Towerborne takes a big leap from the Banner Saga series by Stoic Studio.
At a recent Gamescom event in Los Angeles, I tried out a quick demo of Towerborne, an action-packed side-scrolling co-op RPG inspired by old-school beat-em-ups. With its hand-drawn art style reminiscent of Banner Saga, the game immediately stands out. Towerborne’s combat system is deeper than just button-mashing; it incorporates combos and special moves for a richer experience.
You can switch weapons often in Towerborne, allowing for varied fighting styles. I played with another journalist, starting with a character wielding dual daggers for quick, close-range attacks. Linking light and heavy attacks creates different combos, like kicking enemies into the air after slashing them.
Another character used a heavy club that could belch flames from its furnace-like end. Light jabs and heavy swings had unique effects when combined, even turning the club into a fiery shotgun that set foes ablaze. This variety shows how different weapons can bring new strategies to battles.
Fans really enjoy seeing how creative these weapon combos can get!
Special abilities tied to each weapon also add depth, running on cooldown timers. My dagger-wielding character could teleport across the battlefield by throwing a knife or set traps with lingering daggers. The most powerful move caused a massive explosion after a short delay.
The club character had his own unique moves, spinning like a top or slamming the ground with flames. His area-of-effect attack created a fiery line on the ground rather than an explosion.
The demo level was short but engaging. We fought through grasslands against moles and bandits, smashing enemy spawn points to stop waves of attackers. The game’s combat feels like an ARPG but from a side-scrolling view, focusing on timing and cooldown management.
The climax was a boss fight against Pangojira, a massive pangolin with smaller minions. We divided our tasks—one focused on the boss while the other dealt with smaller enemies. Quick reactions were key to stopping minions from overwhelming us. The boss’s attacks were typical for this genre—jumping to cause shockwaves and throwing rocks required us to dodge and strike swiftly before getting knocked down.
Movement felt slow and deliberate; you can’t just run around to dodge attacks but have to anticipate enemy moves carefully. Stunning the boss gave us opportunities for massive damage using all our abilities. It was crucial to manage health and revive each other if needed.
This brief look at Towerborne shows promise with its focus on live-game systems and loot chasing, reminiscent of Destiny due to some Bungie alumni on the team.
Though it took time to adjust to slower movement and dodge mechanics, these elements make sense for fans of ‘90s arcade games that Stoic is paying homage to. The addition of special moves and combos seems like smart updates to classic gameplay.
Towerborne will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Game Pass starting September 10th .
