Towerborne Review

When The Banner Saga made Stoic famous, it was because of its slow-burning strategy, tough choices, and unique world designs based on Norse mythology. That series was carefully thought out. Towerborne, a colorful side-scrolling action game with a focus on co-op combat, was a big change for the company.

Published by Xbox Game Studios, Towerborne came out in Early Access on PC first, then later on platforms and as part of Xbox Game Pass. It had time to get going with the gradually released versions, and what's now out there clearly shows drive. Unlike other side projects, this isn't a small experiment. Stoic attempts to bring back the beat 'em up genre by combining it with current RPG design.

The result is a game that doesn't try to be too big for you. As an alternative, it relies on how combat feels, how replayable it is, and how cooperative it is. And that attention is what makes Towerborne something special.

Within Towerborne, the world is based on a basic idea that works well.

Humanity now lives in the Belfry, a tall sanctuary, after a disaster destroyed society. Beyond its walls, the land is full of monsters and other dangerous entities. Your character is an Ace, a fighter who has been brought back to life from the dead and is tied to the Tower. You only need to go out, protect what's left, and recover lost ground.

There aren't long stretches of film-like storytelling. Instead, it shows up in small stories, short talks, and seasonal updates that add to the lore over time. A lack of background information is actually a good thing about it. You stay at the Belfry a lot, so it feels like a real home base. In-game characters (NPCs) say things about how the world is progressing. Eventually, new storylines start to show up. There's no forced feeling.

The story isn't very complicated yet. No big moral decisions or branching outcomes. But there's a sense of constant fight, which gives what you're doing meaning. Clearing levels isn't just for loot. The last safe place for people is being threatened by what you're doing.

Overall, Towerborne is a side-scrolling beat 'em up game. Working your way from left to right through the levels, you have to fight waves of enemies, achieve goals, and get rewards. That pattern is known, but Stoic adds enough new elements to keep it interesting. An enormous hex-based map shows the game world. There is a suggested gear score and a danger level for each hex that represents a mission.

There isn't the usual challenge choice at the beginning. The level of danger for each task is instead rated from one to five. A higher level of danger will earn you better prizes, but a lower level of danger will not. There's a little tension with that simple method. Upping the stakes feels like taking a risk on purpose.

Missions have different structures. Some specialize in killing specific targets, while others focus on protecting goals or gathering resources. Despite having clear goals, the way they are carried out can be different due to random factors. Placing enemies changes, fights feel random, and sometimes things happen that you don't expect.

There are limits to how random things can get because each biome has its own rules, but it's still enough to make multiple runs feel new.

Part of what makes the game so new is what it doesn't do. You can't go anywhere in this world. You're not cycling through empty regions to pass the time. After choosing a task, you quickly become involved in the action. With so many games trying to make maps that are too big, Towerborne feels focused and sure of itself with its smaller size.

Towerborne's best parts are the battles. Those who know classic games like Streets of Rage or Double Dragon will recognize the layout right away. You do a series of light and heavy hits, move around enemies, avoid attacks, and control your position.

Feeling is what makes the difference. There aren't too many complex combos. The majority need between three and six entries and work smoothly. Long lines of buttons are not necessary for it to work. You can still try different things like canceling moves, juggling enemies, and timing your powers to do the most damage. Starting tasks can be completed by pressing buttons a lot, but as the danger level rises, you'll be punished quickly for being careless.

Essential skills include dodging and stopping. Some classes can be blocked. Some people depend on being mobile. You can't stand still when bosses or extremely powerful enemies enter the field. Focus is needed to play, especially when you're by yourself. While playing co-op, working together is necessary. Staggering enemies, keeping the crowd under control, and helping friends adds another level of strategy.

Although there aren't any standard puzzles, the battles themselves become the puzzles. Defeating different kinds of enemies needs different strategies. Others protect themselves. Others keep charging. By watching, you can learn the routines that bosses use. The fair and easy-to-read methods make success feel like it's earnable.

