Retrospective: Catacomb 3D

Hello there! My last deep dive into the history of id Software and, more precisely Wolfenstein 3D, sparked my interest into Catacomb 3D . I didn't have this game as a child, but I reckon I would have spent as much time with it as with Wolfenstein and Doom, seeing its pedigree and subject matter, aka magic and spell casting. So let's see if this game holds up in the modern world!

The History

I'm going to gloss over most of the history, as I already talked about it in the Wolfenstein 3D retrospective. The first two games in the Catacomb series, namely Catacomb and The Catacomb(really inspired title there, guys) were top down games released first on the Apple II and then the PC. Information is conflicting on their release date, some sources claiming 1989 while others 1990 or even 1991. I am going to run with the middle-ground of 1990. These games were made by a company named SoftDisk, where most of the original id Software team members were working before establishing...well...id. Then, in 1991, the new studio, id Software, made Catacomb 3D and you know the rest.

The Game

The gameplay is what you expect, mostly. It plays as a jankier version of Wolfenstein 3D, with slower turning speeds. The enemies are mostly melee and they tend to b-line for you, so your only course of action most of the time is to run backwards and spam low level spells at them. You can cast more powerful spells by holding down the attack button, but most of the time it is not worth it, as the spammed spells deal more damage through their spammability. Another aspect of combat which is wonky due to the 2D nature of the engine is the fact that if enemies come too close to you, you can't see them anymore. The second facet of the gameplay is the exploration and it features the labyrinthine level design old school id Software games are known for, but this too has a caveat: there are fake walls in the game, and while most of them are optional, some of them hide keys you need to get in order to progress. Other elements of the gameplay are the arcade-style score system, which takes into account enemy kills and collected treasure and also a lives system. A really cool thing I didn't expect is the fact that level 9 acts as a hub between four different levels, which is a pretty novel idea for 1991 and I find it weird that Wolfenstein 3D didn't try this.

As you can see, I was highly critical of the gameplay, because it didn't age really well. In its defense, it is a faithful port of the top down gameplay of the originals into the first person(in a way, you could say that it is an archaic precursor of the Serious Sam formula). The graphics on the other hand are still holding up, being 2D pixel art really helped it in the long run. There is also the classic id character mugshot(TM) on the heads-up display, but this display is weirdly set to the bottom and also right side of the screen and it is quite chunky, probably a consequence of the hardware limitations and a way to minimize the viewport for better performance. Thsese were the first steps to a 3D-like space after all and we have discussed how this tech has evolved.

Story-wise, the game follows Petton Everhail, a high mage who descends into the catacombs of Towne Cemetery to defeat an evil lich called Nemesis. Simple fantasy stuff. The game then slaps you on your ass and sends you through its levels.

The Legacy

Tech-wise, the engine of this game got overhauled and then used in Wolfenstein, evidently. The kicker is, this game didn't get a sequel, but a trilogy of sequels, under the Catacomb Adventures moniker, all made by SoftDisk.

The first game in the Adventures series, Catacomb Abyss, picks up soon after the ending of 3D. Everhail is hired to go into the catacombs again, because the lich's minions have constructed a mausoleum in his honor to try and bring him back to life. This starts a new sequence of levels, witht he same overall gameplay, but more varied environments, and even outdoor areas, not just brick walls like in the first game. This one was distributed through shareware, aka it was a free game to hype people up for the rest of the series. The second part of the trilogy, Catacomb Armageddon which is weirdly set in the present day. This one is weird, featuring cartoon rabbits as enemies and evil trees. I couldn't find more information besides that for this game. The ending of the trilogy, Catacomb Apocalypse, is suitably set in the future. This one is interesting again, because you have a main hub which leads to 4 different time periods.

All in all, I am certain that the Catacomb series slipped through the cracks of history, as games like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom eventually took center stage, but if you want to get a feel of this experimental period, you should give these games a go, even if they are really rough around the edges.

If you are interested, here is a link to buy them: https://www.gog.com/game/catacombs_pack

Images: cover, 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

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