Welcome to another story of how I discovered a game at a convention. In July, I attended Anime Expo 2025, where I was invited to tour the Bandai Namco Entertainment booth. One of the titles I had the chance to demo was Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree. Although it was a short preview, it provided a clear sense of what to expect and secured the game a spot on my list of anticipated releases.

Flash forward to September with the full game now available, and it’s better than I could have imagined it.

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a roguelike adventure that puts players in the role of Towa, a priestess of Shinju who has to lead the Guardians on a quest to save their village from Magatsu’s evil influence. Players will explore distant and mystical lands where beauty hides danger, and only courage can carry you forward.

The First Sacred Rite

Towa is a priestess of Shinju tasked with safeguarding a mystical realm from Magstsu, a malevolent force spreading chaos across the land. Armed with the Sword of Ablution and the Staff of Divination, she summons eight guardians to aid her in battle. However, in the final battle, Towa and the Guardians are defeated by Magstsu and forced to begin anew. Players must now start from scratch as they embark on a journey to defeat Magstsu once and for all.

The story is one of those narratives that establishes the tone of the overall experience while giving purpose to your actions. Everything you need to know about the world and its conflicts is presented at the very beginning. That isn’t to say the story lacks meaning. While its purpose is clear from the start, much of the narrative focuses on interacting with each of the eight Guardians. Each character brings a unique personality and background to the experience, enriching the world and giving you greater motivation to press on and ultimately vanquish Magstsu.

A Journey Begins

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is an action roguelike infused with RPG elements. Before each stage, players select two characters: one to serve as the Tsurugi and the other as the Kagura. The Tsurugi takes the lead as the main character, while the Kagura provides crucial support in battle. Each character offers a unique combat style and support abilities, encouraging players to choose the duo that best suits their playstyle. Combat blends hack-and-slash action with the strategic use of special moves and magic. However, players must also rotate between swords, as each blade dulls over time and only regains its strength after being swapped out for another.

No two playthroughs will feel the same, as each level begins with a linear path before branching into players chosen routes. The next stage might pit you against tougher enemies, present a unique challenge, or grant a much needed moment of rest for your characters. These routes won’t come as a surprise either, as they’re clearly marked, so choose wisely whether to press forward into battle or take the chance to heal before the next fight. Regardless of the path taken, the stage will end with a massive boss fight that will put your skills to the test.

After every victory or defeat, you’ll return to the village, which offers its own objectives. Here, you can forge new swords using collected resources or enhance specific skills. The village also provides an excellent opportunity to train with each character, allowing you to refine strategies before your next run.

Off on an Adventure

During my preview and in conversations at Anime Expo 2025, the game was often compared to Hades. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to play Hades myself, so I can’t use it as a basis for comparison. Instead, I’m approaching Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree with a fresh perspective.

That said, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree captured my attention at Anime Expo 2025 with its striking visual style. It blends anime inspired designs for characters and environments with traditional Japanese art influences in the backgrounds. Playing it at home, I really got a better look and a stronger appreciation for the style. The combination works seamlessly, creating a cohesive and enchanting world. This mixed art style brings the mystical realm to life, filled with a cast of memorable characters and endearing support villagers, making exploration and interaction feel both magical and rewarding.

Helping bring this world to life is a musical score that perfectly sets each moment. I noticed its impact while playing the demo, and I expect it will resonate even more when experiencing the full game.

I’ll note that if you haven’t played Hades, like me, don’t worry as the game is easy to learn. Most combat mechanics are explained at the start, and even if you skip them, they’re intuitive enough to figure out on your own. This makes the experience accessible and enjoyable for gamers of all skill levels.

Revenge is Sweet

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a game that is fun to play, but it also has some shortcomings that hold it back. The biggest issues were the weapons forging minigame being unnecessarily tedious and the imbalanced difficulty throughout the game.

The first issue involves the weapon forging minigame. One of the game’s unique features is a minigame that lets players forge weapons using collected resources. In theory, this is a great idea, but the execution leaves much to be desired. The process is tedious, involving multiple steps and actions, which can feel like busywork or even discourage players from upgrading their weapons if they find it frustrating. The second issue is the unbalanced difficulty. The game’s overall difficulty lacks balance, shifting suddenly from very easy to ridiculously difficult. These spikes occur without warning or buildup, making the challenge feel abrupt and unpredictable rather than gradually escalating.

Despite these shortcomings, they shouldn’t deter you from giving the game a chance, as it’s still fun to play.

Here I Come

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is a roguelike adventure that takes players on a mythical journey with a collection of memorable warriors. It will grab your attention with its artistic style and a soundtrack that knows how to set the moment. The game is easy to learn, and no adventure is going to feel the same. While it does have its shortcomings, most of them can be forgiven in the long run.

Disclaimer: The publisher, through a PR representative, provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree (PC)

8

Excellent

8.0/10

Pros

  • Its artistic blend of traditional Japanese art and anime will get your attention.
  • Easy to understand story that is rich with amazing characters.
  • Easy to learn gameplay and combat mechanics.

Cons

  • Weapons forging minigame being unnecessarily tedious.
  • Imbalanced difficulty spikes through out the game.

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