The Empire of Death is a turn-based, classical computer role-playing game and adventure hybrid, blending retro gameplay and aesthetics with modern features such as natural language processing, sentiment analysis, deeply branched dialogues, and complex simulations with procedural generation. Built for the AI era, it offers an open-world experience designed to emulate the depth of tabletop RPGs for a mature audience (18+) and has been under active development since 2020.

Join a land where Hunger, Pestilence, and War rule under a dark dominion,
a land where powerful means lead to violent ends.
Will you be able to escape the Empire¹ of Death²?

(1) EMPIRE. a) A conquering political state. b) a political unit ruled by an emperor or an empress. c) a group of territories that owe allegiance to a foreign power. d) an expansive and powerful enterprise. e) Absolute control, dominion, sway.
(2) DEATH. a) The cessation of life, or the end of an organism's existence as an entity independent from its environment. b) The personification of Death, usually a hooded figure. c) The collapse or end of something. d) Spiritual lifelessness.

In the beginning, there was only text, driven by a humble CPU—a blinking cursor inviting exploration and experimentation. Then, bitmap images and video files filled screens, as coprocessors powered beige boxes and mice joined keyboards. With the rise of GPUs, fueled by the arcade gaming industry, the focus shifted to 3D, enhancing interaction and continuity but arguably diminishing aesthetics and storytelling. Now, GPUs have enabled what we call “AI,” returning to the generation of text and bitmap images.

What if the shift to 3D had never occurred? What if AI had emerged without this turn? What if words and imagination had remained the primary focus, with images and videos serving as illustrations? These questions have guided us since we began developing The Empire of Death.

This game blends adventure elements with CRPG depth, paying tribute to early text adventures, point-and-click classics like Sid Meier’s Pirates!, and the iconic RPGs of the 1980s, while granting players the freedom to shape their journey in a dynamic world.

We believe The Empire of Death delivers robust role-playing mechanics, intricate narratives, deep character progression, and tactical combat, prioritizing immersion and storytelling. Our hope is that it offers a lasting gaming experience and a strong foundation for future stories.

In The Empire of Death, where powerful means lead to violent ends, you can choose to play one of three main characters, each with their own intertwined personal story and goals, or create a custom character with a unique background shaped by your choices. In either case, you’ll fully explore the world and experience the game’s compelling narrative.

In this grim, violent world, nothing is free—everything comes at a cost. The first question isn’t “Do I have what it takes?” but rather, “How did I end up facing this choice?”

You’ll face tests from unnatural horrors, otherworldly beings, ethical dilemmas, and interactions with hundreds of NPCs, ultimately confronting your own weaknesses. The learning curve is steep, driven by trial and error in the spirit of old-school roleplaying games, yet remains fair. How you navigate these challenges determines the order in which you experience the game’s 22 chapters, each inspired by a Major Tarot Arcana, and shapes the game’s ending.

With each challenge—if you survive—you may uncover valuable resources: hundreds of items, treasures, and dozens of spells to enhance your character’s power. The game rewards you with experience, “Fortune,” or “Honor,” based on the nature of your achievements, whether temporal or spiritual. There’s no single path to follow but rather a personal perspective to embrace: will you walk the balanced path of humanity, succumb to the clutches of evil and madness, or uphold the unwavering, challenging morals of good? Your choices and actions will lead to vastly different gameplay experiences.

We’ve dedicated extensive time to designing the mechanics of The Empire of Death, crafting a comprehensive » TRPG ruleset that is simple, robust, and intuitive for any RPG enthusiast.

Core Mechanics

All actions are resolved by rolling dice behind the scenes, with bonuses or penalties applied based on context, character attributes, items, and traits. The result is compared to a fixed difficulty or an opponent’s roll (e.g., in combat or detection scenarios). The difference in experience or raw power between characters—or the lack thereof—enables quick resolutions. Critical successes and failures can dramatically alter the course of events.

By design, The Empire of Death’s mechanics evoke a classic, old-school feel: you may die frequently early in the game, learning through trial and error, and even high-level characters won’t necessarily feel safe. Consulting the manual can significantly improve your chances of survival.

Characters

Characters are free-form, with no fixed classes, and all—whether NPCs or PCs—follow the same mechanics.

Each character has six uncapped attributes, grouped in pairs: Strength/Constitution, Dexterity/Speed, and Wits/Will. Social skills, however, are not quantified numerically, as they depend on in-game choices and actions.

