Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree Review – Beautiful Art, Flawed Co-op

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a roguelike adventure game with cozy stylized art style in a distinct mystic realm having ancient forces with unseen dangers. You play as Towa who is the lead of the guardians of the sacred tree to Shinju Village from the Magatsu’s forces using your powerful swords.

The lands are infected with Magatsu’s forces, so you have to clean them on your quest to restore peace. The world is filled with lurking threats, your only way forward is through courage and fighting these dark forces. As Hitoshi Sakimoto’s melodies guide the way, a breathtaking yet untamed landscape unfolds where the fight to save Shinju Village begins

CO-OP Duo Combat System

Step into the role of Towa, the priestess of Shinju, who joins forces with eight loyal companions to face the looming threat of Magatsu. Battle side by side with a chosen guardian, wielding the legendary sacred sword (Tsurugi) or the mystical staff (Kagura). Each guardian brings their own unique skills and weapons, offering diverse combat styles and strategic pairings that make every fight feel different. Journey across vibrant worlds, conquer challenging dungeons, and rise against Magatsu’s forces to protect the Sacred Tree.

As the guardians embark on quests across shifting timelines, the village grows and changes with the passing years. Build lasting connections with its people, uncover their traditions, and immerse yourself in the stories that shape the village’s heart. Between adventures, you’ll be able to train at the dojo, call upon powerful Graces, and forge new swords at the smithy to strengthen your journey.

System Requirements

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i3-8100 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 / AMD Radeon R7 250
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 8 GB available space
• Notes: Designed for 1080p at 60 FPS on Low settings. Performance may vary in demanding scenes.

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i3-8100 / AMD Ryzen 3 3100
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon R7 250 / Nvidia GeForce GTX 650Ti / Intel Arc A310
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 8 GB available space
• Notes: Designed for 1080p at 60 FPS on High settings. Requires Windows 10 (Version 1809 or later) and a GPU with at least 4 GB VRAM for DirectX 12 API.

Community Feedback

The community response to Owa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree has been mixed, with praise directed at its style and creativity but criticism of its execution.

🌟 Positive Feedback

• Visuals & Style
  • Players find the game absolutely stunning, especially on Steam Deck (beautiful cutscenes, portraits, and environments).
  • Art style and Asian cultural influences are widely praised.
  • Character designs and interactions are charming, cute, and memorable.
• Voice Acting & Music
  • Full voice acting (Japanese especially) is appreciated and considered high quality.
  • Music is described as catchy and fitting.
• Combat & Characters
  • Once players get the hang of it, combat becomes fun, varied, and strategic.
  • Character diversity (fast vs. slow fighters, different strengths/weaknesses) keeps gameplay interesting.
  • Weapon forging/customization is a unique highlight not often seen in other games.
• Single-Player Experience
  • Many find it enjoyable and engaging as a solo game.
  • Comparisons to Hades and Cult of the Lamb are generally favorable.
  • Minigames, systems, and dojo/village-building elements add variety.

⚠️ Negative Feedback (Main Issues)

1. Multiplayer / Co-op Problems
   • Biggest complaint: Player 2 has almost no meaningful gameplay (reduced to a “turret” or cooldown role).
   • Feels like co-op was tacked on without thought—leaving players disappointed, especially those who bought it for multiplayer.
2. Too Many Systems, None Polished
   • Players say the game tries to do too much: village building, crafting, forging, upgrades, roguelike runs, etc.
   • Many mechanics feel half-baked, grindy, or confusing.
   • “Jack of all trades, master of none” is a common sentiment.
3. Combat Flow Issues
   • Overwhelming number of moves introduced too quickly.
   • Weapon durability/degradation system is frustrating (constantly forced to switch).
   • Some characters feel slow or clunky.
   • Lack of mouse aim makes ranged characters awkward.
   • Knockback and stunlock mechanics make combat too easy at times.
4. Story & Pacing
   • Story described as confusing, disjointed, and poorly paced.
   • Emotional beats (like losing characters) don’t carry weight.
   • Feels like the narrative shifted midway and left gaps.
5. Controls & UX
   • Default controller mappings are uncomfortable.
   • Some systems (forging, sword crafting) involve tedious QTE-like button presses.
6. Replayability & Progression
   • Some feel the roguelike loop lacks depth compared to Hades.
   • Grinding/upgrading doesn’t feel rewarding (characters vanish after runs).
   • Too long between runs—slows down replayability.
7. Price vs Value
   • Several players suggest the game isn’t worth full price in its current state.
   • Recommendation: wait for a 40–50% discount or future patches.

Player Comments

• “The art and music are beautiful, honestly feels like I’m watching an anime sometimes.”
• “Co-op is a joke. My friend basically just stood there as a turret while I did all the real gameplay.”
• “I like the forging system, but why do my weapons break so fast? It’s just annoying.”
• “Story skips around too much. The cutscenes look good, but I don’t care about the characters.”
• “Combat is flashy, but there are way too many moves to memorize early on. Takes a while to feel fun.”
• “Some enemies just get stunlocked to death, which makes fights kind of boring.”
• “This feels like 10 different systems mashed together. None of them are polished enough.”
• “Solo play is decent, but if you’re buying for co-op, don’t.”

In short, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a beautiful but uneven experience. Its art direction, music, and single-player combat provide plenty to admire, but its shallow multiplayer, overloaded systems, and clumsy storytelling hold it back. For many, the advice is clear: it’s worth a look if you enjoy stylish single-player ARPGs, but don’t buy it for the co-op, and consider waiting for a discount or updates if you’re unsure.

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