Decks, Enemies, and an Unbreakable Barrier
Guardians of Holme
Platform:Â PC
Developer:Â Odencat
Publisher:Â Odencat
Release date:Â December 13th, 2023
Price:Â $12.99 via digital download
Availability:Â Steam
Defense Grid 2 was the ultimate tower defense game for almost a decade. DG2’s dominance has been challenged by a number of brands in the last ten years, including Bloons and Kingdom Rush. However, developer Hidden Path Entertainment’s design withstood every attempt at conquest, echoing the power of the game’s meteor turrets. Defense Grid 2’s weapon balancing may not please everyone, but it still stands out for its stunning graphics, controller support, and hilariously campy voice acting.
Guardians of Holme by MossTech Studio is undoubtedly one of DG2’s strongest rivals, despite a few lingering issues after six months in Steam’s Early Access program. This proficiency stems from the deft integration of two inspirations. Defending against invaders channels the furious mayhem of Orcs Must Die!, going beyond a roguelike deck management system for your defensive armament!
Eliminate Demon Abuse
Guardians of Holme is aware that inflicting great pain may be a satisfying experience. Choose one of three characters to start a run with: Horus the alchemist, Nicole, who uses magic, or Seth, who sets traps. Each has unique starting decks, biases, and starting stats, giving Holme a strong gameplay for those who enjoy variety.
Whichever option you choose, Holme allows you to unleash a ton of virtual violence as you guide opponents along hallways where they will likely be battered, spiked, and burnt before maybe being sent by one of Seth’s launchers into an endless chasm.
A Mostly Even Battle
Holme is pleasantly generous, in contrast to most games where you’re hardly provided enough resources to build a few structures at the beginning of the round. When building multiple turrets, there isn’t any of that awful in-game inflation, and it is possible to obtain a card that raises your initial wage and offers a charity discount.
Interestingly, you can sell the pre-existing defenses in some stages to raise extra money. And you will occasionally have to. Holme doesn’t always speak up about impending difficulties right now. Thus, it’s simple to be unprepared for the appearance of a new opponent spawn spot or the addition of aerial enemies to replace ground-based ones. Another minor problem is that adversaries with health regeneration can be annoying because they keep dodging all the harm you can deal. From time to time, the persist like a relentless annoyance, trapped in a Sisyphean cycle of retribution and recovery after all of their comrades have perished.
There is nowhere like Holme.
That being said, a pleasant feeling of autonomy is among the game’s best features. Holme’s landscapes are randomly generated, so you may modify enemy walking routes by removing obstacles and spotting possible new paths that your opponents might take, as opposed to following linear routes over static stages. Additionally, you are able to place towers practically anywhere you choose after you have created a suitable death path. The only restriction is that floor- and wall-based defenses must be positioned on the corresponding portions of the environment, but considering the scale of the stages, this is not a problem.
Not surprisingly, tower synergy is still a critical tactic for success. You should definitely fight monsters hard after they emerge from the main gate in order to weaken their defenses and thin out dense processions into more controllable numbers. Beyond that crucial move, though, Holme allows you to play around with opponents, coming up with unique strategies to slow them down and deal maximum damage. One of the draws of a good tower defense game has always been the ability to create your own murderous assembly line, and Holme does a good job at handling this essential.
Hope for Newcomers
When it comes to deck management, the title is also really clever because you almost never find yourself in a scenario where you feel duped. Shuffles that aren’t entirely random are somewhat to blame for that feeling. For example, you will nearly always have a couple blockades in your hand, ready to go, before the initial wave begins. Every character starts with inexpensive defenses that have surprising effectiveness. Fortunately, a beginning budget does not start you with a deck full of expensive, ineffectual cards.
Naturally, you can upgrade your deck in the long term. Branching routes allow you to choose new defenses, strengthen your current defenses, and buy additional cards or perks with earned currency as you progress through a run. You will also from time to time have the chance to restore your health or face some “Choose Your Own Adventure” type problems. These incidents lessen the sense that Holme is a series of challenges, which is a common source of boredom for tower defense games.
Opposing the Demon King in Three
Guardians of Holme features some rough edges in addition to a few balancing difficulties. Steam Deck play is possible thanks to controller compatibility, however it might be preferable to map zoom to the right analog stick by default rather than the directional pad. Furthermore, the cartoonish, cell-shaded visual style of the game appears less polished on larger screens, even though it still looks decent on smaller screens. Currently, certain defensive boosters only slightly enhance weapon balance, which makes it hard to justify their cost. Lastly, you might want to go elsewhere if exposition is what you’re expecting. Holme’s account of a rebellion by disgruntled followers of a defunct Demon King has the air of a high-fantasy formula.
Thankfully, the majority of these infractions are forgiven, particularly in light of the game’s affordable price. Tower defense fans could be entertained for around 30 to 40 hours with this game. Fans of the genre could certainly take that a step further by developing the three characters’ powers. Even if Holme isn’t as good as Defense Grid 2, it’s still one of the greatest tower defense games released in recent memory.
The review code for Guardians of Holme was obtained from the publisher and used on a PC.
Review Overview
Gameplay – 80%
Controls – 70%
Aesthetics – 75%
Content – 85%
Accessibility – 80%
Value – 85%
79%
GOOD!
Summary :Â With the cruel, dehumanizing Orcs Must Die! Guardians of Holme isn’t like other tower defense games because of its versatility and the collectible card game style. Rather, this title has an advantage over its competitors due to a fair dose of liberty and a steady stream of rewards.