View source for Catacomb Abyss



{{Infobox video game
|title = Catacomb Abyss
|image = Catacomb_Abyss_titlescreen.png
|caption = Title screen
|developer = [[Softdisk]]
|publisher = Softdisk
|designer = Greg Malone
|director = 
|programmer = {{ubl|Nolan Martin|Michael Maynard|James T. Row}}
|artist = {{ubl|[[Adrian Carmack]]|Jerry K. Jones|Carol Ludden|Steven Maines}}
|engine = [[Wolfenstein 3D#Development|Prototype of ''Wolfenstein 3D'' engine]]
|platforms = [[DOS]], [[Windows]], [[MacOS]]
|released = {{ubl|'''DOS'''|November 1992|'''''Catacombs Pack'''''|'''Windows, OS X'''|March 2013}}
|genre = [[First-person shooter]]
|modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

'''''Catacomb Abyss''''' (also known as '''''The Catacomb Abyss''''' or '''''The Catacomb Abyss 3-D''''') is a [[fantasy]] themed [[first-person shooter]] (FPS) game developed by [[Softdisk]] and released in November 1992 for [[DOS]].<ref name="LicenseDoc"/> It is the fourth entry in the ''[[Catacomb (video game)|Catacomb]]'' series of video games. Its predecessor, ''[[Catacomb 3-D]]'', was developed by [[id Software]] as part of a contract with Softdisk.<ref name="GU-id-CK-Wolf3d"/> When the contract ended, Softdisk kept ownership of both the 3D engine as well as the intellectual property of ''Catacomb 3-D''.<ref name="SH106"/> The company formed a new, in-house team to develop three sequels, known as the ''Catacomb Adventure Series''. This trilogy consists of ''Catacomb Abyss'', ''Catacomb Armageddon'' and ''Catacomb Apocalypse''. Softdisk published a [[shareware]] version of ''Catacomb Abyss'', which could be freely distributed and played to encourage gamers to purchase the full trilogy.<ref name="ApogeeFAQ"/>

The plot is a continuation of the events in ''Catacomb 3-D''. The player again takes the role of the high [[Magician (fantasy)|wizard]] Petton Everhail. After the death of arch-rival Nemesis, his minions construct a [[mausoleum]] near the Towne Cemetery to honor their deceased master. Soon evil forces start to emerge around the mausoleum. It is once again up to Petton Everhail to end the terror with the use of his magic spells.<ref name="readmetxt"/> The gameplay consists of navigating through the town cemetery, the mausoleum and other environments, while battling the servants of Nemesis with magic spells. Keys need to be collected to unlock doors. The game also contains an item shaped like an hourglass, which temporarily freezes time when picked up.

[[PC Gamer]] did a retrospective review of ''Catacomb Abyss'' in 2021. The reviewer describes the game as "incredibly primitive", yet also "an interesting glimpse at a direction shooters could have gone, had ''[[Wolfenstein 3D|Wolfenstein]]'' and ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' not laid down the templates for the next few years".<ref name="PCGamer"/>

==Gameplay==
The gameplay borrows many elements from ''Catacomb 3-D''. The player searches for keys in a maze to unlock doors that grant access to the next level. To aid navigation, each area within a level has a short description, which is displayed on the interface. The player can shoot magic missiles from its hand to eliminate enemies and to destroy breakable wall segments.

The game contains sixteen regular levels. The final level contains instructions to warp to any level, including three secret levels.<ref name="PCZone"/> Whereas the levels in ''Catacomb 3-D'' consisted of mostly dungeons, the levels in ''Catacomb Abyss'' bring more varied environments. There are outdoor levels with lightning, an ancient [[Aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]] flooded with water and hellish corridors with pulsing walls. The five types of enemies from ''Catacomb 3-D'' return in ''Catacomb Abyss'', along with several new enemies. Some of these can pop up unexpectedly, such as zombies that rise from the ground and skeleton warriors that emerge from a dirt wall.<ref name="GameFAQs"/>

