Somorra • Christian & Florian Süßner

This year, I rediscovered gamebooks for myself and have been reading several of them over the past few months. One of them was The Fire of the Moon by Christian and Florian Sußner, which I also presented in more detail here. Now the authors have published a new gamebook, and I couldn’t resist, because this one doesn’t have the classic fantasy setting — instead, it takes place in a dystopian metropolis. There aren’t many new gamebooks being published these days, and it’s quite rare to see one with fresh elements — in this case, an urban fantasy world. Based on The Fire of the Moon, I knew I could expect new game mechanics here, which only made me more curious.

In Somorra, you take on the role of a young policewoman who becomes the victim of a conspiracy and is forced by her corrupt police chief to take part in a shady deal. She herself is upright, fights for justice and order, and has so far successfully resisted being dragged down into the criminal underworld of Somorra. The metropolis of Somorra turns out to be a dark and decaying place where the corrupt police, led by “The Judge” from the Justice District, and the inhabitants of the Old Town under “Black Jakob” stand opposed and control the city. There are also mafia-like structures led by “The Chinese.” Very quickly, the reader is drawn into an adventure involving life and death — and, of course, the origins and fate of the heroine whose role they assume.

Of course, here comes the obligatory explanation of what gamebooks actually are (for those who haven’t read my other posts about them yet). I’ve already written about some gamebooks. In the 1980s, adventure gamebooks had a brief moment of popularity. These are books that are not read linearly but divided into sections. The reader takes on the role of the protagonist, starts with the first section, and can then decide how the story continues and what actions to take. This way, everyone reads the book differently and experiences their own unique adventure. There are usually rules, dice-based battles, items to collect, and notes to keep on an action sheet. Gamebooks are, as the name suggests, books that are meant to be played — and they often come with a rich fantasy setting. It’s a nerdy hobby, but I loved these books as a child and teenager, and as I’m rediscovering them today, they’re still just as entertaining and a real pleasure to read.

Whatever you do in Somorra stays in Somorra — and Somorra will swallow your soul along with it. (p. 417)

As already mentioned, what fascinated me most about this gamebook was its unusual setting for the genre — and it truly delivers, offering a city that feels like a threatening, crime-infested New York of the 1940s and 1950s. It’s enriched with a touch of Rapture from BioShock, as there are also strangely mutated beings called “The Memorable,” though they only appear occasionally. At the center stands the corrupt police force, pursuing you through the Old Town and the Justice District. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a film noir gangster movie, which I really enjoyed. This unique backdrop ensures that the book never becomes boring. I also like the name “Somorra,” which alludes to Sodom and Gomorrah — fittingly, the city is quite the den of sin.

Just like in The Fire of the Moon, Somorra once again introduces new gamebook elements that I really enjoyed. There’s an action sheet, which you can best download here and print out, so you don’t have to scribble in the beautiful book itself. However, instead of filling up with countless items like in other gamebooks, this one uses code words that record which items you possess and which decisions you’ve made. I loved this system — it strengthens the impact of your choices and carries them forward all the way to the finale. Each code word isn’t tied to a single section; rather, it changes depending on your decisions. To put it in programmer-friendly terms: behind each code word is a finite state machine. This mechanic fits a modern trend, as many video games now draw players into the story through their choices. Even when these have only minor effects, it gives you the feeling of being part of the narrative.

A second truly clever gameplay element is drug addiction, which the protagonist succumbs to quite early on. This addiction leads to recurring trips that transport the reader into special sections — and you can only escape these hallucinations by solving puzzles, all of which are reasonably challenging but fair. Combining the narrative element of addiction and surreal visions with puzzles feels fantastic while reading and fits perfectly into the story. There are no combat encounters or monsters in this book, which I found refreshing — the addiction mechanic serves as an excellent replacement.

Of course, these aren’t the only gameplay mechanics. There’s, for example, a section where the reader can explore the city but has limited time and can only visit a few areas. There are also antidotes for the drug addiction. The combination of all these simple rules ensures that the book stays exciting, entertaining, and unpredictable throughout. The entry into the story is smooth, without the need to study a long manual. This makes the book perfect for newcomers to the world of gamebooks.

Somorra is also quite dangerous — according to the introduction, there are 83 sections where the adventure can end instantly. That’s something other gamebooks also feature, but rarely with such frequency. I don’t like that very much, as it’s unrealistic to expect readers to start over completely each time, especially when the ending comes unexpectedly. Fortunately, this is mitigated in Somorra: the last section contains a table that lets you return to the previous one — a sort of “light mode,” which I happily used.

Once you’ve finished the book, your final ranking is calculated based on several factors — including a base score for your ending and the number of deaths you suffered. As usual in games, I scored terribly — only 35 points (out of over 120) — earning the title of “Rascal.” That definitely increases the replay value, although the story itself felt rather linear to me.

The playing time is quite comfortable — you can easily finish it in one evening. I found the story, together with its mechanics, consistently entertaining, though not particularly deep or original. It’s perfect for young readers, though — the interactive nature of a gamebook, the engaging adventure, and the atmospheric setting will surely draw some teens to reading. So if you’re looking to motivate your kids to read, this is definitely a great choice.

In terms of presentation, the book follows the typical adventure gamebook style — a paperback that’s easy to flip through, with small illustrations (vignettes) between sections and larger drawings. The small vignettes are relatively sparse, but the larger illustrations are excellent and match the style perfectly. A few more would have been nice, though. The illustrations at the very beginning of the book could have been distributed throughout — they feel a bit lost up front. Likewise, the portrait images of three selected characters were excellent.

Conclusion: Once again, Christian and Florian Sußner deliver a wonderful gamebook with Somorra — consistently entertaining, featuring refreshing new mechanics, and set in a dystopian, film-noir-inspired city that provides a compelling backdrop. The story may not be groundbreaking, but it’s solid and enjoyable. Especially for younger readers, this book is ideal — and if you’re looking for a Christmas gift that might inspire someone to read, you can’t go wrong with Somorra. And if you love gamebooks or remember them from the 1980s and want to relive that kind of adventure, Somorra offers an enjoyable and relaxed evening’s entertainment. I really liked this book, and it’s now part of my gamebook collection.

Book information: Somorra • Christian and Florian Sußner • Mantikore Verlag • 560 pages • ISBN 9783961880898