Toren
Release Date: May 12, 2015
Adventure, TPP, puzzle elements, indie games, action adventure, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
Set in a fairy tale-like world, Toren is an action game developed by Swordtales, an indie studio from Brazil. We play as a princess who was imprisoned in a tower, and our job is to escape. That task may not be as easy as one might think. We will have to face many obstacles, from platform elements to battles with various tough enemies. However, a flying dragon-like creature is our biggest opponent here. It tries to keep us inside the tower.
Toren is an action adventure game with a poetic fairy tale atmosphere to it. It was developed by Swordtales, an independent Brazilian development studio.
We assume the role of a young princess trapped inside a great tower. Our task is to help her escape that place of imprisonment. During the campaign, another tale of a lone knight travelling through a desert land to the very same tower is being told at the same time. The storyline revolves around a long poem and, by the means of gameplay, takes on such themes as searching for the meaning of life and the inexorable passage of time.
As far as gameplay mechanics are concerned, Toren is a standard action adventure game, similar style-wise to ICO or The Legend of Zelda. During the game, we mostly explore and solve puzzles. There are also lots of arcade elements – getting to some places requires skills typically associated with platformer games. In the course of the campaign, we will be forced to fight every now and then, and since the princess isn’t a trained warrior, each combat encounter will pose a challenge.
The tower has its guardian, a fierce dragon, who constantly tries to stop the princess from escaping her prison. The beast ensures the everlasting feeling of immediate danger, and tries to slow our progress at every step. We can’t actually defeat him, and every time we manage to trick him, we only buy ourselves some additional time.
Last updated on August 14, 2015
Videos and Screens
[1:38] Toren preorder trailer
[1:36] Toren trailer #2
Destructoid: 6 / 10 by Chris Carter
Toren is a very cool concept that's held back by its rough presentation, especially on the PC platform. Truth be told though, I think developer Swordtales should keep making games and simply refine its touch, as the studio clearly has the knack for it.
COGconnected: 63 / 100 by Nicholas Plouffe
For now, Toren is suited for someone looking for a story-centric game for the weekend, a younger audience looking for an easier game, or anyone looking at getting into game design. This game is a great example of what you can hope to accomplish early on, and should act as a great portfolio piece for anyone involved. It's worth the $11 though just barely, and will delight anyone looking for a great art style to enjoy as they sort of mindlessly solve simple problems.
God is a Geek: 9 / 10 by Dan Murphy
A beautiful and thought provoking exploration into so many different ideas on life, which can be completed in one joyous, yet bewildering, sitting.
Toren Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 4
Developer: Swordtales
Publisher: Versus Evil
Toren System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Dual Core 2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 256 MB GeForce 8600 GT or better, 3 GB HDD, Windows 7/8
Recommended: Intel Core i5-750 2.6 GHz/AMD Phenom X4 955 3.2 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB GeForce GTX 480/Radeon HD 5870 or better, 3 GB HDD, Windows 7/8.1
PlayStation 4
Supports: PlayStation Network