Release Date: 19/01/2016
Played On: PS4
Available On: PS4 / Win
Time Played: 4h 33m
Progress: Completed
Developer: ACE Team
Publisher: Atlus USA
Every now and then I read some article on some gaming web site that attempts to go in-depth on the notion that video games and movies have something in common. There's an ongoing discussion about whether the two mediums are able to be combined, or if they should ever cross paths at all. At the very least, I think many of us will have played a game that straddles the line between video game, and movie.
In the first instance, I think of games like the infamous David Cage's Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy. Cage himself has said in many interviews and articles that he is trying to make games that are cinematic experiences. If you've ever played one of his games, you'll know exactly what he means, but I yearn for something more than the bad writing and plot holes of the quick-time heavy Cage cinematic universe.
Maybe it's the so-called 'walking simulator' that comes to mind when you think of cinematic games. After all, these experiences are usually limited to a narrative that is passively experienced as the player moves through the game. Even as a fan of narrative games, I can't deny that these kind of experiences are perhaps on the edge of being considered a game, as there is very little interaction required.
I don't have the answer about the video game vs movies debate, but I know I enjoy both sides and everything in between. Sure those David Cage games are complete trash in many ways, but I've enjoyed playing most of them and I'll probably play the next one. Sure walking simulators require very little input from me, but I've played through some excellent narratives that tell compelling stories that hooked me one hundred percent.
I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that games come in a range of different forms. Some lean heavily on narratives and get criticised for being nothing more than a movie to passively watch. At the same time I would argue that some games focus too much on mechanics and end up being boring and dull, despite having complex and challenging gameplay.
What I think is ultimately evident is that game developers have been trying to find a nice balance between story-telling and mechanics for a while. We can all think of games that don't even bother with the story, or settle on a lacklustre plot to provide the smallest amount of motivation. Plus, we can all think of games that tell an in-depth story, but offer little to nothing in the way of game mechanics and challenge. Not to mention everything in between that leans to one side or the other to varying degrees.
All of this is to now be able to say that The Deadly Tower Of Monsters is a game that manages to sit comfortably between the narrative conventions of cinema, and the mechanical gameplay of video games. What's more, this is a game that uses gameplay elements to make the narrative greater than it otherwise would be.
Right from the start we're greeted with an old B-movie aesthetic, and a voice over that begins on the title screen. We're told that the voice is a recording of the DVD extras portion for a campy sci-fi movie that has all the tell-tale signs of being made in the early 20th century. This is a golden age of cinema setting, which is powerfully realised throughout the game's campaign.
To put it another way - we play as characters in a movie, or to be more accurate, we play as the actors in a movie. There's a fourth-wall breaking narrative that continues during the game that frames all of the game systems as if the director is watching it back again to record a commentary track.
The plot is a simple tale of a few heroes fighting off a diverse cast of creatures in order to reach and defeat the villain of the piece. Hence, we play as one of three playable characters and travel through a series of levels that make up a gigantic tower. There are deadly monsters along the way to the final boss, and our cheesy movie plot unfolds as we progress.
Everything in The Deadly Tower Of Monsters is washed thoroughly with the early-cinema-sci-fi aesthetic. There's film grain on the screen, the colours are a little washed out, and many animations have low framerates - giving the impression of stop-motion animation and budget editing. Even the soundtrack has a dodgy feel to it and features many over-the-top swells of music in dramatic and important moments.
It's this attention to detail that makes The Deadly Tower Of Monsters a real sight to behold. Everything looks like it's part of a bad movie set, but it makes sense within the context of the setting. This is one occasion where the janky parts are obviously by design, and need no excuses. If there's anything in this game that could be classed as flawless, it's the execution of its setting and aesthetic.
Even the enemy monsters often appear to be animatronic as they lumber around the 'set'. Others clearly look like people dressed up in a monster suit, or wearing sci-fi make-up. There are even visible strings holding up floating enemies, which has an associated gameplay mechanic where you cut the strings to defeat the enemy. It's everything you could want from a B-movie setting and style, which is a fine achievement on its own.
The gameplay itself is quite straight forward, but an effort has been made to add variety and complexity where possible. After starting the game as the hero character, we quickly unlock two more characters to use as we progress up the tower; the damsel heroine and a trusty robot. Each of the three characters have a different special ability, so there are times where you need to swap out to the correct character in order to proceed.
