The Last Faith
- November 15, 2023
- Kumi Souls Games
- 17h median play time
The Last Faith doesn't have a hugely original setting, but it’s an atmospheric, thrilling experience throughout.
"The Last Faith" is a single-player horror hack and slash game, described as a brutal yet empowering combination of metroidvania and soulslike elements. Explore a beautiful gothic landscape filled with precise combat, custom executions, and a range of weapons and spells. Embark on a cursed mission as Eryk, seeking salvation in a world that challenges your mind and conscience. Despite some bugs and grinding, the game boasts excellent music, splendid visuals, and a fantastic atmosphere.
Reviews
- Beautiful pixel art and atmospheric design that captures a gothic horror vibe.
- Engaging combat with a variety of weapons and spells, providing different playstyles.
- Challenging and satisfying boss fights that require learning patterns and strategy.
- Clunky controls and sluggish movement that can hinder gameplay experience.
- Lack of clear direction and guidance, leading to confusion about where to go next.
- Consumable healing items that do not replenish at checkpoints, making boss fights tedious.
- story333 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a mixed bag, drawing comparisons to titles like Bloodborne and Blasphemous with its dark, gothic themes and cryptic storytelling. While some players appreciate the atmospheric lore and character depth, many find the narrative convoluted and difficult to follow, often leading to frustration due to missable quests and vague dialogue. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a weak point, with a lack of clarity and resolution in character arcs and plotlines, leaving players feeling unsatisfied despite the game's engaging gameplay and visuals.
“Set in a dark, Victorian fantasy world, it tells a twisted tale of four noble houses with complex histories, interesting characters, and a somewhat predictable but fitting plot twist at the end.”
“The story is good and fits perfectly into the dark-themed world of the game.”
“The story is engaging: all dialogue is voice acted, which is great and the story actually has plenty of interesting characters.”
“Several subplots and character arcs are left hanging, and the overall story feels incomplete.”
“The game’s endings also feel underwhelming, and with many unresolved plot points, it seems incomplete.”
“The story is an absolutely convoluted mess and the way dialogue and information on items are written is frustratingly complicated for no reason other than to make it 'sound cool'.”
- gameplay309 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Last Faith" is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of metroidvania exploration and souls-like mechanics that some players find engaging while others criticize for being clunky and unpolished. The combat system offers a variety of weapons and spells, but issues like a poorly implemented parry mechanic, frustrating healing mechanics, and inconsistent enemy interactions detract from the overall experience. While the game boasts impressive visuals and atmosphere, many reviewers feel that the gameplay lacks the refinement and depth seen in its inspirations, leading to a sense of frustration rather than enjoyment.
“The gameplay is a satisfying mix of challenging combat and exploration, with tight controls that make every move count.”
“Great art style, but the gameplay department is a slog, and that's coming from a dude with 5 digit hours in dark souls on the playstation.”
“Last faith is a truly incredible game, featuring a hauntingly atmospheric gothic style and challenging yet rewarding gameplay.”
“That being said, I think the gameplay itself is too punishing for a game that is not polished enough to be demanding such precision when it comes to input and execution.”
“The gameplay is frustrating, although it has improved since release.”
“Unfortunately, the mechanics just aren't up to snuff.”
- graphics222 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Last Faith" have been widely praised for their stunning gothic pixel art style, which effectively combines elements of horror and beauty, reminiscent of classic titles like "Castlevania" and "Bloodborne." Reviewers highlight the game's detailed environments, character designs, and fluid animations, noting that the visuals significantly enhance the overall atmosphere and immersion. However, some criticism arises regarding the lack of graphical options and the repetitiveness of certain visual elements, which detracts from the otherwise impressive aesthetic experience.
“The game's visuals are nothing short of stunning, with beautifully detailed environments in a dark, atmospheric style.”
“The art style, combining gothic, grotesque, and steampunk elements, is unique and memorable.”
“The pixel art graphics for this game are very well detailed with a dark gothic style, fitting the theme of the game perfectly.”
“I would like to be able to select the monitor, resolution, etc. but there are no graphics options.”
“There's no way to change the graphics in the settings; minor, but some people don't enjoy playing full screen.”
“I never heard of a game with no graphics options at all before.”
- music175 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its atmospheric qualities that enhance the gothic ambiance and overall experience. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and lacking in variety, particularly during exploration, while others highlight standout boss themes as particularly engaging. Overall, while the music effectively sets the mood, it may not be memorable enough to leave a lasting impression for all players.
