I just finished this game, and I have to admit, it is absolutely amazing!
At first, I hesitated to buy it after reading some negative reviews, but after trying it myself, I found those reviews to be unfounded. So, if you're still on the fence, I highly recommend giving it a try.
So, what makes this game so great? First, the writing. As a narrative-focused game, Sovereign Tower demanded exceptional writing quality—and fortunately, they nailed it! The story is genuinely gripping; it kept me curious and eager to keep playing just to see how it all ends. And let's not forget the incredible cast of characters. Each one has distinct traits and a unique personality—never a dull moment! The dialogue feels natural and unforced—a rarity these days. This actually made choosing my Knights difficult, given the limited roster slots.
Second, the art style is incredibly cool! Seriously, every character—even the minor ones—is beautifully designed. This is truly impressive, as developers often cut costs by using faceless silhouettes for minor characters. If you're a sucker for in-game romance, the minor characters' designs are so good that you might even wish you could romance them, too.
Third, the game mechanics. Don't be misled by the "visual novel" tag on the Steam store page; this game offers so much more than that. While a large part of the gameplay involves reading text and making dialogue choices, there’s also a knight management system where you complete quests using your knights. I personally loved this aspect, especially the unexpected outcomes that occur when using specific knights. It’s quite similar to the super hero game Dispatch. There’s also a time-rewind mechanic, though I tried to avoid using it because the time demon involved seemed pretty suspicious!
Basically, if you enjoy narrative-driven games (like Disco Elysium), visual novels, or RPGs and CRPGs, I think you’ll like this game.
However, I do have a few notes. First, regarding the romance aspect: I appreciate that initiating a romance isn't as simple as just picking a romantic dialogue option; there are specific criteria that must be met for it to progress. Unfortunately, I feel the game world doesn't react enough to the romance we pursue. The only person who comments on it is Arlin, our advisor, who notes that while we're in the Tower, our leprosy won't be transmitted to our partner. Aside from that, none of the Knights comment on it. I find this a missed opportunity; the developers could have included small events where the knights react to the romance—like when we choose to date a rock (yes, a rock!). If things like that were included, the romance would feel much more tangible and alive.
Also, the romance indicators aren't very clear. There should be some sort of visual cue on the knight's portrait (like a heart icon) when we're romancing them. As it stands, the only indicator is a Steam achievement, which you can only unlock once.
Second, regarding the time-rewind mechanic: as mentioned in other reviews, it’s frustrating to rewind time and have to select every quest from scratch. Ideally, when time is rewound, previously completed quests would retain our last choices, allowing us to immediately select knights and equipment without starting over. This is actually one of the reasons I’m reluctant to rewind time—it’s just too much of a hassle.
Third (and this is more of a personal preference), I wish there were a gallery to replay dialogue between knights, similar to the system in *Fire Emblem*. Being able to replay dialogue without starting a new game would let players see interactions they might have missed. I think that would be a great addition.
Fourth, I really really hope that we can talk with Knights out of the dialogue event that sometimes happen at the start at the cycle. For example, I really wish that our knights comment on our decision for major quest, like in Baldur's Gate 3 when some event happening. It will make the games more alive.
All in all, though, I don't think the game's flaws are significant. Sovereign Tower remains an extraordinary game.
