The Terrible Old Man
Released Oct 2019
Experience a bite-sized slice of Lovecraftian horror in this updated version of our cult freeware point and click adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's classic short story.
89% positive · 683 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
The Terrible Old Man is a free, short point-and-click adventure game — a polished Steam re-release of a 2015 freeware game jam project. It launched on Steam on October 10, 2019, with a Collector's Edition DLC available on the same day, meaning all content shipped at launch. The store description presents it as a complete, self-contained product ("a very short and free interactive adaptation"), with no suggestion of ongoing updates or future content. The developer news associated with this game's Steam page is entirely promotional — the posts from 2020 and 2022 announce a separate, unrelated game (The Excavation of Hob's Barrow) that was in development at a different studio project. There is no roadmap, no unshipped DLC, and no developer statement about future content for this title. The game launched as a finished product and has remained so.
Evidence
Store description presents the game as a short, complete, free adaptation of a Lovecraft short story, described as a polished re-release of a 2015 jam game with no mention of future content or updates
The only DLC — a Collector's Edition — released on the same day as the base game, meaning all available content shipped at launch
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Cloak and Dagger Games
Achievements
6
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player
About this game
Three men of loose virtue are enjoying a drink in a local tavern, when they overhear the story of a rich and feeble old man who lives in town. They soon plot to take his treasures...
This is a very short (and free) interactive adaptation of The Terrible Old Man, a short story by H.P. Lovecraft. This adaptation was originally released back in 2015 - it was made in 30 days for the MAGS gamejam.
This Steam re-release features polished graphics, additional content, new music and Steam achievements!
This is a very short (and free) interactive adaptation of The Terrible Old Man, a short story by H.P. Lovecraft. This adaptation was originally released back in 2015 - it was made in 30 days for the MAGS gamejam.
This Steam re-release features polished graphics, additional content, new music and Steam achievements!
Features:
- An adaptation of the classic H.P. Lovecraft short story.
- Traditional point and click adventure interface.
- Unsettling hand drawn graphics and animation.
- Fully animated cut scenes.
- 640 x 360 widescreen resolution.
- HORROR!
Last evaluated Jun 25, 2026
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