Tower of Time

Tower of Time provides a detailed combat system that requires plenty of tactical thinking, so you get good value for money. There are points which could be refined, but as it stands, this is a good game for strategy/RPG fans.

Starting at $1.89Buy now

Get on Steam

"Tower of Time" is a narrative-driven, real-time tactical RPG set in a beautifully designed fantasy world. Assemble and lead a party of heroes to challenge the ancient Tower, where time has been imprisoned and the past, present, and future are intertwined. Experience a rich and compelling story, make impactful decisions, and engage in strategic combat against formidable foes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,206 reviews

story469 positive mentions

grinding45 negative mentions

Engaging story with interesting characters and lore that keeps players invested.
Unique combat system that combines real-time action with tactical pause, allowing for strategic gameplay.
Beautiful graphics and atmospheric music that enhance the overall experience.

Combat can become repetitive and tedious, especially in later levels with waves of enemies.
Limited character customization and choices that don't significantly impact the story.
Some technical issues, including crashes and performance drops during combat.

story
1,118 mentions
42 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "Tower of Time" is generally well-received, with many players finding it engaging and intriguing, often describing it as a blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements. While some critiques mention that the narrative can be linear or predictable, the depth of lore and character development keeps players invested throughout the game. Overall, the storytelling is highlighted as a strong aspect, with a mix of cutscenes, environmental storytelling, and character interactions that enhance the immersive experience.
- “The story is superb and delivered in very manageable segments, the game doesn't abuse you with text the way Wasteland 2 does.”
- “The story is engaging and unique.”
- “The story is interesting despite a couple of flaws in the writing (already improved post release).”
- “The story is mediocre at best, the point of it being that you have to reach the last level of the tower of time in order to save the world (yawn).”
- “The narrator of the story is so dry, the plot is a cliché & predictable 'end of the world disaster, hero rises from nothing' trope, and the combat is so boring and dull it will have you falling asleep in your chair.”
- “The story tries hard to tell a strong narrative but it relies too heavily on typical fantasy and sci-fi tropes, offering repetitive combat, little to no player agency, and an ending that I found provided neither satisfaction nor closure.”
gameplay
355 mentions
33 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Tower of Time" is a blend of traditional RPG elements, such as exploration and party management, with innovative mechanics like real-time tactical combat that allows for time manipulation. While many players appreciate the depth and strategic nature of the combat, some criticize the repetitiveness and lack of challenge in encounters, suggesting that the game could benefit from more varied mechanics and clearer tutorials. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable, particularly for fans of the genre, but it has room for improvement in balancing and engagement.
- “Overall, Tower of Time is an excellent game that offers a unique and engaging gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay is everything you could want in a CRPG, and the real-time with slow-time combat is a really nice touch.”
- “The gameplay is a unique mix of Diablo-style exploring and loot with a crafting menu that's similar to Diablo and Dota-style combat.”
- “The gameplay and quests simply aren't varied enough to keep the average player hooked for this amount of time.”
- “What we have here is an 8-10 hour game, painfully stretched out to 25+ hours with purposefully tedious mechanics, such as nonstop in-game text-block 'cut scenes' which arrest control from you every 3-10 minutes in order to info dump bloated chunks of story the creators were far too lazy or untalented to intuitively tell throughout the game itself.”
- “The gameplay loop begins to get stale even on the hard difficulties as you will overpower the opposition pretty quickly if you utilize the different item/buff/abilities at your disposal.”
graphics
228 mentions
55 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the beautiful art style, detailed environments, and immersive visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some reviews noted that the graphics may not reach AAA standards and can feel somewhat dated or simplistic, they are often described as charming and well-suited to the game's aesthetic. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, making it visually appealing despite some minor performance issues.
- “The game's graphics and sound design are impressive, with detailed character models and environments that create a rich and immersive gaming experience.”
- “The graphics for an isometric RPG were nothing short of gorgeous, with each section of the massive dungeon having its own style.”
- “Absolutely stunning graphics!”
- “The fact that it is not a big-budget production is particularly noticeable in the lack of voice-overs for the characters and the graphical quality, which is not up to scratch, but it is also far from being an ugly game.”
- “The graphics and textures compare to a budget indie title from 10 years ago.”
- “The visuals start off strong but seriously deteriorate as you progress through the game.”
music
172 mentions
