As a seasoned gamer who has been around since the days of Golden Axe and Streets of Rage, I must say that Towerborne from Stoic and Xbox Game Studios has caught my attention. Having played countless action games over the years, I’ve seen many attempts to recreate the magic of those old classics, but few have succeeded like this one.
You may or may not be old enough to remember the original Golden Axe, a side-scrolling action game with much in common with titles like Streets of Rage. It featured a barbarian, warrior, and dwarf fighter, marching along through a generic fantasy world mashing things in the face with axes and swords. And it was pretty glorious at the time. Most modern attempts to recapture the magic have missed the mark, but new adventure Towerborne, from Stoic and Xbox Game Studios, might just have what it takes.
Absolutely, Towerborne is now available in early access, which means some features aren’t fully developed yet but what’s here already makes for an engaging action game with a robust, though predictable, gameplay pattern. It should be noted that since it’s a service game, those who get upset by this type of model might not find it appealing.
The story unfolds in a once peaceful fantasy realm, but was plunged into chaos following an unspecified disaster, triggering a monster invasion and forcing the surviving humans to seek refuge within the mighty Belfry, our final stronghold. As a powerful warrior known as an Ace, you’ll find yourself reborn time after time, tasked with safeguarding the Belfry throughout your many lives.
Up to now, it’s been much like a Massively Multiplayer Online game, and I must admit that a lot of it seems rather familiar. You start by venturing from the Belfry to conquer distinct zones on a hexagonal world map, gathering loot and experience points (XP) to boost your character level and enhance your gear’s power level. The rarity of equipment is indicated by color-coding, and various vendors and NPCs provide opportunities for equipment upgrades, trading, and side quests. There’s even a battle pass system where you can buy cosmetic items using “Writs”, and the game currently offers plenty of these (though this may change in the future).
Towerborne stands out due to its unique combat system. It offers four distinct character classes, each with a different fighting style based on the weapon they wield. Sentinels opt for sword and shield, offering defense through blocking damage. Shadowstrikers prefer twin daggers, executing agile combos, employing smoke bombs, and delivering swift, lightning-quick attacks. Rockbreakers don heavy gauntlets to dish out significant damage against enemies. Lastly, Pyroclasts specialize in fire magic while using oversized clubs.
Each class offers a diverse array of combos, strong attacks that break through blocks, unique class skills, and two magic abilities based on the weapon you choose. For instance, the Shadowstriker could utilize a smoke bomb attack to obscure enemies’ vision, or deliver quick, powerful thrusts. The combat is smooth and engaging, with animations that make every combo feel exhilarating to execute. Enemies appear in large numbers, with challenging mini-bosses popping up occasionally.
Each hex of the map is a mini adventure that sees you fight through enemies to reach the treasure chest at the end. Right now, it’s a little repetitive, with few mission types and little variety. Now and then you’ll trigger a challenge, which is often just killing enemies or clearing a camp in a fast time. NPCs in the Belfry will give you side challenges for Writs, which might be to clear a specific “adventure” (these are hexes with increased enemy numbers and a boss), or complete enough quests (hexes) with a certain Umbra equipped.
The beings known as Umbra hail from the realm of Ebb, a mystical plane where they revive you when you’re knocked down and provide additional capabilities during battles to support you. They serve as an essential component of your arsenal, so it’s crucial to keep them up-to-date. You can enhance every item you possess for a fee, which helps boost your gear level and prepare you for more formidable challenges.
In this game, you can embark on tougher quests with up to two other comrades, but keep in mind that the display might get crowded during multiplayer sessions, potentially affecting performance. Since it’s still under development, some performance issues could arise due to early access. Unfortunately, the different character classes don’t seem to work together particularly well as they all share similar abilities. Each character can repel and toss enemies, and dish out consistent damage. As for future additions of new classes, that information is yet to be revealed.
Currently, Towerborne could benefit from an expansion in multiple aspects. It requires more diversity, offering different types of quests, diverse progression paths for each class with customizable skills and abilities that shape your playstyle. This development is forthcoming, and for the present moment, it offers a delightful journey filled with engaging combat and a stunning environment to traverse. It shares a resemblance with timeless classics like Golden Axe, but presents similar gameplay in a refreshing manner, thereby demonstrating great potential as we advance into early access and beyond.
Towerborne is coming to PC early access via Steam on September 10th.
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2024-09-10 15:16