Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree, Review: A Roguelite Between Japanese Myth and Legend

Roguelite and action lovers, hold on tight, because the new game developed by Brownies Inc. and published by Bandai Namco, Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree, has all the makings of becoming one of your favorite titles.

Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree, a good story

The game tells the story of Towa, a priestess tasked with protecting the village of Shinju from the invasion of Magatsu and his followers, the Magaori beasts. Fortunately, Towa will not be alone in this endeavor: our heroine will be aided by eight Guardians called “Children of Prayer”, each with a precise role, unique abilities, and different powers. After a ritual gone wrong to block Magatsu's advance, the Guardians find themselves scattered through time, with Towa helping and supporting them from the outside, sending them weapons and powers to repel threats and bring them back.
Although the plot seems unoriginal, the narrative promises depth thanks to the bonds that will form in the village of Shinju between Towa and its inhabitants. As missions progress, the village itself will evolve, and the citizens will recount local customs and stories, enriching the plot and also creating new possibilities for upgrading the guardians and the village itself.

The gameplay of Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree is all to be discovered

Although the title offers other mechanics, which we will discuss later, Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree is a classic action roguelite, where each run involves choosing two Guardians, one armed with the sacred sword Tsurugi (melee attack) and the other wielding the magic staff Kagura (magical support).

Both have distinct health bars and abilities, adding a layer of tactical challenge, as they must be kept alive simultaneously during the run.

The title follows typical genre dynamics, full of rooms with enemies, mini-bosses, power-ups, and items purchasable in specific sections, leading up to the final boss who, once defeated and without going into detail to avoid spoilers, will present you with particular events that will affect subsequent runs.

The loop will always be the same: start run - return to village - upgrades - new run.

As mentioned earlier, the village of Shinju will play a fundamental role in the game. In fact, it will serve as a narrative and evolutionary hub, where you can interact with the many inhabitants, purchase and equip engravings, upgrade guardian attributes, unlock Kagura spells, and create and equip new weapons. This forging and customization mechanic is particularly well-executed and fun, as it takes place through timing mini-games that, based on your skill in completing them with the best result, will change the aesthetics and performance of the weapons.

Combat System of Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree

The gameplay, of course, shows similarities with other titles of the genre like Hades, but it distinguishes itself thanks to the two-character system which, as already mentioned, will have separate and distinct health points and abilities, requiring greater focus on survival and attack strategy.

The secret to starting runs well will be to try the different combinations of Tsurugi and Kagura, to familiarize yourself with them. It's best to check their stats, spells, and specialties to understand how to use them to your advantage from the start.

Regarding combat, the best way to defeat enemies and have an easy time during runs will be to pay close attention to the positioning of guardians and enemies and use dodging at the right moment, aim to hit enemies from behind, and use fatal blows to avoid major damage, as it makes you temporarily invincible. But, what is truly important and the core of the combat system, is to always keep an eye on the stamina and durability of the weapon in use: the Tsurugi sword can break if used too many times consecutively, and if you don't immediately switch to the Kagura magic staff, you will end up dealing half the damage you would normally with an intact weapon, and your attack speed will drastically decrease.

Another important element to keep an eye on, which will make your life easier, is the choice of the character build you will use in the run.

Choosing the right Grace, increasing the Guardian's attributes, equipping the best support magic, and creating the most powerful weapon will be the secret to your success.

Stylistically divine

The aesthetics of Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree are one of the game's strong points. The graphic style is hand-drawn, with scenarios reminiscent of traditional Japanese ink painting, and characters characterized by vibrant colors and delicate features: Magnificent.
The soundtrack, composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, a renowned composer with a long resume (including Final Fantasy), enhances the whole experience: an evocative musical accompaniment, capable of emphasizing the mystical atmosphere of the game world.

The game is translated into Italian for the texts, but the dialogues can be set in English or Japanese. There are two game modes: Story (Easy) and Normal. Furthermore, it can be played in both single-player and local cooperative.

Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree Review: Conclusion

Towa & The Guardians Of The Sacred Tree is an excellent game that will surely carve out its place among the best of its genre. An action-packed, challenging, and layered roguelite thanks to its dual-character mechanic, weapon customization, and endless Guardian build possibilities. A good story told in a suggestive way, steeped in typical Japanese mythology, with human and environmental connections.

A highly captivating artistic style, supported by an evocative soundtrack and excellent technical execution.

If you're looking for a roguelite that combines narrative, refined aesthetics, and tactical challenge, this is the title for you.