Auroch Digital surprised everyone on May 22, 2025, by dropping Boltgun: Words of Vengeance, a free-to-play typing game set in the pixelated, violent world of Boltgun. The game lives on Steam now and has already earned positive reception for its novel twist on 40K action.
Despite the title, this is not an FPS expansion. It’s a typing-based rail shooter, built around rapid typing challenges. You play as Malum Caedo fighting demonic cultists and Chaos daemons. Not with a bolter, but with your keyboard. Words appear over enemies and you must type them accurately and quickly. A typo could cost you dearly.
Visually, it retains the chunky 2.5D pixel look of the original Boltgun, complete with gore-drenched sprites, omnipresent vox interference, and industrial grime. Sound design leverages grunts, gunshots, and typed word blasts to maintain 40K atmosphere.
The game runs through multiple linear levels, each with randomized words or phrases tied to the setting. Spelling Manufactorum or Astronomican under pressure fits the world perfectly. A built-in challenge mode drops your loadout and forces fast reflexes tied to typing speed and accuracy .
This spin-off follows in the tradition of Typing of the Dead and brings typing mechanics to a brutal, grimdark universe. It’s short – about 15 minutes long – but free, polished, and surprisingly brutal. The game’s success has been immediate, with over 100,000 players in its opening week.
Strategically, this is clever. Words of Vengeance acts as a playable teaser for Boltgun 2, dropping alongside a trailer for the full sequel and building excitement. It proves 40K can support experimental formats and that fans still crave creative content.
In summary, Words of Vengeance delivers a darkly humorous, instantly accessible entry into the Boltgun universe. It trades bolter for keyboard, speed for precision, and mass carnage for typing mayhem—all in a compact, no-cost package. For those who want more boltgun brutality before Boltgun 2 arrives, it’s a quick, grimtime finger workout.
