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Press releaase:
BRYN MAWR, USA – October 8, 2024.
The Philadelphia-based (the US) indie games developer Sour Lemon Studios today announced with great delight and thril that their retro roguelike/platformer “Tower of Dreams” is now available for PC via Steam EA. The anticipated Nintendo Switch release is coming soon.

Hop to the Top

Tower of Dreams is a delightful roguelike platformer that challenges players with its exciting mechanics and technical skills. Embark on your adventures as the Dream Knight, wielding your sword against an array of enemies blocking your ascent up the Tower of Dreams. Featuring simple controls, ascend through the tower with well-timed wall jumps, bops, and leaps, besting the enemies and obstacles in your way. No two attempts will be the same, as you’re faced with a random selection of hand-crafted stages and mini-challenges with plenty of secrets to explore. 36 unique items await discovery alongside permanent upgrades and charming cosmetics.

Whimsical World of Color

Accompany the Dream Knight through a world of retro pixel art inspired by the Game Boy Color. A limited 13-color pastel palette gives the titular tower a nostalgic, ethereal feel, brought to life through three floors featuring their own unique mechanics and aesthetics. To clear each floor, players must complete three separate stages. Each stage is randomly selected from a pool, challenging players to adapt their strategies to overcome ever-changing obstacles. Fantasy settings, factory levels, and a sky garden set a distinct mood for each floor, each introducing new tests of technical prowess. With plenty of floors for a platforming adventurer, it’s up to you to lead your knight to victory!

If at First You Don’t Succeed…

While uncovering the tower’s secrets, players will find special items, passive abilities, and upgrades. These enhancements make each run in the tower a new expedition, encouraging tower-climbing hopefuls to experiment with different techniques and gameplay styles. Completing a level will provide players with a letter grade based on their performance, which they’ll be reminded of the next time they face the same level, challenging them to do better. Upon death, a small grave will be left behind containing an item the player had when they died, encouraging them to try, try again!

Features:

Genre-bending Gameplay: Experience the nostalgia of a retro vertical platformer combined with challenging roguelike mechanics.
Knight-in-Training: 36 collectible items are available throughout the game, introducing new mechanics to your run and strengthening your knight’s skills.
Dress to Impress: Unlock and discover additional armor sets and cosmetics to customize your run as you explore what the tower has to offer.
Nightmare Mode: After completing the tower in normal mode, try your hand at nightmare mode, where players take double damage and face elite variations of enemies.
Progression Checkpoints: Those wanting to focus on platforming have the option to skip ahead to floors after reaching them for the first time.
Catchy Tunes: Inspired by classic games like Kirby’s Adventure and Sonic CD, energetic melodies aim to pump players up as they progress through the game.

Tower of Dreams is out now on Steam. More information about Sour Lemon Studios–including updates on the game’s Nintendo Switch launch–can be found on their YouTube and Discord server.

About Sour Lemon Studios
Sour Lemon Studios is a Philadelphia-based indie game studio featuring the talents of designer Alex Parrotto and composer Tom Sanborn. Our company’s mission is to create fresh, innovative experiences that combine the quality of the classics with modern creativity. Tower of Dreams is our latest attempt to blend tight-as-nails platforming, a distinctive pastel pixel art aesthetic, and deep roguelike mechanics to deliver something truly unique. We hope you have as much fun playing it as we had making it!