Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree—A Mouthful to Say, But a Blast to Play

Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree was my first appointment at Summer Game Fest 2025, and I was pretty happy to start off with something light and genuinely fun. The appointment was “unannounced roguelite” until the SGF showcase, which is always a gamble, but Bandai Namco never steers me wrong, so I jumped in head first, and I am pretty excited to see more.

The game follows Towa, the “Child of the Gods,” who must gather eight Guardians to protect Shinju Village from an evil god named Magatsu. While Bandai Namco gave us the world’s quickest rundown on the gameplay and a bit of the lore, being thrown into a lesson and a demo all within 30 minutes left me with more questions than answers. But here’s what I do know: Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree has the potential to be a fast-paced and in-depth roguelite that keeps you coming back for more.

As mentioned, I got the fast-and-dirty version of Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, and I was launched... Read more