[[File:Catacomb_Abyss_screenshot.png|thumb|right|Screenshot of the first-person view in ''Catacomb Abyss'']]
Just like in its predecessor, the player can pick up bolts, nukes and potions, although they are renamed into respectively ''Zappers'', ''Xterminators'' and ''Cures''. Functionally they behave the same: a Zapper generates a stream of magic missiles, an Xterminator shoots magic missiles in a circular pattern and a Cure restores the players health back to 100%. There are also treasure chests which provide a random combination of these three items. The player can carry a maximum of 99 of each item. Items can be accidentally destroyed when hit by a magic missile.

''Catacomb Abyss'' introduces a radar called the ''Crystal Sphere'', which shows the magic missiles and nearby enemies. Initially enemies will not show up on the Crystal Sphere. The player can collect up to a total of five gems to unlock the visibility of enemy types on the Crystal Sphere.<ref name="HardcoreGaming101"/><ref name="miller199305"/> The game also introduces an item shaped like an [[hourglass]]. When picked up, time temporarily freezes. This enables the player to line up many magic missiles in front of frozen enemies, which will get hit once time resumes.<ref name="PCGamer"/>

==Plot==
In the previous game, the wizard Petton Everhail went on a quest through the catacombs to rescue his friend Grelminar from the evil mage Nemesis. Eventually the protagonist succeeded in killing Nemesis. After the death of their master, the minions of Nemesis construct a mausoleum near the Towne Cemetery to honor him. Soon after the construction of the mausoleum, evil forces spread across the land. In response to the terror, the local townspeople hire Petton Everhail to once again go on a quest against the forces of Nemesis. The protagonist starts his quest in the town cemetery, before descending into the crypts deep beneath the mausoleum.<ref name="readmetxt"/>

==Development==
The ''Catacomb'' series started when programmer [[John Carmack]] developed ''[[Catacomb (video game)|Catacomb]]'', a [[2D computer graphics|two-dimensional]] game with a top-down perspective for the [[Apple II]]. In 1990 Carmack joined [[Softdisk]], a [[computer program|software]] company based in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]]. There he worked on a bi-monthly disk magazine called ''Gamer's Edge'', which was started by game developer [[John Romero]] in August. Customers could subscribe to ''Gamer's Edge'' to receive one or more [[IBM PC compatible|PC]] games from Softdisk at a two-month interval. These games were developed fulltime by John Carmack, John Romero, [[Adrian Carmack]] and Lane Roathe, with some additional game and level design by [[Tom Hall]]. For the first issue of ''Gamer's Edge'', John Carmack ported his ''Catacomb'' game to [[DOS]].<ref name="Carmack20190808"/><ref name="maher20200515"/> In September, Carmack developed [[adaptive tile refresh|an efficient way to rapidly side-scroll graphics]]. John Romero immediately saw great potential in this new technology. They decided to secretly borrow company equipment to incorporate this technology into their own game: ''[[Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons]]''.<ref name="MOD4851"/> This game was released through the video game publisher [[3D Realms|Apogee Software]] on December 14 of the same year. ''Commander Keen'' was released using the [[shareware]] distribution model; the first episode was offered as a free download, while the remaining two episodes were available for purchase as a mailed plastic bag with floppy disks. ''Commander Keen'' became a commercial success.<ref name="MOD6366"/> It didn't take long for Softdisk CEO Al Vekovius to find out that his employees had used company equipment to release a game via a competitive publisher. Nevertheless, Vekovius felt that the company was reliant on the ''Gamer's Edge'' subscriptions and tried to convince the team to form a new company in partnership with Softdisk. After several weeks of negotiation, the team agreed to produce a series of games for Softdisk, one every two months. On February 1, 1991, John Carmack, John Romero, Tom Hall and Adrian Carmack founded their own game company, called [[id Software]].<ref name="MOD6676"/>

