Archtower

About

Archtower is a single player role playing shooter game with fantasy and violence themes. It was developed by Mr_SMOKE and was released on September 22, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

[Media 2041522] Archtower is an action/rpg roguelite, most of rpg elements are gonna be added later in development. PLOT There is a great Tower in the world of the game. It is always been there....

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90%Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews

replayability2 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Engaging and fun combat system with responsive controls and satisfying action.
High replayability with many unique classes, randomized traits, and character build options.
Developer is passionate and continuously updates the game with new content and improvements.

Performance issues including stuttering and occasional crashes documented on some systems.
GUI and interface can be cluttered and unintuitive, making it hard to track important information.
Repetitive grinding required due to static dungeon layouts and permadeath mechanics, which may lead to boredom.

gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay features a roguelite format with balanced permadeath mechanics, combining survival elements and loot retrieval upon death. Combat offers diverse options including dodging, blocking, ranged, melee attacks, and abilities, though gameplay progression is slow in early stages. Overall, it suits fans of fast-paced, action-driven dungeon crawlers despite some limitations in graphics and performance.
- “Permadeath is balanced with a survival mechanic and dropped loot at death that can be retrieved.”
- “Combat features numerous attack and defense mechanics, allowing characters to dodge and block attacks, and use ranged or melee attacks or cast abilities to strike at enemies.”
- “Game created with GameMaker Studio, so expect very limited gameplay, mediocre graphics, and subpar performance.”
- “For fans of fast-paced, action-driven dungeon crawlers with simple yet hardcore gameplay and a roguelite format.”
- “Gameplay emergence is very slow in the first half of the tower.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The story offers a solid dungeon crawler experience with a variety of quests, optional levels, and a rich tower hub filled with NPCs, vendors, and upgrade opportunities. Progression deepens as players unlock more areas, stronger enemies, and additional characters, providing strategic depth and class diversity. Overall, the narrative and quest design create an engaging framework that encourages exploration and character growth.
- “Many levels: 7 multi-part levels will increase to 15-20 for the main tower, plus additional standalone areas revealed through quests that are full of chests, traps, enemies, and NPCs to interact with.”
- “Meta progression: Hero leveling through adventuring, stat bonuses earned with increasing clan fame by completing quests, and tower upgrades enhance character capabilities.”
- “There is plenty of quests for you to work out, ranging from puzzle quests to slay quests, with a variety of classes that make the story engaging and diverse.”
- “It only really gets into gear later on when NPC quest givers appear, standalone areas become active, and enemy encounters become stronger in nature.”
- “It's a simple dungeon crawler with quests and a base which you upgrade; you also get a roster of different characters to play which you hire from the tavern once you unlock it.”
- “I would also propose more dungeons (not only the main one with its stages) not only for diversity but optional levels, side quests, and items or artifacts that could make the game even harder.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game currently suffers from noticeable stuttering and subpar performance, especially from around level 5, indicating poor optimization. While playable, users hope for improvements by the full release to address these issues.
- “Hopefully in time on full release the game is better optimized.”
- “If you can get through some stuttering (or if it isn't as bad as mine) this game is great.”
- “Stuttering: movement of the character begins to stutter around level 5 of the tower in some places.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game features pixel graphics that evoke mixed reactions—some find the art style off-putting initially, while others appreciate how it suits the first- and third-person perspectives. However, the graphics are generally considered mediocre and reveal engine limitations in certain map areas.
- “The pixel graphics are an acquired taste and while the choice of 3rd / 1st person is cool, the engine shows its limitations when the character is positioned at certain points on the map.”
- “I was put off by the art style at first, because it's a third/first person camera action game, but it actually works out pretty well.”
- “Game created with GameMaker Studio, so expect very limited gameplay, mediocre graphics, and subpar performance.”
- “The pixel graphics are an acquired taste, and while the choice of 3rd/1st person is cool, the engine shows its limitations when the character is positioned at certain points on the map.”
- “It uses pixel graphics and can be played in 1st or 3rd person.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game involves a noticeable amount of grinding, which some players find necessary to progress, especially when leveling up classes. While it can be time-consuming, the grinding is enjoyable for those engaged, and there is potential for adjustments as the game is still in early access.
- “I'll be honest, this is not a run-and-done game; there is grinding involved.”
- “Maybe the developers will change it to be less grindy since it's still an early access title.”
- “I'm still thinking about maybe leveling up and grinding out to level 10 for each class.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Archtower is praised for its fair hit detection and challenging difficulty spikes, contributing to good replayability. However, some users suggest adding a reset button to enhance the experience.
- “Archtower has a far fairer hit detection system, and excellent replayability and difficulty jumps.”
- “Good replayability, just needs a reset button.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through amusing story elements and playful details, such as quirky quest scenarios and humorous environmental touches like a spider attacking a bat and funny posters in enemy areas. Players appreciate these lighthearted moments that add charm to the gameplay.
- “You run the tower, get quests, grind out said quests, and enjoy some of the funny stories the developer has written.”
- “Spider attacking the bat, funny posters in the 'bad guys' location.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the game's clever upgrade system, which adds depth and engagement by giving meaningful ways to spend in-game currency, enhancing the overall emotional investment.