if I spill the beans about the resistance.  Ah to grass or not to grass.  Well its death if I do not so I give them some information.  It is enough to get off certain death.  But now its almost death.  I get given a choice of instant death or gladiatorial combat.   Well kind of, I cant pick as its a random door choice.  

Well I am left handed so I go left.  I walk down the corridor and come to a large door.  I decide to wait and I get told I have entered the gladiatorial games.  Nope I did not choose it was blind luck!  At least my luck is back to max.  

The guard gives me a clue about fighting a Scabrok but first up its a Laphodorm.  It is described as a red scaled, tortoise necked, lion headed, snake tonged grotesque monster!  It is only skill 7 but it hits me straight out of the gate.  But that's all it gets.

I now have to fight the Scabrok, I am not told what it looks like but I throw some sand in its face and reduce it to skill 7.  Still though it takes some chunks out of me and I am down to stamina 8 before I put it down.  

Ah so that's what it looks like!

The authorities are as good as their word and I am allowed to leave the planet, minus all my equipment and laser sword. I mean that is a strange justice system, I mean they caught me in the house of the rebel leader but I am allowed to leave for a bit of information and surviving two fights?  

So I arrive at my next destination which is the planet of Halmuris.  It is a planet that is still in an early creation phase and very inhospitable.  Apart from the scientific research establishments the rest of the planet sounds very dangerous, with three moons causing massive tides!  Its also very hot in the day and freezing at night.  Mental note, stay inside!

It gets worse, the high gravity means I need to loose 1 skill point when on the planet, which in Fighting Fantasy is more crippling than huge tides.  All I know about my contact is that they work as an assistant at the agricultural research settlement.

I get the option to find a weapon but my hands are weapons so I head off to the agricultural station.  There are no directions though so I get the choice of asking humans dressed in blue or humans dressed in grey, erm ok.

I pick a random dude in blue who tells me where to go but its best to get a helicopter but you need a pass.  Erm how do I get a pass I ask.  At this point he sighs and says if I have to ask these questions its clear I am up to no good.  He tells me to follow him which I do.  We end up in a remote place and I get plenty chances to back out but I decide after hearing so much about how dangerous outside is that I need a pass.

In a back room I meet a fat man and I ask him for a pass.  He says no problem but he needs a day to get it,.  I do not have that kind of time so I lose 1 luck point.  I chance it and ask how about a laser sword?  He says no problem sir but it costs me 1000 credits!  I pay up and make to leave but the man asks what I am up to as he might want cut in.  

Now I think this is reasonable and I could use the help.  But my character gets very upset by this and kills the mans guard and I end up in a fight with the Black Marketeer!  Despite the gravity penalty I easily beat him but before I can think to take the money it appears we knocked over a crate into something which sets the place on fire!

I do pick up a jet pack on my way out though!  I get back to the main part of the spaceport.  Night is soon so I have to leave asap.  There is a huge fence around the spaceport, lucky I have a jetpack!

The moment of truth!

So it starts well as I jet over the fence.  But of course it runs out of fuel before I land.  I pass a luck test and I am only winded on hitting the ground.  I throw the jetpack away in disgust.  I was hoping the rest of the book was going to be like this - 

Now outside the spaceport I get asked which direction I want to go in.  Well earlier my man in blue told me it was North-East.  Alas both North and East are options...

I head North, and find a plant that looks thick enough that if I could get inside it would be a good place to shelter for the night.  Its moving though, and this is an alien planet.  And a Fighting Fantasy book.  So I decide to press on and not get eaten by the plant.

And I die in the cold.  Should have gone east!

Notable Encounters - 

So in my playthrough I never made it into Fission Chips.  Which is a shame as a lot happens in there.  I had to make a whole tab to itself just to map it out.

Where is the Cantina Band?

There is a lot going in here.  Directions change from the very start when you are frisked, depending if you still have a laser sword.  In true bar fashion you can get in a brawl, speak to some humans, have  a drink at the bar, get your drink spiked etc.  There are a few routes but basically you want to end up getting gassed in the Visphone booth.  Yep not a sentence I thought I would write.

The Zodiac Hotel also needs to get a mention as its just lovely to be somewhere nice for a change.  You even get to use the sauna!  Have a lovely meal in the restaurant.  Just be careful about socializing at the wedding.   

This can lead to an unfortunate meeting with the chief of police.

I have to call out the Museum Cellar Maze.  Luckily I never insisted on going to the basement when I went into the museum as it leads to one of these terrible Fighting Fantasy mazes.  Its meant to be an intense chase through the cellar but its as infuriating as the original Warlock maze just on a smaller scale. You get out through the toilets if you ever find them.

Ill talk about my disappointment about the planet Halmuris later but I did enjoy the agricultural station.  Its all  very peaceful and then all hell breaks loose.

Yep a space ship comes down and tries to burn you out of the fields.  You did not think it was going to be that easy did you?

