Item - Nightmare Store

This book is something of an improvement over the previous volume even though it shares most of the same flaws. There are choices that affect outcomes rather than actions, but not quite so many, and while the story is full of random and senseless events and has nothing that could be described as a meaningful plot, at least the paths through it are longer and more satisfying than those in the last book. Some of the stories told in this volume are purely silly and ridiculous, but others have at least a little bit of atmosphere; in fact, when I was considerably younger, I recall being genuinely frightened by parts of the book. It's still far from being a great success, but it's not as hopelessly weak as its predecessor.

More reviews by Demian

(review based on the Spanish translation)

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, even though it's not as good as Craven House Horrors. I think many of us wondered as children what it would be like to stay in a large department store after closing time, and this book provides an answer, telling a story where the entire store comes to life and tries to kill the player character. My gripe with the book is that the different paths are of uneven quality: some are quite inspired while others are just silly. Paul Frame's illustrations help the atmosphere a lot, and he keeps up the good work for most of the series. In spite of its flawed parts, the book is genuinely frightening and worth a read.

More reviews by Guillermo

This one definitely scared me when I was younger, and I was still able to appreciate its worth and get spooked as an adult if I threw myself into the mood of the story. Definitely the strongest entry in the series--it has much more consistency, substance, and atmosphere than the others that are chock-full of randomness and unsatisfying paths. I think Paul Frame is at his best illustrating this one too. Love his artwork.

More reviews by KJB