This Book Is A Dungeon

About

This Book Is A Dungeon is a single player role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by NathanMeunier and was released on October 9, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"This Book Is A Dungeon" is a horror-themed Twine-based game that combines interactive fiction with pixel art. The game features gruesome challenges, light RPG elements, and multiple endings. Players will encounter dark and disturbing puzzles and face dozens of gruesome deaths. The game also includes a 40,000-word game dev diary as a bonus feature. This game is not for the faint of heart or those easily disturbed.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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73%

Audience ScoreBased on 221 reviews

story40 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The writing is excellent, creating a captivating and immersive atmosphere.
The game features unique and interesting monsters, enhancing the horror experience.
It's a fun and engaging text-based adventure that encourages exploration and experimentation.

There is no save function, forcing players to restart from the beginning after dying.
The combat system is simplistic and feels unnecessary, detracting from the overall experience.
Repetitive text and the inability to skip previously read sections can lead to frustration.

story
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
The game's story is a mix of intriguing and creepy elements, showcasing strong writing and a rich atmosphere that immerses players in a Lovecraftian horror setting. While many appreciate the interactive storytelling and the variety of paths and outcomes, some criticize the execution, noting issues with coherence, pacing, and a lack of meaningful choices. Overall, it offers a compelling narrative experience for those who enjoy story-driven gameplay, despite some mechanical shortcomings.
- “All of the paths are well thought out and fun to figure out; the descriptions and atmosphere are horrifying, and the storytelling and artwork are phenomenal.”
- “It's a very entertaining story that will creep you out at times and is so worth playing.”
- “The story is brilliantly Lovecraftian and engrossing, particularly the work that went into the collections of books and tomes in the library section.”
- “There's a bit of story attached, but it's an incoherent word salad not worth reading.”
- “Unfortunately, since the core competency of this game was the storybook-like text style, this simply does not cut it - each 'room' takes ages to complete, jarring you in and out of the story.”
- “To sum up, this game is actually not a bad idea or a bad story; it's just poorly executed.”
graphics
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
66%
6%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming yet simplistic pixel art style reminiscent of classic Amiga games, which some players appreciate for its nostalgic value. While the visuals effectively complement the dark themes and storytelling, many reviews note the lack of sound and minimalistic presentation, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall aesthetic experience. Despite its rudimentary graphics, the artwork is often described as fitting well with the game's atmosphere, enhancing the narrative rather than detracting from it.
- “Overall, despite its shortcomings, you can tell someone put a lot of love into it, and if you have enough patience and are into great storytelling and phenomenal visuals, this is a good experience for you.”
- “An engaging choose-your-own-adventure style fantasy/horror title with charmingly unique pixel graphics.”
- “The pixelated art style is somewhat simplistic, but fits perfectly with this kind of game.”
- “There's no music or sound to speak of, and the graphics are rudimentary.”
- “As it is, this game is one notch above a straight text adventure from the 80s, and only because of the fairly basic graphics.”
- “Firstly, it's a text-based adventure, with minimalistic graphics and a lot of reading.”
music
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
78%
11%
The game is criticized for its complete lack of music and sound effects, which many reviewers feel detracts from the overall atmosphere and immersion. While some players found the absence of audio acceptable, others suggested that adding music or ambient sounds could significantly enhance the experience. Overall, the consensus is that incorporating music would elevate the game's appeal, especially in a genre where atmosphere is key.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “There's also no music, but that's also where an ambient playlist of something like dungeon synth comes in handy; I listened to Erythrite Throne's new album, Coven of the Crystal Garden, and it was strikingly fitting.”
- “There is no sound or music, just endless reading and clicking.”
- “One notices right away that there are no sound effects or music, which are powerful and important tools for creating the appropriate atmosphere in any medium that is not restricted to visuals (or even just text) alone.”
- “It lacks music or sound effects which I think could really push this into another level; I would recommend something creepy while you explore the dungeon.”
atmosphere
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
28%
10%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, creepy, and immersive qualities, effectively evoking a sense of horror reminiscent of tabletop RPGs. While the writing and pixel art contribute significantly to this ambiance, some reviewers noted the absence of sound effects and music as a missed opportunity to enhance immersion. Overall, the game's atmospheric storytelling and engaging settings make it a compelling experience, despite some gameplay limitations.
