ANNIE:Last Hope
- April 6, 2020
- Pixel Rice
“Annie: Last Hope” is a HD Voxel top-down shooting game. Bringing a brand new adventure to players by smooth battle experience, new bosses and challenging level design.Countless zombies, bloodthirsty boss, dark side of humanity and conspiracies are all leading Annie into a deep abyss.Love, betrayal, humanity and rule, conspiracy and choice in apocalypse, all waiting for you to reveal.
Reviews
- The game features stunning voxel graphics and a unique art style that enhances the overall experience.
- Gameplay is engaging with a mix of challenging boss fights and varied enemy encounters, providing a fun and intense shooting experience.
- The story, while campy, has moments of emotional depth and is complemented by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.
- The game suffers from translation issues and awkward dialogue that can detract from immersion.
- Many players find the difficulty spikes frustrating, particularly during boss fights and certain combat scenarios.
- The overall length of the game is short, and some mechanics feel underdeveloped or rushed, leading to a lack of replayability.
- story56 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its emotional depth and classic storytelling elements, while others criticize it for being predictable, clichéd, and poorly translated. Many noted that the narrative feels rushed and lacks character development, leading to a disconnect with the players. Overall, while some found the story engaging and enjoyable, others felt it detracted from the gameplay experience.
“Annie: Last Hope, crafted with passion by Pixel Rice, is an indie game that seamlessly melds elements of classic storytelling, survival mechanics, and pixel art aesthetics.”
“The story unfolds gradually, revealing the mysteries of the game's universe and creating an emotional connection with the player.”
“Regardless, the story is engaging and feels complete, and the ending is really satisfying.”
“The story is kind of jank and I can't say how much I just wasn't into this title as much as I wanted to be.”
“Lots of plot elements are introduced but never expanded on... and the game just feels like it rushes to the ending; can't say it was a satisfying one.”
“The atrocious story and characters distract from any enjoyment you get from the gameplay and visuals.”
- gameplay33 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Annie: Last Hope" is a blend of classic twin-stick shooting mechanics and survival elements, featuring a mix of intense boss fights and exploration segments. While the game offers engaging combat and a captivating narrative, some players criticize its trial-and-error mechanics and occasional collision detection issues. Overall, it provides a fun experience with a unique art style, though it may feel simplistic at times.
“The game combines the allure of pixel art, the tension of survival mechanics, and the warmth of a captivating narrative.”
“The standout moments in the game are the boss fights, with their attacks filling the screen and requiring precise gameplay from the player akin to a shmup or bullet hell style game.”
“If you give this a chance, you will find an engaging story, riveting gameplay with diverse enemies and challenging and creative bosses.”
“The game has the worst trial and error mechanics for boss fights.”
“The gameplay consists almost entirely of killing zombies, moving on, then killing more zombies.”
“It took me roughly 3.5 hours to beat the game and get all achievements on normal difficulty, and during my playthrough, I encountered a few gameplay issues such as collision detection being a little rough at times, some of the monster hitboxes being off, and the camera being a little wonky at times.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Annie: Last Hope" are widely praised for their unique voxel art style and nostalgic pixelated visuals, which effectively create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the rich detail, excellent lighting, and vibrant backgrounds that contribute to both the game's eerie mood and its engaging action sequences. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and worth exploring.
“The game's pixelated visuals evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of the golden age of gaming.”
“From the post-apocalyptic landscapes to the subtle animations that breathe life into the world, the visuals play a vital role in immersing players in Jack's and Annie's struggle for survival.”
“I can easily recommend this game for the graphics alone, let alone the gameplay, the story, and the fantastic music.”
“Annie is a game that barely, just barely gets a pass from me just for its graphics and its ambition.”
“I just didn't like anything aside from the graphics.”
“Also this game uses voxel graphics which work really well, and when you shoot certain objects in the game they break into a shower of cubes, so if you don't mind Minecraft/LEGO type graphics then read on.”
- music19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's music is widely praised for its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, effectively complementing both the eerie environments and intense gameplay moments. Reviewers highlight the diverse range of compositions, from horror-inspired synths to emotional orchestral pieces, which elevate the overall experience, especially during boss fights where the music dynamically intensifies. Overall, the sound design and soundtrack are considered standout features that significantly contribute to the game's immersive storytelling.
“A hauntingly beautiful soundtrack sets the mood for the game.”
“Whether it's the eerie silence of abandoned ruins or the tense rhythm during encounters, the music effectively enhances the atmosphere and storytelling.”
“The game's music is great, ranging from haunting horror-esque synths to emotional orchestral scores.”
“Voxel-based art of the game is extremely well done, often presenting environments that feature a surprising level of detail. However, combined with sounds and music, it manages to set the mood extremely well - at least until a sentient tire tries to kill you and instead simply kills the atmosphere.”
“The way the music picks up and gets louder as the boss fights go on is impressive, but it can become overwhelming. The lower the health, the harder the fight, and the more blood-pumping music is going through your mind as you dodge bullets and pay attention to all of your surroundings.”
“While the sound design and music are incredibly well done, they sometimes feel disconnected from the gameplay, leading to moments where the atmosphere is not as immersive as it could be.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively builds an emotional connection through its gradual storytelling and impactful music, featuring a mix of haunting synths and orchestral scores. While the plot draws comparisons to classic horror narratives, it includes surprisingly poignant moments that enhance the overall experience, despite some clichés.
“The story unfolds gradually, revealing the mysteries of the game's universe and creating an emotional connection with the player.”
“The game's music is great, ranging from haunting horror-esque synths to emotional orchestral scores.”
“The plot is basically Resident Evil with crabs, featuring some surprisingly emotional moments, and is all the better for it.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is masterfully crafted through eerie soundscapes and detailed voxel graphics, creating a rich and immersive experience. The combination of music and environmental design effectively enhances storytelling, although some elements, like a sentient tire, can disrupt the mood. Overall, the attention to detail in both visuals and audio contributes significantly to the game's creepy ambiance.
“Voxel-based art of the game is extremely well done, often presenting environments that feature a surprising level of detail, and combined with sounds and music, manage to set the mood extremely well.”
“Voxel-based art of the game is extremely well done, often presenting environments that feature a surprising level of detail. Combined with sounds and music, it manages to set the mood extremely well - at least until a sentient tire tries to kill you and instead simply kills the atmosphere.”
“The voxel graphics are amazing, rich in detail, and the excellent lighting gives the game a creepy atmosphere.”
“Whether it's the eerie silence of abandoned ruins or the tense rhythm during encounters, the music effectively enhances the atmosphere and storytelling.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has low replayability due to the absence of features like chapter select or a new game plus, making it a one-time playthrough experience.
“There is also no chapter select or a new game plus (which would have greatly benefited from the upgrade system I mentioned they should have added) for replayability; this is a game you only play through once.”
“Low replayability.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, lag in certain areas, and frustrating gameplay interruptions, such as being shot during dialogue and getting locked out of progression. These problems detract from the overall experience.
“The game is incredibly buggy, with levels where you can be shot while you're talking, locked out of continuing by walking too far, and other small issues (mostly lag in some areas) that just took me out of the experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, even when adjusting the difficulty to easier settings for boss fights.
“Even on easy mode, the boss fights feel tedious and drawn out.”
“The grinding required to level up is mind-numbing and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“I find myself spending hours on repetitive tasks just to progress, which makes the game feel like a chore.”