It’s not everyday that you get a new AD&D setting, and particularly one that is so original and different from anything else in AD&D, clearly inspired by Dracula, Ravenloft replaces medieval fantasy with gothic horror and in the process creates one of the most popular modules and villains in the history of the game. 

The module that brought us the gloomy town of Barovia and arch-nemesis Strahd von Zarovich, this is a module bursting with ideas and innovation, one of the best of these is the idea of a randomized adventure with an ingame system for randomization, with its version of a Tarot Reading determining important elements of the story which can make replaying Ravenloft a different experience each time you do it. Strahd is also a compelling character, thoroughly evil, yet somewhat tragic and deeply intelligent. It is a challenge for players and the DM that needs to make him justice. 

It’s clear that TSR knew they had something special in hand, and you can tell from the module design itself, full of great illustrations by Clyde Caldwell, it’s a step above other modules of the time, using gothic motifs and gargoyles as a frame to the text, giving full pages to illustrations, this was a quality module and it marks a sea change for AD&D, where plot and character take on a much heavier weight in the game. This will be repeated next year when Dragonlance comes out and the Hickmans philosophy of game design becomes dominant in AD&D.