Lucky Tower Ultimate Review

Lucky Tower Ultimate is a roguelike like no other—one that puts humour, absurdity, and narrative twists at the forefront. Developed by Studio Seufz and published by AMC Games, this PC title places you in the iron boots of Von Wanst, a narcissistic and bumbling knight with more ego than brains. Trapped within a mysterious, ever-changing tower, Von Wanst’s only goal is to escape, floor by floor, door by door. But in Lucky Tower Ultimate, escape isn’t as simple as choosing the right path. Every floor presents a new challenge, with deadly traps, monstrous enemies, and unexpected allies waiting behind each door.

The game’s unique blend of rogue-like elements and narrative humour sets it apart from others in the genre. With each run, players are treated to new story beats, interactions, and outcomes that keep the adventure feeling fresh even after multiple attempts. The core mechanics may be familiar to roguelike fans—procedurally generated levels, challenging combat, and the ever-present threat of permadeath—but Lucky Tower Ultimate wraps these mechanics in a charmingly goofy package that makes even failure feel like part of the fun.

As Von Wanst stumbles through each level, making decisions that range from questionable to outright disastrous, players are treated to a barrage of witty dialogue, unexpected encounters, and moments of slapstick comedy. It’s a game where success and survival are as likely as failure and hilarity, creating a balance that keeps players engaged and entertained. But does Lucky Tower Ultimate deliver a roguelike experience worthy of its titular luck? Let’s dive into the tower’s depths and find out.

Setting and Story

Lucky Tower Ultimate is set within the confines of the titular Lucky Tower, a mysterious and seemingly endless structure where each floor holds its bizarre surprises. The tower’s origins are shrouded in mystery, but for the unlucky souls trapped within, including our “hero” Von Wanst, it’s less a question of why the tower exists and more a question of how to escape its twisted halls. The game’s setting blends medieval fantasy elements with a heavy dose of absurd humour, creating an unpredictable and refreshingly offbeat world.

At the heart of the game is Von Wanst, a narcissistic knight with a flair for the dramatic and a severe lack of self-awareness. Clad in armour that’s more style than substance, he approaches every challenge with the confidence of someone who believes they’re destined for greatness—despite constant evidence to the contrary. Von Wanst is not your typical noble knight; he’s rude, self-serving, and prone to making hilariously poor decisions. This personality makes his journey through the tower a delight as players guide him through choices that often end in disaster, hilarity, or a surprising victory.

The story unfolds through a mix of player choice and random encounters, with each floor offering a chance to dive deeper into the tower’s lore—or at least to see what strange surprises the game has in store. Von Wanst’s interactions with the tower’s denizens range from prisoners looking for a way out to bizarre creatures that challenge his (and the player’s) wits. Some characters might join Von Wanst’s escape attempt, adding new layers of dialogue and banter as the player progresses. In contrast, others are likelier to set up elaborate traps or provide cryptic (often useless) advice.

The narrative is driven by a series of choices that players make as they navigate the tower. On each floor, Von Wanst decides between three doors, each potentially leading to something beneficial, dangerous, or utterly absurd. Behind one door, he might find a monstrous beast ready to attack, while another might hide a treasure chest filled with loot—or a practical joke at Von Wanst’s expense. This setup keeps players on their toes, as every decision can turn a promising run into a frantic fight for survival or a slapstick moment of failure.

The humour in Lucky Tower Ultimate is a critical element of its storytelling. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, revelling in moments of absurdity and unexpected twists. Whether it’s a room filled with nonsensical riddles, a melodramatic confrontation with an overly friendly monster, or Von Wanst’s constant monologues about his own supposed greatness, the game’s story is designed to keep players smiling even as they struggle to survive. The result is a narrative that blends the tension of a roguelike with the lighthearted charm of a comedy, making every encounter feel like a potential punchline.

As Von Wanst continues his ascent (or descent, depending on how you look at it), players gradually uncover more about the tower’s strange inhabitants and the forces that may be pulling the strings behind the scenes. While the story retains its focus on humour, hints of a more profound mystery are within the tower’s ever-shifting walls. Characters drop cryptic hints about the tower’s origins, and occasional glimpses into Von Wanst’s backstory provide moments of unexpected depth. These narrative threads add a sense of intrigue to the game, giving players a reason to keep pushing forward even after their umpteenth encounter with a room full of fire-breathing chickens.

