Kingdom Rush Origins

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Kingdom Rush Origins is the prequel to the popular tower defense game, featuring elven armies and new towers, heroes, and spells. The game offers a mystical world to explore while defending against a variety of enemies, with new content and features added to the classic Kingdom Rush gameplay. Experience the lightning-fast, captivating action that made the series a favorite.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,850 reviews

gameplay102 positive mentions

grinding42 negative mentions

gameplay
252 mentions
40 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the latest installment in the Kingdom Rush series is generally well-received, praised for its balance between powerful towers and challenging enemies, as well as its vibrant graphics and engaging mechanics. While some players note difficulty spikes and a lack of significant innovation compared to previous titles, many appreciate the variety of heroes, towers, and unique level mechanics that enhance replayability and strategic depth. Overall, the game offers a solid tower defense experience with a mix of humor and creativity, appealing to both newcomers and series veterans.
- “The game has some solid points— the graphics are vibrant and appealing, and the gameplay hits that sweet spot for tower defense fans.”
- “Incredible gameplay, solid OST, charming graphics, and more than decent level design makes this game an overall 9/10.”
- “It offers hours upon hours of entertaining gameplay with plenty of replay value due to its unique mechanics and beautiful art style.”
- “Even though there is no hint of any F2P elements, the gameplay itself has these weird difficulty spikes that make it almost unplayable.”
- “Absolute garbage as a strategy game. The weakest mobs destroy your barracks, the game decides to erase towers as a mechanic. No strategy needed, just play over and over until you get lucky. Total cash grab by bad devs. Is it a good game? Sure. Is it a strategy game? No, because the only strategy you'll use is maxing out spells so you can spam them every time they are up. Utter trash, don't let idiots lie to you; it's not a strategy game when you only use one strategy.”
- “No fast forward button, no way to see what enemies come on what waves, and bosses/path changes with no warning, meaning you have to play the whole stage over again because of an unfair mechanic.”
graphics
240 mentions
60 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their vibrant, charming art style and detailed animations, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the improvements in visual quality compared to previous installments, noting a unique and immersive aesthetic that complements the tower defense mechanics. Overall, the visuals are described as top-notch, with a cartoonish yet polished design that remains engaging and visually appealing throughout the game.
- “Compared to I and II, Origins has a much finer painting style and animation performance with very fine graphic details.”
- “The prequel of the Kingdom Rush saga - beautiful as its predecessors, maintaining the same, unique graphic design but with many improvements.”
- “This game is a masterpiece; the artwork is incredible.”
- “Visuals are a little bit more cluttered somehow, which I dislike... but that's just extreme nitpicking.”
- “The only potential issue with this game is that there isn't much innovation or improvement over the first game other than a better heroes system and slightly better graphics.”
- “Origins is the third installment but still lacks features - so no improvement from the gameplay side, rather the same content in reworked graphics and the same sounds all over again.”
story
156 mentions
32 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Kingdom Rush Origins" serves as a prequel to the series, exploring the origins of key characters and events in a classic fantasy setting. While some players find the narrative engaging and well-developed, others criticize it for being simplistic and lacking depth compared to its predecessors. Overall, the game enriches the Kingdom Rush universe with charming graphics, humor, and a variety of side quests, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more intricate storyline.
- “And origins expands and enriches the worldview of the Kingdom Rush series, making the whole story more grand and exciting.”
- “The story, while not very innovative, is interesting in that it feels like a classic fantasy epic adapted to be a video game, and yet it has its own feel, style, characters, and world.”
- “Great next chapter in a story we all adore.”
- “My biggest complaint - the non-story.”
- “It's insulting to pass off the 'story' as content.”
- “No story would have been better.”
humor
68 mentions
97 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, featuring clever dialogue, funny character interactions, and numerous Easter eggs that reference popular culture and fairy tales. Players enjoy the whimsical art style and the comedic elements integrated into gameplay, such as humorous tower abilities and entertaining enemy designs. While some feel the humor is less pronounced compared to previous installments, the overall lighthearted tone and creativity still make for an enjoyable experience.
- “They are clever, funny, and have little easter eggs throughout.”
- “It is a beautiful game full of funny references and easter eggs.”
- “For a tower defense game, it is already on top; the price is okay for what the campaign delivers, but I want to explain what I really like about this game here: it's the passion, the humor, the details, and the love you see in the little things brought into this game by the developers.”
- “This is a very punny game, not funny punny.”
music
68 mentions
56 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and catchiness, with many reviewers highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. While some found the voice lines and certain sound effects to be forgettable, the soundtrack is often described as phenomenal and on par with AAA titles. However, a few critiques mention that the intensity of the music could be improved in specific scenarios, and there are lingering issues with the final boss music not functioning consistently across all encounters.
- “Aesthetically, thematically and musically: my favorite in the series.”
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal and the phoenix is really OP, making getting a perfect game really achievable.”