Some of the games that id Software developed for Softdisk utilized the side-scrolling technology from ''Commander Keen'', but John Carmack also used this opportunity to further experiment with his [[game engine]]s. He developed a 3D engine for the vehicular combat game ''[[Hovertank 3D]]'', which was published by Softdisk in April 1991. In November this 3D engine was expanded upon with [[texture mapping]] for ''[[Catacomb 3-D]]''.<ref name="SH164"/> At the end of 1991 the publishing contract with Softdisk ended. The team at id Software started development of their next game ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'', to be published by Apogee Software.<ref name="GU-id-CK-Wolf3d"/>

Due to the publishing contract with id Software, Softdisk obtained ownership of both the 3D engine as well as the intellectual property of ''Catacomb 3-D''. This enabled the company to create additional 3D games in the ''Catacomb'' series, but a completely new in-house team of game developers had to be formed at Softdisk to fill the gap that was left by the founders of id Software.<ref name="SH106"/> Head of the new team became game designer Greg Malone, who had previously designed ''[[Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony|Moebius]]'' and its sequel ''[[Windwalker (video game)|Windwalker]]''.<ref name="HardcoreGaming101"/> He was joined by programmers Mike Maynard and Jim Row. Some of the enemy designs that Adrian Carmack created for ''Catacomb 3-D'' were reused in ''Catacomb Abyss'', but most of the artwork in the game was produced from scratch by artists Jerry K. Jones, Carol Ludden and Steven Maines. The new team spent most of 1992 to produce ''Catacomb Abyss'' and its sequels ''Catacomb Armageddon'' and ''Catacomb Apocalypse''.<ref name="ApogeeFAQ"/> Near the end of 1992, ''Gamer's Edge'' was discontinued. Mike Maynard and Jim Row left Softdisk to form their own game development company [[JAM Productions (company)|JAM Productions]], where they developed ''[[Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold]]''.<ref name="MikeMaynard"/> Game designer Greg Malone would later become the creative director for ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]''.

==Release==
With around 3000 subscribers, the disk magazine ''Gamer's Edge'' never became a commercial success.<ref name="maher20200515"/> Therefore, after having witnessed the success of the shareware title ''Commander Keen'', Softdisk management decided to adopt the shareware model for ''Catacomb Abyss''. Gamers could freely play and distribute the shareware version of ''Catacomb Abyss''. Included with the shareware version was an electronic catalog, which advertised the registered version of ''Catacomb Abyss'', as well as the two sequels ''Catacomb Armageddon'' and ''Catacomb Apocalypse''. Customers could call Softdisk to order these three games.<ref name="ElectronicCatalog"/> The registered version of ''Catacomb Abyss'' comes packaged with a hint manual, but otherwise contains the same set of levels as the shareware version.

The ''Catacomb'' series were acquired by the software company ''Flat Rock Software'' in 2012, who sold the games as downloads via their site flatrocksoft.com.<ref name="flatrocksoftcom"/> In March 2013, the ''Catacomb'' series were published on [[GOG.com]] as the ''Catacombs Pack''.<ref name="GOG20130515"/><ref name="GOGRelease"/> The DOS emulator [[DOSBox]] is included with the ''Catacombs Pack'' to enable support for [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Linux]].

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
<!-- Reviewers -->
 | rev1 = [[PC Joker]]
 | rev1Score = 65%<ref name="PCJoker"/>
}}

===Contemporary reviews===
American computer game magazine [[Computer Gaming World]] published a review in May 1993. It calls ''The Catacomb Abyss'' "very enjoyable" despite the "minimal" [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] graphics and sound. The review warns that some gamers might experience [[motion sickness]] due to the game's 3-D smooth scrolling technique.<ref name="miller199305"/>

British video game magazine [[PC Zone]] also noted in May 1993 that the 3D graphics do not scroll as smooth compared to ''Wolfenstein 3D''. On long playthroughs this can become irritating, but the reviewer also states that the gameplay in the ''Catacomb'' series is better compared to ''Wolfenstein 3D''. They praised "the atmosphere of real tension" in the games and considered ''Catacomb Abyss'' a good showcase of what shareware games can offer.<ref name="PCZone"/>

