Recently, GBN received word that Malthus Dire (aka the upstanding gamebook author and prolific reviewer Mark Lain) has been hard at work and seeking tribute for his latest creation Kaleidoscope
Frenzy.
The fifth book in the Destiny’s Role adventure gamebook series and the long-awaited sequel to Fragile Beauty – a modern day hardboiled detective adventure concerning the mysterious disappearance of a young woman – which appeared in Destiny’s Role 0: Zero to Hero, Kaleidoscope Frenzy allows players to
continue the story, either by carrying through previous characters or starting afresh with a standalone adventure.
The concept behind Kaleidoscope Frenzy is that the fortunes of your character are such that work is now in ample supply. This means that (depending on your initial decisions) you can find yourself investigating any one of three distinctly different new cases. This adds considerable replay value as Kaleidoscope Frenzy is effectively three adventures in one!
Mark Lain has this to say about his latest book:
“Structurally and design-wise this will be the most ambitious DESTINY’S ROLE gamebook to date and I predict it running to in excess of 700 sections in length. Each of the three cases will have its own theme and feel, something made all the more impactful through each case being illustrated by a different artist.”
Indeed, the Hollywood noir themed The Sting in the Tale will be illustrated by Nick Spender (Fighting Fantasy #15: The Rings of Kether, Destiny’s Role #3: Red Monsoon), the neo-horror themed Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing will be illustrated by Malcolm Barter (Fighting Fantasy #3: The Forest of Doom, Webs of Intrigue), whilst the lighter Time and Vanity will be illustrated by Declan Considine (Fighting Fantasy #17: Appointment with FEAR). A highly respectable lineup, if ever we’ve seen one!
Kaleidoscope Frenzy will also feature a highly stylised Alfred Hitchcock inspired colour cover created by Brazilian artist Guilherme Gontijo whose recent reworkings of classic Fighting Fantasy covers using geometric shapes were met with acclaim by the gamebook community.
Anyone who has played a Destiny’s Role gamebook will appreciate their old-school look that is reminiscent of the classic fantasy gamebook series of the 1980s and 1990s such as Fighting Fantasy,
Lone Wolf and Golden Dragon. So if you’d like to support this project, head over to Kickstarter to make a pledge!
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Article by KJ Shadmand