Tomb of the Bloodletter is launching today on PC via Steam as part of Steam Typing Fest, bringing a keyboard-driven twist to the roguelike genre. Developed by solo creator Ethan’s Secretions, the dark fantasy dungeon crawler resolves all combat through typing rather than traditional attacks or card systems.

Priced at $7.99 USD, the game is available with a 20% launch discount for a limited time. Combat unfolds entirely at the keyboard, with players spelling words to deal damage, trigger effects, and survive encounters. Instead of focusing on long-term character builds, Tomb of the Bloodletter emphasizes moment-to-moment decision-making, where each word choice can shift the outcome of a fight.

As players descend through the cursed tomb, Magicks bind themselves to individual letters. These letter-based effects follow strict and often risky rules: some reward precise placement within a word, others provide healing or retaliation, while certain combinations impose dangerous trade-offs. The result is a system where any word can be played at any time, but success depends on timing, sequencing, and managing volatile interactions rather than vocabulary size.

Word-Based Combat Shapes Every Run

Each run lasts roughly 30 minutes and ends in either victory or defeat. Players begin with access to their full keyboard, but Magicks dynamically alter how letters behave as the run progresses. New Magicks are acquired regardless of player intent, steadily transforming the keyboard into a volatile spellbook that can be as much a liability as a weapon.

Progression comes through unlocking new grave robbers, each with distinct mechanics that significantly change how combat unfolds. Characters include the Heretic, whose prayers cost health but can restore it through aggression, and the Scholar, who starts powerful but weakens as enemies grow stronger. Other options, such as the Prophet and the Adventurer, introduce additional constraints or a more straightforward approach to surviving the tomb.

Enemies are handcrafted with unique mechanics, ranging from cursed beasts to deceptive specters, requiring careful planning and precise wordplay. With no run guaranteed to succeed, Tomb of the Bloodletter positions both narrow victories and dramatic failures as part of the experience.