Tower of Archeos

There’s something very exciting about exploring endless dungeons full of monsters and treasure, which is why the roguelike genre has survived for so many decades. However, it’s always nice when developers come up with new gameplay mechanics, even if the underlying idea is the same. As long as you have to do things a bit differently, it’s usually worth the bother.

Tower of Archeos is a roguelike survival game in which your goal is simple: explore a tower and reach the last level, where Archeos is waiting for you. The mechanics are very straightforward as well, since all you need to do is click on monsters and get the gold, plus a few other items that help you along. However, you shouldn’t expect to have an easy time, on the other hand.

Each monster deals a certain amount of damage, but whether you attack one or ten, the damage they deal to you is always the same. Hence, it’s not usually worth it to attack single targets unless you are aware that they have a useful item in their possession. Speaking of which, the whole thing plays like a match-3 game, which means that you have to clear the board and reset it by finding the key to the exit door.

You start with a low number of hearts that stand as your hit points, and each level up increases your health by one full heart. It’s possible to heal yourself by eating apples, but it’s actually quite a bad trade most of the time, mainly because you lose some hit points attacking the monster holding the said apple. Thankfully, there are some special items that can help you deliver more precise attacks without exposing yourself too much.

The pixel graphics are quite appropriate for this case, especially since you do not get to see the actual tower at all. Each creature is unique, on the other hand, and they also come with a larger portrait image that’s displayed when you hover over them. There’s not much else to look at, however, so it’s a good thing that the soundtrack is pretty good.

All things considered, Tower of Archeos is quite addictive and tough, but it also needs a bit of balancing in regards to how much damage the monsters deal to you. It may be designed for hardcore players, but luck has a lot to do with it, and it’s never fun to lose because you’re unlucky.