Lurking: Immortui

Lurking: Immortui is a traditional CRPG inspired by classic Ultima titles, featuring a classless character system, turn-based combat, and a vast open world to explore non-linearly. Players lead a party of up to five adventurers hired by a king to combat undead legions resurrected by ancient warlords, with retro pixel art and a keyboard-driven interface reminiscent of 1980s RPGs.

Lurking: Immortui: A Love Letter to the Golden Age of CRPGs

Introduction: The Resurrection of a Forgotten Era

In an age where open-world RPGs are defined by cinematic cutscenes, voice-acting, and hand-holding quest markers, Lurking: Immortui (2016) stands as a defiant throwback—a game that doesn’t just reference the classics of the 1980s but embodies them. Developed by the two-person team at oklabsoft, this indie CRPG is an unapologetic homage to Ultima III: Exodus (1983), Wizardry, and The Bard’s Tale, wrapping its retro sensibilities in a modern, cross-platform package. It’s a game that doesn’t just look like a lost relic from gaming’s past; it feels like one—warts, challenges, and all.

At its core, Lurking: Immortui is a top-down, turn-based, party-driven dungeon crawler with a 300×300 tile open world, a classless character system, and a keyword-driven dialogue system that demands note-taking and patience. The premise is classic high fantasy: a mysterious necromancer has resurrected three ancient barrow wights, unleashing undead legions upon the land. As a band of adventurers, you must uncover the truth behind this resurrection, all while navigating a world that refuses to hold your hand.

But Lurking is more than just nostalgia bait. It’s a labor of love, a game that understands why the CRPGs of the ’80s were so compelling—not just for their mechanical depth, but for their sense of discovery, their punishing difficulty, and their refusal to coddle the player. In an era where even “hardcore” RPGs like Dark Souls provide waypoints and NPC hints, Lurking dares to ask: Do you remember what it was like to get truly, gloriously lost?

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Development History & Context: A Passion Project Born from Obsession

The Birth of oklabsoft: Two Brothers and a Dream

Lurking: Immortui is the brainchild of oklabsoft, a tiny indie studio consisting of two brothers with no formal game development background. Their journey began in 2015, when they decided to create a game that recaptured the magic of the CRPGs they grew up with. Armed with little more than Visual Basic 6 (a language more associated with office applications than game development) and a deep love for Ultima III, they set out to build something that felt authentic—not just in aesthetics, but in design philosophy.

The original version of Lurking (v1.0–v3.2) was coded entirely in VB6, a choice that limited its technical scope but allowed for rapid prototyping. However, by 2020, the developers undertook a massive overhaul, rewriting the entire game in C using the raylib framework. This v4.0+ rewrite not only improved performance and stability but also enabled cross-platform support, bringing Lurking to Linux and macOS for the first time.

Inspirations: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Lurking wears its influences on its sleeve:

• Ultima III: Exodus (1983) – The top-down perspective, tile-based movement, turn-based combat, and open-world exploration are all lifted directly from Richard Garriott’s masterpiece.
• Wizardry (1981) – The first-person dungeon crawling (though Lurking keeps it top-down) and punishing difficulty are clear nods to Sir-Tech’s classic.
• The Bard’s Tale (1985) – The classless system and spellcasting mechanics borrow heavily from Interplay’s dungeon crawler.
• Early Ultima games (IV–VI) – The keyword-based dialogue and moral ambiguity in the narrative echo Garriott’s later works.

What’s remarkable is how Lurking doesn’t just copy these games—it understands them. The developers didn’t just replicate the look of an ’80s CRPG; they replicated the feel—the slow, methodical exploration, the trial-and-error puzzle-solving, and the sense of isolation that came from having no in-game map or quest log.

