I wasn’t familiar with Atmos Games until fairly recently. The developer had a fairly consistent track record when it came to charming indie titles, with games like 2020’s Neversong and 2017’s Pinstripe blending mature storytelling with engaging platformer gameplay in effective, condensed packages.
It came as a shock to realize that they’re the very same developer behind 3D Realms’ Twisted Tower, a stark departure from their previous body of work in multiple ways. I had a vague memory of seeing the game’s initial announcement at 3D Realms’ very own Realms Deep showcase, but it must’ve slipped through the cracks.
Marking a simultaneous jump to 3D, overt horror, and first-person gameplay, Twisted Tower retains the same kind of twisted charm that defined Atmos’s previous games but in a whole new way. Seeing as how the game’s demo popped up during Steam Next Fest, I felt obligated to give it a shot. What I found was full of potential and a few areas for improvement.
Playing Twisted Tower
Twisted Tower wears its inspirations on its sleeves. It’s post-war London circa 1945. You play as Tiny Martin, a presumed veteran of the war who, during his service, lost the love of his life, Charlotte, due to the uncertainty of his eventual return. Tiny, naturally, drowns himself in a sea of booze and self-pity, with only a priceless ring and a shattered photograph of Charlotte to keep him company. That is, however, until he receives a mysterious invitation slipped through his door.
With the promise that his wildest dreams will come true, Tiny takes up the golden invitation to visit the titular Twisted Tower, a mysterious amusement park sequestered away on a remote island. First impressions aren’t great: the masked mascots on the isle are caked in blood and adorned with brutal weapons; the winding and twisting attractions are littered with traps and debris; and worst of all, the enigmatic proprietor of the park, Mr. Twister, seems to have a particular interest in Tiny. Things only take a turn for the worse when you realize what you’re ultimately climbing the tower for. It’s Charlotte, who’s revealed to be in captivity within the tower. Can Tiny overpower the many challenges that lie before him to save the woman for whom he still harbors feelings?
I was pretty happy with how quickly things kicked off. Not more than five minutes on the island, and you’re already bashing a mascot’s head in with a comically oversized mallet. Barely an hour in, you’re given a plethora of colorful, toy-themed weapons, along with a glowing grappling hook. It’s the kind of pacing that feels reminiscent of something like BioShock, down the way that you can revisit prior areas and interact with objects in the environment.
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According to an interview with GameRant, that was part of the intent. Everything, from how the game’s combat handles, to how the weapon upgrades are doled out, to even the way each floor of the tower can be revisited at key points, all hearkens back to 2K’s inspired FPS classic. Even the weapons themselves felt familiar. The hammer seemed like a cartoony stand-in for BioShock‘s pipe wrench, and both the revolver and machine gun you get within the demo are practically identical to the same guns you’d find in BioShock. With their own visual amusement park-themed flair, of course.
The game’s progression also presents some interesting twists, even in the limited demo. For one thing, Twisted Tower‘s levels aren’t necessarily randomized, but certain pathways and areas will be unavailable on a first playthrough. A subsequent playthrough will open these passageways up, allowing you to tackle brand-new challenges that freshen up what would’ve otherwise been an identical revisit. Likewise, loose tickets from broken balloons, boxes, and the bodies of enemies can be exchanged at a dedicated upgrade machine for better damage, better ammo capacity, and even additional firing modes for your weapons. An example you find early on allows you to charge up your melee attack for greater damage, for instance.
Otherwise, what you have here is a pretty standard first-person shooter. You’ll wander the Twisted Tower while battling monstrous mascots, occasionally hunting for keys and avoiding traps, and frequently visiting a central elevator that carries you to each floor of the tower. The atmosphere does admittedly elevate what would’ve been some bog-standard enemy encounters, but I can’t say I was blown away by what was going on in this particular department.
Should You Play Twisted Tower?
To be fair, there were a few things I didn’t necessarily like in the demo. Some of them are just inconveniences. Not being able to turn off vibration on my controller is one of them. Having to look more closely at an item to pick it up despite already having the prompt to do so is another. But I am a little concerned about how the game plays in other areas.
I do wish that combat had a bit more going on. Granted, a demo can only do so much, and its existence is meant to be just a taste of the full product. But having played a ton of games like this, it did feel a little too simple at points, with the enemy AI either running headlong into me or standing still just long enough for me to cap them. Thankfully, the trailer for the full game teases plenty more weapons, enemies, and environmental hazards to navigate around, which does assuage my concerns a bit.
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The grappling hook was certainly a bold decision as well. I can’t say I expected it, but I hope it leads to some interesting platforming sections or other engaging integrations since it’s given to you so early on. You can’t help but think that it’ll become a central mechanic. But that’s about it, really. Performance-wise, aside from some slight stuttering, things were pretty smooth throughout.
I had a decent amount of fun with Twisted Tower. It’s a game that seemingly has a clear idea of what it is, what it’s trying to do, and how it’s trying to go about it. Given that this is Atmos Games’ first fully-3D title, that’s really commendable. My overall impressions have been pretty positive so far, and I’m curious to see how Twisted Tower fares in its full release. Its story and overall presentation do seem to be its biggest strengths, and they’ll only become stronger with more time to flesh them out.
Twisted Tower will release on Steam in the near future. No concrete release date has been announced as of writing.
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