An entire RPG layer lies beneath the fighting layer. Initially, you can pick from four classes, each of which is defined by its main tool. With block and parry mechanics, the sword-and-shield Sentinel strikes a good mix between offense and defense. The gauntlet-wielding Rockbreaker is best at fighting close up and aggressively. The Pyroclast's attacks are slower but more powerful because it uses a huge burning crossbow.

When fighting, the Shadowstriker uses two knives and relies on speed and accuracy.

As a result, each class feels different. Changing between them changes how you fight. Switching classes before starting new missions lets you try new things instead of limiting you to one road. Gaining levels doesn't open a fixed skill tree; instead, it gives you perk points. Costs apply to perks, and some need to be unlocked by finishing certain tasks.

This method gives you options without being too stressful. You can target your build's survivability, damage output, or cooldowns for abilities based on your tastes. What matters most is loot. Similar to action RPGs, weapons and gear have stats and passive effects. There will be additional critical damage, elemental impacts, healing, and other benefits.

Upgrades and improvements to gear can be made with special spots that work like gems. For a deeper exploration experience, crafting materials drop from enemies, chests, and things in the surroundings. A person's general strength is shown by their gear score. Although missions show suggested scores, it can be hard to get those exact points.

Fighting feels easier when you go beyond what's suggested. In some situations, this small mismatch can be annoying, but it also helps you see your progress. Every time your gear gets better, you can feel it right away. There are no times when the grind feels too rough. In some cases, especially when you're looking for specific drops, there is repetition. Fighting is fun enough, though, that doing it over and over again isn't boring.

The game can be played by itself, but Towerborne is clearly made to be played with other people. Players can work together online up to four times. Combat becomes more interesting and lively when everyone works together. Another player might focus on high-damage targets while the first player handles the crowds. In rewarding ways, abilities overlap.

While playing with four people, sometimes the visuals can look jumbled. Clearness can drop when effects are flying around and enemies are attacking. Finding a group can take longer because matchmaking doesn't have a smooth, quick-join method for certain missions.

But when everything works out, co-op meetings are fun and satisfying.

Importantly, the game doesn't put too much live-service pressure on you. New content is added with seasonal updates, but there aren't any steady daily demands that need your attention. Leave and come back without feeling like you're missing out. It looks great how Towerborne mixes 2D characters with 3D settings.

The style of the art direction is more like a cartoon, with animated characters that express themselves and bright backgrounds. Forested areas, icy areas, volcanic landscapes, and abandoned towns all have their own personalities. However, the showcase is not overly accurate, and it doesn't need to be. Stylization gives the game flavor and keeps the performance steady.

Combat animations are smooth, and lighting from the surroundings gives the screen depth without making it too hard to read. There are some technical problems that can happen while you play, like small frame drops during fights with a lot of people and noticeable loading screens when you change settings.

But performance stays high, especially in tough co-op fights where staying stable is most important. The music mostly has orchestral pieces. It is calm and almost meditative at times. It gives you more energy without getting in the way of the action during battle. In contrast to controlling the pace, it adds to it.

Sharp and pleasant sound effects. Impacts from weapons are serious. Different sounds indicate different abilities. Micro-interactions with the surroundings are also clear. Audio design like this might not be something you notice at first, but you would miss it right away if it were gone.

There is no attempt to make Towerborne a new game in this genre.

It actually improves it. Although it adds current progression systems to the simple joy of old-school beat 'em ups, it doesn't make the experience too hard. Within its goal structure, there are repeated steps. Endgame depth is still developing. Gear score and suggested difficulty could be more evenly distributed.

Combat is still strong enough to carry the experience, though. You can instantly react to any dodge, combo, or skill. Importantly, the game seems real. Not based on aggressive marketing or constant seasonal pressure. It seems to have been carefully made.

It offers consistent action and important progression, whether played alone for a short time or with other people for hours. Anyone who misses tightly planned side-scrolling action games with new systems on top of them will enjoy Towerborne. In the present landscape, it may not be perfect, but it definitely deserves its place.