Towers II - Atari Jaguar

Here is Towers II, one of the few highly coveted Telegames releases for the Jag. People tell me it's a D&D-style RPG, thought I've never played any D&D game.
Enjoy!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• towers
• atari
• jaguar
• jag

[ephiany1]

Is this really an RPG? I know this is just a 3-minute glimpse,but I don't see any RPG elements. It looks like a 1st person shooter,just with short-range weapons.

Very low-rent graphics and animation for a late '96 Jag game,though at least it runs smoothly. And it doesn't pause when you open your inventory? That must be a pain when using a controller.

It would be interesting to see what Towers II is like when you get deeper into it,though.

[viMasterJag]

This type of RPG was before the JRPGs (Final Fantasy.)

This is old-school Dungeons & Dragons style RPG.

At that time (before JRPGs,) this style WAS the RPG style aside from the older text-based RPGs.

Obviously, this game was clearly created & released years after JRPGs became popular, but just so you know, it is still an RPG -- just the older kind.

[ephiany1]

I don't understand. Ultima and Wizardry were the first and most popular CRPGs, so if anything qualifies as "old-school RPG", they do - and this game bears less resemblance to either of those games than it does to a JRPG.

Besides, having played around 60 RPGs, and having seen clips of 30 or so others, I don't see any intrinsic difference between a JRPG and any other RPG. They all use the same defining gameplay elements(hence why they're called RPGs). Towers II doesn't appear to have those.

[viMasterJag]

I dunno, that's just what I was told. The only other RPGs I've played are the JRPGs, but I haven't been into those for years.

Maybe it's considered an action RPG?

It appears to be similar to Dungeon Master.

I don't think the character's point-of-view is the defining factor of whether it's an RPG or not -- but it's the basics of the game itself and this appears to have those elements.

But like I said, I'm guessing it's an action-rpg. Check out the wiki on that -- it makes more sense.

[SauceCaptain]

I got this game about 3 years ago and I loved what I played. I got stuck on a level and had to move out of my house a week or two later and never finished the game. Makes me wanna get it out again. Light on actual RPG elements and more on collecting and fighting. It is cool though that the Jag had a RPG, the system has a little bit of everything even with so few titles released. Not an easy title to come across, and expensive as well, but I love it.

[viMasterJag]

Ya know, as you said, it might be worth getting it out again.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with JaguarSector II, but you can get help there with the game if you need. They're extremely knowledgeable and a couple of them have even been trying to write up a guide for Towers II.

:-)

[Cyrus7500]

This looks kinda like Doom Mixed with old school D&D or Phantasy Star 1 look & Gameplay thou in Phantasy star it was an rpg here it is more like an Action Adv.

[pHr33kAcHu]

ARRRGH OH GOD MY HEAD IS TOUCHING THE CEILING

[m15granger]

Does it just save to the cart? Old school battery save or maybe flash like some 64 games?

[Antonyv1982]

@AssociationAdmirer ok I kinda see what you mean here, I don't know if you can level up but certainly you can improve the character to some extent as, from what I saw at least, you start out with nothing and eventually begin finding better and better weapons to fight enemies with, as well as learning magic skills and healing yourself, things you couldn't do when you first start playing. That's the impression I get anyway

[AssociationAdmirer]

@Antonyv1982 No, my confusion(this is ephiany1; I've changed accounts) stems from the lack of an obvious character improvement system. Maybe there is such a system in Towers II - it's hard to tell from just a 3-minute video - but I haven't seen it.

Turn-based RPGs have always been a minority, actually. Hydlide I, one of the first computer RPGs, is real time.

[Antonyv1982]

@ephiany1 not sure what anyone else thinks but its classified as an RPG because it is a sword and sorcery adventure (albeit from the FPS perspective, although that is not uncommon in RPG's think Fallout and Elder Scrolls) you run around a level collecting items etc, is your confusion stemming from the fact that it is not turn based? Because most modern RPG's aren't anymore, they are real time battle RPG's which is what this is. I haven't played it so I don't know but just guessing from the vid

[AssociationAdmirer]

@dde12321 I did check it; that comment wasn't made as long ago as you thought. The date is irrelevant anyway, since no one had yet answered your question.

Not only do all RPG games have a quantitative character enhancement system, it's essentially the definition of an RPG. I'm surprised you didn't pick that up from my post.

[dde12321]

@AssociationAdmirer well the level up system dose not make it an RPG, RPG stand for roll playing game, level up is a system of power and not all RPG games have it, It was a long time I made that comment you shold check the date next time ;)

[AssociationAdmirer]

@dde12321 If that. It's hard to tell from just a 3-minute clip, but Towers II looks more like a first person survival game a la Alien vs. Predator. There's no discernible character enhancement("level up") system, which is what makes a game an RPG, and the Jaguar would hardly be the first Atari console to have zero RPGs. If it IS an RPG though, then it is indeed the only one for the console.