March 26, 2026 - Surveys said gamers don't want AI in their games. Comment sections said it louder. CRUNCHFEST and GROLAF heard all of it - and launched CODEX MORTIS into Early Access on Steam anyway. The necromantic survival bullet hell - built entirely through AI-driven development - doesn't arrive quietly. It arrives from Steam's Popular Upcoming list, backed by 10,500 engaged demo players who didn't care who made the game.
Strip away the AI controversy and what's left is a bullet hell with actual depth. Most survivors-likes hand you random upgrades mid-run and let RNG do the work. CODEX MORTIS flips that. Before you fire a single spell, you're building - picking spells from five schools of dark magic - and crafting a synergy loadout tailored to each level. Think Guild Wars build-crafting dropped into a Vampire Survivors arena. Eight levels, different objectives, multiple reasons your last build won't work here. Detonate corpses, raise undead armies, drain life, or trigger chain reactions that melt the screen - but only if your pre-mission setup was right. This is strategy first, chaos second. And that's why players stayed.
Content creators across YouTube and Twitch are actively playing the Early Access build right now, and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Creators who came in skeptical are staying for the build depth, and the word coming back is consistent: this plays like a real game because it is one. The internet had its debate. The players have moved on to the gameplay.
Before a single Early Access key was sold, CODEX MORTIS had already landed on Steam's Popular Upcoming - driven by nothing but player interest and wishlist momentum. The AI debate brought attention. The gameplay kept it.
Love it or hate it - it's here right now on Steam.
<<EARLY ACCESS ANNOUNCEMENT TRAILER>>
Early Access Features:
• Eight unique levels - each with a distinct objective requiring a completely different build strategy
• Five schools of dark magic - Necromancy, Summoning, Blood Magic, Soul Magic, and Curses with dozens of skills to combine
• Deep build-crafting - plan your squad before each run, theory-craft synergies, and watch your strategy explode into beautiful chaos
• Local co-op - bring a friend into the necromantic mayhem
• 100% AI-developed - every line of code, every sprite, every note of music created through AI-driven development
• Steam Deck Verified - officially rated Playable by Valve, with full controller support
REVIEW KEYS AVAILABLE
Media and content creators can request Early Access review keys now. We want you to play CODEX MORTIS before you write about it. Contact us at awojcik@crunchfest.com or through https://pressengine.games/codex-mortis
About CODEX MORTIS
CODEX MORTIS is a necromantic survival bullet hell where death is your greatest weapon. Mix five schools of dark magic, unleash devastating spell synergies, and raise undead armies across eight unique levels - each demanding a different strategy. Plan your build, assemble your squad, and watch carefully crafted chaos unfold solo or in local co-op. The game is developed entirely through AI-driven development by GROLAF.
About GROLAF
GROLAF is a solo game developer pioneering AI-driven game development. Founded on the belief that AI tools can empower creators to build experiences previously impossible for small teams, GROLAF uses AI across the entire development pipeline - from code and art to music and design.
Links
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4084120/CODEX_MORTIS/
Steam Demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4095390/CODEX_MORTIS_Demo/
Press Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NY8R6l7kcgZWfQ5QI5h4i6N2iGAIpH-I?usp=sharing
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC-YIU6Rquw
Discord: https://discord.gg/RpYmXuqwX6
Press Contact: awojcik@crunchfest.com