Tower Song

Haven’t gotten very far into the story but the story is intriguing and curious how it plays out. Game plays well on the Steam Deck with no issues. Each character has unique mechanics and gameplay styles, helps keep things fresh.

This isn't normally my type of game. However, the few hours I've spent in it so far have been fun. Both the art style and music are probably my favorite things so far about it. The combat is also pretty satisfying and I appreciate that they give the option for a harder difficulty.

TowerSong is a delightful game that evokes a lot of nostalgia from my childhood. The gameplay is reminiscent of the classic SNES games I used to play. The worldbuilding is fantastic, clearly showing the developers' dedication to creating a unique universe. While the story can be a bit confusing at first, it seems intentional as you're immediately thrown into the action. The characters are incredibly unique and interesting, and each one possesses abilities that make them stand out in combat. I particularly enjoyed the Cosmic Witch Tali, whose abilities are determined by the Tarot cards she draws, making each turn different and unexpected. Additionally, you get to fight as a cat with "gatamancer" abilities. Who doesn't want to play as a cat?! The artwork is distinctive and visually appealing, with a gritty, futuristic post-apocalypse feel that really draws you in. If I have any criticism, it's that the controls took some time to get used to and weren't entirely intuitive. I highly recommend using a gamepad for the most fluid experience. As someone who prefers playing with a keyboard, I was a bit disappointed to find that I couldn't rebind the Interact key (bound to ENTER) to a more convenient key for single-hand gameplay, such as E. However, this is a minor quibble and something I adjusted to quickly. The combat system was a lot of fun and should be familiar to anyone who's played an RPG Maker or JRPG game before. The battles were challenging but not overly so (although I did not try the game at the highest difficulty). Overall, it's evident that this game is a labor of love from a small, passionate developer team committed to their craft. Be sure to check it out!

I'm just a little ways past the intro, but I have to say that the combat just feels GOOD. The battles are challenging, but as you get a feel for how to synergize the abilities of the party you can set up some powerful hits to take out your foes. Seeing boss health bars in percentages also made it kind of fun for me to gauge just how big of an attack I could set up. The way the characters speak about the world makes it feel like there are some really interesting things coming up, though I'll have to add more opinions on the story portion once I finish, but what I've seen so far gives me a good feeling about what is to come. The music is absolutely fantastic, and I really dig the art style. If you were/are a fan of JRPGs from back in the day this should absolutely be up your alley

Tower Song is the game that was able to finally able to fulfill that little itch of wanting to play an old school jrpg but with the convenience of modern day design. You're immediately thrown into the action, introducing pairs of heroes and the different mechanics that they bring to each fight. Each character brings their own specific gameplay that synergizes well with each other. The animations during combat is just one example of perfectly fusing the old school with the new. One of the more appreciated aspects of the game was the inclusion of a difficulty setting without any gating to prevent me from choosing hard and diving into the chaos. Defeats would happen but being able to reload the encounter and even change my setup was a refreshing option. Crafting immediately after the prologue definitely helped progressing through Act 1 and building my characters up. Kudos to the soundtrack, honestly one of the few games I've played where I haven't had to turn off the music. Well worth the $20 and with the promise of new heroes and content updates, I look forward to playing this in the future. If you're looking for a game that reminds you of your childhood without the hours of lost progress from not saving or want a fresh take on jrpg classic with modern design elements, this is the game for you.

Hidden Gem