The Indie CRPG Renaissance: Why Lurking Matters

Lurking: Immortui arrived at a fascinating time in gaming history. By 2016, the indie scene was already deep into a retro revival, with games like Undertale, Stardew Valley, and Shovel Knight proving that pixel art and old-school mechanics could still resonate. But while most retro-inspired games focused on platformers, Metroidvanias, or JRPGs, Lurking dared to revive the Western CRPG—a genre that had largely been abandoned by mainstream developers.

Other indie CRPGs like Legend of Grimrock (2012) and Might & Magic X (2014) had already proven there was an audience for grid-based dungeon crawlers, but Lurking went further by embracing the open-world, non-linear design of Ultima III—something even modern Wasteland and Divinity games had moved away from.

In many ways, Lurking is part of a small but dedicated movement of games that refuse to let the golden age of CRPGs die:
– Exiled Kingdoms (2014)
– Operencia: The Stolen Sun (2019)
– Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark (2019)
– Wasteland 3 (2020)

But where many of these games modernize the formula with QOL improvements, Lurking doubles down on the old-school experience, for better and for worse.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: A Dark Fantasy with Hidden Depths

Plot Overview: The Return of the Barrow Wights

The story of Lurking: Immortui is deceptively simple on the surface:

“A mysterious figure has resurrected three ancient rulers—known as the Barrow Wights—from their long slumber. These undead lords have retaken their ruined keeps and unleashed legions of the dead upon the land. Lord Deciper, ruler of the realm, calls upon adventurers to investigate the source of this necromantic plague and put an end to it.”

But as with all great CRPGs, the devil is in the details. The game’s narrative unfolds through:
– Keyword-based dialogue (reminiscent of Ultima IV–VI)
– Environmental storytelling (ruins, crypts, and abandoned towns hint at a darker history)
– Hidden lore (scrolls, tombstones, and NPC rumors reveal the true nature of the threat)

Themes: Despair, Deception, and the Cost of Power

Beneath its fantasy adventure exterior, Lurking explores some surprisingly dark themes:

1. The Cycle of Violence

   • The Barrow Wights were once tyrants in life, and their return suggests that history is repeating itself.
   • Many NPCs hint that the current rulers are no better than the undead they fight against.

2. The Illusion of Heroism

   • The game subverts the typical “chosen one” trope. Your party is not destined heroes—you’re just mercenaries hired to clean up someone else’s mess.
   • The final act reveals that Lord Deciper himself may be complicit in the undead uprising, raising questions about who the real villain is.

3. The Weight of the Past

   • The world is littered with ruins of fallen civilizations, suggesting that this isn’t the first time the land has faced apocalypse.
   • Many dungeons contain cryptic messages from long-dead adventurers, reinforcing the idea that your party is just another link in a chain of doomed heroes.

Characters & Dialogue: The Joy of Discovery

One of Lurking’s greatest strengths is its NPC interactions. Unlike modern RPGs where every character has voice acting and a quest marker, Lurking forces you to:
– Talk to everyone (many NPCs only give useful info if you ask the right questions).
– Take notes (there’s no journal—you must write down keywords, hints, and locations).
– Experiment with dialogue (some NPCs lie, others only reveal secrets if you’ve completed certain tasks).

This lack of hand-holding is both the game’s greatest strength and its biggest flaw:
– Pros:
– Rewards exploration—every conversation could lead to a breakthrough.
– Makes the world feel alive—NPCs have schedules, secrets, and personalities.
– Encourages role-playing—you become the adventurer, not just a player following a script.
– Cons:
– Frustrating for modern players—if you miss a keyword, you might be stuck for hours.
– Some dialogue is overly cryptic—a few puzzles rely on obscure hints that are easy to overlook.

The Ending: A Twist That Rewards Patience

Without spoiling too much, Lurking’s finale is far more complex than a simple “defeat the bad guy” scenario. The game subverts expectations by revealing that:
– The Barrow Wights are not the true villains—they’re pawns in a larger scheme.
– Lord Deciper’s motives are questionable—was he really trying to save the kingdom, or was he manipulating events for his own gain?
– The real enemy is never fully revealed—leaving room for interpretation (and sequels).

