Tavernacle!

I keep a mental checklist for any co-op strategy game that crosses my desk: does the resource loop create meaningful decisions, does the tower placement matter, and does it fall apart the moment you go solo? Tavernacle! scores one and a half out of three, and that half-point matters depending on who you're buying it for. The core structure is a third-person co-op tower defense where up to four players run around a map as dwarves, physically collecting materials like wood, iron, and rocks, then constructing or upgrading defenses before each enemy wave rolls in. The physical resource-hauling is where the design gets interesting: you can throw supplies across the map to a teammate who's already at the build site, which creates a natural split of labor between gatherers and builders. That logistical wrinkle is the game's best idea, and in a full four-player session it generates genuine coordination pressure rather than everyone just doing the same thing. Choosing which tower type to prioritize against an incoming wave is a real decision, not a decoration, and each of the game's biomes introduces different battlefield layouts that change how you route resources and position defenses. The problems surface when you zoom out. The Steam community sits at a mixed reception with roughly 60 percent positive reviews across a small sample, and the recurring criticism is that the game needs more polish than it shipped with. Performance optimization came up as a concern for some players even though the visuals are deliberately light and cartoony. Solo play is technically supported but the resource-gathering pace is tuned for a squad, so lone defenders will feel the squeeze quickly. The community numbers are thin, which means finding online strangers is a gamble. Local split-screen is present and is realistically your best bet outside of a pre-made friend group. For strategy-minded players who usually gravitate toward deeper systems, Tavernacle! is not going to satisfy that itch on its own. There is no meta-progression, no unlockable build paths between runs, and no mod support to speak of. What it offers instead is a short-session co-op party format that is accessible enough for non-genre-savvy friends while still asking the tower-defense literate player to think about counter-type matchups and upgrade timing. The tutorial does not overstay its welcome. The tone, dwarves fighting to preserve their brewery against an army of sobriety-enforcers, earns a few genuine laughs without leaning entirely on the bit. Bottom line: this is a couch co-op pickup, best appreciated in a two-to-four player session with people who tolerate friendly chaos. The strategic depth ceiling is low, the solo experience is underbaked, and the post-launch player base is small enough that online matchmaking should not be your plan. But as a lighthearted evening-with-friends title that asks you to actually coordinate resource logistics rather than just click towers onto a grid, it earns its place if the price and company are right.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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