https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/189744524317/oldschoolfrp-crypt-of-the-undead-horror
Crypt of the Undead, also known as just ‘The Crypt’, was developed by Automated Simulations which became Epyx and released in 1982. It’s unclear which platforms this game was available for. This ad features the Atari 400/800 and there was also an Apple II version but I’m not sure if there were any others.
This game is an action/adventure/RPG played from an overhead point of view. The graphics are very simple and in black and white. The backstory is that you have woken up in a cemetery and must escape within a certain amount of time or you will become a permanent resident. You must find keys and search various crypts, ultimately looking for the key that will get you out of the cemetery. Along the way you will meet vampires, zombies, werewolves and other nasties to be battled or avoided. Of course you will also pick up various items long the way to help you out…various weapons, bagels to restore your energy and a variety of other items.
Crypt of the Undead is a bit like a slightly more primitive version of Temple of Apshai. Combat is more turn-based and uses simulated dice rolls to determine damage. The player is warned whenever monsters are near and they will always move toward you. You have the option to either fight or run away.
Original copies of this game will be hard to come by. The one I saw on eBay recently was being listed for some obscene amount of money and included on the disk an manual. There haven’t been any re-releases as far as I know so your best best is probably going to be to use emulation. Or you could always write the disk image back to a real disk if you have original hardware.
Screen shots above are from the Atari 400/800 version of the game.