This ambiguous, open-ended conclusion is a bold choice for a retro-style CRPG, and it elevates Lurking beyond mere nostalgia into something thought-provoking.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: A Masterclass in Old-School Design

Character Creation & Progression: The Freedom of a Classless System

Lurking eschews traditional D&D-style classes in favor of a fully customizable, skill-based system. At character creation, you:
1. Distribute attribute points (Strength, Agility, Intellect, Wisdom, Vitality).
2. Choose a starting skill (e.g., Swordplay, Archery, Spellcasting).
3. Assign a portrait and name (with options for custom portraits in later versions).

Attributes & Their Impact

Attribute	Effect
Strength	Increases melee damage, determines equipment burden (unimplemented)
Agility	Boosts evasion chance
Intellect	Improves spell success rate, helps resist enemy magic
Wisdom	Reduces damage from failed spells, aids in magic resistance
Vitality	Increases max HP on level-up

Skills & Leveling

• No traditional “classes”—your character’s role is defined by which skills you invest in.
• Skills improve through use (e.g., using a sword increases Swordplay, casting spells improves Magic).
• No level cap—characters can theoretically max out every skill (though this takes dozens of hours).

Pros of the System:
✅ True freedom—you can build a spell-slinging warrior or a stealthy archer without restrictions.
✅ Encourages experimentation—since skills improve through use, you’re rewarded for trying new tactics.

Cons of the System:
❌ Early-game grind—low-level characters are extremely weak, making the first few hours brutally difficult.
❌ Some skills feel underpowered—certain weapons (like axes) are statistically inferior to swords, making them poor choices for optimization.

Combat: Turn-Based Tactics with a Retro Twist

Combat in Lurking is turn-based, gridless, and party-focused. Battles play out in a separate screen (like Ultima III), where you:
1. Select actions for each party member (Attack, Cast Spell, Use Item, Flee).
2. Watch the results play out in text-based feedback (e.g., “Your sword strikes the skeleton for 5 damage!”).
3. Repeat until victory or defeat.

Key Combat Mechanics

• No positioning—unlike Wizardry or Might & Magic, there’s no tactical grid, making combat more about stats than strategy.
• Spellcasting is risky—failed spells can backfire, damaging your party.
• Enemies have resistances—some foes are immune to physical attacks, forcing you to adapt your strategy.

Strengths:
✔ Fast-paced—battles don’t drag on like in Dragon Quest.
✔ Encourages preparation—you must stock up on healing items and buff spells.

Weaknesses:
✖ Lack of depth—without positioning or special attacks, combat can feel repetitive.
✖ Difficulty spikes—some random encounters are brutally unfair, especially early on.

Exploration & Puzzles: The Heart of the Experience

Lurking’s open world is its greatest achievement. The 300×300 tile overworld is packed with secrets, including:
– Dungeons (multi-level, with traps and puzzles).
– Towns (each with unique NPCs and quests).
– Hidden areas (some only accessible with specific items or spells).
– Seasonal changes (winter turns rivers to ice, revealing new paths).

Puzzle Design: A Love Letter to ‘80s CRPGs

The game’s puzzles are reminscent of Ultima III—logical but obscure, requiring:
– Keyword hunting (talking to NPCs to learn vital clues).
– Item combination (e.g., using a mirror to reflect light in a dark dungeon).
– Environmental manipulation (e.g., flooding a room to access a hidden passage).

Notable Puzzles:
– The Spiritmire Wight – Requires multiple spell upgrades and a hidden pool to defeat.
– Drake Scroll Pieces – Scattered across the world, with cryptic NPC hints leading to each.
– The Underworld – A massive, multi-level dungeon with teleporters, traps, and secret bosses.

The Good:
✅ Rewards clever players—solving a puzzle feels incredibly satisfying.
✅ No hand-holding—you must think like an adventurer.

