Unleashing the Reborn
After a commendably short time in the Game Preview programme, Towerborne has now been unleashed on an unsuspecting public. Coming from Stoic and Xbox Game Studios, it doesn’t seem that long ago that I was waxing lyrical on the charms of the Preview build. So, has the new full release brought anything new to the party, I hear you ask? Well, come with me to a post apocalyptic world (that still feels strangely hopeful, weirdly) and I’ll attempt to let you know.
We should really begin with a look at the narrative of Towerborne. We are an Ace, a warrior who seems to have the ability to defeat Death itself. Should we fall in combat, we can be brought back to fight again. Pretty handy, eh? The game’s tutorial level acts as an introduction to the story, allowing a chance to progress through the City of Numbers after it comes under attack from monsters. For ages, the monsters were kept at bay by Pylons, but once these were destroyed, the rest of the city soon followed.
Teaming up with an Ace named Ryx, the plan is to battle our way through to a confrontation with Graves, the big bad at the end of the tutorial. After he kills us (spoiler alert!) we are reborn as a full-fledged Ace, ready to fight and save the remnants of the City. Everyone is gathering at the Belfrey, a safe haven in the world, and from here we launch our missions to save the world. What could possibly go wrong? How hard could it be? And so on and so forth!
Side-Scrolling Splendour
Now, the presentation of Towerborne is next on my tick list (every great reviewer has one, so I’ve got one too) and here the news is pretty good. The game features an appealing hand drawn kind of look with colourful characters to interact with, imaginative baddies to batter into a fine paste, and an appealing look to the world.
It all comes together, basically, as a side scrolling action RPG, and as you’d expect, the levels largely involve you running from one side of the screen to the other, with occasional excursions into the third dimension, going into or out of the screen too. There are distinct lanes in the side scrolling sections to get used to, and aligning yourself with the enemies is always vital; although some characters can hit in wide sweeps, usually being accurate is more important. The enemies are nicely drawn and well animated, and the moves that can be unlocked through the game are also well drawn, adding a dash of spice to the proceedings. Further, the bosses are also well done, even if they are usually just a larger version of whatever enemies we’ve fought through the level. One thing is for sure, they do put up a stiff challenge.
Silent Chronicles
Sound is a bit of a missed opportunity, as there is no voice acting in the game at all. No, any exposition is done via the medium of text boxes and static pictures of the character speaking, which feels a bit backward in all honesty. The actual sound of Towerborne is nice enough, with some good music and various crunching sound effects in battle, but I’m still troubled by the lack of voices. Some of the conversations we have with NPCs are quite lengthy, and keeping pressing A to move the chat on feels a bit repetitive and old-school.
Combos and Classes
The gameplay on display is next to shine the spotlight on, and here the news is a bit better. What this game seems to be is a mixture of a side scrolling beat ‘em up, with an emphasis on combos of attacks, and an RPG, with the levelling up and the various skill trees to explore. If you wish, it is possible to make decent progress by just using the same attacks over and over again, but doing this misses out on a large part of the charm of Towerborne. Mixing up light and heavy attacks can produce some interesting results, and weaving in the various classes special attacks adds another level. All in all, the combat system is pretty deep and rewarding.
When we start a game, there is a choice to make, picking from one of four classes, and while we can change at any time, it is an interesting option to have. We can be a Sentinel, who fights with sword and shield; a Rockbreaker, who fights with a massive pair of gauntlets; a Pyroclast (my favoured class) who uses a massive club and the power of fire; and finally a Shadowstriker, a class that utilises twin daggers and many types of debuff attacks.
You can change class at any time when you aren’t on a mission, and each class not only has specific gear that can be upgraded, but also a set of skills that can be unlocked and added to your character. In this way, it is possible to build a character that suits your playstyle perfectly, whether that be a sturdy damage dealer or a sneaky poisoner. This flexibility adds a great deal to the game’s longevity.
Multiplayer Mayhem
Of course, you can go and fight to save the day solo, but Towerborne really comes alive in multiplayer, either couch co-op or online. Having tested both, it is a pleasure to report that the game works very well in both modes, and best of all, with the game launching into Game Pass, there is no shortage of players waiting and eager to help; just having another living player come along to spread the aggro makes things a touch easier. No issues with net code to report either, it all works very well.
A Fast-Paced and Flexible Fantasy Brawler
So yeah, Towerborne is an easy sell. The combat is fast, the multiplayer is a lot of fun, and even solo there is something about the game that keeps you coming back for one more go. With the constant quest for better gear to challenge the later levels, you’ll be fighting, grinding, upgrading and doing it all again willingly. The lack of voices niggles, but everything else about Towerborne comes together nicely.
Important Links
It Started In Game Preview – Now Towerborne Might Dominate Game Pass – https://www.thexboxhub.com/it-started-in-game-preview-now-towerborne-might-dominate-game-pass/
Towerborne: The Game Pass Looter Brawler That Could Dominate Your Xbox – https://www.thexboxhub.com/towerborne-the-game-pass-looter-brawler-that-could-dominate-your-xbox/
Defend the Belfry as Towerborne Launches on Xbox, in Game Preview on Game Pass with Play Anywhere! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/defend-the-belfry-as-towerborne-launches-on-xbox-in-game-preview-on-game-pass-with-play-anywhere/
Download from the Xbox Store, via Game Pass if you like – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/towerborne/9p7tlx79s7n7
There’s a Deluxe Edition too – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/towerborne-deluxe-edition/9MZ8QHWD9G95/0010
