Via Mortis

One of the most baffling examples of how not to make an rpg, and a true shining gem that gives rpgmaker the reputation it has. Level design is just mazes and corridors. I hope you like getting lost in nausea inducing first person labrinyth setups because thats it for maps from what I've seen. Monster sprites are beautiful. Nothing quite like taking clip art and just coloring it a solid red or blue for 80% of creatures Story I barely gave a ♥♥♥♥ about, theres nothing there that grabs you even slightly as interesting. Combat is however the worse I've ever seen in a game ever. Regular mook enemies encounters vary between a single enemy that you and your collective creatures wail on, or having to deal with around 7-10 bloated turn orders of enemies that just mass heal and buff each other all the while being able to likely deal 50% of your heal in specific attack, others having the chance to use these attacks multiple times in a row meaning even if I wanted to buff my creatures to be able to avoid instant death I'd only be able to save one before literally instant death. But combat is virtually pointless since you can just spam the very cheap monster capture cards to capture creatures instantly ending the battle and stillr rewarding you xp and money to buy yet again more capture cards. Probably going to play through just to see if literally anything cool is here but for anyone out there with three brain cells what I'm writing down is what you get so think about why this game has nearly zero reviews.

*sighs* RPG maker game that lets you go through all the super tedious intro story BS, only to HARD CRASH on you right when you're about to get into the game. Totally worth the $15 USD asking price, right? //end sarcasm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gArgxopYutA NOT RECOMMENDED. "$15 for a broken game, easy thumbs down."

RPG Maker strikes again! Via Mortis is one of hundreds of low effort retro-pixel RPG Maker asset/construction kit flips spamming the Steam catalog, made with the RPG Maker video game construction kit... in their own words, "Our easy to use tools are simple enough for a child." Like all RPG Maker "games", this is essentially a bunch of low quality/canned assets from RPG Maker coupled with a cringeworthy high school anime club fan fiction. The difference here is the use of RPG Maker's 3D engine for this asset flip, which is seldom used (it's worse than the old Final Fantasy ripoff 2D engine we're used to) that pushes out a really crap type of Might & Magic first person orthogonal block perspective (but considerably worse than the 1990's Might & Magic games). As with all RPG Maker games, the poor quality engine displays badly in fullscreen and doesn't have full HD support or any graphics tweaking options, making this unacceptable for any dedicated modern PC gamer. The point can be made that the intention of RPG Maker is to make demos and small games to pass around friends, and shouldn't be used for "professional" game development. Like most RPG Maker shovelware and asset flips, the game features extremely low quality copy + pasted 2D retro pixel art, looks awful, and has even worse gameplay. RPG Maker is an absolutely terrible construction kit, and never results in games of any reasonable quality or value to gamers. The poor quality of this game is reflected by how many people spent time with it. At the time of this review, SteamDB shows the game all-time peak player count was only ONE player. That's right, only one person ever played this at a time. When I played this for the purposes of reviewing it, I equalled the peak player count for the game. OUCH. The only player activity occurs once or twice a month, presumably someone loading it up to see what it is then quickly uninstalling it. Considering there's over 120 million gamers on Steam and well over 50,000 games for gamers to choose from (over 9,000 completely free titles), the overwhelming lack of interest in this low quality game is to be expected. Via Mortis has the pathetically optimistic price of $15 USD, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games. This is also competing with over 9,000 free games available on Steam, many of them far better than this paid product. Given the defects and quality issues with the game, coupled with the unrealistic price, this is impossible to recommend. Gamers who want a good retro JRPG experience would be better off playing the originals, like Final Fantasy, Star Ocean or Chrono Trigger. This is also considerably more expensive than hundreds of old retro orthogonal RPGs like the professionally developed 1990's Might & Magic games. Charging this kind of money for an asset/construction kit flip is simply an insult to gamers. [b][quote][url=https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/profile]Profile Features Limited![/url][/quote][/b]Valve have marked this game as "Profile Features Limited" at the time of this review. This is usually caused by poor sales figures and low community acceptance for the game (to date). Until this status changes, this game will not give you +1 to your Game Collector badge count, appear in profile achievements or any other Steam meta-accomplishments, nor can it be displayed in some profile showcases. If these factors are important to you, it may be worth holding off before buying this game.

