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Last Year

Last Year Game Cover
63%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
optimization, stability
62% User Score Based on 5,092 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Last Year Game Cover

About

Last Year is a single player and multiplayer survival strategy game with a horror theme. It was developed by Undaunted Games and was released on December 9, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Last Year" is a horror strategy game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing 2-6 players to cooperate or compete as Classmates or Fiends. The game features splendid visuals and delightful gameplay inspired by classic horror stories, but is missing some optimization and has several bugs. Players must work together to survive against Fiends in a nightmarish copy of their hometown and unlock powerful abilities through Arcane Secrets.

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Last Year screenshot
Last Year screenshot
Last Year screenshot
Last Year screenshot
Last Year screenshot
Last Year screenshot
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62%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,092 reviews
gameplay160 positive mentions
optimization40 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique concept that combines elements from various horror games, making it fun and engaging.
  • Playing as a Classmate allows for teamwork and strategy, with different classes offering unique abilities.
  • The graphics and atmosphere are well-designed, contributing to an immersive horror experience.
  • The game suffers from a low player base, making it difficult to find matches, especially as a Fiend.
  • Balancing issues exist, with many players feeling that the Fiends are overpowered compared to the Classmates.
  • Technical problems, such as long loading times and crashes, detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay
    455 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying its unique mechanics and engaging atmosphere, particularly when playing with friends. However, numerous criticisms highlight issues such as balance problems between killers and survivors, clunky controls, and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the gameplay fun and rewarding once they grasp the mechanics, others express frustration over its unpolished state and the need for significant improvements.

    • “The game's atmosphere and mechanics make it a standout in the genre, and it's definitely worth checking out if you enjoy this type of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and simple with a skill gap that can be mastered.”
    • “The gameplay is intense and both sides have the ability to swing momentum at any time.”
    • “But once we entered the actual gameplay, it became abundantly clear that this title was not ready for public consumption—frankly, it barely qualifies as a finished product.”
    • “The overall mechanics of the game feel slow and unresponsive, making it one of the worst movement games I've ever played.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and feels very unfinished.”
  • graphics
    198 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the visuals as impressive and well-designed, contributing to an engaging atmosphere. However, several users report significant optimization issues, including lag and crashes, which detract from the overall experience. While the aesthetic is often highlighted as a strong point, the game's performance problems can hinder enjoyment, especially for those with lower-end hardware.

    • “The graphics in this game are really quite good, which at least makes the game look more appealing.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the sound design is terrifying (in a good way), and the actual gameplay feels extremely smooth/balanced.”
    • “The graphics are phenomenal, some of the best in the market for a horror game.”
    • “It was so poorly optimized when my friends and I played it; the game wouldn't go full screen, the graphics were complete trash for how bad it was running, and the crashing was unbearable.”
    • “The graphics are a joke; all settings on high still result in blurry, almost unrecognizable textures, and putting the game to ultra causes stuttering.”
    • “When I play this game, the graphics are so bad to the point that the title card looks better.”
  • optimization
    131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues such as lag, frame drops, and crashes, making it nearly unplayable for many. Despite some recent patches aimed at improving performance, the overall consensus is that significant optimization work is still needed to enhance gameplay experience. While there are occasional reports of smoother performance on lower-end systems, the majority of users express frustration over the game's current state and lack of proper testing before release.

    • “Runs smoothly even on the worst modern systems.”
    • “I will also quickly say that the performance is quite good with only minor frame drops at times.”
    • “Glad to see already some changes and major optimization!”
    • “The mines map is so laggy it's basically unplayable with constant frame drops, stuttering, and just a mess overall. No one plays it anymore, and honestly, I can’t blame them. The devs had announced a sequel at one point, but judging by the current state of the game, that’s probably never happening. One of the newer maps doesn’t even function properly; objectives break, players get stuck, and it feels like zero testing was done. Sad to see a game with so much potential fall apart like this.”
    • “The game's optimization is absolutely abysmal, with GPU and CPU usage exploding just from being in the lobby alone.”
    • “This game is so poorly optimized that it is impossible to play without it looking like you are playing a game from 1970.”
  • stability
    113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent and severe glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users describe the experience as "buggy" and "unoptimized," with issues ranging from freezing and crashing to game-breaking glitches that disrupt matches. While some players still find enjoyment in the game, the overall consensus is that it requires substantial improvements to its stability and performance.

