# Imperialism: reconstructing the 1997 game in C++ and Rust

> Imperialism reconstructs the 1997 Windows game's executable as ABI and behavior faithful C++ using Ghidra evidence, the original MSVC 5.0 toolchain and reccmp comparisons. A separate Rust implementation imports retail files and uses process-isolated differential tests against named behavioral captures.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Binary · Game
- Category: Independent reconstruction cases
- Relationship: Independent reconstruction project
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-09
- Original resource: <https://github.com/agluszak/imperialism-decomp>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/agluszak/imperialism-decomp/blob/a46830297f984167c4e0bfb9633030b284476e19/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/imperialism-decomp-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/imperialism-decomp-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/imperialism-decomp-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- Supply a legally obtained Imperialism.exe.
- The C++ workflow requires Git LFS, just, uv, Docker, Wine/GDB, Java 25 and the pinned Ghidra fork.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/agluszak/imperialism-decomp/blob/a46830297f984167c4e0bfb9633030b284476e19/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/agluszak/imperialism-decomp/blob/a46830297f984167c4e0bfb9633030b284476e19/decomp/README.md>

## More in Games

- [Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine: a matching C decompilation](https://awesomerea.org/resources/infernal-machine-matching-decomp-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Jackal: commented disassembly of the NES game](https://awesomerea.org/resources/nes-jackal-disasm/index.md) · Case study
- [Jawbreaker: an annotated Atari VCS disassembly that compiles to the exact ROM](https://awesomerea.org/resources/jawbreaker-atari-vcs-disassembly-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Jet Set Radio Future: early matching Xbox decompilation](https://awesomerea.org/resources/jsrf-matching-decomp-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Kanken Training 2: matching reconstruction of a Nintendo 3DS executable](https://awesomerea.org/resources/kanken-training-2-decomp-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Karateka: a byte-matched DOS disassembly](https://awesomerea.org/resources/karateka-dos-disassembly-case/index.md) · Case study

## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.