The Lurking Horror

The Lurking Horror
Game

Main links	Play online IFDB
Published	1987
Credits
Author	Dave Lebling
Publisher	Activision, Infocom
Reception
IFDB rating	4 out of 5 (95 ratings)
Gameplay
Interaction style	Parser
Literary genre	Horror
Location	School
Language	English
IFDB play time	5 hours 5 minutes
Accessibility	Colour: none. Graphics: none. Sound: none.
Technical details
Authoring system	ZIL
Format	Z-code 3
License	Commercial
IFID	ZCODE-203-870506, ZCODE-219-870912, ZCODE-221-870918
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The Lurking Horror was Infocom's 27th piece of interactive fiction (and the only horror game). It was written by Dave Lebling, the co-author of every Zork title, and Enchanter, as well as the sole author of Starcross, Suspect, and Spellbreaker.

How to Play with Sound

This game was designed to be played with sound, but most Z-code interpreters don't support sound.

Browser: you can play in-browser with Infocom Frotz
Windows: You can use Windows Frotz
macOS: You can use Spatterlight

To play, download and open the Zblorb file from Infocom Frotz.

To test sound, you'll need to solve the first puzzle, instructions below.

TURN ON THE PC
LOGIN 872325412
PASSWORD UHLERSOTH
EDIT THE PAPER
EDIT THE PAPER
READ THE PAPER
READ THE PAPER
READ THE PAPER
READ THE PAPER
READ THE PAPER

You should hear the sound of chanting.

How it begins

You must finish the last term paper (deadline tomorrow!). All the computers in the dorm are in use, so you endured a snowstorm to travel to the institute's computer laboratory. However, the snowstorm turned into a blizzard and you decided to remain in the complex for the night, working on the report. Now you are in the Terminal Room (lonely but for a hacker whom you are familiar with). It goes without saying that you are carrying the aforesaid assignment.

Notable features

It was one of Infocom's first titles to feature sound (for the Amiga and Atari ST versions only).

Versions

Release 203

Date: 6 May 1987

The Lurking Horror (Dave Lebling; publisher: Infocom; 1987; Z-code 3).
- Release 203 / Serial number 870506.
- IFID: ZCODE-203-870506
  IFID links: IFDB

The Lurking Horror is included on the following Activision collections:
- The Lost Treasures of Infocom Volume I
  - Release 203 (IBM/Macintosh)

Release 219

Date: 12 September 1987

The Lurking Horror (Dave Lebling; publisher: Infocom; 1987; Z-code 3).
- Release 219 / Serial number 870912.
- For Amiga only. Requires an interpreter with sound capabilities (not only beep).
- IFID: ZCODE-219-870912
  IFID links: IFDB

Release 221

Date: 18 September 1987

The Lurking Horror (Dave Lebling; publisher: Infocom; 1987; Z-code 3).
- Release 221 / Serial number 870918.
- For Amiga only. Requires an interpreter with sound capabilities (not only beep).
- IFID: ZCODE-221-870918
  IFID links: IFDB

Links

Note: To refer to this game from another page, you can type {{game citation|The Lurking Horror}}. This will display as The Lurking Horror (Dave Lebling; publishers: Activision, Infocom; 1987; ZIL; Z-code).