Artwork - 

Another new illustrator, Gary Mayes, joins the list of fighting fantasy artists.  Its interesting that we get both traditional illustrations and the comic book panels we saw last time out in Appointment with Fear.  

First off the good.  The opening launch scene is great.  What a way to start the book.  The city panorama view is also something I liked from my playthrough along with the Jetpack fence scene.  Some other greats - 

Cool Spaceport!

One of the more awesome robots in Fighting Fantasy.  Shame its such a minor scene!

And fair play on using the art to give a crucial clue for completing the book as well.  That is some next level thinking there.

But as you are no doubt familiar with by now we have plenty misses as well.  One of the biggest problems I had here was I did not find it clear what paragraph they were depicting.  In other Fighting Fantasy's its been obvious but for some of these I had to read all the paragraphs and take a guess.

I have no idea what I am looking at.

I think this is the Police Station.

If you see this and think ah that's a shapeshifter restoring some of my stamina, I think you would be correct.  

Yeah I cant work out this one at all.  Answers in the comments if anyone knows.

Its not the only issue, again we get some poor choices on what to illustrate of just empty rooms like these.

Its a computer screen...

The house of Grus and Indus AFTER all the interesting stuff has happened.

The Big Bad - 

Disappointingly there is no big final confrontation on the last planet.  In fact I don't think we even get a picture of the hybrid bio computer at all which is criminal!

How it should have ended.

Now when you do get to the end hive mind computer you are presented with a plethora of options on what to use.  All lead to your death apart from one specific option used in a certain way.  You have to take out all three main nodes at the same time and only one item lets you do that.  And you better pick it up from the Arsenal!  There is a route where you can link up with the hive on your spaceship but that leads to a very strange trippy experience which is avoidable and it really did not add to the understanding of the hive computer much.  I would have liked to have found clues about how it worked, what it was etc rather than numbers for the door to get in.  

Menagerie - 

Considering you visit four different planets there is not a lot of exotic monsters about.  The main foes are either humans or of course a bunch of Arcadians.

There are some slightly exotic monsters such as the shapeshifter or a annoying rock buzzard who only needs to hit you once to knock you off a cliff.  

It gets a bit more wild in the arena I was in fighting the Laphodorm (really needed a picture of that guy) and the Scabrok (and a pic of this guy before he gets killed).  

There is a wild sequence when you are connected to the hive mind where you fight in close succession a Dragon comet, Sphinx and a vampire leach!  I mean what the hell is a dragon comet!?  But of course instead we get an illustration of a computer screen instead!

Lets talks Arcadians though.  As outlined earlier they come in three varieties.  By far the toughest to fight are the Northern variety.  If they have room to use their tails they get a bonus roll to try and inflict extra damage.

The Police Chief is Northern along with his very drunk friend in the background.

Southern guys are much less of a threat in combat but they do have antenna which means you have to be careful what you say or feel around them.

Central ones are a bit of in-between.  They are not as tough as Northern but they do feature more the closer to the end you get.

The confused guy is Musca, and his pal.

His pal gets much more screen time.

Although no idea what happens to his snout by the time you get to this bit!?

You can even fight Porky if you want but that would just be a dick move!

Entertaining Deaths -

Wearing the wrong coloured overalls.

Using your sword to destroy the Arcadians mind machine, only to hear him say I can always build another one.

Being told God only helps those that helps themselves as you stay in the burning fields praying for help.

Spending the rest of your time on Tropos as Bellatrix teaches you how to have morals.  

Accidentally ending back at the start of the museum maze where the Arcadians are waiting for you.

Not making it through customs.

Being drugged in the club just as a raid starts and getting stabbed in the neck during the fracas. 

Not being able to find the right key in the watchman's keyring in time.

Not snitching to the Arcadians and then getting executed.

Turning Right.

Seeking shelter in a cave low down when you have been explicitly told about the crazy violent and high tides on the planet.  You drown.

My favorite for this book though is removing the case for the hive computer only for liquid helium to flood the floor and freeze your feet before you fall over and snap at the ankles.

Pete's Corner - 

01001001 00100000 01100001 01101101 00100000 01100001 01101110 00100000 01000001 01110010 01100011 01100001 01100100 01101001 01100001 01101110 00100000 01101001 01101110 01100110 01101111 01110010 01101101 01100101 01110010

Final Thoughts - 

Rebel Rebel your planets a mess!

Ok looking at the positives first as we do have plenty.  The world building here is excellent.  It all starts with having just more than the background.  Having the history section, followed by the background and also contact with aliens was a great way to break up an info dump and also set up a brand new universe.  I love the premise of humanity going a bit too far and causing their own downfall and now living under evil oppressors.

I also like the concept of the hive mind but I have to say I don't really see that happening here, at least not as how I understand it.  As soon as you get into any combat with an Arcadian then they should all know who you are?  They certainly do not act like they are a hive mind up until the very end.

