Steam has quietly become the testing ground for a provocative experiment with the release of a playable demo for Codex Mortis, a necromantic bullet-hell game that its creators claim is the first fully playable title developed entirely through artificial intelligence.
The team presents AI not as assistance, but as the main force behind the project, responsible for everything from design to delivery.
How Was Codex Mortis Created Entirely Through AI?
The demo follows the circulation of bold PR materials that describe Codex Mortis as “100% AI-driven,” a claim the studio makes without hedging.
According to the developers, no traditional human-created assets were used during development.
The game’s systems, visual design, music, sound effects, written text, and even portions of its logic were all generated using AI tools.
This transparency extends to Steam itself, where the mandatory disclosure plainly states that every major component of the game was created through generative processes.
Visually, Codex Mortis makes little attempt to hide its origins. The Steam trailer and in-game presentation feature obvious AI traits, from stylized character models to surreal textures and animation artifacts.
Even the faces seen in promotional footage appear to be AI-altered images of the developers mapped onto necromancer characters.
How Does the Gameplay Work?
Gameplay-wise, the demo lands squarely in familiar territory for fans of Vampire Survivors–style experiences.
Players play as a necromancer in a top-down arena, surviving wave after wave while crafting powerful build combinations.
Before each run begins, players select from dozens of skills spread across five schools of dark magic, including necromancy, summoning, blood magic, soul manipulation, and curses.
These choices determine how spells interact once combat begins, encouraging experimentation and theory-crafting.
During a run, the objective is to survive long enough to gather ancient pages scattered across the battlefield while avoiding elimination by an immortal enemy that relentlessly tracks the player.
Along the way, players can strengthen their character through rituals, claim cursed artifacts guarded by elite enemies, and recruit fallen souls that fight alongside them.
The demo supports both solo play and local co-op, allowing players to experience the chaos together.
Is Codex Mortis Fueling the AI-in-Games Debate?
Despite the criticism, the demo has sparked debate, with some players seeing Codex Mortis as an experimental art project and others viewing it as a worrying example of AI entering creative industries.
The developers appear aware of this divide and are betting that openness, curiosity, and a planned low price point for the full release will soften resistance, especially compared to backlash aimed at AI usage in major AAA titles.
The release also arrives at a time when AI in games is under increasing scrutiny.
Valve’s requirement for generative AI disclosures has pushed studios to clarify their practices, but few have gone as far as Codex Mortis in handing full creative control to algorithms.
While the claim of being the “world’s first” fully AI-generated game may be debated (given other experimental projects exist) the studio insists that AI was used at every step without exception.
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