See the embedded tweet here

Runeomicon, a dark fantasy tower defense game developed by TLR Games and published by Joystick Ventures, will launch on PC via Steam on September 16, 2026. The game puts players in the role of a wizard who, after losing his family in an attack by villagers, turns to the ancient Runeomicon spellbook to begin a ritual intended to summon Ilur, the Goddess of Death, and seek revenge.

The ritual relies directly on the player's ability to draw runes by hand in real time. As the symbols become increasingly complex, players must reproduce them correctly to generate arcane energy while villagers, priests, knights, and other enemies advance toward the sanctuary. Each completed rune grants power, while a mistake represents a lost opportunity and increases the pressure to gather enough energy before the opposing forces breach the defenses.

The campaign gradually increases the challenge, requiring players to strategically deploy towers, spells, eldritch creatures, and defensive upgrades to hold back waves of enemies. The journey spans seven worlds, five levels of rune complexity, and six ancient gods, each associated with unique challenges and three distinct magical abilities that can alter the strategies used during rituals.

Awakened gods also unlock new defensive options, upgrades, and tactical approaches for subsequent encounters. Available resources include six tower types, each with three upgrade levels and two final evolution choices, as well as an arsenal of spells and other abilities that can be used as the ritual unfolds.

The campaign features more than twenty enemy types and two formidable bosses, creating increasingly demanding encounters as players approach their ultimate goal. Level specific challenges also test rune mastery and strategic skills beyond simply surviving enemy waves.

The wizard's lair serves as a preparation area between encounters, allowing players to practice drawing runes, purchase permanent upgrades, uncover the lore surrounding the ancient gods, and complete challenges that unlock new ability granting runes. Altars scattered across the world map also allow players to select gods they have already awakened and use their powers during future rituals.

Arturo Monedero, Executive Producer at TLR Games, explained that players' reactions during their first encounters with the game's central mechanic are part of the experience envisioned by the team. "Every time someone plays for the first time, they start yelling at the villagers and panicking while drawing the runes. That is exactly what we wanted," he said. "You are not the hero of this story, and by the time the runes feel like muscle memory, you stop wanting to be."

The ultimate goal is to reach Ilur after surviving seven worlds and mastering the different layers of the rune system. The combination of tower defense, resource management, magical abilities, and precise execution turns each ritual into a race against time, while placing players firmly in the role of the villain in a campaign driven by revenge.