Tavernacle!

Tavernacle! is a frenetic tower defense game that will appeal to fans of the genre looking for chaotic dwarf-themed action. As a lone dwarf tasked with protecting your underground brewery from invading monsters, you must gather resources and build up defenses to keep the beer flowing. With its charming visuals and emphasis on co-op survival, Tavernacle! delivers a unique take on the tower defense genre.

At its core, Tavernacle! is about gathering resources and using them to construct the ultimate monster-repelling fortress. The game throws you into procedurally generated maps ranging from forests to mines to lava-filled caverns. Here you'll find the wood, stone, and iron needed to build an array of towers, traps, turrets, and explosives. Unlike more complex tower defense games, Tavernacle! keeps things simple - no convoluted upgrade trees or skill points. Just collect basic resources and use them to plop down defenses.

Staying Alive in the Age of Monster Sieges

Where Tavernacle! succeeds is in its chaotic defense scenarios. As you progress, monsters arrive in larger numbers and increasingly burly varieties. Positioning your towers to maximize coverage while also anticipating new spawn points becomes critical. Knowing when to repair defenses versus going on resource gathering runs is key to survival. The frantic action as you run around with your dwarf compatriots gives Tavernacle! an enjoyable, cooperative personality compared to solo-focused tower defense titles.

Charm in Spades...and Pints

While Tavernacle! brings little innovation to the genre, its setting and personality add plenty of charm. The visuals do an excellent job capturing the subterranean dwarven world, over-flowing with stockpiles of ore and rivers of ale. The dwarves themselves are full of boisterous personality. Their grunts and shouts, not to mention incessant quaffing, liven up the experience. The soundtrack fits perfectly, with rollicking pub tunes to accompany the chaos. While Tavernacle! doesn't take itself seriously, it succeeds admirably at immersing you in its world.

For all its dwarven charm, Tavernacle! does suffer from some repetitive mission design. Many scenarios involve defending an objective from set waves of enemies. A lack of mission variety can make Tavernacle feel monotonous at times, especially in drawn out levels. The procedurally generated maps also tend to feel samey after a while. More distinct biomes and random events would've gone a long way to keeping each playthrough feeling fresh.

Review: 7/10

While its single player suffers a bit from repetition, Tavernacle! really shines as a co-op experience. Playing with 1-3 other dwarves adds new depths of chaotic fun. Frantically gathering resources, debating tower placement, and fending off monster sieges creates memorable moments. The unlockable dwarven classes also complement each other nicely, allowing for different defensive strategies. Overall, playing cooperatively is when Tavernacle! delivers the most laughs.

Pros:

• Chaotic cooperative survival scenarios
• Charming dwarven aesthetic and humor
• Accessible tower defense mechanics

Cons:

• Repetitive level design
• Limited mission variety
• Forgettable single player mode