Monster Tiles TD: Tower Wars
- February 11, 2024
- Swell Games LLC
- 7h median play time
Get on SteamJoin millions of others - Play Monster Tiles TD: Tower Wars for free today! Forget the boring old days of defending a fixed path that the developers created for you . Monster Tiles TD offers a breath of fresh air in the tower defense genre, allowing you to build your own path to defend ! After completing each wave, you gain a new randomly generated tile to place wherever you want (try to be smar…
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- 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 without mandatory spending, making it accessible for free-to-play users.
- Engaging tournaments and daily rewards keep the gameplay fresh and encourage competition among players.
- Heavy reliance on microtransactions and multiple currencies can make progression feel grindy and frustrating for players who don't spend money.
- The game can become repetitive over time, with limited strategic depth once players discover optimal tower placements and synergies.
- Some players find the user interface cluttered and the overall design reminiscent of mobile games, which may detract from the experience.
- gameplay31 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as fun and easy to pick up, featuring a unique tile placement mechanic that adds strategic depth and replay value. However, many players criticize the game's progression system, which they feel encourages pay-to-win mechanics and leads to repetitive gameplay. While the core mechanics are enjoyable, the reliance on grinding and monetization detracts from the overall experience.
“Quick to get into, easy gameplay; works well for a quick round of playing.”
“Fun and addictive little game; the random tile mechanic adds a lot to the strategy and has good replay value for a tower defense.”
“Unique mechanic that gives it a 'roguelike' feel, where each layout is randomized, and each set of tiles you receive are randomized.”
“I think there's something to adding tiles on the board as a form of mazing, but the upgrade mechanics make this a game to avoid.”
“The game has a fun base but the developers chose to money grab instead of focusing on gameplay.”
“Gameplay is like that: grind, grind, grind - you can't win the game because there is a forced metaprogression system.”
- monetization24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game is characterized by aggressive microtransactions and a freemium model, which many players find excessive and reminiscent of mobile cash grabs. While some users feel that the game can still be enjoyed without spending money, others criticize the heavy gating of progress behind these purchases, leading to a pay-to-win dynamic. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some appreciating the option to support the developers, while others wish for a more straightforward pricing model without in-game purchases.
“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.”
“The in-game purchases are almost exclusively to progress faster, and everything can be achieved by playing.”
“Honestly, the monetization is incredibly fair.”
“Very greedy microtransactions.”
“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.”
- grinding19 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while it offers a fun blend of tile laying and tower defense, many players find it excessively grindy, especially if they wish to avoid pay-to-win options. Although some enjoy the challenge and strategy involved in grinding for upgrades, others feel that the reliance on grinding detracts from the overall experience, particularly when significant progress can be made through microtransactions. Overall, players can invest many hours into grinding, but the presence of paywalls and the potential for a more balanced experience in challenge modes leave a somewhat sour taste for those who prefer a less grind-heavy approach.
“Some of the challenge modes feature the same unlocks for all players (no grinding required), allowing players to enjoy the game 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, you see they pin you into that dopamine hit you get for $5 (or more) just another thing we need a dependency on.”
“The game itself is ok, although the idea itself is extremely grindy.”
“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.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the clear and crisp visuals as well as the cartoony style, while others express a desire for a more pixelated, old-school aesthetic. Some users find the graphics serviceable but not particularly appealing, especially for those who prefer a more dungeon or fantasy style. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered nice, they may not resonate with everyone, particularly those who dislike mobile game aesthetics.
“Very nice game & great graphics!”
“Graphics are clear and crisp.”
“Great music, great graphics, well thought out upgrades and progression.”
“Better graphics - doesn't have that graphics style that I fell in love with like Idle Monster TD does or Idle TD: Heroes vs Zombies.”
“I really dislike those mobile game graphics and UI.”
“Cons: pay to win, some people might be turned off by the childlike graphics.”
- music8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
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 addictive. However, some users note a limited selection of tracks, and a few express a desire to turn it off altogether. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some mixed opinions on its repetitiveness.
“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.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers high replayability due to its randomized maps and unique mechanics that enhance strategic depth. While many players find it addictive and enjoyable for extended play, some note that inconsistencies in map design and loadouts can detract from the experience.
“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.”
“The unique element of building the creep's path out of random path tiles makes the game very replayable.”
“The game is fun for a few hours, but the lack of stability in map design and loadouts creates more friction than replayability.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in; the side quests feel repetitive and uninspired.”
“The lack of variety in gameplay mechanics makes it hard to stay engaged after the initial playthrough.”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is largely overshadowed by its engaging daily login rewards and quests, which keep players occupied without a strong narrative focus. While the campaign mode is available, many players express indifference towards the story, preferring the gameplay mechanics and the ease of obtaining premium currency through daily activities. Overall, the emphasis is on gameplay and rewards rather than a compelling storyline.
“The story is engaging and keeps you invested in the characters and their journeys.”
“The narrative unfolds beautifully, with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.”
“Each quest adds depth to the overall storyline, making every mission feel meaningful.”
“I'd rather play Gemcraft with the campaign, even though we don't care about the story.”
“The story feels disconnected and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The narrative is predictable and fails to offer any meaningful twists or character development.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be engaging, particularly appreciating the amusing game modes that encourage unique play styles. However, some users express a desire for more upgrades, highlighting a humorous contradiction in their experience.
“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!”
“Funny game mode that makes people play differently (score mode).”
