Item - Immortal Empire

For a long time I have been wanting to read a gamebook that recreates the thrills of playing a "god game", similar to the videogames ActRaiser and Populous. Immortal Empire sets out to do this, though the game experience is brought down by the educational character of the book. Since the book is aimed at English learners, text sections are extremely short. Moreover, the gameplay does not have the same complexity you would find in a CYOA or Which Way book; all paths through the book end after exactly three choices, meaning that you don't get to find a really developed story if you read the book multiple times, as you would in many other gamebooks.

Despite these limitations, the book is well written and designed. While brief, the story is fun to read. The choices present interesting moral dilemmas, and the endings are quite thought-provoking. While the gameplay will not impress seasoned gamebook readers, this book is a good read for young children who have not been previously exposed to gamebooks, as well as its intended audience of ESL students. It won't rock your world if you are not in one these groups, though.

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