Action roguelikes are a tough genre to screw up, yet Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree manages to do that. From lacklustre in-run upgrades, to permanent progression that is boring, to perhaps the biggest problem of how utterly dry combat is, it drops the ball in many locations. The better parts, such as the banter and voice acting, are not enough...
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree2025
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree
2025 Bandai Namco Entertainment71Good
Playtime
ModerateTypically 25 hours
Playable on
- Steam DeckVerified
- Steam MachineVerified
Available on
- $29.99
- $29.99
- $29.99
- $29.99
Game modes
- 2 players
- 2 players
- 2 players
- 2 players
Details
- Launch
- September 18, 2025
- Developer
- Brownies
- Publisher
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Themes
Overview
In this Roguelite set in a far-off mystic realm, ancient forces stir, and untold dangers await. As Towa, lead the guardians of the sacred tree in forging strong relationships and powerful swords to fight Magatsu’s forces and determine the future of Shinju Village.
Screenshots
Reception
Press72
Players70
GoodGood- Metacritic73from 23 reviews
- OpenCritic71from 30 reviews
Towa et al. has several ideas and mechanics don't earn the depth they deserve, which exacerbates the mediocre combat.
Overall, there's a bit too much holding Towa back from a recommendation. There are better Hades-likes out there, most notably Hades II: Melinoe Goes West. If you're a dyed-in-the-wool roguelite fan, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree will definitely fill your cup, but I think it's too easy to walk away from.
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, from developer Brownies, is a fabulous roguelike action game that brings more to the table than not. It features solid presentation and story, a great backend system that brings a heavy amount of strategy and fun, while hiccupping only with its enemy repetition.
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is an exciting roguelite action game filled with flashy spells, sword combos, and diverse characters brought to life with strong voice acting. Its colorful maps and fast-paced battles are enjoyable, but the game clearly isn’t built for two players; most mechanics fall on one person, leaving the other with little...