Overall, the setting and story of Lucky Tower Ultimate strike a perfect balance between the ridiculous and the mysterious, creating a world that feels both inviting and unpredictable. It’s a place where humour and danger go hand in hand, where every choice might lead to a discovery—or an embarrassingly swift demise. For players willing to embrace its silliness, the tower becomes a place of endless surprises, with Von Wanst’s misadventures providing plenty of laughs along the way.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Lucky Tower Ultimate blends the core mechanics of a roguelike with a heavy dose of humour and narrative choice, creating a gameplay loop that feels familiar and refreshingly unique. The game is centred around exploration, decision-making, and survival as players guide Von Wanst through the ever-shifting floors of the mysterious Lucky Tower. True to the roguelike genre, each run presents players with procedurally generated levels, unpredictable encounters, and the constant threat of permadeath. Still, the absurd twists and comedic elements give Lucky Tower Ultimate its distinct charm.

Choice-Based Exploration:

At the heart of the gameplay is Von Wanst’s journey through the tower, where every floor presents him with three doors to choose from. Each door leads to a new room filled with surprises—some helpful, some deadly, and others purely ridiculous. Players are constantly faced with decisions that affect the outcome of their run. Will they choose the left door leading to a treasure room? Or will they go right and end up in a trap-filled corridor crawling with monsters?

The element of choice is a defining feature of Lucky Tower Ultimate, and it’s not always clear which door will lead to safety or doom. The unpredictability of each floor ensures that no two runs are the same, with players constantly second-guessing their decisions. Sometimes, the right choice is based on sheer luck, while other times, players may pick up on subtle clues or patterns to guide their choices. This mechanic keeps the game fresh, as each decision brings new surprises, ranging from battles to bizarre puzzles to narrative-driven interactions.

Roguelike Combat and Survival:

Combat in Lucky Tower Ultimate is fast-paced and often chaotic. Von Wanst faces off against various enemies ranging from monstrous creatures to comically absurd adversaries. Players must rely on a mix of strategy and quick reflexes to survive, using the weapons and items they find along the way. While Von Wanst starts with primary weapons, such as a sword or shield, more powerful equipment can be seen as players progress, giving them an edge against more challenging foes.

Combat is straightforward, with basic attacks, dodges, and defensive moves, but the unpredictable nature of the game keeps players on their toes. Enemies often have unique attack patterns and weaknesses, forcing players to adapt their strategies on the fly. Environmental hazards—such as spike traps, fire pits, or falling debris—can turn even a simple fight into a frantic scramble for survival. The combat system is accessible and easy to pick up, but the challenge ramps up as players delve deeper into the tower.

One of the roguelike elements that Lucky Tower Ultimate handles particularly well is the sense of progression between runs. While permadeath is a genre staple, the game offers persistent upgrades and unlockables that carry over between attempts. Players can unlock new weapons, abilities, and companions that give them a better chance of success on future runs. This progression system adds a layer of long-term strategy, encouraging players to experiment with different playstyles and choices to optimize their chances of escaping the tower.

Narrative-Driven Encounters:

What sets Lucky Tower Ultimate apart from other roguelikes is its emphasis on humour and narrative. Each floor is filled with narrative-driven encounters that often play out like mini-stories, with Von Wanst interacting with prisoners, monsters, and other oddball characters. These encounters are usually the game’s highlight, as they add a layer of unpredictability and comedy to the gameplay. For instance, players might stumble upon a fellow prisoner who offers to join their escape party, only to discover that the new ally is more of a hindrance than a help. Other encounters might involve solving nonsensical riddles or navigating absurd challenges, such as a room filled with fire-breathing chickens or a maze of invisible walls.

Lucky Tower Ultimate shines in these narrative moments, as the writing is sharp, witty, and often laugh-out-loud funny. Von Wanst’s over-the-top personality is on full display in these scenes, with the knight reacting to each new situation with either bravado or cluelessness. Players’ choices in these encounters can lead to wildly different outcomes, with some decisions resulting in helpful rewards while others might trigger disastrous (but hilarious) consequences.

In addition to the main story-driven encounters, plenty of random events and environmental storytelling elements are scattered throughout the tower. Players might encounter cryptic messages scrawled on the walls, bizarre traps left by previous escapees, or even hidden lore about the tower’s mysterious origins. These moments help to flesh out the world and add a layer of intrigue to the game’s otherwise comedic tone.

