The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain Media
Critic Reviews for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
An inspired adaptation of the old Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, that’s also one of the most unique and fun roguelikes of recent years.
Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a unique experience that takes a single-player adventure book and translates it into a digital experience. While fun at times, this title is bogged down by delayed controls in spots and long load times.
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is an excellent adaptation. Like Sorcery, it never really transcends the cheesy sword-and-board adventure-fantasy of the original adventure gamebook it sources from, but that’s not really the point is it? Hell, the archetypal characters and straightforward questing are part of the charm. Tin Man’s lovingly reshaped Steve Jackson’s work into a relaxing and lightweight RPG, perfect to run once or twice in a night and hope this time you avoid all Zagor’s traps and make it to the end.
Choose your own adventure meets D & D without the ability to keep your finger in the choice page to find out if you want to take back your move.
As someone who grew up playing a ton of choose your own adventure books, it's been great getting a chance to experience this particular story in what feels like a 3D board game come to life with fun turn-based battle mechanics in a release that both pays homage to the source material while doing its own thing.
The straight-from-gamebook-to-board-game and from-board-game-to-video-game style that The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is flawlessly going for makes this as niche as an RPG can get, and thus, isn't for everyone. Those who can turn on their imagination, "get into" this treacherous world, and actually do some mental role-playing in a role-playing game (gasp!), however, are in for quite the delicious treat.
