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Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree

PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
Released

Release Date: September 19, 2025

Action, Roguelike, Isometric View, For 2 Players, Co-op, Splitscreen, Multiplayer, Singleplayer

A combination of an action game and a roguelike, created in cooperation by Bandai Namco Entertainment company and Brownies studio. Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree features a female protagonist, tasked with saving the Shinju village. She can use the help of the titular Guardians.

7.1

OpenCritic

6.6

Steam

Rate It!
Ratings
[1:28] - Launch Trailer Videos: 4
Screenshot Images: 10
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The Japanese development studio Brownies has existed since 2012. Over the years, this team has delivered a number of titles, the most recognizable of which is the game Doraemon Story of Seasons, co-created by them.

One of its next works, developed in cooperation with Bandai Namco Entertainment, is Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree described here. We are talking about an action game with clearly defined roguelike elements. We play as the titular female protagonist, leading the guardians of the sacred tree. We must face the threat looming over the Shinju village from the sinister deity Magatsu and take responsibility for its further fate.

Gameplay

In Towa and the Sacred Tree we watch the action in an isometric view. During the game, we take control of Towa, who goes through fantasy locations and engages in dynamic battles with opponents, fighting in a duo with one of the titular Guardians. We have at our disposal the holy sword Tsurugi and the Kagura staff. Towa's assistants have been diversified in terms of fighting style, preferred weapon, and unique abilities.

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Platforms:

PC Windows

PC Windows

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X/S

Developer: Brownies

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

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Features

News

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree has many creative ideas, but ultimately suffers from a lack of focus

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree has many creative ideas, but ultimately suffers from a lack of focus

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree leans further into the story-driven elements than any roguelike or roguelite I’ve come across so far, and I would say it’s to the game’s overall detriment.

Opinions

Matt Buckley

August 18, 2025

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree has many creative ideas, but ultimately suffers from a lack of focus

System Requirements

System Requirements for Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree Video Game:

PC Windows

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i3-8100 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB GeForce GTX 650 / Radeon R7 250, 8 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit.

Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i3-8100 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 650 Ti / Radeon R7 250, 8 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree Video Game.

7.1

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 44% of Critics. There are 71 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Video Chums: 8.4 / 10 by A.J. Maciejewski

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a roguelike where the more you play it, the better it gets. With so much variety in its combat thanks to an awesome cast of characters and flashy unlockable spells, those who love to experiment will be downright hooked. ??

Full Review

Life is Xbox: 70 / 100

A soulful journey marred by punishing peaks and shallow progress. Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree dazzles with painterly visuals, rich sound design, and heartfelt voice acting, but its roguelike loop wears thin fast. Combat starts strong but suffers from brutal difficulty spikes and clunky twin-stick controls. The emotional twist of losing a guardian after each run adds weight, yet limited progression and muddled combat feedback dull the impact. Gorgeous, soulful, but often frustrating.

Full Review

Analog Stick Gaming: 5.5 / 10 by Jeff M Young

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree does a lot of things right with its story, character moments, and the time hijinks of the village itself. While the roguelite systems are what we’ve come to expect, with the studio rarely coloring outside the lines, the combat can often feel underbaked and a chaotic mess of trying to find your character in the chaos, especially in co-op, where a tether can result in some unfortunate hits. I don’t think Towa is a bad experience, but it needs some refinement to be something I want to keep coming back to.

Full Review
66%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mixed (206)

STEAM
User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

  • Art and Music: The game features beautiful art and a nostalgic soundtrack reminiscent of Vanillaware's style, which many players appreciated.
  • Story and Character Development: Players enjoyed the narrative elements, including character growth over time and the engaging story arcs in Shinju Village.
  • Sword Crafting System: The ability to forge and customize swords through mini-games was highlighted as a fun and versatile feature.
  • Unique Mechanics: The game introduces a dual-character system where players can strategize their approach to combat, with different attack patterns and abilities for each character.
  • Atmosphere and Charm: Many players found the game charming, with interesting character designs and a compelling world.

The main cons of the game

  • Combat Mechanics: Numerous reviews criticized the combat for feeling clunky and unresponsive, with some characters having awkward move sets that detracted from the experience.
  • Co-op Experience: The multiplayer aspect was poorly received, as the second player felt limited to a supportive role without meaningful interaction, leading to dissatisfaction among players seeking a cooperative experience.
  • Pacing and Length: Players noted that runs could feel excessively long and tedious, especially given the slow rollout of upgrades and meta-progression.
  • User Interface and Tutorials: Many found the UI to be frustrating and the tutorials lacking in clarity, making it difficult to understand the game mechanics.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

  • Improved Co-op Mechanics: Users expressed a desire for a more balanced and engaging multiplayer experience, where both players could participate actively in gameplay.
  • Better Combat Feedback: Players wanted clearer mechanics and controls, particularly concerning character direction and responsiveness during combat.
  • Enhanced Tutorial and Guidance: Many reviews indicated that the game could benefit from better tutorials and help functions to guide players through its systems and mechanics.
  • More Impactful Character Progression: Some players felt that the sacrifice mechanic for support characters diminished their investment in the characters, leading to a desire for a system that allowed more continuity and attachment to characters throughout runs.

Summary generated on:

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