Crypt of the Undead was written by Marc Russell Benioff and published by Epyx in 1982. The game’s original title was The Crypt and it had been published by a company known as Crystalware. John Bell was the owner of Crystalware and in 1982 he sold the rights to his games to Epyx; previously known as Automated Solutions. The success of Epyx came on the heels of their Dunjonquest line; the most famous being the Temple of Apshai. The packaging and documentation that accompanied the Dunjonquest line was top notch and attributed to part of their games success. Having now secured the rights, the company now calling itself Epyx, republished the Crystalware line under different names, with new box art, and embellished documentation.
We’re no stranger to Crystalware games. I covered Forgotten Island, Quest for Power, and Fantasyland 2041 all published in 1981 by Crystalware. Epyx changed the game titles and packaging and Forgotten Island was now called Escape From Vulcan’s Island, Quest for Power was re-issued as King Arthur’s Heir and the Crypt was rebranded as the Crypt of the Undead.
What all of these games have in common is that they were written by a very young Marc Russell Benioff. I believe that Benioff was only 16 when he wrote Forgotten Island. This wunderkind was quite prolific during this period. In the interactive fiction arena we’ve discussed prolific authors before such as Scott Adams and Gregory Hassett but we’ve not yet encountered a programmer in the early role-playing arena as prolific as Benioff. Marc Russell Benioff would later go on to found Salesforce and purchase Time Magazine. He is now a billionaire and we’ve been playing and covering his earliest efforts.
Whereas Quest for Power and Fantasyland 2041 were more epic in scope, time consuming, and more difficult; Crypt of the Undead can probably be completed in a 2 – 4 hour period.
The premise of Crypt of the Undead is that you awaken in the middle of the night surrounded by a vast, desolate graveyard. Somehow you know that you must get out of there before dawn or remain forever as one of the undead. The manual is an elaborate affair with quotes from Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft to name a few. Below is an example of one of the many pages in the manual.
The game is reminiscent of Quest for Power and Forgotten Island in that you wander about looking for items which will grant you access to other areas of the map. If you have the right objects in your inventory then you can access new areas of the map.
What was a bit more unique about this game compared to others is that you’re also searching for clues as to what to do next. I had no idea really where to begin and then I found a key and a riddle as to what the key might open and things just cascaded from there. The map locations are creative and there are areas of the game that show a great spark of creativity and thought. I would have liked more text descriptions of key areas and perhaps a few puzzles. I enjoyed the atmosphere and framework of the game and am merely musing that it could have been taken to an entirely different level too.
The first key that I found opened the door to the Cecil B. Demille Hall; deduced from a clue that I had discovered.
The Cecil B. Demille Hall was rather large and comprised many interesting rooms with descriptions and I eventually found a key within that opened the mausoleum.
There are many random encounters in the cemetery with creatures such as werewolves, vampires, and various ghosts. Combat at first is extremely difficult to survive but once you’ve won a couple of the encounters it increases your power and you’ll find that combat becomes easier to manage.
I enjoyed reading many of the epitaphs found within the mausoleum as they were very entertaining:
and yet another:
Ultimately the mausoleum contained a set of directions or a road map as to how you might escape the cemetery. You first had to find the Crypt of Lewis and then go where the fires burn (the Crematorium) etc. etc.
The Crypt of Lewis is found on the far southwest corner of the cemetery and exploring the crypt will yield the key to the Crematorium.
Once you make your way to the crematorium you have to carefully explore the many rooms found within and you’ll soon discover a way into an underground warren of tunnels.
The tunnels are a veritable maze but eventually lead to your escape from the cemetary.
Once you escape the cemetery you are rewarded with this final screen:
Taking you through a quick series of screenshots and describing moving from location to location probably sounds a bit mundane and a rather easy affair but it did involve quite a bit of exploring and walking around to discover each of the clues.
I played Crypt of the Undead using an Atari emulator and a keyboard and joystick combination. It took me roughly 3 hours to beat the game and make it all the way through. The manual advertises that it should take you roughly 8 hours to complete but I think most individuals today will complete the game in a 2 – 4 hour period. The map of the game, location names, riddles and clues were enough to hold my interest to the very end.
I’m not sure that this game fits into the role-playing genre. Yes your power seems to increase through combat and you do acquire keys or items but you can’t manage your inventory nor do you get to use items. Merely having the items in your possession allows you access to new areas of the game. It might be better to label the game as an adventure game with puzzle elements or RPG elements. I enjoyed my time with this one but if I had bought it off of the shelf brand new in 1982 for 30+ dollars I’d have preferred a greater game length. There is not much replay value either with the game other than to try and improve your score.
Next up is a role-playing game called The Missing Ring. Until next time…