In the earliest days of what we now call "Indie games" (before we even had a name for em), Lugaru was a curiosity that stuck with me way more than I ever expected. For what was essentially a one-man project it was shockingly forward-thinking - the ragdoll physics, while a little dated by modern standards, are still impressive considering this was well before they were the norm, and the minimalist UI was YEARS ahead of the curve of what big-budget AAA games would end up doing, let alone the brutal but fun brawler combat that strays away from combos and flashy finishers and takes a different approach, to focus on fluidity and a smooth escalation/deescalation of tension while providing fun stealth mechanics as a mixer (the enemies can literally smell you!)
All of this wrapped up in an intriguing, atmospheric, dark and mature revenge plot story that pulls equally from Watership Down and kung-fu movies and you have a fascinating footnote in indie game history. Wolfire games have sadly all but abandoned this setting and these characters, leaving this game in a state of limbo that's unfortunately become a hassle to run on modern systems.
Released far too early for the eventual indie boom to give it a presence, while its sequel languished in perpetual development far past whatever fanfare it could have garnered. This game has been long overdue for a reappraisal.
