Review
Release Date: 08.28.2008
Platform:
PlayStation NetworkDeveloper:
Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios -- Japan StudioPublisher:
Sony Computer Entertainment AmericaReviewed by
Richard Brownell on 4.26.2009
| Review Rating: 8/10 | User Rating: 8/10 |
Last year, gamers were graced with the arrival of a unique zombie game that captured the attention of millions:
Left 4 Dead. But we also got a much lesser known zombie game that has its own features that make it stand out from the crowd.
The Last Guy puts players in charge of rescuing entire cities of people from zombie hordes and it's unique for two key reasons: you can't kill the zombies and the entire game is played from a top down perspective on satellite imagery.
As with many downloadable games, The Last Guy snuck onto the gaming scene with very little publicity. This combined with the fact that we haven't had many games like it made it so that most people have probably never heard of it, which is a shame. Even if The Last Guy isn't one of the landmark downloadable console game successes that many heard about like the PixelJunk games, Castle Crashers, or more recently, Flower, it's still a good game that most people missed.
Oddly enough, considering I like the game, The Last Guy is basically a full game version of my most hated of all mission types in games, the escort mission. Most games that jam an escort mission into their level structure are giving gamers the worst experience of the game. Instead of going around being a badass, or whatever the game typically requires, you usually accompany some slow moving caravan of helplessness that doesn't even try to be intelligent in its meandering through enemy territory. The Last Guy somehow takes this concept, forces you to rescue people before you escort them, and still ends up with a fun game.
You play a superhuman rescue and escort machine--with a cape. Your job is to wander the streets of various real world locations and stand in front of the entryways of buildings with people inside. Your mere presence is enough to convince people that it is safe enough to go outside, follow you, and trust they won't fall victim to zombies. They form a trail, or line, behind you. This line is really what makes the gameplay. The more people you rescue, the longer it is. The longer it is, the more likely a zombie will catch up with it. When that happens, they will scatter to the nearest building and insist on you rescuing them again.
But you get bonuses for having a long line. For one, you get more points after finishing the level. But if you have a long enough line, you can completely surround buildings, which automatically brings everybody inside into your line. And the more people you rescue, the higher your stamina is. You can use your stamina to run fast or blow a whistle which gathers everybody in your line in a jumble around you. Utilizing these commands properly is essential to avoiding zombies and getting everybody back to the rescue zones.
There is also an infrared mode allowing you to see people hiding in buildings which doesn't cost any stamina, but doesn't show zombies. It's handy when used properly, but can lead to a lot of deaths. If you touch a zombie, it's game over and you have to try that level again.
The point of each level is not only to rescue a certain amount of survivors but also to get a lot of points. This can be done by getting a huge line, rescuing as many people as possible, and also finding certain special people. Each level has VIPs that bring in a lot of extra points for rescuing them, but they are usually in out of the way areas.
Because everything is played from a top down perspective, there is little chance for graphical showcase. The people are little blips and you can barely tell that you wear a cape. I haven't played The Last Guy on a standard definition TV, but I'm guessing it's not a visually pleasing experience. The zombies do have a bit of visual flare though. Your standard fare slow moving zombies are the size of the player's character but are all purple. After that, you get giant bugs, a weird mouth zombie thing, buffalo zombies, and a variety of other unpleasant creatures.
Each zombie type comes with its own behavior and challenges to overcome. Almost all of them follow some sort of pattern in their strolls through the street, but how they behave when you are around and their mobility is what differentiates them. Some zombie types ended up being really enjoyable challenges, but some were just downright annoying, especially the final level. And some actually felt too easy. This led to the levels jumping around a bit in difficulty. The ending levels were definitely harder than the beginning, but it wasn't a steady slope from super easy to super hard. And for the super zombie master gamers, if you do awesome at all the levels, you unlock four even harder secret levels.
Now that we've a few years into this generation, I own many downloadable console games and I've downloaded countless demos. The Last Guy stands out among the crowd because it's so different. It's not a watered down version of something I'd typically pay $50-60 for at retail. And it's not a rehash of a classic game. It feels like a game I'd expect to play in an arcade, constantly striving for the high score. It's fun the first time through and it's got a good amount of replayability because of the high scores, hunting for VIPs, and unlockable levels. It's worth a shot for any fan of zombie games or arcade-style fun.
