Tower of Elements (2012)

There isn't much to write home about this game because in its current state, its gameplay mechanics and content is fairly one-dimensional. Pressing the right buttons to take down the goblins could have been so much more than depending on the player's quick wit that involves synesthesia (association with colors) to progress well. Doing the same thing over again does get somewhat tiring and both the upgrades as well as unlockable characters aren't enough to break from the monotony that the game suffers from. I don't even get informed how much mana I've earned in one session to tell how much chance I have to earn a gem (a sort unlocking currency).

There are some aspects to this game that are positive, nonetheless. I did just mention that the upgrades and unlockables were minor contents that gave an underwhelming replay value but I must admit that they are the important foundation to that value, which is appreciated. While the music somewhat clashes with the rogue-like graphics of The Tower Of Elements, it does give a slight sense of epicness and a dash of melancholy to the grey, medieval environment of the game's tower level.

The reviewers have complained that the controls haven't been explained to them, which I think must have been updated later because I grasped the game quite quickly. The option to use other controls such as the gamepad (heck, even the touchscreen), is a welcome feature. I think it would have been nice if you were able to tweak the controls to cast the color spells as you see fit.

I understand if it's one of those first games the developer has brought out and is currently working to flesh it out yet at this bare state, I am baffled that it's up on Steam already. There is a huge gap for improvement to fill and additional features to fill with, if something's to be added to the gameplay's consistency.