German PC gaming magazine [[PC Games]] reported in their March 1993 issue that ''Catacomb Abyss'' was brought on the German market as an alternative to the id Software game ''Hundefelsen 3D''. At that time German gamers used ''Hundefelsen 4C'' as a codename for ''Wolfenstein 3D'', a game that was banned in Germany for portraying Nazis.<ref name="ApogeeFAQ2"/> The review from PC Games states that "''Catacomb Abyss'' is very playable and fascinating due to the well animated 3D perspective". The reviewer warns that a fast computer is required, as the game is a "first class resource guzzler", but "the great 3D graphics contribute a lot to the atmosphere and the fun of the game".<ref name="PCGames"/>

German video gaming magazine [[PC Joker]] reviewed the ''Catacomb 3D Adventure'' series in their November 1993 issue. According to the review, the "well camouflaged secrets, variety of bonus items lying around, hidden scrolls, nice graphics and fine sounds create a mood". It concludes that "right from the start, the game has made a passable figure on the full-price market".<ref name="PCJoker"/>

===Retrospective reception===
[[PC Gamer]] did a retrospective review of ''Catacomb Abyss'' in 2021 and describes the game as "incredibly primitive", containing "some of the most eye-poppingly awful wall textures ever". What makes the game interesting is the different design choices compared to popular contemporary games. As such it offers "an interesting glimpse at a direction shooters could have gone, had ''Wolfenstein'' and ''Doom'' not laid down the templates for the next few years". PC Gamer describes the ability to freeze time as an "extremely cool" feature that resembles the visual effect known as [[bullet time]].<ref name="PCGamer"/>

The review from gaming website [[GameFAQs]] states that ''Catacomb Abyss'' is graphically a bit better compared to ''Catacomb 3-D'', with better use of the color palette and some interesting effects, like animated walls, a level flooded with water and lightning in outdoor levels. On the downside, the game is considered to be too easy.<ref name="GameFAQs"/>

YouTube game reviewer GmanLives also notes that ''Catacomb Abyss'' has slightly better graphics and a wider variety of enemies and environments compared to its predecessor. He dislikes that some keys that are required for progression are hidden behind unmarked, breakable walls. Furthermore, he could easily finish the game within two hours, which made it feel more like an expansion pack rather than a full game.<ref name="GmanLives-Review"/>

==Sequels==
===''Catacomb Armageddon''===
{{Infobox video game
|title = Catacomb Armageddon
|image = 
|caption = Screenshot of the first-person view
|developer = [[Softdisk]]
|publisher = Softdisk<br />Froggman
|designer = Greg Malone
|director = 
|programmer = {{ubl|Nolan Martin|Michael Maynard|James T. Row}}
|artist = {{ubl|Jerry K. Jones|Carol Ludden|Steven Maines}}
|engine = [[Wolfenstein 3D#Development|Prototype of ''Wolfenstein 3D'' engine]]
|released = 1992
|genre = [[First-person shooter]]
|modes = [[Single-player]]
|platforms = [[DOS]]
}}

'''''Catacomb Armageddon''''' (also known as '''''The Catacomb Armageddon 3-D''''' or as '''''Curse of the Catacombs''''') is a [[fantasy]] themed [[first-person shooter]] (FPS) game developed by [[Softdisk]]. It was released in 1992 for [[DOS]] as the second title in a trilogy known as the ''Catacomb 3-D Adventure Series''.