Additionally, there are a number of weapons to find and unlock, as well as upgrade and modify to keep things interesting. You always have access to a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, but your loadout can be changed at any of the frequent terminals along the way. I quickly found a combination that felt good for me, so I stuck with it to the end. I didn't like all of the weapons, but I like to think that's because there's enough variety for everyone to discover a combination that's fun for them.
There are also perks to unlock that buff your stats and abilities, but it all adds up to having a nice amount of choice and variety as you play through the game. Even with a favourite loadout, I found myself changing things up every now and then for a bit of variety. What's more, swapping characters means you'll hear a different set of generic reactions and quips, so none of them ever really get stale.
What really hooked me into The Deadly Tower Of Monsters though, is the setting itself. The titular tower of monsters and the way its levels and geometry has been designed. After all, this is no run of the mill boring tower to navigate, and it's not only the monsters that make life interesting.
There are some typical hazards and traps along the way, but the real joy comes from the shifting perspective. I don't know what it is about this kind of thing in games, but I always enjoy it when a fixed camera angle lets you change its perspective and see things differently.
Most of The Deadly Tower Of Monsters is played from a kind of side-on/semi-isometric angle, which is perfectly fine for a third person action game. Don't forget though, that we're climbing a tower, and we're on the outside edge of said tower, so there's a lot of space on every side that has happily been utilised. Just walk up to the edge of wherever you're standing, and you can shift perspective to top-down, giving you a view all the way down the side of the building.
At times the shift is mandatory, as enemies will start attacking from below or above. Switching to the top-down view means you can shoot vertically instead of side-to-side, and in some sections it's a must if you want to avoid being attacked from a vulnerable angle. Plus, there are targets scattered around the tower that are only visible by switching perspectives, although these are simply an optional part of the games so they're easy enough to miss.
Perhaps the coolest system that uses this perspective shift in the game, is the ability to jump off the tower itself. At certain points in the story you'll find yourself falling back to the ground, but it's usually with the purpose of unlocking a new area in order to progress higher overall. At the same time though, there are series of rings floating in the air, and it's only by jumping off the tower at a high enough point that you are able to float/fall through them. These rings are also optional, but they contribute more points that you can use to unlock upgrades and skills.
It might seem weird to be that keen on jumping off a tower, when the entire game is about climbing to the very top, but with a little bit of clever design it makes sense. Essentially there's a teleporting system that lets you fast travel between unlocked nodes throughout the tower. Additionally, once you jump off the tower, you're able to teleport back to your departure point instantly with the press of a button.
It's a simple and effective way to save the player a bunch of wasted time back-tracking to points that are often quite challenging to get to in the first place. Plus, it manages to fit in with the whole 'DVD commentary' aesthetic, as teleporting is given the look of rewinding and fast-forwarding the footage.
One of the fun elements that blends the narrative with the gameplay, is what happens when you die. It's fairly simple, as you are reset back to your last checkpoint, but the transition is accompanied by a comment from the 'director', who says something like "actually, we changed that scene in the editing room".
It's those little things throughout The Deadly Tower Of Monsters, that really makes it more than the sum of its parts. While I wasn't necessarily blown away by the gameplay or the story itself, the way they integrate with each other made me want to keep playing until the end. Don't get me wrong though, the gameplay and story are still interesting and enjoyable enough, but I found that the most compelling part of the game was seeing how they interacted in different ways.
The Deadly Tower Of Monsters is a good example of how a good idea isn't always enough to carry a game. The B-movie aesthetic is fun, but on its own I'm not sure it would have been enough to keep me hooked. Similarly, the gameplay is enjoyable and quite unique in parts, but without the story I'm not sure I would have lasted all the way through.
Only when the narrative and gameplay are combined does The Deadly Tower Of Monsters become a compelling and very enjoyable game to play. It's a credit to the extra attention paid to little design elements that make all the difference. Had this been made by a team less dedicated to getting each part right, it would have been a disaster.
So at the end of the day, The Deadly Tower Of Monsters is a whole lot of fun and really utilises its setting in compelling and enjoyable ways. There's enough in the aesthetic to keep things interesting and entertaining, but it's the little details that tie everything together and elevate this game to the next level. It's unique, it's fun, and overall it's a good time, which is all I ever want out of any game.