The Bad:
❌ Some solutions are too obscure—a few puzzles rely on trial-and-error guesswork.
❌ No in-game hints—if you’re stuck, you’re truly stuck (though the Discord community helps).

UI & Quality of Life: A Double-Edged Sword

Lurking’s interface is faithful to the ‘80s, which means:
– Keyboard-driven controls (no mouse support in early versions).
– No automap (you must draw your own or rely on community maps).
– No quest log (you must take notes).
– Text parser for dialogue (you type keywords like “RUMOR” or “BARROW”).

Modern Additions (Post-v4.0):
– Mouse support (though keyboard is still highly recommended).
– Auto-mapping (finally added in later patches).
– Save anywhere (a godsend compared to old CRPGs that only let you save in towns).

The Verdict on UI:
– Purists will love it—it feels like playing an authentic ‘80s CRPG.
– Modern players may struggle—the lack of QOL features can be jarring.

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World-Building, Art & Sound: A Living, Breathing Retro Fantasy

The World: A Land Steeped in Lore

Lurking’s world is vast, mysterious, and full of history. The overworld is divided into distinct regions, each with its own:
– Culture (some towns are pro-adventurer, others are hostile).
– Economy (prices vary, some shops sell rare items).
– Secrets (abandoned ruins, hidden caves, and easter eggs).

Key Locations:

• Stormpeak – The starting town, ruled by Lord Deciper.
• Borrealis – A scholarly city with a library (essential for lore).
• Degdamark – A fortress town with ties to the Barrow Wights.
• The Underworld – A massive dungeon with multiple layers, bosses, and endgame challenges.

Art Style: Pixel Perfection

Lurking’s visuals are a love letter to 16-bit CRPGs:
– Tile-based environments (reminiscent of Ultima III and The Bard’s Tale).
– Seasonal changes (winter turns forests white, rivers freeze).
– Detailed sprites (enemies, NPCs, and items all have distinct, charming designs).

Strengths:
✔ Authentic retro aesthetic—it looks like a lost ‘90s CRPG.
✔ Animations are smooth—combat and spells have satisfying visual feedback.

Weaknesses:
✖ Some tiles are hard to read (e.g., stairs can be confusing).
✖ No zoom function—on modern monitors, the pixels can be too small.

Sound & Music: A Hauntingly Beautiful Score

The soundtrack is one of Lurking’s hidden gems. Composed entirely by the developers, it features:
– Midi-style melodies (reminiscent of Ultima and Final Fantasy VI).
– Dynamic tracks (music changes based on location and time of day).
– Ambient sound effects (howling wind, creaking dungeons, battle cries).

Standout Tracks:
– Stormpeak Theme – A heroic, adventurous tune that sets the tone.
– Dungeon Theme – A slow, eerie melody that enhances the atmosphere.
– Battle Music – A fast-paced, intense track that gets the blood pumping.

The Verdict:
– The music is fantastic—it elevates the retro experience.
– Sound effects are minimal but effective—they immerse you without being overbearing.

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Reception & Legacy: A Cult Classic in the Making

Critical Reception: A Niche Hit

Lurking: Immortui flew under the radar upon its 2016 release, but it slowly gained a devoted following among:
– Retro CRPG fans (those who grew up with Ultima and Wizardry).
– Indie RPG enthusiasts (players who appreciate old-school design).
– Speedrunners & challenge seekers (the game’s difficulty and secrets make it a favorite for completionists).

Review Scores & Player Feedback

Source	Score	Summary
MobyGames	4.0/5 (1 rating)	“A solid homage to Ultima III with deep exploration.”
Daikon Media	8/10	“A love letter to classic CRPGs, warts and all.”
itch.io	4.8/5 (19 ratings)	“One of the best retro RPGs ever made.”
Reddit (r/playmygame)	Positive	“A must-play for fans of old-school dungeon crawlers.”

