Stoic Studio, the renowned creators of the critically acclaimed tactical-RPG franchise Banner Saga, made an exciting announcement today during the Summer Game Fest Xbox Showcase. They unveiled their latest project, Towerborne, a captivating action-RPG brawler that stands in stark contrast to their previous work.
The game immerses players in a fantastical world where humanity has taken refuge in The Belfry, a colossal tower overlooking a realm teeming with monsters and other peculiar adversaries. Towerborne seamlessly blends elements of classic co-op brawling, strategic gameplay, and RPG mechanics, all while maintaining a family-friendly atmosphere. Principal Game Designer, Alex Thomas, expressed the team’s intentions in a blog post, stating, “We really wanted to create a game that we could enjoy with our families, play at conventions, and make it a sit-down-and-have-fun kind of experience. We draw inspiration from classic beat ’em up games and wanted to develop one with longevity, expanding its features and gameplay modes for as long as possible.”
According to Thomas, death is a crucial element in Towerborne’s gameplay. Unlike traditional games where characters simply respawn after dying, the demise of your hero, known as an Ace, holds significant narrative weight. “As an Ace, you are a special force for good, capable of confronting the most perilous challenges, dying, and returning,” Thomas explained. “We didn’t want to treat it as a mere gameplay mechanic; instead, we wanted to explore what that experience would be like for a group of individuals. You don’t embark on these missions simply because you are a superhero; you do it to support an entire civilization during a cataclysmic event.”
