The Basics
Tower 57 is a twin stick retro inspired shooter that brings back memories of my childhood, where games were simpler, but far more difficult. You take your pick of various characters, shooting and exploring your way through a steampunk inspired universe. You choose from characters that all have their own various strengths and abilities to take advantage of, as you blast your way throughout myriad destructible environments packed full of strange creatures and vicious enemies.
Story and Flow
The setting is a world where mankind has been forced to live in giant sprawling towers that surge upwards towards the sky. You are recruited by the Ministry of Information to investigate growing reports of an invasion by the neighboring Tower 57. You'll fight through the game's various levels as you try to find out all the information that you can, while recruiting up to six characters that have various abilities, weapons and play styles, including a diplomat, a spy, a beggar and even a scientist. One of my favorites has to be the Don, as he has a wicked submachine gun, but he also gets a break at the various shops in the game. His special ability is for him to lose his temper and not only deal more damage, but become invincible for a short period of time as well.
The game can be played either single player or co-op, whether it's locally or online. A unique aspect of the game that adds a welcome layer to the combat is the limb damage system, where basically if you take too much damage to your legs, you will only be able to hobble around until the damage is repaired, leaving you more or less a sitting duck. You can also upgrade your legs to not only take more damage but to give you bonuses in combat, and trust me, you're going to need every edge you can get, because this game gets tough. Guns and gadgets that can be found throughout the game are upgradeable as well, which will give you a leg up on the many enemies plaguing the levels of this tower. The story has a few twists and turns, and in the end it's a great, sinister plot that has a solid payoff.
Graphics and Sound
The graphics in this game would be considered retro, however, it's a stylish retro. The unique art style that is in this game really make some of the levels stand out, and they really get a lot of graphical mileage out of what they're working with, since Tower 57 is not only available on Steam and consoles, but on the Amiga as well! Yes, you heard that right; this game was released for a computer that is over 30 years old! The sound is also pretty stellar as well, keeping with the retro styled theme of the game, taking you back to a simpler time when games didn’t focus on slick graphics, but on solid, addicting gameplay.
