IVAN

Iter Vehemens ad Necem (meaning "violent way 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. Graphics and easy interface make it a good game for beginners, but completing the game is very hard due to unpredictable and dangerous situations that the game throws at the player.

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

Features

Body part system

Game includes body parts (but only for humanoids).

Yes, in IVAN you can lose your arm. This is far from game over though. You can have it reattached. Sometimes you will leave a leg to hungry lion and flee with rest of your body. This situation can be remedied by finding new limb. Do this by reattaching your old one or have it summoned by a god pleased with you.

Limbs are replaceable but if HP in your head, chest or groin reach zero, you are dead.

Item materials

Each item is defined to be composed of 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. Double material property is also used to code many containers. Can of pepsi is an iron can with second substance set to pepsi.

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

Pantheon

IVAN features fifteen gods of varying alignments. Player 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 special book or by visiting dedicated altar.

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

Want to know more?

There is the spoiler-less Questions and Answers page, or maybe spoil yourself a little on the FAQ page.

Or, well, you're already on the wiki, so browse it. :)