- “Fun tower defense game that is well balanced, has beautiful music and art style.”
- “Admittedly, the balance is a little off in some areas; I don't think the music is as intense as it should be at times, and some of the levels and enemies are just annoying.”
- “The music is annoying because it takes an hour to listen to it.”
- “I am still very pained that after 4 years, Ironhide still refuses to make the final boss music work on all bosses.”
grinding
42 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly regarding the leveling up of heroes and the completion of achievements. Many feel that the grind is excessive, with some achievements requiring unnecessary repetition and time investment, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. While the game offers fun gameplay and engaging visuals, the grindy nature of hero progression and achievements can discourage experimentation and exploration.
- “While this is great from a gameplay perspective, I think that many heroes are unlocked too late to be experimented with, and the grinding required to level them up to max level is both annoying and discourages their use.”
- “If you are a completionist, you will find that the origins are a little bit too grindy and boring in order to get all the achievements compared to its predecessors.”
- “The only feature I'm not too happy about is that while most of the achievements are fun, there are some that require pointless grinding.”
replayability
40 mentions
35 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the variety of heroes and unique mechanics that enhance replay value, others feel that once the main campaign is completed, there is limited incentive to replay. The absence of online multiplayer and fewer post-campaign levels also contribute to a perception of reduced long-term replayability. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some rating it highly for replay potential and others finding it lacking after the initial playthrough.
- “This adds an extra layer of complexity and gives the game great replayability.”
- “It offers hours upon hours of entertaining gameplay with plenty of replay value due to its unique mechanics and beautiful art style.”
- “The 'impossible' difficulty makes an appearance, increasing replayability and thrill by a big margin.”
- “There isn't that much replayability when you're done with your first playthrough.”
- “I see zero replay value in this one, after having replayed the other two multiple times.”
- “Pretty good game for a single playthrough, but like all the other games by this developer, has little to no replay value.”
monetization
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The PC version of the game is praised for lacking microtransactions, allowing players to unlock all heroes through gameplay, unlike the mobile versions that feature in-app purchases and limited content. However, some players feel that the game design is frustratingly difficult and unbalanced, suggesting that it was influenced by monetization strategies from the mobile version. Overall, while the PC version is considered the superior choice, concerns about gameplay mechanics and monetization practices persist.
- “It's truly a miracle that the Steam version does not have shady microtransactions.”
- “You can unlock all the heroes in this edition without in-app purchases, unlike the case on Android and iOS.”
- “The Steam version of Kingdom Rush is always the best version to play, as you get all the content with one purchase, unlike the mobile/tablet versions with in-game purchases and only 3 heroes unlocked.”
- “This means you are effectively stuck playing at the very least 1/3 of a game that, by design, was made to be immensely difficult, unbalanced, and anti-player to push microtransactions.”
- “After two amazing tower defense games in this franchise, we get a quite disappointing third game obviously affected by a terrible monetization system on the mobile version translated directly into the Steam version.”
- “Absolute garbage as a strategy game. The weakest mobs destroy your barracks, the game decides to erase towers as a mechanic. No strategy needed, just play over and over until you get lucky. Total cash grab by bad developers.”
optimization
12 mentions
33 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on many PCs due to low system requirements and boasts impressive graphics and animation, some users feel it still needs improvements for better performance, particularly on PC. Despite these concerns, the technical performance is rated highly, with minimal bugs reported.
- “Runs smoothly on a lot of computers due to the low specs required.”
- “Excellent game, must have for any tower defense fan, runs smoothly and looks awesome as always.”
- “Compared to I and II, Origins has a much finer painting style and animation performance with very fine graphic details.”
- “It needs better optimization for PC.”
- “Technical performance, bugs: 9.5/10.”
- “Although the second skill can be controlled, the cost performance is not high.”
atmosphere
12 mentions
67 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its relaxing and lush green visuals, complemented by perfect pixel graphics and a soothing soundtrack. Many reviewers rate the atmosphere as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “I find it very chilling and atmospheric, I love it!”
- “Perfect and atmospheric pixel graphics, good balancing, plenty of heroes and towers.”
- “Great art, music, and atmosphere!”
stability
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is inconsistent, with users reporting occasional stutters and freezes during gameplay, which may be linked to driver issues. While some players have experienced improvements, others still encounter glitches and freezing, particularly when progressing through levels. Despite these issues, there are no major bugs reported, and the game's visuals remain a highlight.
- “No glitches, no bugs.”
- “The game runs great now.”
- “The only downside for me is that the game temporarily stutters and freezes for about once per level; though that's likely some kind of driver issue, the game could be a little more stable.”
- “It freezes and now it won't move to level 50 for some reason.”
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the game features impressive character designs and a diverse array of heroes, contributing to a visually engaging experience. However, there is little mention of depth or progression in character development, suggesting a focus on aesthetics over narrative growth.