This really is a book of two halves though.  Tropos is fantastic.  Robin Waterfield does a tremendous job of making it feel oppressive.  From trying to get through customs to the interactions in the hostel or Fission Chips, I always felt on edge which is what it should do. 

Moving onto Radix and it was obviously a different vibe but it also did a very good job of building the tension and I enjoyed the university section.   But after you get arrested things start to go downhill for me.  The police station into instant death or fights makes no sense.  

When you move onto the next planet of Halmuris I love the back story of the crazy tides and the dangers of being outside.  But it feels disjointed.  The encounters seem very random and do not fit the theme.  The shapeshifter is odd as is having to find an item by putting your hands into random holes after fighting a bird on a cliff.  It is redeemed a bit with the fire fight in the fields though.

The final planet of Arcadia itself is a massive disappointment.  I felt it should be more epic but we get a couple of rooms and no illustrations.  I guess at this stage with how fleshed out the first two planets are paragraphs were running out.  Which makes me even more mad about the mini maze!

Combat here is not a problem.  I do like the hand to hand special rule but nothing should give you much trouble in a fight, you certainly do not need skill 11 or 12 to make it through.  Better role high luck though as it gets tested a lot.  And its not like other books where you fail and graze your knee and lose stamina.  Nope a lot of the time you are dead!

No, what will get you is the code to get into the computer room.  I am embarrassed to admit just how long it took me to work out the poem even when I knew it was binary.  It was staring me right in the face as well.  The picture clue is clever but its a bit too obscure for me.  If any kid worked out the code and then understood the instructions, wow they were far too clever to be playing Fighting Fantasy!  Its very, very clever but a bit too difficult for my liking.

Which brings me to what I said about the big bad, its a shame I think that the code is everything and the computer hive is a bit anti climatic.  Im ok for having the code but it should have been easier and more a subtext for a bigger event.  I mean maybe start the mission as that but it evolves as you go.

Some of the art is very good but for me too much is a miss.  Either poorly selected scenes or confusing to what it depicted.  And I should not have to read all the paragraphs on the page to work out what scene its showing.

So in summary I have highlighted a lot of negatives there but this book is worth playing just for Tropos itself.  If it really just had been Rebel Planet with one planet and stayed on Tropos and fleshed it out more I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

Score - 6 out of 10.    

   
   

Appointment with F.E.A.R

Background - 

Its 1985 and we are at a top secret meeting at Puffin HQ.  Even the Penguin execs have shown up.  Ian looks like a spent man and people are starting to look flustered.

Penguin Exec "So Ian, you are telling us you cant give us any more?"  

Ian "No, I literally can not think of anything else to do.  I need a break to recharge.  I've given you eight books already!  Eight!"

Penguin Exec "Fair enough, but we need the money to keep flowing and the only way to do that is more books.  I want to keep going at the current release rate.  How do we do that?"

Phillipa "Well more authors.  We already have three from Andrew Chapman.  I can keep using him, all he wants is his name on the cover."

Ian "Absolutely not, never in a million years.  Its my name, and Steve's that sell the books!"

Phillipa "Well he won't do any more then.  We will need to find someone else."

Penguin Exec "So Ian, if its got Steve's name on it, how about getting him to write another one?"

Ian and Phillipa share a concerned glance.

Ian "Fine, ill talk to him and see what he will do."

Ian stands up and leaves the meeting room.  Phillipa hurries after him, catching him in the corridor.

Phillipa "Ian, we can not have another House of Hell, I am still dealing with all the complaints, it was a miracle we got it published but that was only because we flew under the radar.  That will not work again!  Please remind Steve of our target audience."

Ian "30-40 year old neckbeards?"

Phillipa "No Kids!"

Ian "Oh, yeah of course."

*Cut back to Ian and Steve's house*

Ian walks up the stairs to Steve's bedroom, brings out a key from his pocket and unlocks the door.  He takes a deep breath before entering the room.

Ian "Steve, we need another book!"

Steve "I thought you were taking my tea?"

Ian "Yep ill get you some fish and chips later.  But what do you say?  Do you have another book in you?"

Steve "Well I did want to do this one about a serial killer..."

Ian "No!  Good lord Steve you need to tone it down."

Steve "I am not doing fantasy Ian!  I need something else!"

Ian sighs and sits down on the bed next to Steve.  He picks up a comic from the night stand.

Ian "Whats this you have been reading?"

Steve "Superman comics."

Ian "Shame we couldn't make a superman fighting fantasy."

Steve "You mean like we technically couldn't make a Star Trek one?"

They slowly look at each other, smiles slowly forming before the maniacal laughing starts.

So it is still 1985 when Appointment with F.E.A.R came out and its the return of the mercurial Steve Jackson who has not been seen since the amazing but very controversial House of Hell.  In Steve Jackson style its another change from the norm as he has a crack at bringing the super hero genre to Fighting Fantasy.  It was not one that appealed to me when I was younger so never played before.  However I am slightly obsessed by the Marvel films so lets see how it translates into a fighting fantasy book.

