What Is Demise: Rise of the Ku'Tan and How Do You Get Started Today?

Updated

Demise: Rise of the Ku'Tan is the first volume of the Demise trilogy, a first-person dungeon-crawl fantasy RPG written by David Allen, released by MakeItSo LLC and published by IPC Software. It went gold in early 2000 in a release from Artifact Entertainment. You can still get it today as a download or physical product through the official site, but you need a legacy DEMISE key and email to unlock the full game during install; without them, the game lets you play only a few dozen times over up to a few weeks.

Where It Fits: Mordor, Demise, and the Trilogy

The official site presents the games as a lineage rather than a single title:

Game Status on the official site
Mordor 1: The Depths of Dejenol Original legacy fantasy RPG by David Allen; still available while stocks last
Mordor 1.1 Beta release only; introduced multiplayer to the series and still has devotees
Mordor 2: Darkness Awakening Listed alongside the other titles
Demise: Volume I — Rise of the Ku'Tan The 2000 release described below
Demise: Volume II — Ascension Full game available to order
Demise: Volume III — Revenge of the Tavern Keeper Pre-release and full game demo listed

So Rise of the Ku'Tan is the commercial successor to the Mordor games and the foundation of the Demise trilogy, with Ascension and Revenge of the Tavern Keeper continuing it.

Versions and What Changed

  • Original release (version 1.00, build 353): The site describes this as the original intended difficulty level. It had a few trivial bugs but was essentially complete.
  • Copy-protection patch: A patch shortly after release let the game run without the copy-protected CD in the drive, but it also introduced a well-hidden feature. The "tea-room" gave players a number of benefits, and some felt it made the game far too easy.
  • 2004 download-only release: Pharaoh Productions released a download-only version requiring Microsoft's .NET framework. Its first release addressed virtually none of the original bugs; version 1.03 has item-based health regeneration working and fixes to some high-level issues.

If you want the difficulty the designers intended, the 1.00 build 353 release is the reference point. If you want the bug fixes, 1.03 is the later option, with the caveat that the tea-room feature changes the balance.

How to Get and Install It

  1. Choose a format. The official site points to its eBay store for real (physical) products and to e-Junkie for virtual products (download only). Order links are listed for Mordor, Demise, Ascension, and Revenge.
  2. Have your key ready. During install you must use your legacy DEMISE key and email. Owners of GamersGate or Demise legacy keys or gift keys who need game keys are directed to a registration page on the site.
  3. Install and unlock. Enter the key and email during installation. Without the unique unlock keys, the game runs in a limited mode: a few dozen plays over up to a few weeks.
  4. Check your platform. The site notes that the original Mordor 1 installer was for Win2k and earlier OS, with an updated installer available for download; for the 2004 Demise download release, plan on having the .NET framework installed.

Common Snags

  • No key, no full game. The limited-play behavior is the main trap for anyone installing from an old disc or a secondhand copy without the original key and email.
  • Wrong installer for modern Windows. The legacy installers were built for much older systems, so the updated installer mentioned on the site is the safer route where one is offered.
  • Expecting a modern remake. This is a legacy dungeon crawl preserved as released, bugs and all; the site is explicit that the first 2004 download build shipped without the original bugs fixed.

For the full picture of the series, the same site hosts the Demise trilogy pages, the Mordor titles, The Devil Whiskey, and the associated forums.