Draw magic shapes to create heroes with this combination of Tower Defense and Factory-Builder

In a strange new roguelite available on Steam, the genres of autobattler tower defense and factory builder are combined into a cute if odd synergy. ShapeHero Factory requires you to create production lines on magical paper to combine shapes that will automatically conjure heroes to defend a large crystal against hordes inkblots. The game's structure is a familiar Roguelite setup, where you travel around a node-tree to fight battles and pick up rewards such as new research options and recipes for heroes.

You have a limited amount of time to build an effective production line, which you will then immediately use to fight the enemy hordes. While you can adjust the line in battle, you are not directly supporting the heroes with your own attack power.

Different heroes have different behaviors. Basic Units simply walk towards the nearest enemy, while Warriors hold up a shield and bash incoming enemies to guard the core. Some effects are temporary: Mages call down a storm of lightening, and archers fire a piercing arrow. These units will appear more often if you produce more of them before the battle. Upgrades can also improve their attacks, or allow more of them to be on the field simultaneously. Low-level warriors will, for example, provide an incomplete shield wall. High-level warriors will form a continuous ring as soon as the wave begins.

The demo was very impressive and showed the game's potential. The attention to detail is evident in the fonts, hero classes and parchment backgrounds that evoke Final Fantasy Tactics. I also liked how you can customize your production. You unlock new types of heroes to build, but you can also customize your research tree by adding segments. I chose faster production and combined it with a "Champion", a hero type which only appears after you have pumped 50 normal units into its building.

Asobism plans to keep ShapeHero Factory on early access for four months. During this time, they hope to add more research trees, heroes, relics and surprise events. They will also add support for controllers and more diverse resolutions.

ShapeHero Factory is available on Steam for $19. You can also try the free demo.