Shuujin he no Pert-em-Hru

About

Shuujin he no Pert-em-Hru is a single-player RPG built with RPG Maker Dante 98 II and released in 1998 for the PC-9800 Series. You follow Professor Tsuchida and his assistant Kōji as they explore the lower levels of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The environment is deadly, with traps like slicing wires and curses tied to Khufu’s wrath. Each character faces consequences for their actions as the group descends deeper. The game leans into Egyptian mythology, with the title referencing the Book of the Dead. Developed by Makoto Yaotani and another contributor over 18 months, it won the Platinum Prize in ASCII’s Internet Contest Park, the only such award ever given. A VX remake has been in the works since 2012, showing its lasting appeal. Though niche, the game’s atmospheric tension and moral dilemmas have earned it a quiet reputation among RPG fans. Players often note the tight design and how the pyramid itself feels like an active antagonist.

Storyline

Professor Tsuchida, a leading expert on archaeology, goes on an unauthorized expedition into the unknown lower levels of the Great Pyramid of Giza with his assistant Kōji Kuroe. They soon realize that the underground ruins is full of death traps when the excavator they hired is decapitated by a thin metal wire. Professor Tsuchida, unwilling to back down, goes outside the pyramid to lure a Japanese tour group nearby to act as his human shield. Inside the pyramid, one by one, the members of the entourage become subject to Khufu's punishment for their faults, but the professor insists on heading deeper into the complex despite knowing the fatal dangers of the environment.