Monster Tiles TD: Tower Wars

About

"Monster Tiles TD: Tower Wars" is a fresh take on tower defense games, allowing players to build their own defense paths with randomly generated tiles after each wave. The goal is to protect the monsters' base from medieval space pirates using a variety of unlockable, upgradable monsters. With its dynamic base-building mechanic, each game offers endless replayability and a unique experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 606 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

monetization12 negative mentions

Fun and addictive gameplay with a unique tile-building mechanic that adds strategy to tower defense.
Generous progression system that allows players to earn upgrades and rewards without mandatory spending.
Engaging tournaments and competitive modes that level the playing field for all players.

Heavy reliance on microtransactions and multiple currencies can make progression feel grindy and frustrating.
Gameplay can become repetitive and chore-like after extended play, with limited strategic depth beyond initial runs.
Lack of a save function can lead to long sessions without the ability to pause or resume, which may deter casual players.

gameplay
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
5%
The gameplay is generally described as fun and easy to pick up, featuring a unique tile-placing mechanic that adds strategic depth and replay value. However, many players criticize the game's progression system, which they feel encourages microtransactions and leads to a repetitive experience. While the core mechanics are engaging, the reliance on upgrades and the potential for frustration with random tile placements detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Fun and addictive little game, the random tile mechanic adds a lot to the strategy and has good replay value for a tower defense.”
- “The mechanic of tiles adds a whole new level of enjoyment to your standard tower defense.”
- “Favorite mechanic is all the different synergies that apply to the units; this, along with the build-as-you-play map, makes the player more considerate about where units and tiles are placed.”
- “The game has a fun base, but the developers chose to money grab instead of focusing on gameplay.”
- “If you want a quality tower defense, Siege Breakers is better in all aspects. If you like seeing numbers go up on the same gameplay loop indefinitely, or just want to grind a few hours before hitting the paywall, then this game is fun before you learn everything is the same for the entire game.”
- “Gameplay is like that: grind, grind, grind - you can't win the game because there is a forced metaprogression system.”
monetization
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
67%
25%
The monetization in the game is heavily criticized for its aggressive microtransaction model, which many players feel is designed to push them towards spending money to progress. While some users argue that the game can still be enjoyed without spending, others find the paywalls and grind necessary to access features frustrating. Overall, the monetization strategy is seen as more fitting for mobile games, leading to calls for a one-time purchase option instead.
- “The game has a lot of microtransactions; however, I don't think they are necessary to enjoy the game, especially at a casual level which I play.”
- “Honestly, the monetization is incredibly fair.”
- “The in-game purchases are almost exclusively to progress faster, and everything can be achieved by playing.”
- “Mobile cash grab game coming to Steam, just stay the hell away from those.”
- “A fun little tower defense game, but progress is so heavily gated behind a grind to make you buy their microtransactions. I normally don't mind pay-to-win in single-player games, but here the game seems designed around the microtransactions.”
- “This monetization design feels akin to a lot of the mobile space, but seems out of place here.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The grinding aspect of the game is described as both addictive and extensive, with players noting that it can feel excessive at times, especially when compared to pay-to-win options that allow for quicker progress. While some enjoy the strategic elements and find the rewards satisfying, others feel that the reliance on grinding diminishes the overall experience, particularly in non-challenge modes where progress is heavily tied to upgrades and equipment. Despite the grind, many appreciate that the game can be played without spending money, although the presence of microtransactions is a point of contention.
- “Some of the challenge modes feature the same unlocks for all players (no grinding required), allowing players to enjoy them without having to bother with 'the grind'.”
- “You need to pay for progress or it's slow, and even if you find a happy balance of grinding for lack of progress, you see bonuses for paying everywhere you claim anything. They pin you into that dopamine hit you get for $5 (or more), just another thing we need a dependency on.”
- “I think what turned me off was the amount of grinding it took to unlock the harder levels and the game hub covered in microtransactions (that you do not need to buy to play this game, which I loved) so I got to play it completely free.”
- “You can spend hundreds of hours grinding this game or you can spend $50-100 and instantly close the gap between a new player and an endgame player.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for being clear, crisp, and cartoony, appealing to some players while potentially alienating others who prefer a more traditional or pixelated style. While many appreciate the vibrant visuals and find them serviceable, there are calls for improvements, particularly regarding the design of towers and transformations. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, though opinions vary based on personal preferences.
- “Honestly, despite naysayers, I am in no way associated with this game or anyone surrounding it, and I have had a completely positive experience playing. I truly didn't need to spend a dime, but I did in order to reward the people behind the game because it is a super fun tower defense game and, in addition, offers super graphics; why should I enjoy without rewarding them.”
- “Graphics are clear and crisp.”
- “Great music, great graphics, well thought out upgrades and progression.”
- “I really dislike those mobile game graphics and UI.”
- “It borders on a con, but it would be nice if some of the graphics were tweaked/improved for the towers and their transformations.”
- “Some people might be turned off by the childlike graphics.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
19%
19%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the gaming experience, with many players finding it catchy and memorable. However, some users note a limited selection of tracks, which can lead to repetitiveness, and a few players opted to turn the music off entirely. Overall, while the soundtrack is a highlight for many, its limited variety is a common point of criticism.
- “It's got a great soundtrack.”
- “Great music, great graphics, well thought out upgrades and progression.”
- “One of the most addicting things about this game is the music (you will see what I mean soon because I hear this music playing in my head randomly), the sounds (love hearing the gold sounds in game), and the deep progression in the form of permanent and temporary upgrades.”
- “The music is banging, but the selection is limited; I think there are only about 4 tracks.”
- “My only negative comment would be the music... for me, I turned it off.”
- “The music is just okay.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
25%
The game boasts high replayability due to its randomized maps and unique mechanics that allow players to build the creep's path with random tiles, enhancing strategic depth. While many users find it fun and addictive, some note that issues with map design and loadouts can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it is regarded as a solid tower defense game with significant replay value.
- “The randomized maps are really fun and add a lot of replay value.”
- “Fun and addictive little game; the random tile mechanic adds a lot to the strategy and has good replay value for a tower defense game.”
- “Great tower defense game with endless replay value.”
- “The game is fun for a few hours, but the lack of stability in map design and loadouts creates more friction than replayability.”
- “The game is enjoyable initially, but it quickly loses its appeal due to repetitive gameplay and limited content.”
- “After completing the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay, as the side quests feel uninspired and the world lacks depth.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
10%
The story aspect of the game is largely overlooked by players, who express a preference for gameplay mechanics like daily quests and login rewards over narrative content. While the game offers a variety of engaging activities, such as daily missions and tournaments, the overall story seems to be of little importance to the experience. Players find the focus on rewards and upgrades more compelling than the narrative itself.
- “I'd rather play Gemcraft with the campaign, even though we don't care about the story.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be engaging, particularly appreciating the amusing game modes that encourage unique play styles. However, some express a desire for even more upgrades, highlighting a humorous contradiction in their experience.
- “Funny game mode that makes people play differently (score mode).”
- “After playing it for a while, I gotta say, I kind of wish there were a little bit more upgrades, which is funny since there are a whole lot of them!”