‘Towerborne’ is an action-RPG brawler from the makers of The Banner Saga | Engadget

Stoic Studio, makers of the tactical-RPG Banner Saga franchise, announced a new game today at the Summer Game Fest Xbox Showcase. Towerborne is an action-RPG brawler that appears to be a contrast to the studio’s previous work.

The game’s fantasy world reveals humanity hiding out in The Belfry, a massive tower overlooking a world overrun by monsters and other strange enemies. Gameplay appears to blend classic co-op brawling with strategy and RPG elements — all with a family-friendly feel. “We really wanted to make a game that we could play with our families, play at conventions — make it a sit-down-and-have-fun kind of experience,” Principal Game Designer Alex Thomas said in a blog post. “We all love and are inspired by classic beat ’em up games and wanted to make one with persistence, where we can continue to expand the features and the gameplay modes for as long as possible.”

Thomas says death for the game’s heroes (known as Aces) is a key element in Towerborne. Instead of dying and respawning as if nothing happened, your hero’s death plays into the storyline. “As an Ace, you’re a special force for good because you’re able to go out and face the most dangerous stuff, die, and then come back,” Thomas said. “We didn’t want to just gloss over it like a normal gameplay thing, but instead ask what that would be like for a group of people experiencing it. You’re not just doing it because you’re some kind of superhero, you’re doing it because you’re supporting this whole civilization during something of a cataclysm.”

Towerborne is a seasonal game, and the developers plan to add new content over time — while continuing to unfold the overarching narrative. “The premise that we’ve created revolves around how you can do a seasonal game that doesn’t feel artificial,” Thomas says. “How can you make a story where the content updates and the changes that happen to the gameplay feel like they’re intertwined with the world?”

Towerborne is an Xbox-published title that will arrive in 2024 on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox Game Pass and PC via Steam.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!