Now crowd-funded and in development, Shakespeare vs. Cthulhu, a solo RPG based based on the well-reviewed 2016 book of stories. This new adaptation will offer an…

“interactive, branching narrative, solo-RPG gamebook”

And the author has created such choose-your-own-adventure / RPG books before, including for Dracula, Beowulf, and Alice. The new Shakespeare vs. Cthulhu sounds fun, and will also presumably work well.

Of course this sort of thing is going to be susceptible to AI in the near future — in terms of real-time generated AI voices / character-depth/back-story, on-the-fly music and ambience FX, and AI control of branching storylines. We’re likely to see these possibilities spawning new low-cost interactive AI audio-adventures, at least for an audience which can bring their own visual imagination to the party and doesn’t need to be spoon-fed with expensive visuals.

Until then, Shakespeare vs. Cthulhu is old-school paper and dice. Due in April 2025.