Tower of Guns Review Summary

Fast and smooth gameplay with a variety of fun guns and diverse bosses, but repetitive enemies, shallow gunplay, and a rough PC port hold it back.

Variety of fun guns: Players consistently praise the wide selection of weapons, noting that most are usable, satisfying, and enjoyable to use. The variety of unlockable guns and perks adds to the fun.

Overall game is fun: Many reviews simply state that the game is great, enjoyable, and incredibly fun. The general sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with players finding the experience highly entertaining.

Fast and smooth gameplay: The gameplay is described as quick, smooth, and extremely satisfying, with polished mechanics and brisk pacing. The game moves fast and runs smoothly at all times.

Diverse enemies and bosses: Players appreciate the good diversity of enemies, bosses, and room layouts. The cool boss designs and varied enemy types keep encounters interesting and engaging.

Secrets and easter eggs: The handcrafted rooms are filled with hidden secrets and easter eggs, making exploration rewarding and interesting. Players enjoy discovering the many secrets scattered throughout the game.

Enemies are repetitive and boring: Players frequently note that enemy designs are similar and lack variety, with many enemies simply acting as bullets or spikes. This repetition makes combat feel monotonous over time.

Gunplay feels shallow and unsatisfying: The gunplay is described as not deep or fun, and it can feel floaty and unsatisfying. This undermines the core combat experience.

Movement and controls feel clunky: Movement and controls are often described as clunky, floaty, and imprecise, which negatively impacts the overall feel of the game. This is a common complaint across multiple clusters.

Weapon selection is limited: Players are unhappy with the limited weapon options, starting with two bad weapons and being able to carry only one gun at a time. This restricts gameplay variety and strategy.

Boss difficulty is inconsistent: Some bosses are significantly harder than others, with the last boss being disproportionately difficult. This creates an uneven difficulty curve that frustrates players.

Roguelike FPS genre: The game is consistently described as a roguelike first-person shooter, blending fast-paced old-school shooting with roguelite mechanics.

Procedural generation: Levels are partially or fully procedurally generated, leading to varied layouts and enemy patterns each run.

Unlock weapons and perks: Players start with limited weapons and perks, unlocking more as they progress. Weapon mods can also be found.

Randomized rooms and maps: Maps, rooms, and items are randomized each playthrough, with some rooms handcrafted but arranged randomly.

Choose weapon and perk: At the start of each run, players select a weapon and a perk, which defines their loadout for that run.

PC port has rough edges: The PC port is considered unpolished, with issues like a button that disables all textures and general engine refinement problems. These issues detract from the overall experience.

Startup crash workaround exists: The game crashes on startup for some users, but launching with the -dx11 flag resolves the issue. This suggests a DirectX version compatibility problem.

High-end hardware runs smoothly: On a system with AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 16 GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce 3070, the game runs without performance issues. This indicates that the game is well-optimized for high-end PCs.

Worth buying on sale: Many reviewers agree the game is not worth its full price but is a good value when discounted. They recommend waiting for a sale or picking it up at a reduced price.

Recommended for old-school FPS fans: The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy classic fast-paced shooters like Quake and Unreal. It appeals to those seeking an action-focused, arcade-style FPS experience.

Recommended for roguelike and bullet hell fans: Fans of roguelikes, bullet hell shooters, and zany adventure games will likely enjoy this title. It combines elements from these genres, making it a good fit for players who like at least two of them.

Great for short play sessions: The game is perfect for quick gaming sessions, as each run is unique and does not require a large time investment. It is ideal for players who have limited time to play.

Not for players unfamiliar with movement shooters: Players who are not accustomed to movement shooters may find the game frustrating. The gameplay requires skill in combat and understanding of projectile physics, which can be challenging for newcomers.

Community fair range: $4.00 - $10.00.

Game completion: 4.0h.

Story completion: 4.0h.

Session length: 0.5h.

Endgame: 7.0h.

Tower of Guns provides immediate fun with its old-school shooter style and rewarding progression, but quickly becomes repetitive as players encounter the same rooms and enemies, leading to a drop in enjoyment.

Friction: steep learning curve; need to unlock guns to progress.

Old-School FPS Veteran: Movement-heavy, dodging, quick reflexes, focusing on gunplay and arena-style combat. Motivation: Nostalgia and the thrill of mastering fast-paced, skill-based shooting. Stance: buy.

Roguelite Purist: Analytical, comparing mechanics, focusing on permadeath fairness and run variety. Motivation: Seeking a fair and engaging roguelite experience with meaningful progression. Stance: no buy.

Casual Short-Session Player: Casual, relaxed, using a controller, not taking the game too seriously. Motivation: Fun, relaxation, and quick entertainment. Stance: buy.

Linux and Proton: Based on the available evidence, the game has a Linux-specific performance bug affecting a single level, but no other Linux/Proton issues were reported. The overall compatibility appears mostly functional with a minor quirk.

Classic shooter comparisons: Players frequently compare the game to Quake, Doom, Unreal Tournament, and Serious Sam, highlighting its old-school arcade shooter feel and controls. These comparisons suggest the game appeals to fans of classic FPS titles.

Solo developer project: Multiple reviews note that the game was developed almost exclusively by one person, with some mentioning a small team of two. This emphasizes the indie nature and personal effort behind the game.

Short game length: Reviews indicate the game is short, with completion times around 4 hours and 100% around 7 hours. It's designed for quick sessions, like a lunch break, and is shorter than typical AAA campaigns.

Price concerns: Some players feel the price is high for the content, while others find it cheap or worth supporting the developer. The price varies from $10 to $15, with mixed opinions on value.

Options and settings: The game offers various options like resolution, fullscreen, windowed mode, mouse sensitivity, and keyboard controls. However, there are issues with windowed mode and resolution settings.