Four Last Things
- May 20, 2016
- JoeRichardson
- 2h median play time
"Four Last Things" is a point-and-click adventure game set in a world of Renaissance-era paintings and classical music. The game explores the themes of sin and the Four Last Things, with the goal of being both intelligent and ridiculous. The game features pointing and clicking, Renaissance artwork, classical music, and opportunities for sinful behavior. The detailed, interactive game world has a simple visual interface. Prepare for nonsense and piffle in this 16th century Flanders-inspired game.
Reviews
- Unique and creative use of Renaissance art and classical music, creating a visually stunning experience.
- Hilarious writing and clever humor reminiscent of Monty Python, providing a delightful and entertaining narrative.
- Engaging puzzles that are straightforward yet clever, making for a fun and enjoyable gameplay experience.
- The game is very short, typically taking only 1-2 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Some puzzles can be a bit obscure, leading to potential frustration for players unfamiliar with point-and-click mechanics.
- Lack of voice acting and character depth may detract from the overall immersion and experience.
- humor375 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Four Last Things" is widely praised for its clever, absurdist wit reminiscent of Monty Python, blending dark comedy with playful dialogue and visual gags. Players appreciate the game's unique use of Renaissance art and classical music, which enhances its comedic charm, although some find the humor occasionally uneven or less impactful than expected. Overall, it offers a short, engaging experience filled with laugh-out-loud moments and quirky interactions, making it a delightful choice for fans of point-and-click adventures and irreverent humor.
“The animated renaissance paintings and a style of comedy reminiscent of 90's point-and-click classics create an absolutely hilarious mix.”
“It's one of the rare laugh-out-loud funny games I've played, it has clever wit, references (which work), some 4th wall breaking and dumb jokes (in the best possible way) all wound together in this beautiful, clever art style which makes the whole thing into a Monty Python game that never was.”
“The game's absurd situations and clever dialogues create a consistently funny experience, complemented by a strong storyline that adds depth to the overall enjoyment.”
- music203 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its enchanting selection of classical pieces, primarily drawn from the Renaissance era, which complements the game's artistic style beautifully. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall atmosphere, with each scene featuring its own unique musical accompaniment performed by in-game characters. The combination of humor, art, and music creates a charming and immersive experience that resonates particularly well with fans of classical music and Renaissance art.
“The adventure is accompanied by a really good musical selection, composed mostly of antique music, along with some anachronistic romantic pieces.”
“The music, with its enchanting melodies and whimsical tones, immerses players further into the world, enhancing the emotional impact of each scene.”
“Four Last Things is an outstanding indie point-and-click game that incorporates renaissance-era paintings and music to create a Monty Python-esque comedy.”
“Similarly, all the music isn't unique here either; it's just classical music that it takes for its own.”
“And then you're stuck for hours with that tedious, repetitious short music loops in that couple of screens the game has to offer and don't know how to proceed from here.”
“The background music that's always on becomes a little bit tiring.”
- graphics168 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Four Last Things" are widely praised for their unique and clever use of renaissance paintings, which are animated in a whimsical, Monty Python-esque style. Reviewers highlight the game's beautiful visuals and the seamless integration of classical music, creating an immersive and visually striking experience. However, some players note that the busy artwork can make it difficult to identify interactable elements, which may detract from the overall gameplay experience.
“The game's art style is a remarkable fusion of classical renaissance paintings and modern animation, creating a visually striking and immersive world.”
“Four Last Things is a fantastic and hilarious adventure game that uses old artwork in very clever ways.”
“The graphics are unique, made from over forty real-life paintings from the renaissance, painstakingly edited in such a way to animate and create something unique and enjoyable for the player to gaze upon and be delighted.”
“On the whole, the only thing pythonesque about the game is the artwork - the humor is far, far away from the jouncy dynamism of the flying circus.”
“The main unique selling point about the game is the use of renaissance and early modern artwork, but that actually becomes a problem in game design terms because it means the game is incredibly visually busy, which makes working out what exactly can be interacted with and what can't a difficult proposition - not a great thing in a genre long known for its pixel hunting problems.”
“I mean, I can't really say much else about the graphics, it is what it is, real life pieces of art turned into a point & click game.”
- story73 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a humorous and absurd quest centered around committing the seven deadly sins, featuring clever dialogue and a unique blend of Renaissance art and Monty Python-inspired humor. While some players found the narrative engaging and thought-provoking, others criticized it for being vague and lacking depth, with gameplay that sometimes felt disconnected from the story. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a highlight, though opinions vary on its execution and coherence.
“The game's absurd situations and clever dialogues create a consistently funny experience, complemented by a strong storyline that adds depth to the overall enjoyment.”
“The story is simple but effective - you play as a character who has come to the Church of Heavenly Peter, seeking absolution for having committed the seven deadly sins.”
