Twisted Tower is a compact indie horror FPS that combines colourful 1950s design with fast, aggressive shooting. Its Art Deco environments may recall BioShock, but the action is closer to a modern boomer shooter, with unsettling enemies, frequent scares and a surprisingly affecting story.
You play as Vincent, a young man who has recently become engaged to Charlotte, a film enthusiast. Her favourite movie is The Twisted Tower, widely regarded as the greatest film ever made. Its director built a strange amusement park celebrating that movie and his less successful work, but the attraction has since fallen into disrepair.
Vincent’s rescue mission begins when Charlotte is abducted by the director and his henchmen. To reach her, he must climb through the decaying tower, battling hostile mascots and murderous toys with an unusual arsenal. Conventional weapons such as pistols and shotguns sit alongside giant hammers, gumballs and slingshots.
A focused horror shooter
The campaign takes roughly four hours to complete. During that time, letters and audio recordings reveal more about Vincent, his family and his relationship with Charlotte. Those discoveries give the straightforward setup greater emotional weight, leading to a finale with an enjoyable twist.
The tower itself is the game’s strongest feature. Its bright but dilapidated Art Deco corridors are filled with period-style signs, advertisements and theatrical details. The visual language has a familiar immersive-sim flavour, while the combat keeps moving at a much faster pace.
That focus suits a game made by a very small team, largely led by one developer. And this tiny team has delivered a confident shooter without burying it under unnecessary systems. For more coverage of games and hardware, visit RETROCADE’s arcade blog.
Weapons with plenty of impact
Each firearm feels distinct and satisfying. The starting pistol handles weaker foes, including the bizarre telephone toys that pursue Vincent, but becomes less effective as the campaign progresses. The shotgun can clear a room with ease, although its slow reload and limited range make weapon selection important in larger encounters.
When ammunition or distance becomes a problem, Vincent can resort to a large wooden clown mallet. It is an entertainingly direct solution, particularly when enemies get too close. Players who enjoy unconventional shooters may also want to explore RETROCADE’s range of arcade light guns and shooting-game hardware.
Simple upgrades, mixed results
Tickets collected during exploration can be spent at vending machines on weapon improvements. The upgrade system is deliberately light, with useful choices such as increased ammunition capacity and improved damage.
Other enhancements add alternative firing modes, but these are less convincing. Several felt ineffective enough that they were not worth the cost, making the upgrade machines the least compelling part of the game.
Fortunately, the default weapons remain strong enough to carry the campaign. I completed the standard difficulty without too many deaths and enjoyed the pace, even when sudden scares and enemy ambushes interrupted the shooting.
Clowns everywhere
Clowns are not a minor theme in Twisted Tower. They appear repeatedly throughout the adventure, including in an entire level devoted to them. Anyone with a serious fear of clowns should approach this one cautiously.
For everyone else, the game turns that discomfort into darkly comic target practice. Using a marble launcher against a screen full of hostile clowns is absurd, but also remarkably satisfying.
Verdict
Twisted Tower is not the most frightening or groundbreaking horror shooter available, and its animations can be rough around the edges. It does, however, offer a polished and energetic four-hour campaign with memorable art direction, punchy weapons and a story that lands better than expected.
If you can handle jump scares, creepy toys and an abundance of evil clowns, Twisted Tower is a strong choice for a short horror session. It is available now on Steam. If the game inspires an interest in arcade hardware, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide can help with choosing a suitable setup, while arcade machines offer larger dedicated play spaces.
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