Common Praise:
✅ “Feels like a lost ‘80s CRPG” – Players love the authenticity.
✅ “Huge world with tons of secrets” – The exploration is rewarding.
✅ “Great music and atmosphere” – The soundtrack is a standout.

Common Criticisms:
❌ “Too obscure at times” – Some puzzles require outside help.
❌ “Early game is brutal” – The difficulty curve is steep.
❌ “UI is clunky” – The lack of modern QOL features frustrates some.

Legacy & Influence: Inspiring a New Wave of CRPGs

While Lurking never became a mainstream hit, its impact on the indie CRPG scene is undeniable. It proved that:
1. There’s still an audience for hardcore, old-school RPGs.
2. Small teams can create deep, content-rich worlds.
3. Authenticity matters—players appreciate games that respect their inspirations.

Games Influenced by Lurking:
– Lurking II: A Madness (2016) – The direct sequel, expanding on the first game’s mechanics.
– Operencia: The Stolen Sun (2019) – A first-person dungeon crawler with similar puzzle-heavy design.
– Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark (2019) – A tactical RPG that shares Lurking’s love of deep systems.
– Wasteland 3 (2020) – While more modern, it borrows from Lurking’s open-ended exploration.

The Future of Lurking: What’s Next?

The developers at oklabsoft have continued to support Lurking with:
– Regular updates (bug fixes, QOL improvements).
– Cross-platform releases (Linux, macOS).
– Community engagement (active Discord, responsive to feedback).

Upcoming Projects:
– Lurking III: Vermys – A new entry in the series, currently in development.
– Potential remasters – The devs have hinted at enhanced editions of Lurking I & II.

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Conclusion: A Masterpiece of Retro Revival

Final Verdict: 9/10 – “A Must-Play for CRPG Purists”

Lurking: Immortui is not for everyone. It’s unforgiving, obscure, and deliberately old-school in ways that will frustrate modern players. But for those who long for the days of Ultima III, Wizardry, and The Bard’s Tale, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece.

What It Does Right:
✔ Authentic retro CRPG experience – It feels like a lost classic.
✔ Massive, open world – Hundreds of hours of exploration.
✔ Deep, skill-based progression – True freedom in character building.
✔ Hauntingly beautiful soundtrack – One of the best in indie RPGs.
✔ Rewarding puzzles & secrets – Discovery feels earned.

Where It Stumbles:
✖ Steep difficulty curve – The early game is punishing.
✖ Some puzzles are too obscure – A few require outside guides.
✖ UI is outdated – No automap or journal hurts accessibility.

Who Should Play Lurking: Immortui?

✅ Fans of Ultima, Wizardry, and Bard’s Tale.
✅ Players who love *exploration-heavy RPGs.
✅ Those who enjoy *taking notes and solving puzzles.
✅ Retro gaming enthusiasts who appreciate authenticity.

Who Should Avoid It?

❌ Players who dislike *old-school difficulty.
❌ Those who prefer *modern QOL features (automaps, quest logs).
❌ Gamers who want **fast-paced, action-heavy combat.

Final Thoughts: A Game That Deserves to Be Remembered

In a world where even “retro” games often compromise with modern conveniences, Lurking: Immortui stands as a defiant, uncompromising tribute to the golden age of CRPGs. It’s flawed, challenging, and occasionally frustrating—but that’s exactly why it’s so special.

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to play Ultima III in 1983, this is as close as you’ll get. And for that alone, Lurking: Immortui deserves a place in CRPG history.

Journey onward, adventurer. The Barrow Wights await.

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Where to Buy:
– itch.io (Name Your Own Price)
– Also available on Windows, Linux, macOS.

Community & Support:
– oklabsoft Discord
– Email: oklab.software@gmail.com

Sequel:
– Lurking II: A Madness (2016) – Bigger world, deeper lore, more challenges.

Final Score: 9/10 – “A Modern Classic in Retro Clothing” 🏆