I thought that Twisted Tower would have had a bit more chatter around it. The demo I played a while ago was really fun, and I have been waiting for its launch. Created by Atmos Games, we embark to the Twisted Tower of Mr. Twist. The game is a first-person shooter horror game, which you can grab on the Steam store.
Lights, Cameras, Action!
Gameplay
After a brief intro showing our main character Vincent’s life prior to the events of Twisted Tower, it also explains why he has come to the towers to begin with. It doesn’t take long for the wacky owner to show his face and have poor Vincent run around so he can ascend to the top. Along the way, players will gather weapons, like a slingshot, sniper, and Tommy gun. All of which you can upgrade to further give you an edge in combat. The Tommy gun will get an alternative form of fire that slows down time, for example. Weapons are upgraded at Real Boy Stations, found throughout Twisted Towers, all of which offer a different discount on certain weapons too! You will find tickets everywhere that are needed to purchase the upgrades. I, for one, just started destroying everything and managed to get a fair amount at the start.
While exploring, you will get locked into scripted battles where Vincent must take out waves of enemies. There are an okay number of enemies, each with their own attacks. But what makes them awkward to fight is how accurate they are at times. My main issue came from the duck/penguin with the shotgun. It always felt like I never had enough room to move while trying to dodge buckshots. While trying to survive, players will find food scattered around that you can eat at any time to replenish health. I think they all just have different designs and none offer higher healing.
Graphics & Audio
Twisted Tower definitely lives up to its name, with wacky shenanigans (honestly, Piper, what are you doing?), creepy enemy designs, and plenty of toilet humour. From enemies to environments, the store and the music, it heavily gives me BioShock vibes in the absolute best way. The environments were both fun and easy to navigate. Rotating corridors, whipping about with electricity like an alternative Indiana Jones, and riding roller coasters, it felt fun and fast-paced. I also enjoyed finding both the secret areas and the interesting and surprising places supplies are hidden in. I adored the 40s era music; it felt both time-appropriate and was a genuine pleasure to listen to. Fallout players will know the joy of hearing old-fashioned music while going on a murder spree. However, when the music amps up a notch for intense scenes, it fits perfectly and makes you even more pumped for the fight.
The enemies sometimes look straight out of a lost cartoon episode creepypasta. Wild-eyed, toothy smiles with blood stains around the eyes and mouth. The phones are more hilarious than scary, but managed to catch me off guard due to their small and surprisingly quiet nature. Some of the enemies also heavily reminded me of Splicers. Even the weapons are a blast, from bubble gum ball guns to the Shart Gun (it’s exactly what you think… Poo pew!). I also loved the detail with the mallet, getting more covered in gooey brains and blood as you hit those bloodshot, wild-eyed enemies. It’s a comedic, disturbing, and aesthetically pleasing romp all around.
Longevity
Twisted Towers won’t take you long to beat, which is refreshing after so many new games being 60+ hours to beat. The game even has an achievement asking for the player to beat it in under 4 hours. The only other achievements are for finding all the secrets and upgrading all your weapons. You can just leave for a new playthrough, where everything carries over. Most of the achievements should be gained just by playing the game.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely loved Twisted Towers; the level design was fun, although not too crazy, and the gunplay worked well. Sadly, the story was rather obvious with its plot, but boy, the little twist at the end made me laugh. No real twist with the story, just a snippet of dialogue that took me by surprise. The decent amount of weapons are all good to use; however, some do tend to shine more than others. The pistol felt underpowered at the get-go. I wasn’t sure if BioShock played a part in some of the design and music choices. But it gave me that feeling, and I loved it. Only suggestions are maybe a tad more detail in the environments and more enemy types. Twisted Towers is fast action, fun, and short, making it worth another playthrough with all your gear. So I am giving the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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