“The humour is delightful and sometimes very wrong (in a good way), the story is simple but engaging; I'd even say it's thought-provoking.”
“The plot is insignificant, and it's not really funny despite it trying to be.”
“Sadly, I found that there is little to nothing in the way of story or characters, and very little humor, satire, or social commentary (there's a bit at the very end).”
“Not only that, but it clearly presents a challenge for the plot as well because the plot and puzzles need to fit in with the available artwork, rather than the artwork adapting to the puzzles, and the end result is a somewhat incoherent mish-mash of events which makes this game a fine example of ridiculous adventure game logic.”
- gameplay59 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a short, point-and-click experience lasting around 1-2 hours, featuring a mix of clever puzzles and exploration that encourages player engagement. While the artistic presentation and humor are praised, opinions on the gameplay's depth and challenge vary, with some finding it tedious or lacking in innovation. Overall, it offers a charming and visually appealing experience, though it may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay mechanics.
“The puzzles and achievements encourage exploration and, while the game leans heavily on its artistic charm, its blend of humor and inventive gameplay provides a memorable, if niche, experience.”
“The gameplay is pleasant and funny.”
“Everything from the art direction to the old school point & click gameplay is finely polished and a ton of fun to play, not to mention humorous.”
“The gameplay itself, however, is not particularly engaging; puzzles are not exactly clever or challenging, and the humor feels somewhat stale.”
“On the negative side of things, the gameplay did start to frustrate me after some time, both because it was glitchy and because it seemed needlessly tedious.”
“The gameplay was not very enjoyable (the game even glitched near the end), and the jokes are not really my cup of tea.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals inspired by Renaissance art and a rich, diverse soundtrack that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the harmonious integration of humor, clever references, and period music, creating an engaging and immersive environment. While some interactables may feel unnecessary, the overall aesthetic and charm of the atmosphere are considered exceptional and captivating.
“I really like the atmosphere of the game, as a fan of Renaissance art and Hieronymus Bosch in general.”
“It looks beautiful, sounds awesome, and is a fun and very funny puzzle-based story, with clever use of Middle Ages and Renaissance art to create the scenes and many characters.”
“Creator and animator Joe Richardson executes a great job at the atmosphere being so harmonious, implementing so many different Renaissance references.”
“There were some interactables that didn’t serve the story or atmosphere, and the game could have gone without.”
“If you like games like the ones Daedalic produces, where you have to basically do a lot of experimenting, then you might find this game to be a little bland in terms of puzzles, but I think the atmosphere and visual concept will more than make up for it.”
“The sarcastic jokes, dialogues, and gestures it contains immensely draw you into the atmosphere.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 44 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting its short playtime of under two hours and linear gameplay that offers little incentive to revisit. While some appreciate its clever design and humor, the consensus is that once completed, there is no compelling reason to play again.
“Replayability - no reason to replay the game.”
“Replay value: average.”
“It's a pity this game is so short and non-replayable.”
“Cons - the play time is only a few hours, there is no replayability, some of the linear paths are not necessarily that sensible, and what's up with that dog?”
“Short - there's less than two hours of gameplay in this title and - as is customary with this genre - no replay value.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game offers a visually appealing and engaging puzzle experience, it suffers from moments of tedious grinding, particularly in card farming and repetitive gameplay. Some players find the grinding aspect frustrating and time-consuming, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“On the negative side of things, the gameplay did start to frustrate me after some time, both because it was glitchy and because it seemed needlessly tedious.”
“And then you're stuck for hours with that tedious, repetitive short music loops in that couple of screens the game has to offer and don't know how to proceed from here.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's emotional depth, noting that its enchanting music and whimsical tones significantly enhance the overall experience. Beyond its humorous dialogue and visuals, the game explores profound themes such as existentialism, the impact of religion and death on society, and the manipulation of free will through fear and conformity, leaving a lasting emotional impression.
“The music, with its enchanting melodies and whimsical tones, immerses players further into the world, enhancing the emotional impact of each scene.”
“At the last moment, I understood that this game isn't just a fun game with humorous dialogue and nice visuals; it's a lot more touching existentialism, exploring how religion and the concept of death shape society for the worse, and how free will is manipulated so easily by fear and conformity!”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features appealing graphics and aesthetics, but users have reported occasional glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, requiring restarts to regain functionality. Overall, while stability issues are present, players remain optimistic about future fixes.
“The game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
“It was also a bit buggy; I had to restart the game a couple of times because I lost the ability to click on things and move between areas, but I assume that'll be fixed soon.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance across various hardware configurations. However, some players have noted occasional frame rate drops and minor bugs that can affect gameplay experience. Overall, the optimization is considered satisfactory but could benefit from further refinement.
“The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
“I was impressed by how well the game runs; the developers clearly put a lot of effort into optimizing performance.”
“The frame rates are consistently high, and the loading times are minimal, showcasing excellent optimization.”