Additionally, characters may possess traits, representing natural strengths, flaws, extraordinary skills, or rare knowledge. These traits grant bonuses or penalties to rolls or enable unique actions, such as special combat maneuvers. Certain unique traits are also required to unlock specific sections of the game.

Equipment

The Empire of Death demands mastery of diverse equipment to ensure survival in its treacherous world. From rudimentary tools to finely crafted weapons, each item plays a critical role in overcoming the game’s challenges. Success hinges on understanding and adapting to the tools at your disposal, making equipment a cornerstone of your journey through this grim landscape.

Weapons, like most items, are categorized into "classes" that significantly influence gameplay outcomes. A blade excels against human-shaped foes, while an axe or mace proves essential for shattering the thick chitin of a giant insect. A spear, meanwhile, is ideal for receiving a charge. Much like characters, equipment can possess traits—such as swift, warm, or poisonous—granting unique advantages. For example, a heavy axe might allow a decisive beheading, whereas a swift blade could inflict bleeding wounds to exhaust an opponent over time.

Crafting is possible, requiring careful selection of materials: building a shelter demands different wood than crafting a bow, while cooking necessitates an appropriate recipient and ingredients, with nourishment varying accordingly. Scattered throughout the world, a few unique magical items await discovery, hidden in the depths of ancient castles or clutched by powerful priests. Lastly, the quality of your equipment, the condition of your steed, and the weight of your purse shape how others perceive you, subtly influencing interactions and alliances in this unforgiving realm.

Progression

Character progression is driven by experience points, earned in one of three categories tied to attribute pairs: raw physical power and resilience, speed and finesse, or intellectual and social prowess. Accumulating enough points grants a new experience level, increasing health (survivability) and offering a chance to improve a related attribute. Higher levels require more points to progress. New traits are acquired in-game based on specific situations and choices.

Magic

Magic is a rare and perilous force, once dominant in the distant past. Spells combine sigils, words of power, and, for some, special ingredients, which must be discovered and learned in-game.

Three types of magic exist: minor powers granted by worshipping gods or supernatural entities, spells codified during the ancient First Empire, and dark—or blood—magic rooted in Entropy. This forbidden lore consumes bodies and souls and is considered a scourge upon humanity.

Explore a sprawling, medieval open world steeped in grim dark fantasy, set in the unique setting of Corimon.

This world thrives amid the ruins of an empire shattered by humanity’s hubris—a forsaken land untouched by grace, where the Renaissance is a distant memory.

Venture into a vast, forlorn March located at the border of the ancient imperial districts of Anshaar and Ishtar, north of a mysterious lake. This territory, rich with history and dark secrets, teeters on the brink of invasion.

Ruled by petty lords, most of whom are puppets of inhuman forces indifferent to humanity’s suffering—and perhaps responsible for it—the land is home to colorful characters, wild beasts, and malevolent entities.

Interact with hundreds of inhabitants, from humble servants to pivotal NPCs central to the story. Fight enemies or flee, forge friendships or romances, and perhaps build a home to gather your family, working or adventuring to survive. Death looms ever-present.

Is death the end of your journey or its purpose? Why do the land and its inhabitants continue to shift and change?

Powered by a custom engine written in C with a separate graphical client, The Empire of Death CRPG can be played in text mode (console) or with a graphical interface. We plan to support multiplayer functionality in the future, along with alternative interfaces.

Bundled with utilities and released with an editor, The Empire of Death supports modding and content creation, enabling players and creators to expand the world effortlessly. Its flexible architecture ensures seamless integration of new stories, quests, and mechanics, and can even be adapted to entirely new settings.

We strive to support your creations and encourage your efforts to make this the ultimate retro CRPG game engine. We are committed to adding new features and responding to your requests.

Here are the special bonuses we plan to release alongside the standard edition of the game, contingent on successful funding:

The retro boxed edition of The Empire of Death includes a DRM-free version of the game on a USB stick, a beautifully crafted printed map of the game’s world, a detailed manual with lore and gameplay insights, and a comprehensive rulebook for mastering its tabletop-inspired mechanics, enabling you to conduct your own TRPG sessions. Additionally, an iconic retro badge is included in the box. This edition is perfect for collectors and fans of classic CRPGs.

The special uncensored edition (adults only) of The Empire of Death includes uncensored media and unlocks mature features, such as simulated sex and more explicit violence. This content is not suitable for all audiences, and player discretion is strongly advised, even though uncensored features must be unlocked.

These bonuses, except for the retro boxed edition, may or may not be available separately after the initial release.

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