Once Upon a Tower

About

"Once Upon a Tower" is a hack and slash game with an intriguing story and excellent mechanics, set in a visually stunning world. Despite its humor and offline feature, the game is plagued by bugs and excessive advertisements. In this indie adventure, players must escape from a treacherous tower.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,823 reviews

graphics196 positive mentions

monetization145 negative mentions

The game features cute graphics and engaging gameplay, making it fun and addictive.
It promotes a strong female character who saves herself, which is a refreshing twist on traditional fairy tales.
The game offers a variety of characters to unlock, adding to the replayability and enjoyment.

The game often requires players to restart from level one after dying, which can be frustrating.
There are frequent bugs and glitches, particularly when trying to access certain features or after dying.
Some challenges are deemed impossible, leading to player frustration and a feeling of being stuck.

graphics
249 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
20%
1%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising their cuteness, creativity, and vibrant colors. Reviewers highlight the appealing art style and dynamic visuals, noting that the graphics enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some mention occasional lagging issues, the consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, contributing to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The graphics are stunning and the characters are so cute.”
- “I absolutely love this from the graphics to the sound effects 10/10.”
- “The concept is amazing and I absolutely love the graphics, cute and round with bright colors.”
- “Graphics are great but the gameplay sucks.”
- “This game is absolutely awesome with cute princesses trying to escape the tower, and the graphics are also clean. The only problem I'm having recently is as soon as I reach level 8, it starts lagging and sometimes it stops itself while playing, and then I have to restart all over again.”
- “Decent graphics, way too slow.”
monetization
172 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
1%
84%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the option to watch ads for rewards rather than facing mandatory interruptions. While some users report minimal and non-intrusive ads, others express frustration over recent updates that have introduced more frequent ads, particularly between levels. Overall, the game is generally seen as fun and engaging, with in-app purchases being described as affordable, but the balance of ads remains a point of contention among players.
- “There are no ads unless you choose to watch for rewards.”
- “I love that it works offline, has no ads (unless you want a freebie), and goes against gender stereotypes.”
- “No ads and the different levels make it super challenging to get through.”
- “The game is good, but totally unplayable without donations and ad watching; you watch ads more than you play.”
- “Monetization and ads get in the way of what could be an awesome game.”
- “Too many ads, but otherwise a great game; cute design.”
story
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
69%
2%
The game's story is generally well-received, with players appreciating the initial prologue and the concept of a princess saving herself rather than relying on a prince. However, many users express frustration over the lack of a continuing narrative and the abrupt end of the story after the introduction, leading to a desire for more character backstories and a more developed plot. Additionally, some missions are seen as overly difficult or frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story experience.
- “The plot line is also great and fun and the art style is adorable.”
- “I really loved whatever little story it has and the overall message it wanted to convey.”
- “I love the story line and the graphics; it's fun to play and has many levels on which it gets harder and harder. Also, I love how the dragon always follows you so you can't just stand and the way you get these characters.”
- “The game would have its preview of the dragon and prince, but after the story ended, the game would just... stop.”
- “It's a good game and has cute graphics, but it doesn't have any backstory or ending to it.”
- “Everything was okay and this game was one of my favorites, but my problem starts about 2 weeks ago when I started to play. It shows the story and after that, I just see a tower and nothing happens!”
gameplay
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
32%
5%
Overall, the gameplay is praised for its smooth mechanics, engaging design, and enjoyable graphics, making it a fun experience for many players. However, some users noted issues such as repetitive gameplay, slow controls, and a lack of unique character abilities, which detracted from the overall experience. While many found the game to be a great time-killer, others expressed frustration with glitches and the absence of checkpoints, indicating that there is room for improvement.
- “The controls are easy and the gameplay is smooth.”
- “With a simple but effective gameplay loop and plenty of unlockable cosmetics, this is a game that has offered me hours of enjoyment.”
- “Beautiful graphics and super fun and engaging gameplay.”
- “Defeating the dragon is too goddamn easy; believe me or not, I've not seen other gameplays yet I defeated the dragon by just spamming bombs on my first try.”
- “Mediocre gameplay with bad controls.”
- “Gameplay sucks...there are no checkpoints or save.”
stability
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
97%
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent freezes, especially after dying or interacting with UI elements. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay, the majority highlight persistent bugs that disrupt progress and require restarts. Overall, despite its enjoyable gameplay, the game's stability issues detract from the overall experience.
- “Runs smooth, no glitches, but the ads are always there.”
- “There's one annoying bug where during the boss, if the dragon tries to chomp you while you have a shield, the whole thing just freezes and you lose all your progress for that run.”
- “Now I can't play since every time I need to use UI elements it freezes.”
- “It seems like it would be good but every time I die the game freezes so I can't actually progress.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both cute and entertaining, particularly enjoying the funny characters and their antics. The game's presentation and storyline also contribute to its comedic appeal, making it a fun and engaging experience despite some challenges. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay, making it a delightful time-killer.
- “If you like challenges, this game is a really good challenge, but it's also fun and cute. I personally think the little characters that you play with are really adorable, so it's funny, challenging, and sometimes easy.”
- “Obsessed... I love this game! It is so cute and fun. The beginning is my favorite part; it's so funny and so cute, and the thing I love most about this game is the characters!”
- “Fun, varied, challenging, nice graphics, and funny presentation.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
32%
16%
The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while many players appreciate its quality and find it enjoyable and relaxing, some experience issues with the music continuing to play even after turning it off in the settings, which can be frustrating. Overall, the combination of music and graphics is often praised, contributing positively to the gaming experience. However, there are suggestions for improvements, particularly regarding the background music.
- “I enjoy the gameplay, graphics, and music.”
- “I love the feel and music, the graphics are so beautiful and unique.”
- “The music is good, visuals are pleasing.”
- “I can still hear music after I turn it off in the settings, which can be irritating for those who like to listen to music as they play.”
- “Every time I turn off the music and sound effects, the moment I die and restart, the sound and music starts again. When I check the settings, both are off, yet the sounds still play.”
- “Need to improve on the background music.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game is considered highly replayable and addictive, particularly for fans of arcade-style gameplay. However, players who do not enjoy this genre may find limited replay value.
- “Very fun, very addictive, highly replayable.”
- “The only downside is that replayability isn't there for someone who doesn't enjoy arcade-type games.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues, including frequent frame drops and excessive battery drain. Many feel that the levels are poorly optimized, detracting from the overall experience.
- “Though I think it needs some optimization because of the experienced battery drain.”
- “This would be a keeper if the performance wasn't so bad.”
- “I think it needs some optimization because of the experienced battery drain.”
- “Unfortunately, levels are not optimized.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express mixed emotions regarding the game's advertising experience, with frustration over intrusive ads that open the Google Play Store unexpectedly. However, there is a sense of pride in achieving progress without resorting to purchasing in-game lives, highlighting a personal sense of accomplishment.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is praised for its impressive designs, particularly highlighting the unique visual elements, such as the way characters interact with their weapons, like dragging a hammer.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its engaging plot, stylized visuals, and a diverse selection of characters, all contributing to a fun and appealing experience for players.
- “Its plot, stylized visuals, and many characters to choose from give the game a fun and appealing atmosphere.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the core gameplay but express frustration with the excessive grinding required, particularly due to the need to repeatedly replay levels.
- “Cool game at its core, but it feels like I'm grinding a lot by having to repeat levels.”
- “The gameplay is fun, but the constant grinding makes it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- “I love the concept, but the excessive grinding really takes away from the overall enjoyment of the game.”