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2–4 player online co-op · PC (Steam) · In development

Hold My Bolt!

Everyone sees the same disaster. Nobody sees all of it.

Hold My Bolt! is a 2–4 player online co-op chaos game by Bumba Games. You and your crew clock in at a run-down rocket factory; when the alarm goes off, each of you sees only one piece of the fault. Describe what you see, find the right part, fit it and launch the rocket before time runs out. The game is coming to PC on Steam and is currently in development.

Tell me when it's out How does it play?

One shift: the alarm, passing information, carrying the part, assembly and launch

How a shift goes

  1. The alarm goes off

    A quiet shift is ticking along when a lamp on the board starts to blink, and the clock starts running.

  2. Information in pieces

    Only the Manager sees the lamp's shape, only the Analyst can read the manual, only Logistics can read the part codes, and only the Technician knows the sockets. You say out loud what you see.

  3. Grab the other end

    Take the right part off the shelf. Alone you carry it slowly; with someone on the other end you move fast. Don't step in the oil, and don't shove each other (or do).

  4. Screw it in, pull the lever

    The Technician screws the part into the right socket the right way round while someone holds the bench steady. When the board says repaired, the Manager pulls the lever: the rocket either lifts off or blows up.

Four roles, four pieces of the puzzle

Anyone can go to any station; being the expert means seeing the information clearly and doing the job faster.

  • Manager

    Reads the alarm board: the blinking lamp's shape, colour and how many times it flashes. At the end, they pull the launch lever.

  • Analyst

    Reads the maintenance manual. Works out the faulty subsystem from the signal, then the right part from what the rocket is doing.

  • Logistics

    The only one who can read the part codes and the mounting direction in the store. Picks the right part off the shelf.

  • Technician

    Knows which system each socket belongs to. Screws the part into the right socket, the right way round.

With two or three players, roles are combined; every new shift the roles rotate and the difficulty goes up.

Chaos is part of the job

  • No text on screen

    There's nothing to read in the game; everything is shown with icons. Play in whatever language your crew speaks.

  • Shove, slip, drop

    You can shove a teammate and make them drop the part they're carrying. Run through oil and you'll slide.

  • The leak

    If nobody holds the valve, the clock runs faster and oil pools on the floor. Someone has to lean on it.

  • One more shift

    The result screen shows where the chain broke. If half the crew wants another go, a new shift starts.

Screenshots

  • The Manager at the alarm board on the mezzanine: only they can see the blinking yellow hexagon lamp.
  • The Analyst at the maintenance manual: an icon table that turns the signal into the faulty subsystem.
  • Logistics in the store room: every part on the shelf carries its code written in symbols.
  • The Technician at the socket panel picks the right socket and screwing direction while the part waits on the bench.
  • Result screen: a clean launch, the correct solution chain and the vote for one more shift.
  • The isometric rocket factory: mezzanine, store shelves, workbench and the rocket in the middle.

Frequently asked questions

When is Hold My Bolt! coming out?

There's no release date yet; the game is in development. To hear when it's out, join the mailing list at the bottom of the page.

Which platform will it be on?

PC only, on Steam.

How many players? Can I play solo?

2 to 4 players, online. The game is built for a crew; there's no single-player mode.

What language is the game in?

There's no text on screen; everything is shown with icons. So there's no language to pick: you play in whatever language your crew speaks.

Do we have to talk?

Yes. Each player sees only part of the information and has to tell the others what they see; talking is the heart of the game.

How much will it cost?

The price hasn't been announced yet.

Who is making the game?

Hold My Bolt! is a game by Bumba Games, the games division of Bumba Group.

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