Looking for tower defense PvP on mobile, where you attack other players' villages and defend your own? In Astrakeep, your army marches to another player's kingdom to raid it, while your heroes hold the line at home when you're away. One thing to be upfront about: this is not real-time multiplayer. You don't face the other player at the same second. You attack the defense they set up, and an assault can even play out on its own. Astrakeep is free to play with optional in-app purchases, and it's coming soon to Android.
Asynchronous PvP: what that actually means
On mobile, "online" rarely means "live". Here's how player-versus-player works in Astrakeep:
- Your defense plays without you. On the Defense formation screen, you place heroes on platforms. When a rival attacks, those heroes defend, even if you're not logged in.
- Your attacks hit another player's saved defense, the way they arranged it, not an opponent reacting in the moment.
- Assaults can resolve automatically. You can drop troop cards yourself, or let the game run the assault for you.
That suits a phone perfectly: nobody has to be free at the same time, and a dropped connection or an incoming call doesn't cost you a match.
Attacking another player, step by step
1. Explore the world map
The world map shows other players' kingdoms. Drag it around to explore, then tap a village for a closer look.
2. Scout before you strike
The game recommends scouting your target first, because its garrison and heroes will defend it. A win estimate helps you decide whether the attack is worth it.
3. Launch the assault
Your army marches to the village. You play the assault by placing troop cards in lanes on your half of the field, or you switch to an automatic assault. Troops come from your Barracks, and the ones you send into battle don't come back, so every attack has a real cost.
4. Attack together
With your alliance, you can launch a rally and hit a target as a group. That's a big part of what makes strategy games with alliances fun: you're not fighting alone.
Troops: a rock-paper-scissors cycle
There are four troop types, and each one beats another (+50%):
- Footman: fast and cheap, strong in numbers, overwhelms shield guards.
- Shield guard: heavily armored, soaks up fire and stops griffins.
- Griffin: flies over melee defenders and brings down colossi.
- Crystal colossus: very slow but nearly indestructible, crushes footmen.
Building your army around the defense you scouted is where the strategy lives. The full breakdown is in our Astrakeep troops and raids guide.
Defending while you're away
Against other players, only your 3 best heroes defend. Your other platforms are used in the campaign and against rival villages. If you don't set a formation, your best heroes are placed at random, so it pays to arrange them yourself, just as you would in castle defense games.
When you come back, a report tells you how many players attacked you and whether your heroes held.
Shields and revenge
- After you're raided, your village gets a 6-hour shield.
- Peace shields can also be bought with gems. The game is clear about them: a shield protects you, it doesn't make you stronger, and attacking ends it.
- Revenge lets you strike back at anyone who attacked you in the last 24 hours, even if they're shielded.
Renown, ranks and leaderboards
Raids earn renown. It raises your rank (Squire, Knight, Baron, Count, Duke, then King) and places you on the player and alliance leaderboards.
Practice against the AI first
Before taking on humans, you can raid five rival villages run by the game, from the Goblin Stronghold to the Dragon Bastion. They defend with archer, sorcery and frost towers, and they can strike back. Once you've raided all five, they rank up. It's the perfect place to learn the troop cycle.
What about the rest of the game?
PvP is only one layer of Astrakeep. At its core, it's a hero tower defense campaign (18 chapters, 90 levels) plus a kingdom of floating islands to build. If you're comparing it with a big name in the genre, our page on games like Clash of Clans covers that. For a wider look, see our roundup of free tower defense games, and to talk tactics with other players, drop by the Astrakeep forum.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play against another player in real time in Astrakeep?
No. Attacks between players are marches and assaults played against the other player's saved defense, or resolved automatically. You never need to be online at the same time as your opponent.
Can my village be attacked while I'm not playing?
Yes. Your heroes defend even when you're offline; against other players, your 3 best heroes take the field. After a raid, a 6-hour shield protects you.
Do I need an internet connection?
For the player features, yes: the world map, attacks, alliances and chat all go through the game's server. The campaign itself runs on your device.
Is Astrakeep out yet?
Not yet. Astrakeep is coming soon to Android. It will be free to play, with optional in-app purchases.
