Fighting Fantasy
Image: Fighting Fantasy

Before computer games totally took over our lives, many of us will recall spending hours playing the excellent line of Fighting Fantasy game books, created by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. These novels were self-contained adventures that took place in magical realms and grim futures, and were basically pen-and-paper RPGs which you could play on your own.

The series ran from 1982 to 1995, with the two creators enlisting the help or a wide range of contributing writers throughout the run of 59 books, but it has since been revived, with authors like Charlie Higson (yes, he of The Fast Show fame) and Rhianna Pratchett creating new adventures alongside Livingstone.

Now, after 36 years away from the series, Steve Jackson has penned a new Fighting Fantasy game book, which is due for release this year.

Livingstone and Jackson were co-founders of Games Workshop, the company which oversees the likes of Warhammer and Warhammer 40K, and both have been involved in the video game industry since.

Livingstone worked for the likes of Domark, Eidos and Square Enix, while Jackson created the first interactive telephone role-playing game, F.I.S.T., in 1998, and would have a hand in the founding of Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios.

You can read more about the history of the Fighting Fantasy series in this Eurogamer feature.