The plot picks up after the events in ''Catacomb Abyss''. After his evil forces were defeated by the player, arch rival Nemesis retreated from the catacombs and regrouped with a new army in the "Towne of Morbidity". While in pursuit of Nemesis, the player arrives at the town. This marks the start of a new quest, which takes the player through the "Dark Forest", the "Lost City of the Damned" and various other hazardous locations.<ref name="ElectronicCatalog"/>

The core gameplay in ''Catacomb Armageddon'' is largely the same as in its predecessor. The main differences between ''Catacomb Armageddon'' and ''Catacomb Abyss'' are in the design of the enemies and environments.<ref name="HardcoreGaming101"/> The game contains sixteen levels, with environments such as a dark forest, a torture chamber and a giant ant colony. The "Demon's Hold" is a prison area where two-headed red demons are trapped behind force fields. Before these demons can be battled, the player has to release them from their prison cells by shooting the force fields. "The Crystal Maze" contains a large room, filled with monsters, a red key and a maze of invisible walls. The player can navigate through the maze by sliding along the invisible walls.

Among the monsters in ''Catacomb Armageddon'' are giant ants that when defeated keep twitching their legs in a puddle of green blood. The dark forest houses evil trees that chase the player. Trees that get hit by the player will remain burning, such that the player needs to carefully walk around them. Other enemies include killer rabbits, skeletons, [[Succubus|succubi]], evil eyes and mages. The final boss is Nemesis, but the player also encounters multiple [[Cloning|clones]] of him.<ref name="PCZone"/>

At its initial release in 1992, ''Catacomb Armageddon'' could only be ordered directly at Softdisk, either via phone or mail. In 1993, the game was re-released for the retail market under the title ''Curse of the Catacombs'' by the short-lived publishing company Froggman. The Froggman release has a different introduction screen to accommodate for the changed title.<ref name="HardcoreGaming101"/> It also introduced a broadly smiling cartoon frog on the [[HUD (video gaming)|HUD]]. According to [[PC Gamer]], due to the inclusion of this frog "all atmosphere was completely knifed through the gut".<ref name="PCGamer"/>

American game magazine [[Computer Gaming World]] reviewed ''Curse of the Catacombs'' in their October 1993 issue. When making a comparison with ''The Catacomb Abyss'', the review states that ''Curse of the Catacombs'' contains "more of the same monster bashing and maze crashing excitement". Despite the "primitive" 16-color [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] graphics and "minimal" sound effects, it concludes that the game offers good value for its relatively low retail price.<ref name="CGW111"/>

===''Catacomb Apocalypse''===
{{Infobox video game
|title = Catacomb Apocalypse
|image =
|caption =
|developer = [[Softdisk]]
|publisher = Softdisk<br />Froggman
|designer = Greg Malone
|director = 
|programmer = {{ubl|Nolan Martin|Michael Maynard|James T. Row}}
|artist = {{ubl|Jerry K. Jones|Carol Ludden|Steven Maines}}
|engine = [[Wolfenstein 3D#Development|Prototype of ''Wolfenstein 3D'' engine]]
|released = 1993
|genre = [[First-person shooter]]
|modes = [[Single-player]]
|platforms = [[DOS]]
}}

'''''Catacomb Apocalypse''''' (also known as '''''The Catacomb Apocalypse 3-D''''' or as '''''Terror of the Catacombs''''') is a [[fantasy]] themed [[first-person shooter]] (FPS) game developed by [[Softdisk]]. It was released in 1993 for [[DOS]] as the third title in a trilogy known as the ''Catacomb 3-D Adventure Series''.

The plot revolves around arch rival Nemesis using time travel to recruit robots and cyborgs from the future. These mechanized monsters join the ranks of the regular fantasy themed enemies in a final attempt to defeat the player.<ref name="ElectronicCatalog"/> Among the futuristic enemies are mechanical flies, android mages and drones. They are mixed with fantasy creatures such as wizards, skeletons and blue demons. The environments include a garden, a flooded city and a computer core.<ref name="PCZone"/> ''Catacomb Apocalypse'' reintroduces a non-linear hub system, which was previously used in ''Catacomb 3-D''. Consequently, sometimes the player can choose between multiple levels to go to. A new feature in this game, that wasn't in the previous ''Catacomb'' titles, are walls that appear solid, but which allow the player to pass through.

