| Catechumen | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | N'Lightning Software Development |
| Publisher(s) | N'Lightning Software Development |
| Producer(s) | Ralph Bagley |
| Designer(s) |
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| Programmer(s) | Kristopher Horton |
| Artist(s) | Andy Anderson |
| Engine | Genesis3D |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | October 1, 2000 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Catechumen is a 2000 first-person shooter game with Christian themes developed and published by N'Lightning Software Development. Set during the time of the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, the player controls a catechumen, a novice Christian being trained before taking part in secret gatherings. Traversing eighteen levels, they seek to free their mentor and fellow Christians from captivity. The player uses the eight Swords of the Spirit to defeat demons and convert possessed Roman soldiers to Christianity. Faith stands in as the character's health.
Ralph Bagley, N'Lightning's founder and chief executive officer, conceived Catechumen in 1996 because he had mixed feelings about playing Doom and Quake as a licensed minister. He was unable to obtain funding until the Columbine High School massacre in April 1999, which was partially blamed on violent video games. That month, Bagley established N'Lightning, raised US$1 million, and hired staff from the recently defunct Trilobyte to form the core design team. Thirty people worked on the game, which cost $850,000 to make. After eighteen months in development, Catechumen was released in October 2000.
Catechumen received mixed reviews, with praise for its fast-paced action and differing opinions about its story and audiovisual presentation. Its levels, puzzles, and artificial intelligence were widely criticized. The game sold 86,000 copies and was followed by a successor, Ominous Horizons: A Paladin's Calling, in 2001. Both games were among the most expensive and bestselling Christian video games. N'Lightning planned to branch out into console games but did not break even and eventually shut down without further releases.