 Covers - 

The Titanium Cyborg cover is a very iconic one in the world of Fighting Fantasy.  It does look very much like something out of a comic book from the 80s.  He looks fairly maniacal and I do like his glasses.  As I said I never really liked the non fantasy books so stayed clear of it.  But it is quite a good cover and apparently Steve insisted they keep the cover for the Wizard republished ones.  I see why as it very much fits the 80s comic vibe but I would have liked to see a modern update for it.

Scholastic also republished this one so we get a second cover to look at.  The Scholastic ones are a bit limited as its not a full cover per say but we get an even more maniacal Titanium Cyborg.  I would have liked to seen this done with a full cover as it actually looks really good.

I miss the US Covers... 

Premise - 

I am Jean Lafayette, at least during the day where I work in a middle sized office (sounds about right).  I like having a name, a character to play rather, lets see if it makes any difference.  But by night I am the Silver Crusader and hero of Titan City.  I like that I am not egotistical enough to go with gold.  Or maybe it was easier to get the costume in silver.

Lets go back to my birth to explain how all this happened.  So while she was pregnant with me my mother decided to allow an experimental genetic surgery to be performed.  To make it worse the doctors apparently warned her about the dangers of radiation experiments and the program was no where near complete.  But its ok, as mum was part of the program.  We are told that our poor dad had no real idea what he was consenting to.  Gee thanks mum!  Gambling with my life for the sake of her experiments.  I hope the twist is the mum is the big baddie.

Nope they both died.

As a child I am subjected to a lot of experiments and tests from the doctors but just appear to be a normal boy!  Its all done hush hush though as there would be a public outcry if the truth came out.  And also mum did not want the world to see me as an experimental freak.   What!?  Well maybe if you don't want that, do not perform the crazy experiment on your unborn child!!!

So eventually the docs got fed up with the experiments and I was labelled just a normal boy.  Ironically just at this time my abilities (more about them later) started to manifest themselves.  My parents decided to keep this a secret as they did not wish the experiments to start up again and be a lab rat for the rest of my life.  I feel we can thank Dad for this.

So when the call comes I become the Silver Crusader, sworn to protect the citizens of Titan City (love the name).  But its not only my powers I use, I also have a trusty crime watch!  This allows the police to contact me and vice versa.  Woah did Steve predict smart watches all the way back in 1985!?

But that's not all!  It also connects me with my underworld contact......Gerry the Grass.  Now lets hope that this is my pet name for poor Gerry.  He wont last long in the underworld with a name like that!

Good old Gerry has informed us that within the next few days, Vladimir Utoshski, the leader of F.E.A.R has called a top secret meeting.  Vlad is also known as the Titanium Cyborg, part man, part machine and if F.E.A.R get their way the western world will be devastated.  I need to find out where and when this meeting will take place.

By the way F.E.A.R stands for Federation of Euro American Rebels.  I had to check with Gerry I had the right F.E.A.R and not the Friends of Earwigs And Rabbits.  Its a very niche group and could have been a very embarrassing misunderstanding!    

Playthrough -

Its a Steve Jackson book, you did not expect it to be standard rules did you?

So first up Skill, Stamina and Luck are all still here and normal.  However in the battles section you are told that if you reduce your opponent to 1 or 2 stamina they give up.  If you kill someone you lose a hero point!

Hero points are points that erm show how heroic you have been?  They have no bearing at all on the game other than like a score system.  The more hero points you get the better you have done and try to beat your high score on a new playthrough.  I guess it adds some replay value but seems quite flimsy for a Steve Jackson mechanic.

Next section is about clues.  There are two types of clue.  The first relates to villians and their crimes and the other type relates to the big F.E.A.R meeting you are trying to find.  You start with a couple of clues.

But here is why we are all here.  Choosing your super power -

Super Strength - 

Ill just take a direct quote from the book "The muscles of your immensely powerful legs and arms bulge through the fabric of your costume."  This gives you a Skill score of 13 and of course allows you to fly... Anyway this is clearly the Fighting Fantasy version of Superman.  Or...

Bulging muscles are covered!

Psi Powers - 

You have the abilities to read thoughts of humans and some animals and also affect what people think.  But it costs you 2 stamina every time you use it.  A much more cerebral type superhero.  I am thinking Professor X.  

Enhanced Technology Skills - 

You are a tech whizz and have all sorts of hi-tech gadgets that you have also miniaturized to fit on your utility belt!  Well its called an accessory belt but we all know what it it.  Basically you are Batman!  

It does say though you have never made any weapons though in case they fall into the wrong hands.

Energy Blast - 

You can shoot energy bolts from your hands!  Interestingly it means all you need to do is pass a skill test and you stun your opponent and win the combat.  But it does cost you 2 stamina each time you use it.  This sounds more like Emperor Palpatine rather than a super hero.

