Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree

The simplest pitch for Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is “Hades but with pairs.” The fast-paced, isometric action game is highly reminiscent of Supergiant’s “godlike roguelike,” but instead of playing just one deity-slaying character, you control two at once. It’s an interesting pitch I found overwhelming in my 15-minute demo, but my interest is piqued for the full release.

The titular sacred tree is actually a god in need of defending, due to the evil, miasma-spreading Magatsu. Towa, a child of the gods, is tasked with assembling eight warriors to defend it. Each run is played with two characters – the tsurugi user, who uses a pair of swords, and the kagura user, who casts spells with a staff. Each character can be used for each role, with unique traits depending on the weapon they’re given.