Looking for fantasy strategy games on mobile, with heroes, magic and monsters to hold back? Astrakeep puts you in charge of the Kingdom of Astra, a chain of floating islands threatened by creatures of shadow. You place heroes (an archer, a mage, a knight, a paladin and more) along a path to stop waves of enemies, build up your kingdom, and lead griffins and crystal colossi against your rivals. Astrakeep is free to play with optional in-app purchases, and it's coming soon to Android.
A fantasy world: the Kingdom of Astra
The game opens with Orin, your advisor, welcoming you to Astra and warning that monsters are prowling around your islands. The tone is set right away: bright high fantasy, islands hanging in the sky, crystals everywhere, and a threat rising from the shadows.
The buildings carry that world further: a Sylvan Sawmill where elves cut wood from ancient trees, a Moonstone Quarry whose stone shines under the moon, a Mana Well drawing magical energy from deep beneath the island, a Rune Forge, an Arcane Academy, and a Summoning Altar, the portal through which heroes answer your call.
Seven heroes with very different powers
Strategy starts with picking your heroes. Each has a role and a special attack you trigger at the right moment:
- Lyra the Archer (rare): rapid fire, plus her Arrow Rain.
- Orin the Mage (rare): area damage and his Arcane Meteor.
- Kael the Knight (rare): a heavy melee hitter who blocks ground enemies.
- Nyx the Sorceress (epic): frost magic, all the way up to Blizzard.
- Tharok the Bombardier (epic): a dwarf who lobs bombs from very far away.
- Aurelion the Paladin (legendary): spears of light and Celestial Judgment.
- Sylvara the Empress (legendary): dragonfire and her Imperial Breath.
You start with Lyra, Orin and Kael. Epic heroes are summoned at the Altar with tokens, and legendary heroes are earned another way. Every hero levels up to 40 and can reach 5 stars. If heroes are what you care about most, read our page on tower defense games with heroes.
A campaign of 18 worlds and 18 bosses
The campaign has 18 chapters of 5 levels each, 90 levels in total. Every chapter is a different fantasy setting, and its fifth level pits you against a boss:
- the Floating Isles and the Shadow Titan;
- the Frozen Peaks and the Crystal Dragon;
- the Forgotten Necropolis and the Lich;
- the Sunken Abyss and the Abyssal Leviathan;
- the Phoenix Nest and the Blazing Phoenix;
- all the way to the Void Citadel and its Void Hydra.
Bosses don't just soak up damage. Depending on the boss, they summon reinforcements, raise a shield, spin webs, unleash a breath attack, heal, teleport or fly into a rage. The whole journey, chapter by chapter, is in our Astrakeep campaign guide.
Where the strategy comes in
Placement and timing in battle
Enemies follow a path, and you tap a platform to station a hero there. Heroes attack on their own; your job is choosing where they stand and when to unleash their special attacks. Lose a level and the game nudges you in the right direction: upgrade your heroes or rethink their placement, then try again. It's the spirit of the genre's great classics, which we compare on our page about games like Kingdom Rush.
An army built on a cycle
To raid rival villages and other players, your Barracks trains four troop types: footmen, shield guards, griffins that fly over defenders, and nearly indestructible crystal colossi. Each troop beats another (+50%), so you have to build your army around your opponent.
Defending your own islands
Creatures aren't the only threat: rival villages and other players can attack your kingdom too. So you set up a defense formation, and your heroes hold it even while you're offline, in true castle defense game style.
Fantasy that fits your day
Astrakeep is made for short sessions: battles have an Auto mode, construction carries on when the game is closed, and the game is fully translated into 8 languages. To compare with other styles, see our roundup of free tower defense games.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of game is Astrakeep?
A fantasy strategy game in the hero tower defense style: you place heroes along a path to stop waves of monsters, build a kingdom of floating islands and raid rival villages.
How many heroes are there in Astrakeep?
Seven playable heroes: three rare (Lyra, Orin, Kael), two epic (Nyx, Tharok) and two legendary (Aurelion, Sylvara).
How many levels does the campaign have?
90 levels, split into 18 chapters of 5 levels, each one ending with a different boss.
Which phones will it run on?
Astrakeep is coming soon to Android. It will be free to play, with optional in-app purchases.