Each superpower gives you different clue options as well which is pretty cool.  But hmm which one.  I do feel its a no brainer, skill 13 and you can fly!  Yes please!  I mean the energy blast is also tempting but with skill 13 you should win most combats without being hit.  If the blast didn't cost 2 stamina it would be more intriguing.  The Psi Powers would be cool for a different type of playthrough but again at the cost of 2 stamina I am not interested.  Only other one would be to be the batman but is he really a super hero or just a bit clever?  And I would like to know more about what equipment you have on the utility belt before picking that one.

I mean for all I know its just this!

Skill - 13 (Super Strength)

Stamina - 17

Luck - 9

Right first up is the clues.  Super Strength gives you one automatically and you get a choice of three for your second.  My first clue is that the Scarlet Prankster has a new base benefiting his sense of humour.  When I am in the vicinity subtract 50 from the paragraph to find him.  Oh no its one of those types of book.  This sounds like House of Hell.  

Second Clue is that the President is visiting Titan City and there will be an attempt on his life!  I have to find Marcus Buletta and Rat Face Flanagan who know how the attempt will be made!  This sounds more important than the F.E.A.R meeting!

On my way to work.  Would be funny if you just play the whole game navigating the politics and pitfalls of office life!  I need more yellow toner for the printer dammit!

Steve builds the tension in the city, people are on edge and there is an atmosphere.  Police chase a car to the park through Clark street!  First DC reference there!  I can chase the car, break up an argument, buy a paper to learn about a bank robbery.  Or go to work.  This is very tempting as hard to cover why I missed work.  But as I do not really have to worry about that I go to see if I can break up the argument.

I decide to whip into my costume first chance I get.  The crowd settle down and I give a lady a row for letting her dog sh*t in the street.  No hero points which I find hard to believe!  

I decide to go and buy a paper and read about the bank robbery by now other than the Alchemist!  

Some remarkable pictures in the newspaper of the crime!

Time to do some hero stuff, time to investigate.  When I get to the bank everyone is quite.  I can talk to branch manager, the police or the security guard.  I decide the guard is a first hand witness so go to find him first.

Except he is still locked in the time access vault and wont be able to speak until he gets out.  I do find that the alchemist has used chemicals to disable the security system.  I get asked if I have energy blast which would blow the door open.  No I do not but I am super strong so surely I could just yank the door to the vault off?  No?  Ok.... instead I lose two stamina points trying exactly that.

As I leave one of police officers tells me about a shark sighting at Starkers beach (Tony Stark?) and he is worried as his kids swim there.  Well maybe phone them or go home and tell them not too!  Fine ill take a fly by.

To be honest its just as well.  It is described as having barley dressed girls who titter at the muscle bound gigolos!  What type of beach is this?  Beaches in Scotland are beautiful but extremely cold!  Multiple layers required!

Turns out there was a shark as well.

I fly into the water and the Ripper Shark is Skill 10!   Bloody hell!  It takes a little nibble out of me but we kill it (I thought I didn't kill anyone).  I take the a floundering boy back to this mother.  She is very thankful and gives me basically free tickets to the circus run by her uncle Captain Menagerie.  He sounds like a villian.  If I ever get near a lions cage I need to add 50 to the paragraph to find where he keeps his notes.

Somehow this does not net me a hero point either!  And just like that its the end of the day.  I go home and restore 6 stamina.  I realise my boss, Jonah White (I must work for an amalgamation of the Daily Bugle and Daily Planet) will be livid.  The next day I take the subway to work to be on time.  But get distracted by a pickpocket.  But before I can stop him the crime watch tells me to get to the cowfield dairy fast!

Sorry pickpocket but you are small fry.  I head over to the dairy.  Everything looks fine and I find a stray cat trying to get in.  I pick him up for a stroke when I see Chainsaw Bronski!

A well known murderer who is meant to be behind bars!

It is now that I get perhaps the best choice ever.  Will I approach this mass murderer chainsaw wielding maniac?  Or take the cat to a cats home?  Poor Cat.

Bronski is easily dealt with and tells me that the Serpent has been dumped by his actress girlfriend.  Getting back to the police station I finally get my first hero point!

Now its time to get back to work.  Boss wont be happy so I decide to get him a gift.  Of course I buy him a copy of Warlock of Firetop Mountain haha.  It does not go well and he suspends me for the rest of the day.  Should have bought him Lone Wolf....

So I decide to go to Wisneyland (oh come on Steve at least try).  

I am hoping the Scarlet Prankster will be around here.

Next choice is the Big Dipper, Fun House or Dodgems.  Well I think the Fun House would seem a likely place to find the Joker...cough erm I mean the Scarlet Prankster so I head over there.

Hmm subtracting 50 did not work so I guess I have not got it quite right.  I fall down into a pit in the fun house and find another reporter here who is trapped and had his wallet stolen.  He has been looking into the Scarlet Prankster so we are in the right area.  He gives me a key that an informant had given him.

