The player takes control of the high wizard Petton Everhail, descending into the catacombs of the Towne Cemetery to defeat the evil lich Nemesis and rescue his friend Grelminar.

The game introduced the concept of showing the player's hand in the three-dimensional viewpoint, and an enhanced version of its technology was later used for the more successful Wolfenstein 3D.

In the book Masters of Doom, author David Kushner asserts that the concept was discussed only briefly during a 1991 telephone conversation between Underworld developer Paul Neurath and John Romero.

All of the games, including the original Catacomb titles, are now distributed legally by Flat Rock Software through their own web store and via GOG.com.

[12][13] The credits for the series are Mike Maynard, James Row, Nolan Martin (programming), Steven Maines (art direction), Carol Ludden, Jerry Jones, Adrian Carmack (art production), James Weiler, Judi Mangham (quality assurance), and id Software (3D imaging effects).

The series' development head, Greg Malone, later became creative director for Duke Nukem 3D and also worked on Shadow Warrior for 3D Realms.

[14] Department heads Mike Maynard and Jim Row, meanwhile, would co-found JAM Productions (soon joined by Jerry Jones), the creators of Blake Stone using an enhanced Wolfenstein 3D engine.

It was set in the distant future, accessible via time portals, and mixed fantasy and science fiction elements, pitting players against robotic necromancers and the like.

[18] The magazine stated in February 1994 that Terror of the Catacombs's "playability is good, almost addictive, and offers bang for the buck in spite of its lackluster" EGA graphics.