Permadeath and Replayability:

Like any good roguelike, Lucky Tower Ultimate features permadeath, meaning that once Von Wanst dies, players must start over from the beginning of the tower. However, the game’s unpredictable nature and narrative diversity make each run feel fresh, encouraging players to try new approaches and experiment with different strategies. Randomizing floors, encounters, and item drops ensures that no two playthroughs are identical, adding to the game’s replayability.

While death can be frustrating, Lucky Tower Ultimate softens the blow by allowing players to unlock permanent upgrades that carry over between runs. These upgrades might include better-starting weapons, increased health, or new abilities that make future attempts more manageable. Players can also unlock new characters and companions to join Von Wanst on his quest, each with unique abilities and playstyles. This progression system provides a sense of long-term accomplishment, even when individual runs fail.

Humour and Absurdity as Core Gameplay:

What truly sets Lucky Tower Ultimate apart from other roguelikes is its embrace of humour as a core gameplay element. The game reveals its absurdity, with each floor offering new opportunities for slapstick comedy, witty dialogue, and ridiculous scenarios. Whether it’s Von Wanst getting trapped in an overly elaborate (and completely avoidable) trap or facing off against an enemy that seems more interested in cracking jokes than fighting, the game constantly finds ways to subvert expectations and keep players laughing.

Even in moments of failure, Lucky Tower Ultimate makes death entertaining rather than frustrating. The game’s roguelike mechanics are cleverly intertwined with its comedic narrative, creating a gameplay loop that feels lighthearted and engaging, even when players are repeatedly sent back to square one.

Graphics and Sound

Lucky Tower Ultimate brings its absurd and humour-driven narrative to life with a visual and audio presentation that perfectly matches its offbeat tone. The game’s art style and sound design work hand in hand to create an atmosphere as quirky as it is immersive, drawing players into a world where the unpredictable is the norm, and every encounter is laced with a touch of the surreal.

Whimsical Art Style:

The game’s visuals are a delightful blend of cartoonish charm and medieval fantasy, rendered in a colourful, hand-drawn, playful, expressive style. Characters, including the hilariously overconfident Von Wanst, are designed with exaggerated features that perfectly capture their larger-than-life personalities. Von Wanst’s puffed-up chest, perpetually smug grin, and clunky armour immediately communicate his misguided sense of grandeur. At the same time, the various creatures and allies he encounters are equally full of visual character.

The environments of Lucky Tower Ultimate are crafted with the same sense of whimsy. Each floor of the tower is uniquely designed, with different visual themes that keep the game’s presentation feeling fresh as players progress. Some floors might resemble a dark, haunted crypt with cobwebs and eerie shadows. In contrast, others are brighter, featuring elaborately decorated hallways or overgrown, plant-filled rooms that suggest a strange, forgotten history. This variety makes exploration more engaging, as players never know what kind of visual treat they’ll encounter next.

The game’s colourful palette and hand-drawn style also extend to the animations, which are fluid and filled with personality. Von Wanst’s movements, whether he’s swinging a sword or stumbling into a trap, are animated with a slapstick flair that enhances the game’s comedic moments. The exaggerated animations of both the protagonist and the various enemies add a layer of charm to every encounter, making even the most dire situations feel lighthearted.

Expressive Character Design:

One of the standout elements of Lucky Tower Ultimate’s visual style is its character design. Each of the tower’s inhabitants, from friendly NPCs to hostile monsters, has a distinct look that reflects their personality and role in the story. Whether it’s a grumpy, oversized ogre who’s misunderstood or a group of mischievous goblins trying (and failing) to outsmart Von Wanst, the characters feel like they’ve been pulled straight from a wacky fantasy cartoon.

The game’s attention to detail extends to the many items, traps, and interactive elements scattered throughout the tower. Players will encounter everything from hidden levers disguised as decorative gargoyles to treasure chests that might just mimic in disguise. These small visual touches add to the game’s atmosphere, creating a lively world of surprises. The design encourages players to pay attention to their surroundings, even as they chuckle at the ridiculous scenarios unfolding around them.

