An early prototype of Apogee Software's DOS first-person-shooter Rise of the Triad has leaked online, giving players a look at the game back when it was intended to be a successor to Wolfenstein 3D.
Apogee Software released Rise of the Triad as a new IP in the mid-90s, but as you may well be aware it was originally planned as a direct sequel to ID Software's Wolfenstein 3D. This leaked prototype (dated September 1993) gives a glimpse at what the game looked like before ID decided to cancel the project six months into development, forcing Apogee to take another direction.
When the leak first appeared earlier this week, there were some doubts over its authenticity, but Apogee's original founder Scott Miller later confirmed that it was legit over on his Twitter:
The prototype is essentially Wolfenstein 3D with some new floor and ceiling textures present, as well as a couple of reskinned enemies like the Death Monk from the finished version of Rise of the Triad.
Also, just in case you're wondering how it linked up to Wolfenstein 3D, 3D Realms actually posted the original story outline for the game from the 1993 spec, which you can read below:
"After the fall of Hitler, the true powers behind him have drawn into seclusion, planning their next strategy for world domination. Three large corporations guided Hitler as a puppet, and now plan the subjugation of the planet to their organization, the Triad.
"Their new plan: having developed nuclear weapons and new V-3 rockets to carry them, they plan to get a stranglehold on the world with the threat of Armageddon."
You can watch a playthrough of the leaked prototype below: