Undying

Undying is a first-person shooter horror game developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on February 20, 2001, exclusively for Windows. Built on the Unreal Tournament engine, the game follows Patrick Galloway, a paranormal investigator returning to the Covenant estate in Ireland to aid his old friend Jeremiah Covenant, who is beset by a family curse. The game combines traditional FPS combat with spellcasting; players wield pistols, shotguns, a Celtic scythe, and the Tibetan war cannon, while also casting spells like ectoplasm, invoke, skull storm, flight, and shield. Its standout feature is the scrying spell, which allows players to peer into the spectral world, revealing hidden objects, enemy weaknesses, and lore. The campaign spans a variety of environments, from the decaying mansion to catacombs, a mausoleum, a monastery, and the surreal realm of Oneiros. Enemies include howlers, skarrows, jemaas, undead skeletons, and ghost priests, each requiring specific strategies and often specific ammunition types like silver bullets. Boss encounters are memorable, each with unique mechanics. While lacking multiplayer, Undying is praised for its thick atmosphere, gripping story, and the synergy of its audio-visual design, which creates a genuinely terrifying experience. It was developed with input from novelist Clive Barker on story elements. The game originally retailed for around $50 at launch and has since been re-released digitally on GOG with compatibility fixes for modern systems.