Those were called "choose your own adventure" books.
On an early version of my personal website, I created one of these, but as the reader, you could reach an unwritten section. Your reward was that you got to write that page of the book, and the choices (or ending) that the character received.
I seeded a few pages to set a story, and then let the readers go wild. It was pretty fun.
Thank you!
That's the sort of game that springs to mind for many when we explain the concept, and they were definitely an inspiration for us. This however is a more linear adventure, focused around solving enigmas. No choices and no way to lose. Once you know the answer to the puzzle, like "whose fingerprints are on the gun", you turn the next page and the story continues.
- Start on page 1, read the story and decide if you want to take path A or B
- A = go to page 2, B = page 3
- then there was another decision making, and the story goes on...
Until you either escape the dungeon, or die (different ways of dying lol).
It was so cool!