Stoic Studios, a developer previously known for the Banner Saga franchise, is coming out with a very different sort of game: Towerborne. Revealed during an Xbox showcase last year, Towerborne struck audiences as a major departure from Stoic's previous work, adopting a style more in line with the likes of Castle Crashers, leveraging real-time combat and cooperative gameplay to its advantage. The game was recently released into early access, and though it still has a ways to go, it's a delightful, gripping, and compelling experience thus far.
Towerborne players assume the role of an Ace, a powerful and gifted warrior tasked with protecting the last vestiges of humanity from an encroaching horde of monsters. The society that Aces belong to resides in the Belfry, a bustling city in a massive tower that represents humanity's final stand against the monstrous blight. There's not a whole lot of meat to the story at this point, but most players probably won't be playing Towerborne for the narrative; they'll stick around for the crunchy, satisfying combat.
Towerborne's Gameplay Is Nigh-Impeccable
Pliable build-crafting coupled with solid hack-and-slash fundamentals make Towerborne tick. Players have access to four classes, which they can freely choose from between missions:
- Sentinel
- Rockbreaker
- Pyroclast
- Shadowstriker
It would have been easy for Towerborne to feel messy and unfocused, stretching itself too thin by attempting to provide sufficient distinction between each class. Luckily, that's not the case at all: I am still struggling to decide which class is my favorite—they're all that good. Whether a player chooses to play as the sword-and-shield sentinel or the WWE-inspired Rockbreaker, the straightforward, easy-to-grasp combat fundamentals are always a joy to toy around with.
The gameplay skeleton of each class is about what you'd expect: they each have a light and heavy attack and some special moves. Something that could hold these classes back for some players is the fact that they are all locked to a specific weapon type, and therefore the same moveset. For example, Shadowstrikers can only ever dual-wield shortswords, which could make gameplay feel somewhat repetitive over time. This potential problem is remedied somewhat by the fact that different weapons will have different special attacks, adding some much-needed variety within each class, but it's worth mentioning nonetheless.
Combat is solid, but progression is what players will sink their teeth into. Towerborne doesn't have the most inventive leveling system out there, but the straightforward progression of each class alongside the player's overall Ace Rank is surprisingly satisfying on a basic, almost primal level—it feels good to watch the numbers go up, basically. It helps that each class levels independently, as this encourages players to spread their time across each class rather than being overly prejudiced in favor of one. On top of all this, the gear grind is gratifying and consistent, with each mission yielding solid material rewards like weapons and armor, which often come with unique buffs and perks that feed into the build-crafting system.
It's impossible to discuss Towerborne without mentioning its co-op functionality. Playing with friends (current or soon-to-be) elevates Towerborne quite a bit, especially when embarking on some of the more challenging ventures, which can easily overwhelm a player on their own. At the end of each successful mission, both players get rewards, and a "results" screen offers a performance comparison, showing how many kills, deaths, et cetera, each player amassed. This lends itself to healthy competition, motivating you to perform better than your partners.
Towerborne offers co-op with up to three other players.
Cooperative play, like most parts of Towerborne, is good, simple fun. It's not particularly complex or deep—there aren't special team-up moves or anything like that—but generous hit boxes and pinball-like enemies make it easy to synergize combos with other players. The more hectic and involved co-op levels channel the best parts of games like Streets of Rage and the 1992 X-Men arcade game, which is no easy feat.
Towerborne: A Beautiful, Developing World
Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising thing about Towerborne is its lovely atmosphere. The game's music and sound design paint a whimsical picture, making great use of classically-inspired music which offers a sense of timelessness and class through organic, elegant sounds. Towerborne's visual design is also remarkably striking: although each level consists of moving along a preset course, the depth and vibrancy of both the background and foreground makes the game come alive, feeling bigger than it really is. Shrewdly implemented VFX, subtle animations, and lighting all aid this sense of immersion, which never gets old even after dozens of missions in the same biome. It will be exciting to see how these aspects of visual, audio, and environmental design develop over the course of early access.
Although Towerborne is free from major bugs and performance issues, there are a few oddities, such as questionable UI design that can be tough to get used to, that could be polished before the game enters 1.0. More importantly, the longevity of Towerborne could hinge on how Stoic Studios handles new content.
Towerborne isn't a particularly complex game—that's a big part of its charm—but it's not hard to see how this could come back to bite it. A dearth of interesting narrative or gameplay updates could spell trouble in the coming months or years, as the game's simplistic structure and gameplay loop, satisfying though it may be, might not be enough to sustain some players over long periods of time. Put another way, new weapons, abilities, biomes, or narrative elements could greatly buttress Towerborne's already-strong fundamentals.
Given Stoic Studios' plans to make Towerborne a live-service game, further development of the aforementioned elements will be vital to its success in the long-term. But Towerborne might be the first live-service title in a long time that I actually have high hopes for. Its non-stop charm, gorgeous art design, satisfying combat, and addictive gear grind make it a joy to play, and well worth the cost of early admission. Hopefully, it can maintain this momentum moving forward.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 86%
- Released
- February 26, 2026
- ESRB
- Teen / Mild Blood, Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Stoic Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
Towerborne is an exciting side-scrolling Action RPG Brawler. Rise again as an Ace, an immortal warrior reborn to defend the Belfry against the darkness beyond its walls. Journey across a crumbling world, uncover the mystery of the fallen City of Numbers, and push back the corruption threatening humanity’s survival.
Master the Mayhem
Experience classic combo-based brawler combat combined with a modern RPG. Customize your Ace with powerful gear, experiment with diverse combat styles, and refine your skills through relentless battles. Every fight makes you stronger, every victory opens new strategies, and every weapon reshapes your journey.
Fight Your Way
Whether you want quick pick-up-and-play sessions or intricate systems to master, Towerborne lets you choose your play style. Its fast-paced, responsive combat rewards timing and creativity, making every encounter feel fresh and challenging as you grow stronger.
Grow Stronger Together
Join forces with up to three other Aces or venture solo with Umbra lending unique abilities to your side. Teamwork amplifies the chaos and the thrill, where synergy and strategy make the difference between victory and defeat. Rally together to fight as one.
Take an Unforgettable Journey
Towerborne expands beyond combat with a compelling Story Campaign designed to spark excitement and fuel unstoppable action. For players who crave more than battles, Towerborne’s full story campaign brings to life the lore, characters, and stakes of the Belfry’s survival. Explore, progress, and uncover the world at your own pace and take your Ace’s journey offline then reconnect online to fight alongside friends without missing a beat.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op, Local Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Local Co-Op Support
- Yes