- “The main draw of tbiad is its atmosphere; presenting interesting spaces that are reminiscent of a TTRPG one-shot with a horror theme.”
- “The literature contained within tbiad is dark and atmospheric, and the entire twisted experience is supplemented by equally demented, but gorgeous pixel art.”
- “The writing is superb and the whole atmosphere is very engaging: grim and macabre but it's varied enough not to take away my desire to explore.”
- “A choose your own adventure dungeon crawler with a genuinely creepy atmosphere.”
- “However, the brilliant writing and creepy atmosphere is marred by the game's lack of basic features for a PC game, a Steam title even.”
- “One notices right away that there are no sound effects or music, which are powerful and important tools for creating the appropriate atmosphere in any medium that is not restricted to visuals (or even just text) alone.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay of the game is primarily a text-based, choose-your-own-adventure style experience, heavily reliant on clicking through hyperlinks and minimal interaction, which some players find frustrating due to its lack of mechanical complexity and a punishing save system. While the atmospheric storytelling and writing are praised, the simplistic mechanics, repetitive battles, and trial-and-error nature detract from the overall experience, making it feel more like an interactive story than a traditional game. Players may enjoy the narrative if they are patient, but many express disappointment with the gameplay's execution and design flaws.
- “The gameplay of tbia is mainly structured around navigating atmospheric spaces through twine hyperlinks that are occasionally illustrated with pixel art.”
- “Gameplay more or less consists of traveling through the various dungeon floors, and interacting with puzzles and entities in a manner akin to a choose your own adventure.”
- “Excellent writing and good gameplay, good enough that even though I rage at the unfair deaths, I keep playing.”
- “Cool aesthetic, but pure trial-and-error gameplay.”
- “The most punishing aspect is definitely the lack of a real save mechanic.”
- “Gameplay consists entirely of clicking on blue text to progress, which is acceptable for the genre as long as it is used appropriately.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to slow text delivery and the inability to save progress, forcing them to replay sections in one sitting. While some appreciate the ability to skip to key areas, the repetitive nature of the text and the lack of sound detracts from the overall experience, breaking immersion and making exploration feel laborious.
- “I want to like the game, but the text is so slow and tedious.”
- “Additionally, since large segments of text cannot be skipped, playthroughs to discover alternative paths can get really tedious.”
- “A short, sweet horror game; the mildly tedious repetition after failing kinda breaks the horror immersion, but it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment I felt.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game offers high replayability due to its numerous possible outcomes and varied pathways based on player choices, encouraging multiple playthroughs. However, some players express frustration over randomized elements that can lead to unpredictable deaths, which may detract from the overall experience. Adding achievements could further enhance the incentive to replay the game.
- “Despite its short-lived nature, the content is highly replayable due to just how many outcomes are possible at nearly every twist and turn; whether it's discovering a new death, a different way to handle a situation, or an alternate ending.”
- “High replayability value with different pathways on almost every choice you make.”
- “Secondly, from what I could tell, at least one choice was randomized (there's a hole in the wall near the start of the game where I found a switch/lever one time and got bitten by insects the second try). While they could say it helps replayability, the idea that you'll probably never be able to learn what definitely will not kill you really bugs me.”
- “Needs achievements for replayability.”
- “While short, it certainly boasts some replay value with its different paths.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users feel that the author's dedication compensates for minor typos and glitches, indicating that these issues do not significantly detract from the experience. Additionally, the lack of music is not seen as a drawback for those who prefer reading without it.
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced multiple bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
- “The stability issues are frustrating, as I often find myself having to restart the game.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity, with players finding it amusing that fleeing from enemies can be more perilous than confronting them. The childish elements of the game also contribute to its comedic appeal, making it a source of laughter, especially in multiplayer settings.
- “It's funny that running away from an enemy serves more danger than fighting said enemy.”
- “My partner came over and we played it together and were laughing our asses off at how completely childish it is.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be a source of wholesome enjoyment, evoking positive emotions and providing a feel-good experience.