Ah Ha!  The next page gives me the option to look around or if I know where to go, go there now!  That takes the guessing off so I use my clue and bang the Scarlet Prankster!  I keep having to remember not to kill them and get them to stamina 2 instead but I easily beat him.  He has a note on him that tells me the F.E.A.R meeting starts at 9am!  No idea where though.  I take the Prankster into the police and I am rewarded with 3 Hero Points!

At this point I get the option to go home and rest but I am already on maximum stamina so I can either try and get a ticket for tonight's performance of rats or go shopping.  Well Cats was atrocious so if Rats is anything like it there is bound to be a villian hanging around!  Especially if the Serpents ex is in it.

Guess what!  She was!

The Lizard does indeed show up kidnaps his ex.  Saving us all from the performance.  But I remember I am meant to be a super hero and I have lost count of how many times but its time to change again!  

I head backstage and get told I have three doors to choose from.  One has two stars, one has one star and the final door has no stars.  Well using my information I got from Chainsaw Bronski I know the actress does not want to be seen as a star and always takes the smallest changing room.  No stars it is.

Its the Serpent!  He has a poisonous attack that if I get hit I lose 1 skill point on a roll of a 1 or 2.  Its just temp though and I can get it back the next day.

He is only Skill 8 so he does not hit me.  He tried to cut a deal but as a paragon of justice I refuse.  But I do suggest if he tells me then ill put in a word with the judge.  He tells me that Ilya Karpev is the Creature of Carnage an agent of F.E.A.R.  And that the attempt on the presidents life will take place on the roof of the regent hotel.  Add 100 when watching the president to go there!

Another 2 Hero points in the bag and amazingly the next day I get to work on time!  And no crime happens all day.  At 5pm I clock off and I can either go to the police station to see why its so quite.  Or go and visit my aunt.  Well I am no Peter Parker so its off to the police.

Its just as well as I learn of a prison break where Marcus Buletta escaped.  That name is familiar as they know the plan for the presidents assassination!  Although I think I know enough about it already, I head to the hospital as they escaped in a disguised ambulance and a strange hairy person has just been admitted.

Its a bit odd at the hospital, they do not seem to care that I am the Silver Crusader.  And I learn the person I am here to look for dies an hour ago.  The book is determined to get me to visit my aunt but something smells off here so I head to the morgue.

Right enough the body has gone missing.  The trail of the missing body ends here so I fear I have missed a clue somewhere.  I have no choice but to leave.

So I can go and watch Georgie Boy and The Vulture Club (Boy George and the Culture Club) or go and visit my aunt.  Fine, fine ill go and visit my aunt.  I take a short cut to save time through the graveyard.  Fully expecting something to go wrong.

Yep.

This is the Reincarnation who can not be killed and due to some bureaucratic mix up he has been buried in a normal grave.  Lucky I am here.  He is Skill 10 but I beat him easily enough.  But all I can do I rebury him and let the police know where to pick him up.  I get no hero points as nobody saw the fight and no information!

My aunt looks after me and I spend the night there.  Luckily its Saturday so no work to go to when I wake up.  I can go to the home appliance of the future exhibition, watch a game of football.  Or watch the president.  Well as much as both those have a high chance of a villian showing up, I know the president will get killed unless I do something so I head over.

I activate the clue and I did it at the right place and I get into a battle with the Assassin!  He is no match for my bulging muscles and he admits he works for F.E.A.R.  He has no idea where the meeting will take place other than it is tomorrow.  I get 6 hero points for saving the presidents life.  But I now have to get the location today or its game over.

So my character decides to go home for a rest!  And next thing I know its in the morning and the watch goes off saying F.E.A.R meeting today, location unknown.  I have no idea where it is but I can stay in town, go to Parker Airport (Spiderman) or head to the waterfront.

I burst into the the meeting of F.E.A.R, unfortunately its the annual Farmers Environmental and Resources conference.   I get in cab and the Titanium Cyborg comes over the radio.  They have taken over the star wars system and want all armies and governments to surrender.  To prove a point they will destroy Titan City in the next 30 seconds.  Oh well guess they were not in the city then!

 

Notable Encounters - 

Its not all about smashing super baddies!  Sometimes you have to use your brain like at the start where you have to investigate the murder of Wayne Bruce.  Finding a certain medallion in the bushes (quite careless) whilst using a clue you might get at the start takes you to the doorstep of Daddy Rich!

I mean look at the blood splatters, it does not take Batman to work this one out.

There is also a hijacked plane to rescue.  You can try and talk him down over the radio or just fly up there and beat him up in time.  Or like so much of this book you can use the secret clue in the newspaper and get the hidden solution!

Some people are prone to a bit of exaggeration - 

I mean it is a sweetie shop so should have known.

Yep it was just a kid!  Who you seriously injure as all you see are the feet before unleashing your super power.