Soundtrack That Sets the Tone:

The music of Lucky Tower Ultimate complements its whimsical art style. It features a mix of jaunty tunes, medieval-inspired melodies, and dramatic orchestral swells that parody the seriousness often found in fantasy games. The soundtrack shifts between lighthearted tracks that underscore Von Wanst’s bumbling misadventures and more intense, slightly over-the-top battle themes that add a touch of mock epicness to the game’s combat sequences.

Each tower floor has its distinct musical theme, helping to set the tone for the encounters players will face. The music takes on a more subdued, atmospheric quality in the tower’s gloomier, more mysterious parts. At the same time, the brighter and more absurd levels are accompanied by bouncy, upbeat tracks that keep the mood light. This musical variety ensures that players remain immersed in the game’s shifting environments, with the soundtrack adapting to the changing tone of each scene.

The soundtrack is particularly effective in punctuating the game’s comedic moments. Whether it’s a sudden musical sting when Von Wanst stumbles into a particularly embarrassing situation or a triumphant fanfare that plays when he (rarely) achieves a moment of genuine heroism, the music adds an extra layer of humour to the game. It’s a soundtrack that doesn’t take itself too seriously, much like the game.

Comedic Sound Design and Voice Work:

Sound effects play a crucial role in Lucky Tower Ultimate, adding a layer of slapstick comedy to the game’s many mishaps. The clang of Von Wanst’s armour as he tumbles down a trap, the exaggerated groans and yelps of enemies, and the silly squelches of stepping on pressure plates all contribute to the game’s playful atmosphere. Every sound is designed to enhance the humour of each scenario, making even the most mundane actions feel entertaining.

The voice work is another highlight, with Von Wanst’s pompous proclamations and over-the-top reactions providing endless entertainment. His dialogue is delivered with a theatrical flair that matches the character’s inflated ego, and the interactions between him and the other characters he encounters are filled with banter and wit. While not every character is fully voiced, the game uses voice clips and sound effects to emphasize key moments, making the dialogue lively and dynamic.

The sound design also shines during combat encounters, where each weapon has a satisfying impact. The sounds of battle—whether the clashing of swords or the explosive boom of a trap—add a sense of weight to the action. These effects are balanced with the game’s comedic tone, ensuring the battles remain entertaining without becoming too intense or severe.

An Audio-Visual Treat for the Senses:

Overall, Lucky Tower Ultimate’s graphics and sound combine to create an experience as visually delightful as audibly entertaining. The hand-drawn art style, expressive character design, and whimsical music bring the game’s world to life, while the humorous sound design and voice work add personality to every interaction. It’s a game that reveals its absurdity, using its presentation to draw players into a world where anything can happen and often does.

The result is a roguelike that feels refreshingly different—one where the focus is as much on laughter and surprises as it is on the challenge of escaping the tower. With its charming visuals and playful audio design, Lucky Tower Ultimate offers an experience that will appeal to players who enjoy games that don’t take themselves too seriously yet still deliver a satisfying and immersive adventure.

Final Thoughts

Lucky Tower Ultimate is a delightful blend of humour, narrative, and roguelike mechanics that sets itself apart in a genre known for its tough-as-nails gameplay and dark themes. Developed by Studio Seufz and published by AMC Games, the game invites players to embrace the chaos of choice-based exploration, unpredictable encounters, and a protagonist who is as flawed as he is endearing. With its unique storytelling approach and lighthearted tone, Lucky Tower Ultimate offers an adventure that is as likely to make players laugh as it is to challenge their strategic thinking.

In conclusion, Lucky Tower Ultimate is a breath of fresh air in the roguelike genre, offering an experience as lighthearted as it is challenging. Its blend of humour, narrative, and unpredictable game creates a unique game, inviting players to laugh at their misfortunes as they navigate the tower’s many dangers. Von Wanst’s misadventures and the game’s comedic approach to storytelling make it a joy to play, even when the going gets tough.

For those who appreciate a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Lucky Tower Ultimate delivers an adventure that will keep players smiling from start to finish. It’s a game where every choice can lead to a hilarious disaster or a surprising victory and the journey is just as enjoyable as the destination. Whether you’re a seasoned roguelike fan or just looking for a fun, narrative-driven escape, Lucky Tower Ultimate is well worth stepping through the door.

We prepared this review with a digital copy of Lucky Tower Ultimate for the PC version provided by Evolve PR.