Tower of Guns

As an out-of-shape game critic, I'll admit that the idea of climbing a giant tower sounds like a real pain in the ass. I'm not a big fan of walking up long flights of stairs, and I get winded at even the thought of hiking up Mount Chiliad in Grand Theft Auto V. So you can imagine my trepidation when it came to making my way up the ominously titled Tower of Guns. But I'm glad I made the trip, because this addictive first-person shooter is one of the most surprising games I've played this year.

If you've been waiting for somebody to combine the best elements of Borderlands and Spelunky, then you're in luck. Tower of Guns is an over-the-top action game full of randomly constructed levels, huge boss fights and a wacky assortment of guns. Instead of mimicking the gritty military simulators so popular in today's culture, this first-person shooter offers a sense of whimsy and fun that sometimes gets lost in the rush to be more extreme.

Forget elaborate storylines or fully-realized characters, because Tower of Guns has no time for that nonsense. This is a simple action game where you either make it to the top of the tower or you die trying. Death means starting over from the beginning, forced to take on a completely different tower with new surprises around every corner. The result is a wildly addictive shooter I couldn't put down. Even at my most frustrated, I was eager to see what the game would throw at me next.

As a shooter, Tower of Guns rests comfortably on the lighter side. Players start out with the choice of two weapons, one of which is a portable pizza oven that fires saw blades. Completing various tasks will unlock new weapons, each just as silly as the last. Fighting enemies and picking up blue fragments will upgrade the gun and turn even the most average player into a first-person killing machine.

It's not just the guns that will level up over time. Players will be bombarded with items that will increase everything from strength to speed to armor. Other power-ups will increase the life bar and allow for multiple jumps in a row. What makes these items so useful is how they stack. There were games where I was able to jump in the air a half dozen times while running around the stage like The Flash. Collect enough of these and you'll become nearly unstoppable. There are times when Tower of Guns feels more like a superhero simulator than a first-person shooter.

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Aside from the assortment of weird weapons, players will start the game with a perk of their choosing. The default is a triple-jump, but it won't take long to earn immunity to fall damage, loot that never vanishes and a boost in speed from the start. Like the guns, players will unlock these perks by completing a series of simple challenges.

Fans of Call of Duty and Battlefield may complain that the shooting is on the shallow side, but Tower of Guns makes up for this with its variety. The levels are not just laid out differently each time, but many of them will have unique themes. I was constantly seeing new locations and backgrounds as I played through the game's various modes. Some are dark and mysterious, while others are full of bright neon signs.

Like all roguelikes, there came a point when these the stages started to bleed together. While full of fresh ideas and randomly placed obstacles, it's hard to keep this type of game from becoming repetitive over time. You'll see many of the same enemies and bosses countless times, and there are only so many weapons you can collect. On the other hand, the rounds are surprisingly filling. I got more out of two or three games of Tower of Guns than any of the recent Call of Duty outings.

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The game employs a cartoony look that is reminiscent of the Borderlands series, complete with friendly robots and funny supporting characters. This is a cool effect that makes even the deadliest obstacle look a lot friendlier. But it's certainly disappointing that the entire game takes place indoors. I know this is a game about climbing a tower, but there came a point when I started to miss the green grass and fresh air of being outside.

For a genre so focused on the multiplayer experience, I found Tower of Guns to be a refreshing change of pace. It's not as deep as I would have liked and it becomes repetitive over time, but the idea has a lot of potential and this is a great first step. So grab your portable pizza oven and stock up on extra saw blades, because Tower of Guns is the most action-packed roguelike on the market.