You can actually turn up at work as well sometimes.  Normally with a tongue lashing from the boss.  Which is much deserved by the way as you turn up horrendously late if at all!  However its not always boring and you can learn a few things at work.  

Nothing is simple in Titan City for a superhero.  Even trips to the shops and the subway will land you in a spot of bother.  Shopping is especially perilous for a flying super hero.  So you can not let your guard down.

But there is a lot going on.  Museums, Zoos, Stadiums, Swimming Pools and even an expo about the future!

A shout out to the trip to the Zoo where you can arrest the Lion Tamer without any actual evidence and lose some hero points.  You have to find some clues earlier in the book to find what's really going on with the circus and the Ringmaster!

I did like the homage to Spiderman in my playthrough where I got to visit your Aunt!  But in typical fashion its not as simple as just turning up!

Artwork - 

Declan Considine is another new illustrator to the series.  I do like how they have kept with the theme of comic book strips with how they have done the art.  

It is different but not quite to my tastes but I did like the Shark at the beach and Chainsaw Bronski.  And the Reincarnation was properly good.

I do really like the Super Villians art but I will talk about that later.

Does well to show the car crash.  I really like this one.

Get to the Choppa!

Blam!  President is dead.

There are some ones though where I am erm not sure about.

I mean what is going on with that women?!

This is the panel to describe attacks by a wild animal?  Not sure why there is a giant sky cowboy.

The Smoke in all his erm glory.

But I feel like I have to highlight one in particular -

Erm is that necklace on the third guy from the left what I think it is?!

Now I know they are meant to be bad guys but if that is what I think it is that's too much, even for 1985.

The Big Bad - 

And I would have got away with it if wasn't for those pesky kids!

Vladimir Utoshski aka the Titanium Cyborg!  Now it makes sense in 1985 that the big baddy is very Russian sounding.  To be fair as I write this (1st Jan 23) there is another Russian Vlad who is the big bad so its aged well!  

You do not really have any interactions with the cyborg out with the climatic battle.  He does show up as a regular person at the expo to sabotage a robot butler.  But apart from that he is just a dark shadow in the background where you are running around the city trying to find him.  And to be honest I like that.  It suits the book quite well.  

When you do eventually find him he is a proper super villian.  He is Skill 18!  Not even your super strength of Skill 13 has any chance against this guy!  And just in case he straight up kills you after three rounds anyway.  The only way to beat him is to use the circuit jammer you get at Murdoch Labs.  Overall though the Titanium Cyborg is a great big bad!

Menagerie -

There is not much in normal encounters here outside of some thugs, radioactive dogs and sharks.  Everything is based around the bad guys so lets have a look at the Rouges Gallery -

Illya Karpov - The Creature of Chaos

Strengths - Very Strong

Weakness - Can be fought in human form

Interesting Fact - Is not the Hulk

Marcus Buletta - Dr Macabre

10/10 on his evil laugh course.

Strengths - Great at putting things together, just ask the four armed dude.

Weakness - Reliance on drug stores.

Interesting Fact - Went on to star in the human centipede.

Sylvia Frost - The Ice Queen

How about some COLD meat hahaha

Strengths - Ice Skating.

Weakness - Anything warm.

Interesting Fact - Was going to be featured on a renovation program for the property she just bought before being rudely interrupted by a superhero.

The Mantrapper - Real Name Unknown

I catch erm men, not ladies.

Strengths - Working out with the boys!

Weakness - Men, he can not resist trapping them.

Interesting Fact - He just likes trapping men, he releases them soon after as its all a jolly jape.

Mustapha Kareem - The Mummy

Strengths - Stronger than you.

Weakness - Gets sand in the worst possible places.

Interesting Fact - Works at the Egypt museum not to be a stereotype but to learn more about his odd condition.

Sidney Knox - Super name still pending

Big Brain

Strengths - Sudoku/Wordle/Scrabble 

Weakness - Always corrects people.

Interesting Fact - Looking for a new name, I vote the Brain but it has probably already been taken.

The Devastator

Strengths - Reading, that's why he is in the Library clearly.

Weakness - Phenolic Acid.

Interesting Fact - Is the combined form of the six decepticon constructicons.  

The Reincarnation

Strengths - King of the Comebacks.

Weakness - Narcolepsy. 

Interesting Fact - Just wants some peace and quite.

The Ringmaster

Strengths - Animal Control

Weakness - Animal Welfare

Interesting Fact - Likes to dress as a cowboy in his spare time and appear as I giant floating head in the city.

The Scarlett Prankster

Streng.....Cease and Desist from the law office of DC.

Giorgio Shultz - The Poisoner

He works out for a chemist.

Strengths - Being a muscle nerd.

Weakness - Tiny test tubes.

Interesting Fact - Struggles to mix the worlds of chemistry nerd with gym monkey.

Macro Brain

Strengths - Awesome entrances.

Weakness - Alpha Wave Emitters.

Interesting Fact - Had same kind of genetic experiments as the Silver Crusader had.   But he used them for evil.