53 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and memorable qualities that enhance the storytelling and overall experience. While some players find the soundtrack beautiful and fitting, others criticize it for being repetitive or generic, leading to a lack of engagement over time. Overall, the music is often described as a strong point of the game, contributing significantly to its ambiance and emotional depth.
- “The music really is beautiful, memorable and is almost part of the storytelling.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing.”
- “The atmosphere created by the world and the haunting music is great.”
- “The audio is forgettable and I found myself turning off the audio (except during cinematic scenes) and the same more or less on the musical score.”
- “I know for a small game like this, the music composition shouldn't be a thing to criticize harshly, but it just is so boring and lackluster.”
- “The music is so empty and lifeless that I just muted it.”
atmosphere
60 mentions
65 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and visually appealing graphics. Reviewers highlight the melancholic and rich ambiance that complements the storytelling, creating a memorable experience that draws players into the game's world. Overall, the combination of music, art, and narrative contributes to a deeply engaging atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The atmosphere created by the world and the haunting music is great.”
- “The game excels in the atmosphere it creates, enhanced by the very interesting lore and story and the way they are presented; this was one of the few games where I was impatiently looking forward to discover new journals and notes to find out more about the lore.”
- “From the intro on, the atmosphere captured me... the hopelessness... the 'end time feeling'... and the wonder of ages past... the heroic deeds of the champions...”
- “This slows the game down heavily and while in some games that may be the point, I think it creates a pacing issue that had me focusing on mousing over everything instead of experiencing the atmosphere of the rooms.”
- “No, it is a lovely looking game in parts, it's a pity that there wasn't more effort put into creating an audio atmosphere.”
- “The real issue is one of atmosphere.”
grinding
49 mentions
6 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the combat repetitive and tedious, particularly as the game progresses. While some appreciate the lack of traditional grinding mechanics, opting instead for a set number of encounters, others feel that the combat becomes monotonous and lacks meaningful rewards, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game is criticized for its drawn-out battles and tedious mechanics, which detract from the enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Unlike most of its kind, it simply has no grinding as there's a set number of encounters per floor, which is a very nice change.”
- “There's no grinding; there's a set amount of battles with extra optional challenges you can pursue for extra resources.”
- “The leveling system doesn't depend on XP to advance your characters, so there's no farming to gain XP.”
- “Your limited gold supply is a major reason you are not incentivized to freely switch up party members - gold being the currency used to level up any party members of your choosing, you are bound to prioritize the characters you use and leave others under-leveled with less stats and skill points, unless you want to grind out extra gold from challenges (which are even more tedious battles).”
- “What we have here is an 8-10 hour game, painfully stretched out to 25+ hours with purposefully tedious mechanics, such as nonstop in-game, text-block 'cut scenes' which arrest control from you every 3-10 minutes in order to info dump bloated chunks of story the creators were far too lazy or untalented to intuitively tell throughout the game itself.”
- “Tower of time is an RPG with a boring/cringey story, flat characters and most unforgivably, tedious combat.”
optimization
39 mentions
26 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and minimal crashes, others experience significant frame rate drops and sluggishness, particularly on lower-end systems or specific platforms like Linux. There is a lack of incentive for players to engage in gear optimization due to the game's mechanics not rewarding performance adequately. Many reviewers suggest that further optimization is needed to enhance the overall experience, especially in terms of graphical performance and responsiveness.
- “The game runs smoothly, and I encountered virtually no crashes or instabilities in my entire playthrough.”
- “Out of all the fights in the game, only one of them feels unwinnable if you're unlucky with your loot drops, but beyond that, you could realistically beat this entire thing with enough careful planning and proper build optimization.”
- “The developer is on the right track with this game, and the optimization is pretty good.”
- “In my opinion, the graphics were great, but the music was a bit generic and kind of elevator sounding. The game certainly needs some performance optimization as some areas were causing pretty significant frame rate drops for no real reason.”
- “What hurts the game, however, is poor optimization when exploring: the game runs at around 45 fps at the highest settings and at 50 fps at the lowest, which doesn't make a lot of sense.”
- “Sadly, I have to report that the game is not optimized properly at the moment I am writing this review. The game suffers from huge fps drops and stuttering for unknown reasons even on the lower settings.”
replayability
18 mentions
22 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed among players; while some appreciate the potential for varied character choices and skill combinations that can significantly alter gameplay, others find limited incentive to replay due to a lack of new content or story changes after the initial playthrough. The presence of achievements and difficulty levels offers some replay value, but many players express disappointment in the overall replayability, particularly for those seeking a compelling reason to revisit the game.