At its initial release in 1993, ''Catacomb Apocalypse'' could only be ordered directly at Softdisk, either via phone or mail. That same year, the game was re-released for the retail market under the title ''Terror of the Catacombs'' by the short-lived publishing company Froggman.<ref name="HardcoreGaming101"/>

American game magazine [[Computer Gaming World]] reviewed ''Terror of the Catacombs'' in their February 1994 issue. The review states that the game offers the same gameplay and visuals as the earlier ''Catacomb'' games, which has the downside that the graphics are still limited to 16-color EGA, but despite the "lackluster visuals", the review concludes that "playability is good, almost addictive, and offers bang for the buck".<ref name="CGW115"/>

==Legacy==
Following the publication of the ''Catacomb'' series on GOG, Flat Rock Software decided to [[Open source|open-source]] these games under the [[GNU General Public License|GPL]] license in 2014.<ref name="C3D-SourceCode"/><ref name="C3D-SourceCode2"/> This enabled programmers to port the source code of ''Catacomb Abyss'' to other operating systems. The [[source port]] ''Reflection Keen'', later renamed to ''ReflectionHLE'', allows gamers to play ''Catacomb Abyss'' on Microsoft Windows, Linux, [[MacOS]], [[AmigaOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]].<ref name="C3D-ModernPort"/>

Another source port for ''Catacomb Abyss'' called ''CatacombGL'' was introduced in 2018, which offers hardware accelerated rendering via [[OpenGL]].<ref name="CGL-ModernPort"/> ''CatacombGL'' initially targeted Microsoft Windows. Support for native Linux was added in 2022.<ref name="CGL-Linux"/>

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<!-- INTRODUCTION -->
<ref name="LicenseDoc">{{cite web | url=https://discmaster.textfiles.com/view/38/devilsdoorknobbbscapture1996-2003.iso/Dloads/MISSING/ABY.ZIP/LICENSE.DOC | title=License Information THE CATACOMB ABYSS (TM) | website=Discmaster | date=November 13, 1992 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=Softdisk Publishing | author-link=Softdisk}}</ref>
<ref name="GU-id-CK-Wolf3d">{{cite web | url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/programming/how-id-built-i-wolfenstein-3d-i-using-i-commander-keen-i-tech | title=How id built Wolfenstein 3D using Commander Keen tech | website=[[Game Developer (website)|GameDeveloper]] | date=June 24, 2019 | access-date= May 4, 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="SH106">''Shareware Heroes'', p. 106</ref>
<ref name="ApogeeFAQ">{{cite web | url=http://www.rinkworks.com/apogee/s/2.7.2.shtml | title=The Apogee FAQ [2.7.2] What's Apogee's relationship with Softdisk? | website=RinkWorks | date=September 30, 2005 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=Stoddard, Sam}}</ref>
<ref name="readmetxt">{{cite web | url=https://www.oldgames.sk/en/game/catacomb-abyss-the/download/8544/ | title=Readme (txt) of The Catacomb Abyss | website=oldgames.sk | date=March 19, 2013 | access-date=April 24, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="PCGamer">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.pcgamer.com/saturday-crapshoot-ultimate-shareware-games-collection-vol-1/ | title=Saturday Crapshoot: The Ultimate Shareware Games Collection, Vol 1 | date=January 5, 2013 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | magazine=[[PC Gamer]] | first=Richard | last=Cobbett}}</ref>

<!-- GAMEPLAY -->
<ref name="PCZone">{{Cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_2_May_1993/page/n102/mode/1up |title=Off the boards - Unholy Trinity |magazine=[[PC Zone]] |date=May 1993 |author=Burgess, Mark |pages=101–104 |access-date=April 24, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="HardcoreGaming101">{{cite web | url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/catacombs-3d/ | title=Catacombs 3D | website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] | date=April 9, 2018 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=Bottorff, Jared}}</ref>
<ref name="miller199305">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_106.pdf |title=Dungeons Make Me Dizzy |magazine=Computer Gaming World |date=May 1993 |author=Miller, Chuck |page=46 |access-date=April 24, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="GameFAQs">{{cite web | url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/954269-the-catacomb-abyss/reviews/167153 | title=The Catacomb Abyss – Review | website=[[GameFAQs]] | date=October 30, 2018 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=16-BITTER}}</ref>

