Strategic Typing Roguelike Tomb of the Bloodletter Launches Today on Steam
[California – February 5] Launching today as part of Steam Typing Fest, Tomb of the Bloodletter is a strategic roguelike that resolves combat entirely through typing. The dark fantasy dungeon crawler challenges players to survive using cursed letters and volatile Magicks, focusing on moment-to-moment decisions rather than long-term optimization. Developed by solo creator Ethan's Secretions, the game is available now on PC via Steam for $7.99 USD, with a 20% launch discount available for a limited time.
Every encounter in Tomb of the Bloodletter is fought at the keyboard, where words themselves become weapons. As players enter each floor, Magicks bind themselves to individual letters, following strange and specific rules that reshape how words behave in combat. Some letters reward precise placement, others offer healing or retaliation, while certain combinations introduce dangerous trade-offs, pushing players to think carefully before committing to a word.
Runs are tightly paced and randomized, lasting around 30 minutes and ending in either victory or defeat. Instead of encouraging long-term build planning, the game centers on the puzzle each turn presents. Players begin every run with access to their full keyboard, while Magicks dynamically change how letters behave. Any word can be played at any time—the challenge lies in timing, sequencing, and managing unstable interactions rather than vocabulary size.
As players descend deeper into the shifting, cursed tomb, new grave robbers are unlocked, each dramatically altering how word-based combat unfolds. The Heretic embodies the game's risk–reward philosophy, with prayers that cost health and a first attack each turn that restores it, creating constant tension where aggression can be both salvation and downfall. Survival hinges on bold decisions and carefully chosen words.
Other characters explore different pressures within the same systems. The Scholar begins each run with immense power that steadily fades as enemies grow tougher, demanding efficiency before knowledge slips away. The Prophet must obey the commands of an unpredictable lord or face punishment, reshaping each run around external demands, while the Adventurer offers a straightforward, no-frills path for those who want to confront the tomb with grit alone. No matter who enters, survival is never clean, easy, or guaranteed.
The tomb itself teems with cursed beasts, deceitful specters, and entities best left unspoken, each handcrafted with unique mechanics that demand clever thinking and precise wordplay. As runs progress, new Magicks are acquired whether players want them or not, gradually transforming the keyboard into a volatile spellbook that is equal parts weapon and liability.
Tomb of the Bloodletter is available now on Steam as part of Steam Typing Fest. Whether players are chasing narrow victories or spectacular failures, every run is shaped by the words they choose to spell. Stay up to date by following the developer on Bluesky.