    • “Game runs great at a solid 200 fps.”
    • “Runs great and I have so much fun with my friends!”
    • “They do weekly dev streams and constantly put out updates and patches to ensure the game is fun and bug-free for everyone.”
    • “Glitches abound with such frequency and severity that one might assume the developers had never actually tested the game themselves.”
    • “It's incredibly buggy and most maps cause huge lag.”
    • “This game is not only still a buggy and barely playable mess, it somehow feels so much worse and unbalanced now than before on the Discord store.”
  • humor
    65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its ability to generate laughter through funny interactions, character dialogue, and chaotic gameplay moments, especially when played with friends. Many reviews note that the game's comedic elements provide a lighthearted contrast to its more intense scenarios, making it a fun experience overall. However, some players also mention that the humor can sometimes overshadow gameplay balance issues, leading to a mix of enjoyment and frustration.

    • “I play with my husband and family and we cannot stop laughing and screaming during this game!!!!!”
    • “It is an amazing fun game that always has me and my friends laughing.”
    • “The game puts a funny spin on scary situations.”
    • “This game is the biggest joke since Dead by Daylight; though jokes are supposed to be funny, I'm so lost... I thought that was pretty hard to beat.”
  • atmosphere
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is a significant highlight, with many players praising its engaging and spooky design, enhanced by impressive graphics and sound effects. While some maps and elements may feel uninspired or lacking in content, the overall mood successfully creates tension and excitement, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre. However, there are mixed opinions, with a few players feeling that certain aspects detract from the intended atmosphere.

    • “The game has amazing graphics and sound effects that create a terrifying atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and mood of the game is excellent.”
    • “The maps are highly detailed and portray the dark atmosphere well.”
    • “Its kinda boring tbh, there's not really any atmosphere.”
    • “Like the atmosphere just needs more content.”
    • “Every map looks worse and the atmosphere has been ruined.”
  • story
    37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players feeling that it relies too heavily on multiplayer dynamics rather than a cohesive narrative. While some appreciate the potential for a larger story and unique mission objectives, the overall consensus is that the game lacks meaningful lore and character development, leaving players wanting more. Additionally, the repetitive mission structure and absence of a single-player mode further detract from the storytelling experience.

    • “Maps that significantly vary in style coupled with the different story-driven objectives for each and the in-game crafting system for items make for a very fun replayable experience!”
    • “This game has a really cool story, born as a Discord exclusive, this game is now here on Steam.”
    • “My only faults with the game that aren't balance-related come from a lack of lore in the game. I'm a big sucker for lore, especially around supernatural games, and I think a nice injection of story would be nice. Who are these kids?”
    • “The developer gambled that other players would be an acceptable substitute for adding storytelling, level design, etc. to the game.”
    • “The 'story arc' of each match, if you will, doesn't feel satisfying.”
    • “My only faults with the game that aren't balanced-based come from a lack of lore in the game. I'm a big sucker for lore, especially around supernatural games, and I think a nice injection of story would be nice. Who are these kids?”
  • monetization
    37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the prevalence of microtransactions, which they feel detracts from the overall experience and suggests a focus on profit over content. While some players appreciate that the game is free and currently offers only cosmetic purchases, others express concern about the potential for exploitative practices due to the introduction of premium currencies and a lack of meaningful updates. Overall, there is a consensus that the monetization strategy could undermine the game's longevity and player engagement.