<!-- DEVELOPMENT -->
<ref name="Carmack20190808">{{cite web | url=https://twitter.com/id_aa_carmack/status/1148090874116620289 | title=John Carmack on Twitter: "That is my old game Catacombs! Written for 8 bit apple 2 and 16 bit 2GS, then ported to PC" | website=[[Twitter]] | date=July 8, 2019 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=Carmack, John | author-link=John Carmack}}</ref>
<ref name="maher20200515">{{cite web | url=https://www.filfre.net/2020/05/the-shareware-scene-part-3-the-id-boys/ | title=The Shareware Scene, Part 3: The id Boys | publisher=The Digital Antiquarian | date=May 15, 2020 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=Maher, Jimmy}}</ref>
<ref name="MOD4851">''Masters of Doom'', pp. 48–51</ref>
<ref name="MOD6366">''Masters of Doom'', pp. 63–66</ref>
<ref name="MOD6676">''Masters of Doom'', pp. 66–76</ref>
<ref name="SH164">''Shareware Heroes'', p. 164</ref>
<ref name="MikeMaynard">{{cite web |url=https://legacy.3drealms.com/news/2006/03/the_apogee_legacy_12.html |title=The Apogee Legacy; Past Pioneers of the Shareware Revolution; Issue #12 - Mike Maynard |website=legacy.3drealms.com |date=March 27, 2006 |access-date= April 24, 2023}}</ref>

<!-- RELEASE -->
<ref name="ElectronicCatalog">{{cite web | url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/catacomb-abyss/promo/promoImageId,166846/ | title=Screenshot from Gamer's Edge Electronic Catalog | website=[[MobyGames]] | author=Softdisk Publishing |author-link=Softdisk | date=November 20, 1992 | access-date=April 24, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="flatrocksoftcom">{{cite web |title=Flat Rock Software |url=http://www.flatrocksoft.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120706025326/http://www.flatrocksoft.com/ |archivedate=July 6, 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="GOG20130515">{{cite web | url=https://twitter.com/GOGcom/status/312412917217763328 | title=GOG.com on Twitter: "For only $5.99 you can go back to the roots of the FPS genre with Catacombs Pack Another classic, now on @GOGcom" | website=[[Twitter]] | date=March 15, 2013 | access-date=April 24, 2023 | author=[[GOG.com]]}}</ref>
<ref name="GOGRelease">{{cite web |title=Release: Catacombs Pack |url=http://www.gog.com/news/release_catacombs_pack |website=[[GOG.com]] |publisher=[[CD Projekt]] |accessdate=May 15, 2023 |date=March 14, 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518035928/http://www.gog.com/news/release_catacombs_pack |archivedate=May 18, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<!-- RECEPTION -->
<ref name="PCJoker">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=7152&s=3 |title=THE CATACOMB 3D-ADVENTURE |magazine=[[PC Joker]] |date=November 1993 |page=60 |access-date=May 17, 2023 |language=de}}</ref>
<ref name="ApogeeFAQ2">{{cite web | url=http://www.rinkworks.com/apogee/s/2.4.1.shtml | title=The Apogee FAQ [2.4.1] Alternate titles for Wolfenstein 3D | website=RinkWorks | date=September 30, 2005 | access-date=May 17, 2023 | author=Stoddard, Sam}}</ref>
<ref name="PCGames">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=23303&s=1 |title=Catacomb Abyss 3D - Wolfenstein II ?! |magazine=[[PC Games]] |date=March 1993 |author=Warnecke, Albert |pages=77–78 |access-date=May 17, 2023 |language=de}}</ref>
<ref name="GmanLives-Review">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG1oYjG5Bg8 |title=Catacomb 3-D Series PC Game Review |website=[[YouTube]] |date=January 16, 2016 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |publisher=GmanLives}}</ref>