- “I've only played through once and am nearing the end, but it seems like it would be replayable with different characters or different skill combinations that would alter the game considerably.”
- “Great story and the roguelite elements make it very replayable.”
- “I highly recommend this game, there is tons of content and replayability.”
- “Not much replayability when it comes to story, but of course you can play with a different party.”
- “Great storyline, good world-building lore, good graphics, average combat experience, low replay value (once you have played through once there really is nothing worth going through it again for).”
- “Replayability is about zero (at least for me) I don't see the point of going at it again, and there's no new game plus.”
character development
14 mentions
43 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and variety, allowing players to explore different builds and make meaningful choices that impact the story. While some reviews note that character interactions may be limited, the individual story arcs and motivations of characters are engaging enough to foster player investment. Overall, the combination of solid writing, RPG elements, and character progression contributes to a captivating narrative experience.
- “Character development is quite varied and you can try different builds with your characters.”
- “It really has a lot going on with character development which makes you actually consider choices based on what the results will be.”
- “Storywise, there's not much interaction between the characters, but they do have their own story arcs and character developments; just not that much interaction with others.”
- “The character development of party members is a little bit brief, but it is enough to make the characters interesting enough that you will understand their motivations and care about them individually.”
- “If these guys who can make a solid story, decent character development, and quirky RPG elements can get together with the Gordian Quest guys who really nailed high-quality RPG elements, the game would be a masterpiece.”
stability
11 mentions
27 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
73 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing crashes, freezes, and FPS issues, particularly on high-end systems. However, others report a smooth and bug-free experience, praising the developers for their responsiveness and support in addressing glitches. Overall, while there are notable stability concerns for some users, others find the game runs well, especially on Linux.
- “Bug free and just a great game all around.”
- “Puzzles make sense and the game ran smoothly and bug free.”
- “Runs great on Linux.”
- “The game also crashes/freezes every now and then on my high-end system, which is rather annoying, so I am now quick-saving every time I do anything really.”
- “But there are also some FPS issues and mini-freezes at certain points.”
- “Experienced a few glitches with pathing that required a reload.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with witty dialogue and amusing interactions between party members that often elicit genuine laughter. Players appreciate the blend of subtle and overt humor, particularly in the context of its old-school RPG mechanics, making for a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “The dialogue, while sometimes excessive, made me laugh out loud far more frequently than I expected any game to do.”
- “Seeing the interaction between your party members is pretty humorous at times, and it's nice that you can step in if you desire and make them do certain things or just let them argue it out themselves.”
- “Great old school RPG with funny battle mechanics.”
emotional
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
While some players find the game visually stunning yet emotionally lacking due to a boring story and frustrating mechanics, others praise it for its emotional depth, particularly highlighting a powerful ending that is both touching and thought-provoking. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players, with some feeling challenged and entertained, while others remain disengaged.
- “Gorgeous game with a stunningly emotional ending and great value for money.”
- “In the end, I think that this game proved challenging and entertaining, but also, to some extent, touching and thought-provoking.”
- “The story lacks depth and fails to evoke any real emotions, making the entire experience feel flat.”
- “Despite the beautiful visuals, the emotional impact is non-existent, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters.”
- “I expected a gripping narrative, but instead, I found a dull plot that didn't resonate with me at all.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as genuine, focusing on creating a meaningful experience for dedicated gamers rather than exploiting players for profit, which contrasts with typical cash grab models. However, some users note that the characters feel clichéd, suggesting a lack of originality in certain aspects of the game.
- “One thing made clear is that the developers made this game for a specific audience, a game for a gamer to fall in love with, and not another cash grab to fill a developer's wallet.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems designed to squeeze every last penny from players rather than enhance the gaming experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see a game that could be great hampered by aggressive monetization tactics that prioritize profit over player enjoyment.”