    • “Since it's free and the only microtransactions are cosmetics, at the time of writing this review, there's no reason to not try it out.”
    • “There seems to be no microtransactions, no in-game currency that costs real money; everything in the game must be earned through actually playing it, which is absolutely amazing and rare to see in video games nowadays.”
    • “Unless they mess it up with horrible monetization somehow, it's an incredibly fun game to play for the price of free.”
    • “On pricing and value for gamers, this isn't really free as the game is infested with mobile app store-like microtransactions.”
    • “The devs would rather make a working microtransactions store and release an unfinished map over focusing on bringing in players to make their money and keep the game alive.”
    • “Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this game because I believe it is a cash grab.”
  • replayability
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it highly enjoyable with varied maps, story objectives, and character options that enhance replay value, others criticize it for lacking sufficient content and progression systems, leading to repetitive gameplay. The introduction of new elements and mechanics has improved replayability for some, but many still feel it falls short compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “Maps that significantly vary in style coupled with the different story-driven objectives for each and the in-game crafting system for items make for a very fun replayable experience!”
    • “A fun game with a lot of replayability, with an assortment of students and fiends to choose from (more coming in the future), I'd say it's definitely worth its price.”
    • “Pros: tons of replayability with each round feeling different than the last since every fiend and survivor play differently, and with the different spell and item combos, games can go fast or slow depending on what happens, which adds excitement.”
    • “There is barely any replay value here if at all despite being like Left 4 Dead 2 versus.”
    • “The game was quite enjoyable at the beginning as it's kind of like Dead by Daylight meets Left 4 Dead; however, the lack of content made replayability limited as the objectives are always the same, and it all falls down on how good the slasher is.”
    • “With a lack of content and any sort of progression system, it left little replayability.”
  • music
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it catchy and well-executed, enhancing the overall experience, while others describe it as nerve-wracking or merely filling noise. Despite the varied opinions, many appreciate the soundtrack's quality and its ability to complement the gameplay, although concerns about the game's longevity and player engagement persist. Overall, the music is seen as a highlight, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “So far I get into games quickly and only experience one bug but nothing to make me rage, nice graphics, fun gameplay, fun characters, and good music.”
    • “The sound design, voice acting, and music were well executed.”
    • “Music is instantly catchy without being annoying and the sound overall is high level.”
    • “So while you wait for a match to start, you may hear constant typing noises, music playing in other players' homes, and even conversations they're having with someone else without knowing the whole lobby can hear them.”
    • “ just filling noises/no music”
    • “The voice acting is goofy and comical, and the music can be a bit nerve-wracking at times, which is great since it keeps you on your toes at all times, especially when it's time to escape the level.”
  • grinding
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players consistently describe the grinding in the game as tedious, obnoxious, and unfulfilling, often requiring excessive time investment (8-12 hours) to unlock essential perks or content. Many feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment, with repetitive tasks and a lack of meaningful progression leading to frustration. Additionally, there are concerns that the game seems designed to encourage microtransactions rather than rewarding players through gameplay.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Obnoxious and unfun grind, tedious tasks where you need to spend upwards of 8-12 hours just to unlock a specific perk you want for your build, some of which are literally required or your class is unplayable (medic needing healing hands, for example).”
    • “There's very little progression and it's extremely grindy.”
    • “If I were to describe the game in a couple of words, it would have to be tedious and unsatisfying.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight strong character design and visuals, praising the game's aesthetic appeal. Players appreciate the potential for character development through a promising perk tree that offers diverse options based on class selection. However, there is a call for ongoing content updates to maintain engagement and keep the character development experience fresh.

    • “Awesome visuals and great character development.”
    • “The graphics are great and the character designs look perfect as well!”
    • “Also, the promise or perk tree promises to be interesting, it gives many possibilities for character development depending on the class we choose.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with users expressing disappointment over its decline and frustration with its mechanics. The sentiment reflects a sense of heartbreak for what the game could have been, contrasting with the annoyance and dissatisfaction felt by players.

    • “This game had such creative minds behind the scenes, and it is so heartbreaking to see the fall of this game.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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5h Median play time
37h Average play time
3-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Last Year is a survival strategy game with horror theme.

Last Year is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 37 hours playing Last Year.

Last Year was released on December 9, 2019.

Last Year was developed by Undaunted Games.

Last Year has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

Last Year is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Propnight, Hide Or Die, Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game, The Culling, Pandemic Express: Zombie Escape and others.