A New Kind of Word Game
Ex-Call of Duty creative strategist Robert Bowling and comedian Dane Cook have revealed a brand new, genre-bending video game known as Vicious Vocab.
Vicious Vocab is a spin on casual word games like Scrabble and Wordle, but with a significant twist. The game goes beyond mixing letters to form words; the words themselves carry power and meaning that can alter the gameplay environment and even the genre of the experience.
Check out the trailer to get an idea of the unexpected shift that happens in Vicious Vocab.
Mechanics and Gameplay
Developed by a team of five called “funcool games,” Vicious Vocab is described as “Scrabble meets Balatro in a backroom casino.” The team refers to the title as a “word brawler” or a first-person speller due to its action-oriented elements.
Players can take damage based on specific words and counter them with others. For instance, spelling “torch” or “fire” may trigger fire damage, which can be mitigated by spelling “water” or “ice.” These interactions add layers of strategy to the traditional word-building mechanics.
Bowling noted that the chaining of events allows players to break out of the standard word game genre. By building systems that interact with one another, the game creates complex combos that challenge the player's perception of the genre.
Narrative and Future Plans
The game can shift in unexpected directions, moving from a casual experience to something more surreal, similar to The Stanley Parable. By playing specific words, players can move away from the word board into entirely new experiences.
“We both want to create holy s**t moments,” said Cook. “We want to create memorable moments.”
While currently a single-player narrative-driven game, there are plans to add a multiplayer mode in the future. The single-player experience will feature over 20 narrative endings and various achievements.
Bowling described the project as having two distinct paths: a single-player mode focused on narrative depth and a multiplayer mode focused on replayability. Both modes are intended to be equally unconventional.
Development Origins
The collaboration between Bowling and Cook originated from a 20-year friendship that began during their time playing Call of Duty 2. Cook eventually provided voice lines for the Modern Warfare series, and the two began discussing game concepts, leading to the development of Vicious Vocab.
The initial concept was simple: a word game where words have tangible effects. As the team brainstormed, the scope expanded into the current genre-bending design.
The team at funcool games embraced the challenge of exploring how far they could push the boundaries of a word game, focusing on bespoke, handcrafted mechanics.
“The question became, ‘Oh my God, how far can you go with just seven letters and your vocabulary?’” said Bowling. “We haven't found the end yet.”
Cook emphasized his lifelong appreciation for language and vocabulary, viewing the game as a way to apply his experience as a stand-up comedian to a new medium.
“I paint verbal pictures,” said Cook. “If I have different vernacular for ways to describe something, you're always giving it musicality.”
Cook hopes that by combining his love for language with traditional word games, they can create something unique and engaging for players.
Vicious Vocab is set to release on PC at an undisclosed date. Pricing has not yet been determined.
In addition to Vicious Vocab, Robert Bowling is also working on a new, larger-scale FPS game from a new studio known as //18.bravo. The game will feature a single-player story and a PvP multiplayer mode, but the game is actively pushing back on live-service trends. Dane Cook also has a new documentary titled Funny Money available on Netflix today.
Vicious Vocab will release on PC at an undisclosed date in the not-too-distant future. No pricing plan has been decided yet.
