Aside from the bad gun aim mechanics sapping most of the moment-to-moment enjoyment, Taur is actually a very competent game. Its long list of research options and gun upgrades are enough to keep you interested, while the visuals make every second rather visually pleasing. If you’re on the lookout for a fun, casual tower defense game, definitely give Taur (the game, not the tower) a shot.

If you can look past the bland setting and the repetitive gameplay, this well-balanced genre mix could be your thing.

With little more than a bare-bones premise, no engaging characters and stripped-down, stylized environments, Taur feels a little bloodless and abstract and the central gameplay loop can grow repetitive. In the short term — that is, some of the more manageable, bite-size battles — Taur is fun and full of the familiar, addictive elements that define the genre. Taur is also beset by some balance and pacing issues that suck the momentum out of the campaign. The game’s visual design and implementation of the player-controlled Prime Cannon add enough novelty to the tower defense formula to make Taur worth checking out for fans of the genre.

Taur has a wonderful central idea – it lets you tear up the place with a ridiculously powerful sci-fi cannon that's a joy to control – but the elements surrounding that core concept aren't as fleshed-out, refined, or engaging. It's the kind of game that leaves you wanting a sequel that can fire on all cylinders.

Taur has a few exciting moments and addictive progression elements to get you far into the campaign, but repetitive design, uneven difficulty, and unsatisfying combat eventually wear out its welcome.

I’m not sure Taur has enough depth or variety to justify that £20 price tag, but it is good for picking up in half-hour bouts and knowing you can make a decent chunk of progress. Like Into the Breach, it’s easy to engage with without being mindless, although it lacks the balance and subtle ingenuity of Subset Games’ mini-masterpiece.