After getting all of the endings on this game after many hours, I think it's worth the price. Multiple endings depending on the choices you make and who you side with, you can capture enemies and have them fight for you, side quests to get hidden skills from npcs, as well as challenging bosses that require strategy to beat. The maze in this game isn't as bad to navigate through compared to The legend of Azarias, although I did have a bit of trouble finding the door to the final area at some point. Overall, it was a challenging game for a fair price,

Via Mortis is an ambitious indie first-person role-playing game that blends traditional dungeon crawling with monster capture, tactical combat, and an unusually somber sci-fi–meets-dark-fantasy setting. Developed and published solely by Michael Richard Lannon, the game positions players as a soldier drafted into a desperate anti-demon initiative, tasked with venturing into a hostile otherworld where infernal forces threaten humanity’s survival. Rather than relying on cinematic storytelling, the game communicates its premise through atmosphere, environmental details, and mission structure, creating a slow-burn sense of dread and purpose that unfolds naturally as players push deeper into demon-controlled territory. Exploration forms the backbone of Via Mortis, with players navigating labyrinthine environments filled with branching paths, hidden rewards, and ever-present danger. Movement through these spaces is deliberate, encouraging careful observation and preparation rather than reckless forward momentum. Each new area carries the promise of powerful loot, lore fragments, or encounters that can alter your progression, but venturing off the safest route often means facing significantly stronger enemies. This risk-reward balance reinforces the game’s survival-oriented tone, making every decision to explore feel consequential rather than routine. Combat is presented from a first-person perspective and blends real-time action with RPG mechanics. Early encounters emphasize defensive play, positioning, and timing, as enemies can quickly overwhelm an unprepared character. As progression unfolds, players gain access to better equipment, abilities, and tactical options that allow for more confident engagement. Shields, countermeasures, and offensive upgrades gradually transform combat from a tense struggle into a more controlled, strategic experience, though danger never fully disappears. Boss encounters, particularly those involving high-ranking demons, serve as meaningful skill checks that test not just raw power, but an understanding of enemy behavior and system synergy. One of Via Mortis’ most distinctive features is its demon capture and management system. Rather than simply defeating every enemy, players can use specialized tools to capture demons and convert them into assets. These captured entities can serve multiple purposes, from combat support to economic resources through trading or selling. This mechanic adds a layer of strategy that extends beyond the battlefield, encouraging players to think carefully about which demons to defeat outright and which to subdue. Over time, this system gives the game a creature-collection flavor that complements its dungeon-crawler roots without fully overtaking them. Progression in Via Mortis is multifaceted, tying together character growth, equipment upgrades, demon management, and quest completion. NPC interactions and optional objectives further expand the experience, offering alternative paths to power and insight into the world’s underlying conflicts. While the game does not overwhelm the player with narrative exposition, these interactions subtly enrich the setting, making the hostile world feel inhabited rather than purely mechanical. Multiple endings provide additional incentive for replay, reinforcing the idea that player choices and playstyle meaningfully shape the outcome. Visually and technically, Via Mortis carries the hallmarks of a solo indie project. Its presentation favors functionality and atmosphere over high production values, with a somewhat retro aesthetic that may feel dated to some players. Animations and interfaces can feel stiff, and certain systems lack the polish seen in larger productions. However, these rough edges are often offset by the game’s scope and ambition, as well as the clear intent behind its mechanics. The sound design and ambient audio further enhance immersion, leaning into eerie tones that reinforce the oppressive nature of the demon-infested environments. Taken as a whole, Via Mortis is a niche but earnest RPG that prioritizes depth, experimentation, and player agency over accessibility or spectacle. Its fusion of dungeon crawling, real-time combat, and demon capture creates a distinctive identity that will strongly appeal to players who enjoy systems-driven gameplay and are willing to engage with a slower, more methodical pace. While it may struggle to resonate with those seeking a highly polished or narrative-heavy experience, it offers a surprisingly layered journey for players drawn to unconventional indie RPGs that are unafraid to take risks. Rating: 5/10