I was recently wandering around on TapTap and accidentally discovered this side-scrolling game called "Tower of Infinite". To be honest, as an old player who came back from the Symbian era, I am already a little tired of new games, but this game allows me to regain the simple pleasure of exploration that I had when I played "Chaos Ring" or "Anodia".
Let's first talk about comparing similar games. The side-scrolling action mobile games currently on the market are either the swipe-and-swipe meaty pigeons like "Soul Knight", or the hard-core to the point of quitting operations like "Rebirth Cell". But "Tower of Infernal Affairs" has taken a middle path: one-handed operation, joystick and attack button. It is so simple that you can play it with your eyes closed. However, the distribution of monsters and trap design in each map are a bit like "Castlevania" back then. I'm not going to brag about it, but it's rare these days to find a mobile game that balances “ease of use” and “depth” so well.
Especially praise its random skill combination system. At the beginning of each level, you will randomly obtain several basic skills, and then upgrade them by killing monsters or opening treasure boxes, and the skills will be synthesized into new forms. I have tried the ice type combined with the fire type to deal explosive damage, and I have also tried the stealth type plus the poison type to steal backstabs, and each combination feels fresh. Compared with the fixed skill tree of the similar game "Cave of Greed", this kind of randomness makes the replay value much higher. However, there are also shortcomings: although there are many skill combinations, the balance is slightly insufficient. Some combinations are obviously too strong, such as the thunder element plus range explosion, which can almost kill most mobs, resulting in a bit of repetition in the later stage.
In addition, the equipment decomposition and synthesis system is very conscientious. The unused equipment you find can be broken down into materials and then synthesized into new appearances. I especially like the "Customize Adventurer" function, which allows you to change the character's hairstyle, cape, and even the color of the weapon. Although it does not affect the attributes, watching the character you have matched yourself with and making it through the dungeon gives you a full sense of accomplishment. It's not a boast, it's more conscientious than the “dyed coupons” of some krypton gold card-drawing mobile games.
Let's talk about the graphics and music. It has a pixel style but is full of details. The torches in the dungeon will sway, the puddles will reflect light, and the monsters will break into pixel particles when they are defeated. It has a bit of a "Dead Cells" flavor. The BGM is more electronic rock, and the tempo will suddenly speed up when fighting the boss. It feels very exciting like "Advance to the Dungeon".
The only thing I want to complain about is that there are currently only 10 scenes open. It took me about 4 hours to complete the game, which is a bit short in depth. However, the official said that DLC will be updated in the future, and the charging model is 0-yes, it is completely free, with no in-app purchases and no forced advertising. There are not many companies that dare to do buyout mobile games these days. I have to give a thumbs up to Changsha Tianyou Interactive Entertainment's operation.
Finally, to summarize: If you like the side-scrolling version of "Dungeon & Fighter" but don't want to spend money on the Abyss, or you are nostalgic for "Castlevania" on the GBA back then, then "Tower of Infinity" is definitely worth a try. No need to brag, this is the most comfortable independent mobile game I have played in the past six months. I will definitely finish it as soon as the follow-up DLC is released! 👴🧱