About
Abuse is a run-and-gun game developed by Crack dot Com and published by Electronic Arts (Origin Systems in Europe), released for MS-DOS on February 29, 1996, with a Mac OS port by Bungie following in 1997; its source code and some shareware content have been in the public domain since the late 1990s. Abuse 2025 is a modern port continuing the Xenoveritas SDL2 port and the Abuse 1996 project, aiming to be the go-to way to play Abuse on current systems. It builds with SDL2, SDL2_mixer, and CMake on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and adds high-resolution graphics, gamepad support, a built-in level editor, and LAN co-op/deathmatch multiplayer; cross-platform play and Windows multiplayer are not yet supported.
How it differs from the original
Movement controls have been changed from the original's arrow keys to WASD, and the game now includes a built-in level/mod editor and LAN co-op and deathmatch multiplayer that weren't part of the 1996 release. As in the original engine, playing above the native 320x200 resolution can reveal hidden areas.
Getting started
Pre-built releases are available per platform, or it can be built from source with CMake after installing SDL2 and SDL2_mixer (via Homebrew on macOS or apt on Ubuntu). Custom levels and mods are added by placing files in the user data folder, which overrides the base game files without modifying them; the game supports single-player, co-op, and LAN multiplayer.
History
The project is framed as a continuation of the Xenoveritas SDL2 port and the Abuse 1996 project, released to mark the original game's 30th anniversary.
Known limitations
- multiplayer: Multiplayer between different platforms and on Windows is not currently supported.
Media
Additional notes
- License note
- The bundled game assets come from mixed historical sources with varying licenses; the maintainer suggests replacing them with the clearly public-domain shareware content if strict licensing matters to you.