Arnie Jorgensen, a veteran developer with experience in Star Wars Galaxies and Knights of the Old Republic, has stepped outside the galaxy far, far away to craft a new kind of experience. Towerborne, launching later in 2024, blends roguelike elements with MMO inspiration to create a dynamic world that reacts to players and unfolds over seasons.
Jorgensen describes Towerborne to GamesRadar as a “hack-and-slash roguelike-meets-lore-driven MMO” set in a vibrant post-apocalyptic world. Players take on the role of Aces, humanity’s last stand against monstrous forces, venturing out from the towering Belfry to face procedurally generated challenges and uncover the game’s evolving story. It seems really action-packed, especially compared to Star Wars Galaxies.
The key feature Jorgensen highlights is the ever-changing world. Inspired by his MMO experience, he aims to bridge the gap between player feedback and developer updates, allowing the world map, enemies, lore, and even gameplay modes to adapt and expand based on player interaction. He refers to it as somewhat of a candy store approach to world design, promising constant surprises and fresh discoveries for players who delve deeper into Towerborne’s mysteries.
“I think of the world map as a candy store for the players. It’s something that they can explore and be delighted with as they stumble upon its secrets. I’ve worked for over a decade on MMOs and it’s always been the Holy Grail of development to be able to take the feedback from players and then nimbly react with updates that legitimately change the game.”
Arnie Jorgensen
Beyond the evolving world, the core gameplay loop revolves around fast-paced combat with four distinct weapon classes, each offering unique playstyles and upgrade paths. Permadeath and procedurally generated levels ensure high replayability, while seasonal content and a persistent Belfry hub provide a sense of community and progression. Players can tackle the challenges solo or team up in couch or online co-op, adding to the game’s social appeal.
I haven’t heard of many MMOs that go the roguelike route, but it’s a very interesting blend. However, since there are cheaters who will make the game worse, having a permanent death system would feel incredibly unfair. Jorgensen never mentioned how they would deal with that situation – which happens in every game – but I am sure it will come up in a Roguelike.
Whether Towerborne can successfully bring Roguelike to MMO remains to be seen, but it’s an ambitious vision. I’d guess a seasoned developer would be the perfect person to get this done.