IVAN

Iter Vehemens ad Necem
Stable game
Developer	Timo Kiviluoto and others
Theme	Fantasy
Influences	NetHack, Monty Python, 1984
Released	Dec 10, 2001 (0.301)
Updated	Dec 23, 2021 (0.59)
Licensing	Open source (GPL v2)
P. Language	C++
Platforms	Windows, Linux, Mac, DOS
Interface	Tiles, Keyboard
Game Length	Long
	Official site of Iter Vehemens ad Necem

Iter Vehemens ad Necem (meaning "Violent Road to Death", but better known as IVAN) is a graphical roguelike game by Finnish developers which mixes addictive gameplay with brilliant humor and a lot of violence and gore. Graphics and easy interface make it a good game for beginners, but completing the game is very hard due to the unpredictable and dangerous situations that the game throws at the player.

The game was abandoned by the original developers in 2004, but since 2015 development is once again underway with new team of developers.

Features

Body parts

IVAN includes a body part system for humanoids.

Yes, in IVAN you can lose your arm. Sometimes you will leave a leg to a hungry lion and flee with the rest of your body. This is far from game over though. A lost limb can be reattached, or a new limb can be acquired from a priest or a prayer to a god pleased with you.

Note that if hit points in your head, chest or groin reach zero, you are dead.

Materials

Sirens can turn even your angels against you.

Each item is defined as composed from one or two materials. Pine spear with iron tip, steel mace with fir handle, or copper short sword with bronze hilt are all possible combinations. Similarly, a can of pepsi is an iron can with the second material set to pepsi.

One very interesting and valuable item is Scroll of Change Material. It is so useful the developers made wishing engine recognize "SoCM" as a valid phrase. As the name suggest, this magical trinket is able to turn material an item is made of to something else. There is an intelligence stat requirement to make this feature balanced.

Even better, your own body parts are also considered items as far as changing their material goes... Yes, you can have an adamantine arm.

Pantheon

IVAN features fifteen gods of varying alignments (from extremely lawful to extremely chaotic). Player character may establish relationship with any deity. Unlike most other roguelike games it is possible to pray regardless of alignment. However, to do so one must first know correct rituals. Those can be learned by reading a holy book or by visiting dedicated altar.

Offering sacrifices increases relationship with gods. There exist certain items and substances which raise standing with given deity more than others.

And more!

Besides the body part system, the material system and the religion system, there are such curiosities as 2x2 monsters, wandering mercenaries and slaves which you can recruit/buy, smiths and tailors who can repair broken equipment, and monsters which are able to reproduce. And on the top of all that, IVAN’s storyline will keep you pumped with its unique events, and includes two main quests you can pick from each game, a handful of side-quests and several hidden minibosses.

Community and related links