Castle of Alchemists: Prologue is a free action game for PC by developer Team Machaivelli. It is a tower defense experience with steampunk themes and follows the story of a lone warrior defending his home from hordes of invading enemies coming from other worlds.

Compared to other tower defense games like Thronefall and Kingdom: Two Crowns, Castle of Alchemists: Prologue utilizes a hybrid system wherein players can actively move and fight alongside their towers during their defense. This version serves as a preview to give players a sense of what they can expect from the full game.

Defend and fight

Castle of Alchemists: Prologue is an action-packed tower defense game that takes place in a dark fantasy steampunk world and centers around an alchemically enhanced super soldier named Bellator. The castle you reside in is under threat from an invading horde of monsters from other worlds, and it's up to him to defend his home using the tools and weapons at his disposal whatever it takes.

There are over two dozen enemy types from multiple factions to face across various distinct locations throughout your castle. There's a crafting system in the game that lets you create weapons with randomized properties to complement your traps and towers. In addition, there's an expansive skill tree that lets you unlock powerful abilities. Take advantage of elemental synergies and reactions for unique results to gain an advantage during the fight.

Outside the main campaign, you can engage in boss arena battles, test your skills in endless mode, or take on challenges of increasing difficulty to get better rewards. If you like the gameplay in this preview and are looking to purchase the full game, just be aware that it's still in Early Access, which means active development is ongoing for it.

Stand your ground

If you like tower defense games and are looking for something new to try, Castle of Alchemists: Prologue is worth checking out. Its combination of hybrid gameplay and varied combat mechanics makes for an engaging and challenging time. The unique aspects like the elemental reactions and synergies are a nice touch that adds to the realism. Suffice it to say, it gets an easy recommendation.