U of Wisconsin Reviews Ivory Tower Defenders

The Badget Herald Newspaper reviewed Ivory Tower Defenders in an article titled, "Video Game Satirizes Academia."

"Tower defense games make me anxious. The combination of Tetris-like time limits and impending doom brings out feelings of childhood inadequacy, and the multitasking becomes overwhelming. As soon as I opened 'Ivory Tower Defenders,' however, I laughed at the start menu’s satirization of academia. The levity of the game’s premise – college staff blockading the entrances of campus buildings against hordes of students – eased my fears. Seven hours later, I was one point from beating the game..."

"...Because TAs are 'fast, cheap and plentiful,' they are the beginner’s weapon and easiest to upgrade. In contrast, the full professor is expensive to purchase because tenure does not come easily. Thankfully, his crankiness – a result of excessive research – translates into his throwing massive books at students, causing great damage..."

"...As chairs fill, students alter their paths. The unpredictability of this feature adds suspense... Another source of variety are the shapes of the corridors themselves. Students enter from multiple doorways. Paths split. As such, staff must be placed in multiple rows, sometimes semi-circles."

"...The arrangement of objects is intricate and thoughtful. In the seminar classroom, students scoot their chairs to face one another as they sit. In the library... students push lamp switches, casting a glow underneath the emerald glass lampshades. The colors are vivid and engaging."

"...Try as I might, a brainiac student always fills that final seat on the last level. Damn, another excuse to keep playing and risk actual academic failure."

Read the full article by Bennet Goldstein.