House of Hell
A horror gamebook where fear can literally kill you.
House of Hell (released as House of Hades in the United States) is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson, illustrated by Tim Sell, and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It is the 10th title in the original Fighting Fantasy series and the 7th in the modern Wizard Books series. Notable for introducing a 'Fear Points' mechanic, the book is a horror-themed entry in which the protagonist must escape a haunted house filled with monsters and Satan-worshippers.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Steve Jackson
- Illustrator
- Tim Sell
- Cover Artist
- Puffin: Ian Miller · Wizard: Nicholas Halliday
- Genre
- Fantasy / Location: Earth
- Series
- Fighting Fantasy / Puffin number: 10 · Wizard number: 7
- Pub Date
- Puffin: 1984 · Dell/Laurel-Leaf: 1985 · Wizard: 2002
- Media Type
- Print (Paperback)
- Isbn
- 0-14031-831-3
- Isbn Note
- (Puffin) / 1-84046-417-8 (Wizard)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
A short version of the adventure first appeared in Warlock: The Fighting Fantasy Magazine with 185 references. It was later modified and expanded to 400 references for the final book. As with titles such as Appointment with F.E.A.R. and Sword of the Samurai, House of Hell utilizes an additional game mechanic: 'Fear Points', which the player occasionally accrues. If too many Fear Points are accumulated, the story ends because the character is literally scared to death.
The story is a horror tale in which the protagonist must escape a haunted house, surviving against skeletons, zombies, ghosts, and vampires. Initially a guest, the player discovers the house is home to Satan-worshippers and various monsters. Gameplay is initially devoted to finding a means of escape, but after finding a series of clues, the player must first defeat the evil presiding over the house.
Reader's Guide
House of Hell stands as the 10th entry in the original Fighting Fantasy series and the 7th in the modern Wizard Books reprint series. Its introduction of Fear Points added a psychological tension to the gameplay, making it distinct among its peers. The book was originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books, with a short version previously appearing in Warlock magazine. A digital version was later developed by Tin Man Games for multiple platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. In 2010, Super Team Film Prods secured the rights to produce a motion picture based on the title. In the June 1985 edition of White Dwarf (Issue #66), reviewer Chris Mitchell praised the artwork as 'of very good quality', found the price reasonable, and considered the book a worthy addition to the Fighting Fantasy collection. The book's legacy includes its continued availability through digital adaptations and its influence as a horror-themed gamebook.
Did You Know?
- The book was originally 185 references in Warlock magazine, then expanded to 400 references for the final title.
- If the player accumulates too many Fear Points, the character is literally scared to death.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is House of Hell and who created it?
House of Hell is a single-player adventure gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series, written by Steve Jackson with illustrations by Tim Sell. Puffin Books published it in 1984 as the tenth title in the original lineup.
What is the Fear Points mechanic?
Fear Points is a tracking system unique to this book in which your character's terror level climbs as you witness horrifying events, and if it peaks, fear itself can kill you. It was the first Fighting Fantasy entry to introduce this psychological survival layer alongside the usual combat and luck rolls.
What is the setting and goal of House of Hell?
You are trapped inside a haunted house crawling with monsters and Satan-worshipping cultists, and your objective is to find a way out before you die. The horror-themed scenario pits you against both supernatural creatures and human enemies in a claustrophobic, dread-soaked environment.
Why is House of Hell considered a landmark entry in the Fighting Fantasy series?
It marks the series' first foray into dedicated horror and debuts the Fear Points system, which added a mental-health survival element no earlier book had attempted. As the 10th original title, it also represents a creative expansion beyond the standard sword-and-sorcery settings fans had grown accustomed to.
What is House of Hell called in the United States?
The book was released under the title House of Hades for the US market. Its original 1984 Puffin Books edition carries the ISBN 0-14-031831-3.
More in Video Games of the 1980s, Part 1 1-24
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