Defend the Rook

I've echoed this sentiment time and time again in previous reviews of Goblinz Studio published games. But I'll say it again for consistency. Goblinz Studio has a great eye for identifying interesting games, they're not necessarily well-polished games, nor are they big budget games, but they have a certain charm that always draws me in. Defend the Rook is in line with those expectations as well. I found myself intrigued by the theme of a powerful magician commanding his forces from a floating castle in the sky. It's a turn-based setting that's evocative of a great many classic fantasy tropes. And I will always welcome more additions to the turn-based strategy genre; there's never enough contenders! The overall game length is short, which does help it to not overstay its welcome. I 100%ed the game in about 25 hours and spent a few more hours testing things for my guide. That said, the gameplay experience is a bit shallow and heavily dependent on RNG at times. Although, for better or worse, the lack of replayability does let us end our experience on a high note. If you're able to get Defend the Rook on sale, I would highly recommend that you pick it up. It's an enjoyable l…

This is one of those instances were I wish Steam had a middle ground between 'Yes' and 'No'. The first playthrough you do feels genuinely amazing and showcases a lot of different possibilities. The whole design of the game also feels like a very good case of low-poly retro-looking design. However, once you finish your first campaign, it falls. A lot. The subsequent runs feel incredibly repetitive and the variety it showcases in its character skills and variants falls real short when you have to replay the same 5 scenarios over and over again. There are some good things within this game and I really enjoyed my time with it, but I do feel the gameplay loop needs some hard work put into it to really be able to recommend it.

Defend the Rook is a tactical strategy game developed by One Up Plus and published by Goblinz Publishing together with Maple Whispering Limited. Released on Steam in 2021, the game blends several genres—turn-based tactics, tower defense, and roguelike progression—into a compact but surprisingly strategic experience. Instead of focusing purely on unit combat or base construction, the game asks players to manage a small team of heroes while simultaneously building defensive structures and protecting a central objective known as the Rook. This hybrid design creates a gameplay loop that emphasizes careful planning, positioning, and resource management. The basic premise revolves around defending the Rook from waves of invading enemies. The Rook serves as the heart of the player’s defense and the most critical piece on the battlefield. If it is destroyed, the entire mission ends immediately, forcing the player to start the run again due to the game’s roguelike structure. The player assumes the role of a powerful tactician tasked with organizing the kingdom’s last defensive line. This setup may be simple, but it works effectively as a foundation for the tactical challenges that unfold a…

Booooriiiiinggggg!

https://youtu.be/aEIygwlo4YI Compelling theming that doesn't quite nail the balance which may push away players from getting past the earlier elements.

Decent tile turn based roguelike. Although it has 'rook' in the game, unfortunately nothing chess related. Fairly straight forward premise with no story. Defend the rook with 3 characters that you can upgrade every round with permanent upgrades you can choose with progression. Decent strategic roguelike that has obtainable achievements if you're looking for perfect achievements. Good, but not memorable. 7/10