TECHMASH

Tag: #Crunchfest

  • CODEX MORTIS: The AI-Made Game the Internet Told You to Hate

    CODEX MORTIS: The AI-Made Game the Internet Told You to Hate

    If you’ve been anywhere near Steam or gaming Reddit lately, you’ve likely seen the firestorm. Developed by solo dev Grolaf (under the publisher Crunchfest), CODEX MORTIS isn’t just another indie bullet hell. It’s a necromantic survival game with a massive asterisk: the developer claims it is 100% AI-generated.

    From every line of TypeScript code to the gothic sprites and the eerie background music, Grolaf says the entire project was “vibe-coded” into existence using LLMs like Claude and ChatGPT in just three months.

    Why the Internet is Fuming

    In a year where industry layoffs are still a raw nerve and “AI slop” has become the ultimate gaming insult, CODEX MORTIS landed like a grenade. The backlash was instantaneous:

    The “Asset Flip” Argument: Critics on Steam and Reddit have branded it a glorified tech demo, calling it a “slippery slope” toward a future where storefronts are flooded with soulless, prompt-engineered clones.

    The Authenticity Debate: Some devs have even accused Grolaf of “not being AI enough,” claiming a total novice couldn’t have handled the complex architectural logic (built on bitECS and Electron) without significant human intervention.

    The “Slop” Label: PC Gamer famously questioned its honour as a milestone for “slop everywhere,” sparking a wider debate on whether a game made without “the human touch” can ever truly have a soul.

    The Plot Twist: People are Actually Playing It

    Here’s the part the “antis” don’t want to hear: It’s working.

    Despite the “Mixed” reviews and the vitriol in the comment sections, the numbers tell a different story. During its demo phase, players stayed for an average of 71 minutes—over four times the industry average for indie demos.

    Streaming giant Asmongold even weighed in, calling the gameplay “pretty good” and predicting that AI-developed games are an inevitability that will eventually “do well.” It turns out that when you’re busy dodging waves of undead and theory-crafting synergies between five schools of dark magic, you care a lot less about who—or what—wrote the code.

    Innovation or Infection?

    Grolaf describes the process as giving a developer an “exoskeleton.” By using AI to handle the “mental exhaustion” of engine-less development, a solo creator was able to ship a fully playable, systems-driven game in a fraction of the usual time.

    Whether CODEX MORTIS is a landmark achievement or a warning sign remains to be seen. But as it prepares for its Early Access launch on March 26, 2026, one thing is certain: the era of “Vibe-Coding” is no longer a sci-fi concept. It’s on your wishlist.

    What do you think? Is CODEX MORTIS a creative breakthrough for solo devs, or is it the beginning of the end for “hand-crafted” gaming?

    Find out more here on Steam – https://shorturl.at/jDh6R

    #CRUNCHFEST #GROLAF #CODEXMORTIS #AIdevelopedgame #AI #gameupdate #games #gaming #gamers #platformer #gameplay #demogame #videogames #arcadegames

  • The Undead Code: Why ‘Codex Mortis’ is a Game Changer (Literally)

    The Undead Code: Why ‘Codex Mortis’ is a Game Changer (Literally)

    In an industry constantly seeking the next innovation, a new game has just dropped that isn’t just a fun play—it’s a historical moment. Say hello to Codex Mortis, a chaotic, necromantic survival bullet hell game whose demo has just launched on Steam, claiming the title of the world’s first 100% AI-generated playable game.

    Forget AI-assisted design; this is AI-driven development. Here’s a look at what makes this game a fascinating glimpse into the future of gaming.

    A Symphony of Destruction: What is Codex Mortis?

    At its core, Codex Mortis is a frantic, top-down survival game where you take on the role of a powerful Necromancer facing endless hordes of the undead. If you love games that force you to combine abilities into explosive, screen-clearing synergies, this is your new obsession.

    Key Gameplay Features:

    • Necromantic Mayhem: The game is a true “bullet hell” experience, but instead of dodging bullets, you are orchestrating overwhelming destruction using the dark arts.
    • Deep Customization: Before each run, you get to theory-craft your build by selecting skills across five dark magic schools:
      • Necromancy
      • Summoning
      • Blood Magic
      • Soul Magic
      • Curses
    • Synergy is King: The core loop revolves around combining these skills to create devastating, unforeseen combinations. Picture exploding corpses to chain reactions that wipe out entire waves of enemies—it’s pure, beautiful chaos.
    • Solo or Co-Op: You can dive into the chaos alone, or team up with a friend in local co-op to amplify the destruction.

    The AI Revolution: Making Gaming History

    The most compelling aspect of Codex Mortis is its origin. Developed by Crunchfest, the game is being marketed as “100% Vibe-Coded”—a fully playable game created entirely through AI algorithms and tools.

    This isn’t just a novelty; it raises huge questions for the industry:

    1. Efficiency: How drastically can AI speed up game development, especially for genres that rely on procedural generation and asset creation?
    2. Creative Limits: Can AI truly generate a cohesive, engaging game experience from scratch, or does it still require human guidance to perfect the “feel” (or, as they call it, the “Vibe-Code”)?
    3. The Future of Indie Development: Does this lower the barrier to entry for solo and small-team developers who can now leverage AI for resource-intensive tasks?

    The Codex Mortis demo is the ultimate proof-of-concept, showcasing a level of polish and engaging gameplay that challenges the notion that only human hands can build a compelling game world.

    Ready to Face the Chaos?

    The demo for Codex Mortis is available now on Steam and throws you into a deadly challenge: collect five ancient pages and defeat a portal guardian before the immortal Lothar hunts you down.

    If you are a fan of titles like Vampire Survivors but want a deeper level of pre-run customization and a truly necromantic, bombastic theme, you owe it to yourself to check out this groundbreaking title. It’s more than just a game; it’s a peek into a potentially disruptive future for video game creation.

    Codex Mortis on Steam – https://shorturl.at/dnwlG

    #CodexMortis #magic #spells #necromantic #survival #bullethell #Grolaf #Crunchfest #survivors #pcgames #steam #AI #games #gaming #gamers #videogames