When it comes to tactical strategy the Switch has been blessed with both some variety in takes, ranging from more long-form RPG-oriented fare to much quicker pick-up-and-play roguelike challenges. Coming in somewhere in between those is Defend the Rook, which takes an approach that blends tower defense concepts with more active turn-based strategy to do things a bit differently, then throwing in roguelike unpredictability into the mix as you choose upgrades as you go in each run to try to maximize your chances of success. One of the early challenges is just understanding the rules of the road and what to expect with how most effectively to place your towers, getting the hang of getting the most out of your warriors and their abilities, and then being sure to either hold back enough might, or do a good enough job of keeping your units well-healed, to be ready for the coming of the boss at the end of each scenario. Success brings the opportunity to unlock new units, enhancements for those you have, and then opportunities to remix your team in different ways to try to construct a truly fearsome force. The result feels pretty fresh and rewarding, not claiming the throne of being the toughest amongst its peers in the space, but offering plenty of variety the longer you stick with it and unlock what it has to offer.