The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia is an action indie game that blends bullet hell dodging with real-time typing mechanics. Players control private exorcist Ray Bibbia through a story set in a decaying Rome, where demonic forces threaten the Holy Church amid crime, censorship, and political intrigue. The core loop requires simultaneous movement to avoid projectiles and accurate typing of scripture passages to damage enemies and progress through encounters.
Gameplay
Ray moves freely with arrow keys while bullets fill the screen in dense patterns typical of bullet hell design. At the bottom of the screen, sequences of words appear that must be typed without errors to generate holy projectiles called hollets. These projectiles build combos and chip away at boss health bars segmented into multiple phases. Mistakes reset progress on the current word and break the combo multiplier. The game supports keyboard input for precise typing or gamepad controls that turn the experience into a rhythm-based selection of letters using triggers.
Each of the ten boss encounters introduces unique twisted typing challenges. Players type to open doors, interact with computers, or perform actions like singing into a microphone during a metal show. Real exorcism texts in English and Latin appear throughout, demanding focus on spelling while dodging hazards such as barf puddles and bombs. The original soundtrack composed by GosT underscores the intense action with metal-infused tracks that match the chaotic boss fights.
Game Modes
Story Mode forms the main single-player campaign, guiding Ray through locations across Rome and unraveling a plot involving the church, demons, and his own past. Completion unlocks additional content including thirty trinkets plus one extra collectible scattered throughout the levels. Boss Rush Mode, added in the Forgotten Relics Update, lets players tackle all ten bosses in sequence without breaks, appealing especially to speedrunners seeking optimized runs.
Hardcore Boss Fights provide remixed versions of each encounter with shuffled attack patterns and word sequences for increased difficulty. Online leaderboards track high scores for perfect exorcism runs, allowing direct comparison of typing accuracy and survival times with other players.
Story and Setting
The narrative places Ray Bibbia at the center of a demonic outbreak in Rome. Streets teem with thugs and unusual characters ranging from gun-crazed gangsters to goth maids and even the Pope. Exploration reveals new areas within the historic city while piecing together clues about unearthly forces scheming against the Holy Church. Dialogue mixes drama with bad jokes as Ray confronts both external threats and his sinful history.
Is It Worth Playing?
This title suits players who enjoy high-precision challenges that combine dodging with typing under pressure. The Forgotten Relics Update expanded replayability through Boss Rush Mode, hardcore variants, and collectibles without altering the base ten-boss structure. Leaderboards add a competitive layer for those chasing top scores on perfect runs. Those seeking a short, focused experience with intense boss battles and a distinctive mechanic will find the game delivers consistent tension across its campaign. Availability on PC keeps it accessible for keyboard or controller setups.
