Letterally – The Word-Building Roguelike Deckbuilder Coming Soon

The Tomorrow Committee, a Swedish solo developer, unveiled Letterally on December 2, 2025, launching the Steam page for their word-building roguelike deckbuilder. The game combines Scrabble-style word formation with Slay the Spire’s roguelike progression through ten increasingly difficult levels. Players build words strategically to activate cell modifiers on the board, bank spare turns during solo phases to deploy against tough bosses, then visit shops to craft synergies using unlockable Totems and Tile Enhancements. Currently in development for Windows with no release date announced, Letterally promises innovative victory paths from brain-teasing puzzles to traditional combat.

Scrabble Meets Slay the Spire

Letterally takes the word-building core of Scrabble – forming words from letter tiles on a board – and wraps it in roguelike deckbuilder progression. Instead of competing against opponents for points, you’re building words to power abilities, trigger modifiers, and overcome obstacles. Each letter functions as both a Scrabble tile and a deck card with potential special effects.

The Slay the Spire influence comes through the roguelike structure and progression systems. You ascend through ten levels with increasing difficulty, make strategic decisions about which tiles to add to your deck (letter pool), and unlock powerful synergies through items and modifiers. The shop system where you craft combinations using Totems and Tile Enhancements mirrors how Slay the Spire lets you build overpowered combos through careful card and relic selection.

The Turn Banking Mechanic

One of Letterally’s unique systems is turn banking during solo phases. When you complete puzzles or challenges efficiently using fewer turns than allocated, the spare turns don’t disappear – they bank for later use. This creates a risk-reward dynamic where playing conservatively and saving turns builds resources for difficult boss encounters that might otherwise overwhelm you.

The system encourages optimization and efficiency rather than just completing objectives. Finding the shortest word that accomplishes your goal becomes valuable because every saved turn is ammunition for later. This transforms word-building from simply making the longest or highest-scoring word into tactical resource management where sometimes a three-letter word is smarter than a seven-letter word if it preserves turns.

Cell Modifiers and Board Strategy

Cell Modifiers add spatial strategy beyond just forming words. Specific board positions contain modifiers that activate when you use tiles on those cells, similar to Scrabble’s double/triple letter and word score squares. But instead of simple score multipliers, Letterally’s modifiers presumably trigger special effects – drawing extra tiles, dealing damage, generating resources, or activating tile abilities.

This creates positioning puzzles where the optimal word isn’t always the longest or highest-scoring, but rather the one that activates the right combination of cell modifiers. You might spell a mediocre word specifically because it crosses three critical modifier cells that trigger a devastating combo. This spatial layer distinguishes Letterally from purely numerical word games like Scrabble or Words With Friends.

The Paperback Connection

Letterally isn’t the first to combine word-building with deckbuilding mechanics. Paperback, a physical board game by Tim Fowers released in 2014, established this genre fusion. Players build words from letter cards in their hand, earning currency to buy more powerful letters with special abilities. The game brilliantly merges vocabulary skills with deckbuilding strategy.

What distinguishes Letterally is the digital-only roguelike structure and spatial board elements that physical card games can’t easily replicate. The turn banking system, cell modifiers, and ten-level progression create complexity that works better in video game format than tabletop. Letterally appears to be Paperback’s digital evolution, adding layers that leverage what games can do beyond physical components.

Multiple Victory Paths

The Tomorrow Committee emphasizes that Letterally offers multiple ways to win beyond traditional combat. Brain-teasing puzzles suggest some levels might be solved through clever word construction that unlocks solutions rather than defeating enemies. Traditional battles presumably involve using words to deal damage or defend against threats. The “innovative methods” hint at unconventional strategies that emerge from combining Totems and Tile Enhancements in unexpected ways.

This variety prevents the game from becoming repetitive across ten levels and multiple runs. If every level was just “form words to deal damage,” the concept would wear thin quickly. By offering puzzle-solving, combat, and emergent strategies as viable paths, Letterally creates the kind of replayability that defines successful roguelikes where each run feels distinct based on what build you’re creating and which victory approach you’re pursuing.

FAQs

When does Letterally release?

No release date or window has been announced. The Steam page launched December 2, 2025, with development ongoing for Windows. Given it’s a solo developer’s debut project, expect at least several months to a year before Early Access or full launch.

Is it like Scrabble?

It uses word-building from letter tiles like Scrabble, but adds roguelike progression, deckbuilding mechanics, special tile abilities, cell modifiers, and strategic resource management. It’s more accurate to call it a roguelike deckbuilder that uses words instead of traditional cards.

Do I need to be good at spelling?

Presumably yes, though the game likely has dictionary validation like digital Scrabble games. Knowing obscure two and three-letter words (like QI, XI, ZA) that maximize tile efficiency will likely provide advantages, just as they do in competitive Scrabble.

Is there multiplayer?

Nothing suggests multiplayer features. The description focuses entirely on solo progression through ten levels with roguelike elements. The turn banking and boss fight structure doesn’t obviously support competitive or cooperative play.

What are Totems and Tile Enhancements?

Specific details haven’t been shared. Based on roguelike deckbuilder conventions, Totems are likely permanent relics that provide passive bonuses (like Slay the Spire’s relics), while Tile Enhancements upgrade specific letter tiles with additional abilities or increased power.

How long does a run take?

Not specified. With ten levels to complete per run, and roguelike structure encouraging multiple attempts, expect 30-60 minutes per run similar to most roguelike deckbuilders, though this is speculation until gameplay footage emerges.

Will there be mobile versions?

Currently only Windows is announced. Word games work excellently on mobile touchscreens, so mobile ports are theoretically possible post-PC launch if the game succeeds. The Tomorrow Committee hasn’t indicated mobile development plans yet.

Who is The Tomorrow Committee?

A Swedish solo developer with no previous commercial releases visible. Letterally appears to be their debut project. The developer is verified on Steam but has no published games yet, making this their first major announcement.

Why Word-Based Roguelikes Work

Word games have universal appeal because language skills are more common than the twitch reflexes or mechanical mastery other genres demand. Nearly everyone knows how to form words, making word games immediately accessible. Combined with roguelike progression that rewards repeated plays and strategic thinking, word-based roguelikes create approachable experiences with surprising depth.

The deckbuilding layer adds strategic complexity that pure word games like Scrabble lack. You’re not just working with random letters – you’re curating your tile pool through deliberate choices, building toward specific synergies and combos. This transforms vocabulary knowledge from the only skill requirement into one component alongside deck construction strategy, spatial awareness, and resource management. If The Tomorrow Committee delivers on Letterally’s promise of blending brain-teasing puzzles with traditional combat and innovative victory paths, the game could become the digital evolution of Paperback that word game enthusiasts and roguelike fans have been waiting for. The Steam page is live now for wishlisting, though patient gamers might want to wait for actual gameplay footage or release window announcements before getting too excited.