Fans of Warhammer 40k’s low-tech technology and particularly its anti-space weaponry, will want to pay attention to a new game coming to Steam, which released its first trailer on June 21. PVKK sees players confined to a defense bunker, piloting a cannon to defend against an ongoing interplanetary invasion.
The game is developed by Bippinpits, a German indie studio, whose previous venture, Dome Keeper, looks like a pixel art iteration on the same theme. Its name, PVKK, is short for Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant, a genuine German word which translates to Planetary Defense Cannon Commander.
As Warhammer 40k fans, this game is of interest to us due to how much its big gun seems to draw from the setting’s planetary cannon. You won’t be encountering any chanting tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus in PVKK, but you’ll certainly feel like you’re part of the Warhammer 40k Imperium of Man’s war effort as you blast incoming ships.
Between missions you can improve and customize your bunker, making your sleeping quarters a comfortable retreat from the fight. Is it weird that this seems really cozy? The trailer description even mentions tea!
The retro-tech cockpit which we assume you’ll be looking at for much of the game is a highlight of the trailer, with lots of levers, dials, and switches that appear satisfyingly tactile.
There are moral choices at play here too. The game’s description describes the organization you work for as an ‘autocratic regime’, so it’s likely you’ll get the chance to challenge authority when they turn out to be not as they seem. The Steam page also mentions “escape-room style puzzles” which seems like a strange but intriguing left-turn for the title.
PVKK is still in development so there’s no release date as of yet. If it looks like it will scratch a 40k-induced itch in your brain, you can wishlist it on Steam.
For more great content, check out our Warhammer 40k factions guide, or you might enjoy these Warhammer 40k games that are actually based in-universe.