The Smoke

Strengths - Air vents.

Weakness - Any kind of breeze.

Interesting Fact - No one knows how it works with his clothes.

The Serpent

Strengths - Slithery

Weakness - Actresses

Interesting Fact - Very controlling behavior in 1985 would lead to the serpent being put away for domestic reasons in 2023.

The Tiger Cat

Strengths - Can transform into a cute cat.

Weakness - Easily picked up and returned to the cattery.

Interesting Fact - Steve Jackson's favorite going by the description.

Richard Storm - The Tormentor

You know Susan?!

Strengths - Seems to know how to fly an airplane. 

Weakness - Hopeless Romantic

Interesting Fact - Luckily does not stop to think exactly how you have Susan's phone number.

The real villian is this guy though - 

He knows exactly what he was doing and almost causes a full scale riot on the street.

Entertaining Deaths - 

Not many instant deaths in this one but we have a few.

Macro Brain takes over you're mind and makes you into a bad guy.

You see a child stealing some munchies in the supermarket.  As you confront him he shoots you with gun!  

My favorite though is getting to the submarine for the F.E.A.R meeting, you quickly hide but the door closes and you are trapped in the ejection bay.  You are promptly fired out of the submarine and drown.

 

Pete's Corner - 

Its much more fun to see if you can get to minus hero points.

Final Thoughts - 

First thing I would say about Appointment with F.E.A.R is wow it took me ages to map it out.  My spreadsheet had over twenty five tabs.  Steve takes the hidden route mechanism from House of Hell and dials it up to eleven.  Its so complicated as its not only the final meeting that's hidden but you need to constantly be on the look out for even minor encounters.  At first I thought it was obvious as the paragraphs would say things like but if you would like to go somewhere else now would be the time to do it.  But some of them are not that obvious.  When I was mapping out the book I completely missed Daddy Rich and the Poisoner!  This makes the book difficult but by no way unfair, the clues are there if you keep an eye out.

Another reason for it taking so long is how long the book is.  Its 440 paragraphs.  When you think back to Starship Traveler being short changed this is a big difference for Steve.  And its not 440 of filler, there is a hell of a lot in them as there needs to be to give the readers the clues they need.  

Two main reasons here for the length.  One is having the four separate hero powers.  It means each encounter has to have up to four different ways of playing out.  Now to be fair some are the same but it is a lot.  The second is that they have multiple endings.  You can end up on an executive jet, a submarine or even a underneath the Chinese laundry.  This is fun and a great way to keep people coming back to the book.

I like the idea of different powers.  It can lead to very different decision making on the playthrough.  And with the different clues you can start with it can send you off in very different directions.  This adds a ton of replay value.  But I would say not all powers are created equal.  Most people are going to be the same as me and go straight to the super man type as that Skill 13 is just so tempting for Fighting Fantasy veterans.  ETS is cool as well but to me there was just so many times when the equipment was rubbish or didn't work.  I feel the Silver Crusader is a bit of a knock off batman.  The other two skills are interesting but having to take the stamina penalty does not make sense to me.  I would keep the skills but eliminate that penalty to bring it up to the same level as the other skills.

Hero points though I think are a miss.  I see what they are trying to do as it encourages like a high score but for a Steve Jackson mechanic I would expect a lot more.  It also encourages you to play as a hero but not enough for me.  You should be rewarded in some better way.

 

I love the variety of baddies in this.  It had a feel of Arkham City with so much going on.  Now some of the names can be a bit too on the nose but it does feel like a greatest hits tribute.  If I had any issues with this it would maybe cut a few from the list in order to flesh out some of the others out more.  But it made a nice change of pace to the usual battle through random minions.  Almost like sub bosses.

I really like the Titanium Cyborg as a final boss as well.  A bad ass to fight but also clearly a very cerebral bad guy.  I mean he hacks the Star Wars system and blows up cities!  

The artwork is not for me.  I understand why they did the comic strip and that great for the theme and its not bad at all, I just don't think its amazing either.

Also some of it is tough to read in 2023.  When you go to the Chinese restaurant you get told a lot of "yellow" faces look up towards you.  That needs to go in any reprints and is an unfortunate reminder that even as late as the mid 80s these things were still a problem.  Its one line in the entire book but I still found it very jarring to read.  Couple with the dubious symbol in the art I highlighted earlier and I am not ok with it.

Another thing is that the puns are just too much.  Its lazy in places.  I am ok with the comic references as its a tribute.  But some of the ones like Georgie Boy and the Vulture Club, Michael Blackson and his new single "Willer" and of course the terrible Wisneyland to name a few.  While the comic book ones made me smile, these made me groan.

I did not want to like Appointment with F.E.A.R, I had no interest playing it as a kid and I was not looking forward to doing it here either.  I am glad I did though.  It is an absolute technical marvel that I only got the full appreciation of it when I tried to map it out.  I did not want to like it, but I did!

Score - 8 out of 10.