OTTTD

OTTTD is a loud, energetic, and deliberately excessive take on the tower defense genre developed and published by SMG Studio, and it fully commits to its subtitle, “Over The Top Tower Defence,” in both tone and mechanics. Rather than offering a slow, purely strategic experience built around passive observation, the game injects constant activity, humor, and RPG-style progression into every mission. From the outset, it establishes itself as a playful and chaotic alternative to more traditional tower defense games, aiming to keep the player actively involved rather than simply watching carefully laid plans unfold.
The premise revolves around a hyper-militarized organization tasked with eliminating interdimensional threats before they become a problem, and this absurd setup sets the stage for the game’s irreverent attitude. Missions take place across stylized battlefields where waves of bizarre enemies flood in from portals, and success depends on a balance of tower placement, resource management, and hero micromanagement. Towers can only be placed on fixed pads scattered throughout the map, which turns each level into a spatial puzzle where choosing the right combination of defenses is just as important as when and where they are deployed. This restriction adds structure to the chaos, ensuring that positioning decisions remain meaningful even when the screen is filled with explosions.
A defining feature of OTTTD is its heavy emphasis on hero units. Instead of relying solely on static defenses, players assemble a squad of three heroes from a roster of distinct classes, each bringing unique abilities and roles to the battlefield. These heroes move freely across the map, actively engaging enemies, triggering powerful skills, and responding to threats that towers alone cannot handle. Over time, heroes gain experience, unlock new abilities, and equip upgraded weapons and armor, introducing RPG-style progression that gives players a strong sense of investment in their chosen team. This system adds depth and replayability, as experimenting with different hero combinations can significantly alter how a mission plays out.
Enemy design is one of the game’s most memorable aspects. OTTTD throws an eclectic mix of foes at the player, ranging from armored mechanical units to grotesque biological creatures and outright absurd monstrosities. Each enemy type has distinct behaviors, resistances, and weaknesses, forcing players to adapt their strategies rather than relying on a single optimal setup. Boss encounters amplify this further, often serving as chaotic tests of preparation and adaptability that push both towers and heroes to their limits. The variety keeps combat feeling fresh and unpredictable, even as the core mechanics remain consistent.
Visually, the game embraces a bold, cartoonish art style that prioritizes clarity and personality over realism. Explosions are exaggerated, enemies are expressive, and the battlefield is constantly in motion, creating a sense of controlled mayhem that aligns perfectly with the game’s tone. While the screen can become crowded during intense moments, the use of color and animation ensures that important elements remain readable. Sound design complements this approach with punchy effects and humorous voice lines that reinforce the game’s playful nature without becoming overly distracting.
Progression, however, is a double-edged sword. While leveling heroes and upgrading equipment is satisfying, the game can occasionally feel grind-heavy, especially as difficulty ramps up in later stages. Some missions may require revisiting earlier levels to strengthen heroes or earn enough resources to keep pace with increasingly tough enemy waves. This structure rewards persistence and optimization but may frustrate players who prefer a smoother difficulty curve or less repetition. Additionally, certain quality-of-life features common in modern tower defense games, such as speed controls, are notably absent, which can make extended sessions feel longer than necessary.
Despite these shortcomings, OTTTD succeeds because of its strong identity and willingness to be unapologetically excessive. It blends tower defense, action, and RPG systems into a cohesive experience that values spectacle and engagement over restraint. The constant need to react, reposition heroes, and adapt strategies keeps players involved from start to finish, and the game’s humor and creativity prevent it from taking itself too seriously. It may not offer the most refined or balanced tower defense experience on the market, but it compensates with energy, personality, and a sense of fun that is difficult to ignore.
Taken as a whole, OTTTD stands out as a distinctive and memorable entry in the tower defense genre. Its combination of active hero management, structured tower placement, and outrageous enemy design creates an experience that feels lively and hands-on rather than passive. For players who enjoy strategy games with strong personality, RPG progression, and a willingness to embrace chaos, it delivers an entertaining and satisfyingly over-the-top journey that remains engaging long after the novelty wears off.
Rating: 7/10

Score: 3/5
A few hours worth of entertainment. The latter 60% or so of the game sucks.
The Good
1. Audio/Music/SFX
2. Comedic art style/direction, writing, content/enemies/levels, and voice acting.
3. Most abilities are very effective, have responsive keybinds/inputs and target selection, and have reasonable cool-downs.
4. Impactful gear and somewhat impactful perks.
The Bad
1. Awful balance.
a. Core/Base HP is laughable low, especially after the first few levels.
b. You need to use optimal strategies/towers to win mid-game and beyond. Experiment and you'll lose. Some towers are worthless, others OP.
c. You can soft-lock your game with sub-optimal character builds unless you're immortal.
d. 45 minute character respawn times, or instant by spending a limited, valuable resource needed for permanent upgrades and perk resets.
e. Gear costs absurd amounts of hard-earned in-game currency.
2. Absurd amount of grinding required.
3. Inconsistent/unreasonable tower/character/enemy mechanics
a. LoS is required for attacks, but only some objects break LoS, which the game makes you trial and error to figure out. But the objects no longer matter after the attack animation starts, and characters can phase through some of the LoS-blocking objects when moving.
b. Long tower/character reload and targeting times feel terrible, while also being inconsistent.
c. Only some damage sources will slow down enemies. Trial and error again.
d. Precise character/tower/enemy is very difficult when they are close together, which is all the time, but often required and time-sensitive.
e. Characters frequently ignore your movement commands.
f. Character/Towers will sometimes be unable to lock onto a nearby target, going into an infinite loop unless the enemy moves or the character is manually moved.
g. Characters cannot consistently draw aggro away from your base, with high, unexplainable variance between levels.
4. Predetermined sub-optimal tower placements.
5. Characters cannot block enemy paths.
6. You cannot issue commands to towers, or prioritize enemy units.

It does require a bit of a grind for the higher tier weapons and armor but it was fun. I think the early game is a bit tedious but it picks up when you unlock the better skills and gear towards the middle. I'd play a sequel if it was ever made!

Mediocre as hell ngl but I can't say it's a bad game.