Tower Escape
- February 15, 2023
- SlightlyMadman
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Tower Escape" is a reverse tower defense game where you guide a team of minions through treasure-filled mazes to escape the tower. Use strategy and puzzle-solving skills to overcome obstacles, collect powerful gems and relics, and transform gameplay in this unique twist on the genre. As you plan your escape, summon your armies back from the dead and avoid the elf's defenses to emerge victorious.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Web Browser
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Unique twist on the tower defense genre, combining elements of roguelike and deck-building mechanics.
- Charming pixel art and an engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Good replayability with various factions and upgradeable minions, making each run feel different.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, leading to boredom after a few hours.
- Some players feel the game lacks depth and variety in content, with limited enemy types and mechanics.
- The reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating experiences, making some runs feel unfair or unmanageable.
- gameplay56 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Tower Escape" is praised for its innovative blend of tower defense, roguelike elements, and deck-building mechanics, offering a fresh and engaging experience that keeps players hooked. While some reviews note a lack of depth and repetitive elements, many appreciate the strategic options, charming visuals, and captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game strikes a balance between accessibility and challenge, making it appealing to both casual and dedicated players.
“Tower escape is a captivating game that masterfully blends tower defense mechanics with roguelike elements, creating an experience that is both intensely stressful and immensely enjoyable.”
“With its engaging gameplay, deep strategy, and delightful retro presentation, it's sure to provide hours of entertainment for anyone looking for a nostalgic gaming experience.”
“Tower escape is a fantastic indie game that combines reverse tower defense, deckbuilding, snake, and roguelike mechanics together into a perfect blend of action and strategy.”
“The concept is interesting in theory, but the game in reality gets very repetitive with a nearly identical gameplay loop despite the 'variety' in units and classes.”
“There is barely any incentive to progress—why would I spend an hour on boring gameplay just to unlock a unit that makes zero impact on how the game is played?”
“I dearly wish there was more meat to the gameplay, but as it stands, it's fairly shallow.”
- music32 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy chiptune style, reminiscent of classic NES soundtracks, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, praising its ability to set the mood and elevate the game's atmosphere, making it a memorable aspect of the title. Many players express a desire for more music, indicating that the engaging and nostalgic tunes significantly contribute to their enjoyment of the game.
“One of the standout features of Tower Escape is its soundtrack, which is nothing short of outstanding.”
“The music sets the mood perfectly, enhancing the tension of the gameplay while also adding a unique charm to the overall experience.”
“The game's retro aesthetic is lovingly crafted, with charming pixel art and a catchy chiptune soundtrack that perfectly captures the spirit of classic tower defense games.”
“Reminds me of older custom made maps on Warcraft 3 and Starcraft - but made with pixel style art and old NES music.”
“Not entirely sure if I would have been moved to write a positive review of the game (for anything other than the bopping soundtrack, at least) but simply deleting the previous negative review didn't seem right either, especially since the developer took the time to chime in.”
“Please sell this soundtrack.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of Tower Escape are characterized by a charming, retro aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for classic games, featuring pixelated art and a simplistic style that many players find appealing. While some reviewers note that the visuals could be improved, the overall art style and accompanying soundtrack contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment. The combination of cute graphics and engaging gameplay creates a delightful experience, particularly for fans of the tower defense and roguelike genres.
“The visuals in Tower Escape are a delightful throwback to classic games, with a charming, old-school aesthetic that adds a layer of nostalgia to the experience.”
“The game's retro aesthetic is lovingly crafted, with charming pixel art and a catchy chiptune soundtrack that perfectly captures the spirit of classic tower defense games.”
“From its visually unique graphics to its challenging gameplay, this game has everything a tower defense enthusiast could ask for.”
“It would be really easy to sleep on this game, because it appears simple and doesn't have a flashy or stylish aesthetic.”
“Graphics are basic but I don't mind that.”
“Graphics are neat as well.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mixed experience in terms of replayability. While many players appreciate the variety provided by multiple factions, upgradeable cards, and unlockables, some feel that the gameplay can become repetitive due to limited deckbuilding options and similar level designs. Continuous updates from the developers also contribute positively to replay value, but a desire for more variety and depth remains evident among users.
“The gameplay might be a tad shallow, but between 5 factions and a ridiculous amount of upgradeable cards, it has good replayability.”
“Super replayable with a nice option of different strategies.”
“Lots of unlockables and replayability; the devs support it with constant updates, and it works great on Linux, too.”
“That said, I don't think there is a lot of replayability (at least not yet 'March 2023'). Again, I still think it's worth the money, but it would be nice if there was a little more to it; all the levels are essentially the same.”
“Where the game stands, it's fun but lacks replayability due to its limited deck-building options, and there isn't anything to break up the monotony of watching monsters travel from floor to floor.”
“The main thing I'd say is adding a bit of variety to levels, modifiers, and the like could help out a lot to make the game replayable.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often rating it around 5-6/10. The need for extensive grinding to achieve permanent upgrades detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading some to consider abandoning the game before completing these tasks.
“A bit too grindy to finish the permanent upgrades, and I may put it down before getting through them all.”
“Game is not bad, but very grindy.”
“Upgrades take a long time; there are permanent upgrades as well (the grindy part).”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered mediocre and unnecessary, with some players finding its political themes irrelevant to gameplay. The narrative elements are minimal, often reduced to a brief animation and scrolling text, leading many to feel that the game would be better off without a story altogether.
“The game is mediocre and has weird politics in it that serve no gameplay or story purpose.”
“There's seemingly a story element tied to the difficulty, but I can't be bothered to understand it because it boils down to a single animation and some scrolling text at the beginning of the run.”
“This game doesn't need a story.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is notably enhanced by a memorable soundtrack that receives high praise, complementing the graphics and quirky humor to create a cohesive and engaging experience.
“It’s the kind of soundtrack that sticks with you, worthy of praise and recognition, and it significantly elevates the game’s atmosphere.”
“Graphics, soundtrack, atmosphere, and a positively quirky sense of humor come together beautifully.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a quirky and lighthearted tone, enhanced by amusing character names like "zombaby" and "scott" alongside more traditional figures like "frank" and "imhotep." This blend contributes to a cheerful atmosphere that resonates well with players, adding a delightful giggle factor to the overall experience.
“Graphics, soundtrack, atmosphere, and a positively quirky sense of humor come together well.”
“I especially like the names because zombaby and Scott can exist on the same team as Frank, Death Knight, and Imhotep; it adds a funny giggle factor to the already relatively happy game.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that while the demo of the game runs smoothly, the full version suffers from significant bugs and glitches, particularly affecting the user interface, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Loved the demo; the game seems fun enough, but it's a shame the UI is buggy as hell in the full game.”
“Didn't have a single problem with the demo, but the full game is full of bugs and glitches.”
