Check out our review of The Last Faith, a new Metroidvania Soulslike horror adventure…
We take a look at the gameplay, combat, visuals and more so you can find out if it’s worth your time and money.
Transcript
So here at UDS Gaming we cover all things gaming, no matter genre, platform or era. But recently we’ve been delving more and more into horror games, and I’m not really sure why, but at the same I’m really not complaining. From recent releases to hidden gems of the past, we’ve covered some absolute spooky bangers.
And we’re hoping this trend continues with the recent release of The Last Faith, a game that looks to blend elements of Metroidvania and Soulslike to make for one atmospheric package.
You play as Eryk, who wakes up in a desolate world with no memory of how he got to this point, and swathes of Eldritch-style horrors in front of him as he races against time to save his deteriorating sanity.
But in an age when horror games have never been better, does The Last Faith do enough to stand out from the pack? Watch on to find out…
As you can imagine, the meat of the gameplay is a mix of non-linear exploration and bloody difficult combat, and I’ll talk a bit about both.
Now personally, I would say I enjoyed the exploration more, as everything felt purposeful, well designed and full of surprises. It feels like you’re discovering a living, breathing world, albeit one breathing the icy winds of death and decay. That was a bloody good line, wasn’t it, ruddy mysterious. There’s interesting NPCs who will reveal more of this world you’ve awoken in, piecing together the lore in a way that feels natural, without slowing the pace of gameplay.
There’s also the very welcome inclusion of fast travel points, which helped to keep things moving along at a healthy pace and most importantly for a scrub like me, stopped me getting lost.
Combat is also pretty good, if not perfect. You get a good mix of weapons, ranging from melee, ranged and magic. It’s an impressive variety, but you’ll definitely find some are more useful than others, and things can feel a little clunky. Now this might be your taste, as it can make things feel weighty and I guess in a sense more realistic, but I’m a man who likes his combat to be snappy, and this wasn’t quite snappy enough for my tastes. But I still had a good time getting to grips with the various systems, and I’d be interested to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
And yes, like any Soulslike worth its salt, there’s a dodge roll. It’s not a fool-proof get-out-jail card, but you better get used to using it if you want to survive the various beasties.
And speaking of the beasties, there’s a lot of them and they’re bloody brilliant. You’ll find threats from all angles, from snipers who’ll take aim and try to take you down from distance, to rabid demon dogs that’ll charge you from close range. It’s punishing from the offset, and I think it’s fair to say there’s a steep learning curve.
But like many Soulslikes that have come before, there’s a rhythm to proceedings that once you get the hang of, is super satisfying like nothing else.
And that’s without mentioning the boss encounters, which open up into these immense setpieces that can honestly be jaw dropping. To evoke this sense of grandeur while limited to a 2D plane is mighty commendable.
Actually, I’d say the aesthetic of the entire game deserves a lot of praise. The pixel artwork is absolutely captivating, from hauntingly beautiful wilderness to ornate, gothic mansions. A more cynical reviewer might complain that it’s nothing we haven’t seen before in other games, but the sheer polish and refinement on show here is impossible not to enjoy on a visual level.
The sound design is equally engrossing. As action heightens, the score swells into epic, orchestral movements, but equally fades away into chilling silence in the quieter moments. This makes way for the ambient sounds of creaking buildings, the splatter of viscera and your own, echoing footsteps. It’s definitely one to check out with headphones to get the full effect.
The Last Faith is a game that owes a lot to its influences and what’s game before, but it does more than enough to live up to these iconic forebears. It might not quite have the most polished gameplay, but it more than makes up for it with its world-building, enemy variety and captivating atmosphere. If you’re like me and not ready to let go of Halloween season, do yourself a favour and keep it going by checking out The Last Faith.
But what did you think of The Last Faith? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to read your thoughts. And while you’re down there, don’t forget to subscribe and hit the like button for plenty more on all things horror gaming, and you can always visit upsidedownshark.com to keep up with everything else we’ve got going on. Until then my name is Tom, this has been UDS and we’ll see you next time.
While you’re here, please subscribe to Upside Down Shark on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts!
Tom Baker
I like Star Wars, heavy metal and BBQ Pringles.
