Most if not all the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks have hype copy on the cover that says, “A thrilling fantasy adventure in which YOU are the hero!” Creature of Havoc (1986) has that copy too, but it is the one time (that I can recall, at least) where it is fibbing. You are not a hero. You are a horrible creature, mutated, without identity and driven only by instinct (though, honestly, I am not 100% sure you’re the titular creature). This makes Havoc pretty unique in the series (only the time loop of Black Vein Prophecy exhibits a similar mechanical boldness) and makes for a complex and difficult playthrough.
So, monster that is constantly changing and evolving. Initially, you are driven by instinct, which means you make rolls to determine where you go. Once reason takes hold, you need to figure out language, which involved breaking a code (and kind of reminds me of The 13th Warrior in the way speech slowly becomes comprehensible). Then you need to escape. That involves secret passages, which can be discovered by adding 20 to the paragraph number when you’re in the right spot. You kill some adventurers along the way (combat in this book, with your claws and bulk and spines and, uh, appetite for flesh, is both bracing and gruesome). Eventually, you confront the sorcerer who made you this way — Zharradan Marr, the handsome gent on Ian Miller’s fantastic cover — find out the truth about your identity and, presumably, kick his ass into the netherworld (where he continues to make trouble for the world, as detailed in The Trolltooth Wars novel). Alan Langford delivers art and it is fine, but this is maybe the only time I will ever say this: the art is secondary to the experience of playing through this book.
All in all, conceptually and mechanically, a performance that is difficult to impossible to top. Clearly, since it is the last FF book that Steve Jackson wrote.
Indeed, this one is unique! You didn’t mention that it also is EXTREMELY difficult! I mean, this may be the best example ever of a story where there is only one way possible to win. I found it almost humorous. I might also add that it makes for a book that is… sort of a demonstration of Steve Jackson blatant sadism, if I may say so !!! ^^ Once again, to he point that it’s humorous ! But, I agree, the concept of the beast player character is VERY creative (especially for a Fighting Fantasy gamebook), plus the evolving mechanics for the creature is also very original. One can only regret that there weren’t more super-creative stuff like this among the books. All in all, a very unique experience, in most ways positive, and in some ways, negative 😉 Definitely worth to have it. 🙂
Definitely a hard one, and because of the initial instinct mechanics that can lead you to the wrong place, sometimes frustratingly so. Still, I prefer Jackson’s style, sadistic though it may be, over Livingstone’s overall. You’re right, too, that the biggest bummer about this book is that there aren’t more like them in the line.
In fact, Steve Jackson recently returned to the world of FF to write The Secrets of Salamonis!
Woo! Exciting!