Review : Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree: — A Roguelike That Seeks Innovation Without Forgetting Its Roots
CyberBoxTV 3 min read
The roguelike genre has gained great popularity in recent years, delivering memorable experiences while also dividing players. Its formula challenging and repetitive is loved by some and hated by others. Within this landscape comes Review : Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree: — A Roguelike That Seeks Innovation Without Forgetting Its Roots, a game that attempts to soften the most frustrating aspects of the genre by incorporating RPG elements that add freshness and make the overall experience more enjoyable.
The game draws inspiration from Japanese mythology and folklore, presented with an art style that resembles a living painting. The environments are colorful and varied, exuding a relaxing atmosphere, while enemy designs are well-crafted and the protagonists stand out with their unique, adorable appearance.
On the musical side, the game shines thanks to Hitoshi Sakimoto, renowned for his iconic soundtracks in Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, and Valkyria Chronicles 4. His work here elevates every battle, making the soundtrack an essential part of the experience.
The story follows Towa, a goddess who entrusts eight guardians with the mission of defeating evil forces. After their failure, she is forced to rewind time, creating multiple timelines. To restore order, players must face powerful bosses and grow stronger, but at a painful cost: at the end of each area, one character must be sacrificed. This mechanic directly impacts the narrative and character interactions, encouraging multiple playthroughs to uncover different variations of the story.
Progress revolves around a village where time flows differently. Here, players can meet characters and their descendants, take on side quests, and strengthen the guardians by upgrading their abilities and weapons using resources collected in each run. These improvements have an immediate impact on combat, giving the RPG system real weight within the experience.
Combat combines two primary roles: an offensive character wielding dual blades and a defensive one using magic. The ability to switch between the eight guardians introduces a wide variety of attack patterns vertical, aerial, or spinning promoting experimentation and constantly evolving strategies.
However, not everything works perfectly. The core roguelike loop remains intact: dying means restarting from the beginning and losing any abilities gained along the way. While the progression system makes this process more tolerable, the frustration persists for those who dislike the genre. Additionally, the time-manipulation theme isn’t fully realized, making it harder to connect emotionally with the world, while the sacrifice mechanic prevents players from building strong attachments to the characters.
In the end, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a roguelike that dares to innovate within an oversaturated genre. Its beautiful visuals, artistic presentation, and engaging combat make it a worthwhile experience, though the inherent limitations of the genre and certain narrative shortcomings keep it from reaching its full potential.
Score: 4/5
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