<!-- SEQUELS -->
<ref name="CGW111">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_111.pdf |title=Taking A PEEK - Curse of the Catacombs |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=October 1993 |page=168 |access-date=May 10, 2023}}</ref>
<ref name="CGW115">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_115.pdf |title=Taking A PEEK - Terror of the Catacombs |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |date=February 1994 |page=214 |access-date=August 20, 2023}}</ref>

<!-- LEGACY -->
<ref name="C3D-SourceCode">{{cite web |url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTcxMjM |title=id Software's Softdisk Open-Sources Some Really Old Games |first=Michael |last=Larabel |date=6 June 2014 |access-date=6 June 2014 |publisher=[[Phoronix]]}}</ref>
<ref name="C3D-SourceCode2">{{cite web |url=https://bit-tech.net/news/gaming/pc/early-id-engines/1/ |title=Early id Software game engines open-sourced |first=Gareth |last=Halfacree |date=9 June 2014 |access-date=9 April 2023 |website=[[Bit-Tech]]}}</ref>
<ref name="C3D-ModernPort">{{cite web |url=https://www.indieretronews.com/2016/09/catacomb-3d-series-and-keen-dreams-dos.html |title=Catacomb 3D series and Keen Dreams - DOS based games coming over to the Amiga |date=October 12, 2016 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |publisher=Indie Retro News}}</ref>
<ref name="CGL-ModernPort">{{cite web |url=https://www.realm667.com/en/articles/news-home/archiv/75-community-news/2206-ancient-history-catacomb-3d-goes-opengl |title=Ancient history: Catacomb 3D goes OpenGL |date=February 3, 2020 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |publisher=Realm667 |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823160221/https://www.realm667.com/en/articles/news-home/archiv/75-community-news/2206-ancient-history-catacomb-3d-goes-opengl |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name="CGL-Linux">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2023/01/classic-1990s-series-catacomb-lives-on-with-the-catacombgl-source-port/ |title=Classic 1990s series Catacomb lives on with the CatacombGL source port |author=Dawe, Liam |date=January 4, 2023 |access-date=April 24, 2023 |publisher=GamingOnLinux}}</ref>
}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |title=Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture |last=Kushner |first=David |publisher=[[Random House]] |date=2004 |isbn=978-0-8129-7215-3 |title-link=Masters of Doom |author-link=David Kushner (writer)}}
* {{Cite book |last=Moss |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YrlbEAAAQBAJ |title=Shareware Heroes: The renegades who redefined gaming at the dawn of the internet |date=2023-01-10 |publisher=[[Unbound (publisher)|Unbound Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-80018-110-6 |language=en}}

==External links==
* [https://catacomb.games/ Official website]
* {{moby game|id=/catacomb-abyss}}
* [https://github.com/CatacombGames/CatacombAbyss ''Catacomb Abyss'' source code] on [[GitHub]]
* {{IAg|msdos_The_Catacomb_Abyss_1992}}
* [https://catacomb.miraheze.org/wiki/Main_Page Catacomb Wiki]

{{Wolfenstein 3D engine games}}
{{Softdisk}}

[[Category:1992 video games]]
[[Category:Commercial video games with freely available source code]]
[[Category:Dark fantasy video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Softdisk]]
[[Category:Shareware games]]
[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:Video games about magic (supernatural)]]
[[Category:Sprite-based first-person shooters]]
[[Category:Games commercially released with DOSBox]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games with time manipulation]]
[[Category:Video games with 2.5D graphics]]
[[Category:Video games set in cemeteries]]
[[Category:Wolfenstein 3D engine games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Catacomb Abyss|access_date=2026-02-28}}