SHADOW FORGE

Mission briefing

Shadow Forge is a dark-fantasy Tower Defense × Action-RPG hybrid. Build and upgrade 10 unique towers while you command the Forge Master hero — dodge, cast 4 skills, and crush endless waves of shadow creatures across 8 maps and 20 waves with epic bosses. Level up to unlock powerful boons.

Field manual

Desktop: WASD/Arrows to move, mouse to aim and cast skills (Q/E/R/T), click a tower then a tile to build. Mobile: left joystick to move, tap skill buttons to cast, tap a tower icon then the map to build. Start waves early for bonus gold — don't let enemies reach the Forge!

Launch orders: press Launch mission above and the game loads on this page itself — nothing downloads and no form stands between you and the first move. It is designed for a flexible screen and takes its orders from mouse, keyboard or touch, depending on the mission. It adapts to both upright and wide screens, so phones, tablets and desktops all frame it sensibly. If it offers a fullscreen control, use it — a fight this size deserves the whole screen.

Field notes for tower defense operations

• The first tower's position matters more than its type. Place it where the path bends — a corner doubles the time each enemy spends inside its range.
• Slow is a damage multiplier. A tower that slows enemies multiplies every other tower's output; one good frost or glue placement routinely outperforms a second cannon.
• Upgrade the chokepoint before widening the net. Concentrated strength at the narrowest ground beats thin coverage everywhere, especially when armoured waves arrive.

SHADOW FORGE — questions from the ranks

What does it cost to play SHADOW FORGE?

Nothing at all. The mission is free from the first order to the last — no sign-up, no download, no paid tier guarding the good levels. The advertising around this page is what keeps the board free.

What sort of mission is SHADOW FORGE?

SHADOW FORGE is filed in our Tower Defense theatre. Like every operation on this board, it is a browser game — read the briefing above for the publisher's own account of what you are deploying into.

Can I run SHADOW FORGE on a phone or tablet?

Yes. It plays in the browser on phones and tablets exactly as it does on a computer. It adapts to both upright and wide screens, so phones, tablets and desktops all frame it sensibly.

Do I have to install anything before playing?

No installation of any kind. SHADOW FORGE is an HTML5 game: press the launch button and it loads on this page, and closing the tab leaves nothing behind.

After-action

Mission complete, or still pinned down? The full Tower Defense theatre is one click away — Pick the ground, place the guns, hold the line. Fifty tower-defense operations where the enemy files past in waves and your layout does the arguing.