Towaga: Among Shadows review

In Towaga: Among Shadows, players, as a nameless protagonist, will need to learn to master the light as they prepare for the final battle and save their tribe from annihilation at the hands of true evil; Metnal. Are you up for the challenge?

Towaga: Among Shadows is a 2D action game where players are limited in movement. You’re tasked to killing every enemy barring down on you, but the catch is, most of the levels, you can’t move except aiming your firepower towards the incoming threats. Thankfully, you can continuously fire so there’s no need for button mashing as you use the right joystick or worrying about running out of juice. Seeing as you can’t dodge, enemy projectiles can be destroyed with your attacks.

And yes, sometimes it can become overwhelming due to the number of enemies barring down on your position, but this is where your magical powers come in handy. At first, you start with a simple repel attack which gives you some room to breathe. But as you progress through the game’s levels, you’ll unlock additional attacks such as a freeze attack which will temporarily freeze enemies caught in the way of the freeze attack.

Killed enemies will drop shards which can be used to upgrade not only the various special attacks that you’ll uncover throughout this unique adventure but can also be used to upgrade your default attack by either increasing damage or the ray’s width; among other upgrades that will give you a chance to survive later levels and boss battles.

While more often than not, you’ll be stuck in the same spot while firing at enemies, some levels will have you fly around and shooting down enemies coming from all sides. This is definitely one of the game’s best features; as it gives players movement. The only issue with these sections is that you cannot use your special skills; meaning you have to do like Muhammad Ali and float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Once you’re done with Story mode, you can tackle additional modes such as Survival, Flying and the Void Touch. There’s also some multiplayer goodness to be had.

The game’s biggest problem is that most levels, you can’t move. It makes it feel tedious and boring just standing there and moving around the right joystick. I can only dream of the possibilities of what could’ve been an amazing and challenging action-platformer akin to Rayman Legends for example. Thankfully the shmups like levels add a layer of variety to the otherwise monotonous gameplay.

Towaga: Among Shadows’ presentation features a unique visual, beautifully designed visuals that can be reminiscent of Disney’s animated movies. It’s crisp, clear, bright and colorful; definitely types of visuals you don’t see every day. The soundtrack is barely noticeable; it does feel Disney inspired, but it’s not as memorable.

As a whole, Towaga: Among Shadows is a unique and interesting 2D action game. It’s easy to pick up and play, yet it feels challenging despite its simple premise. It’s also one of the most unique looking and beautifully designed, visually, indie game. The main problem here is the lack of movement in most levels which can make it feel unexciting and tedious. Perfect in short bursts, Towaga: Among Shadows is definitely a game to have on your radar.