“The music also underlines the game's atmosphere with a fitting soundtrack in most areas, adding layers of melancholy to further enhance the overall experience.”
“The game's dark and atmospheric visuals, accompanied by a haunting soundtrack, immerse you fully in its grim and foreboding world.”
“The music is very good, the save room theme haunts me in my sleep... in a good way.”
“The areas look good and have good atmosphere, but lack of good, memorable music (sometimes it's not even playing), which unfortunately makes it a worse experience.”
“I eventually just shut off the music because it was so repetitive and boring.”
“The soundtrack is certainly worth listening to, although most tracks seem to lack a rhythm or tone that set them apart and serve more as a form of mood music or ambiance.”
- atmosphere128 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, gothic aesthetic reminiscent of titles like Bloodborne and Blasphemous, featuring stunning pixel art and a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the immersive environments, engaging sound design, and the emotional weight conveyed through music and voice acting, although some note that the music can be repetitive. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a major strength, effectively drawing players into its eerie and captivating world.
“The game's visuals are nothing short of stunning, with beautifully detailed environments in a dark, atmospheric style.”
“The atmosphere paired with the music makes the game one of the best I've played in this genre.”
“The last faith impresses with its atmosphere, music, and visualization of the dark, gothic world.”
“The atmosphere is not its forte, and some boss battles feel cheap.”
“While the game's atmosphere is remarkable at first glance, over time I believe many players will find their experience dulled by the repetition of textures and animations.”
“There’s no developed atmosphere at all.”
- grinding84 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and frustrating due to long boss fights, slow resource farming, and a lack of helpful mechanics for item retrieval. While some appreciate the challenge and the need for grinding to enhance character builds, others feel that the excessive grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel more like a chore than an adventure. Overall, players suggest that the game could benefit from a more balanced approach to grinding, as it often feels like a necessary but unenjoyable part of progression.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“One thing that bugged me was the lack of symbols on the map where you need specific tools, so that you know where to return later on when you have them unlocked. However, the backtracking to those places is not that tedious.”
“The game never explains this and moments of difficulty from that point on are turned into farming loops, where you have to grind souls and items until you have enough items to try again.”
“Why bother grinding for hours to fight bullet sponge enemies that aren't worth your time?”
“The absolutely ridiculous amount of grinding you have to do in this game is also unreal, even when playing in the intended linear fashion.”
- stability21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- -10 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting minor glitches and bugs that can occasionally disrupt gameplay, such as animation issues and progress-blocking errors. While some users experienced significant problems at launch, recent patches appear to have improved performance, with reports of stable frame rates and fewer critical issues. Overall, while the game is playable and enjoyable, players should be prepared for some technical hiccups, especially in its early stages.
“It runs great on the Steam Deck!”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
“I've encountered very few bugs, which speaks to its overall stability.”
“However, its animation constantly glitches and when you walk with it, a portion falls beyond textures.”
“I love playing it and enjoy the combat a ton, but there are plenty of progress-blocking glitches to contend with.”
“There were a couple of times I was stuck in a wall and had to exit the game, so it can be a bit buggy at times.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the variety of weapons, spells, and character builds that encourage experimentation, many express disappointment due to the lack of features like New Game Plus or boss rush modes, which limit replay value. Future updates promising additional content may enhance replayability, but currently, it is seen as minimal.
“There's also a nice variety of weapons and spells to find, and a good amount of replayability to try out different builds.”
“The weapon and magic selection is amazing and gives big replay value.”
“Different starter classes, weapon types, and other equippables create playstyle diversity and replay value.”
“The game has 0% replayability, no new game plus, boss rush, or other features.”
“Basically no replayability though, unless you locked yourself out of quests like I did.”
“No new game plus option yet; they said they will be adding it in the future, but I think it's not replayable currently.”
- character development13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Character development in the game features a unique metroidvania system that allows for specific upgrades, such as a double jump, but is hampered by a frustrating leveling mechanic that restricts attribute allocation. While character designs and animations are praised for their quality and polish, the overall impact of character development is diminished by poor design choices and a lack of meaningful class differentiation. Additionally, the gameplay mechanics, including a mana system for spells, complicate the effectiveness of character abilities, leading to mixed reviews on the overall experience.
“It has a peculiar Metroidvania character development system, where you get a double jump somewhere in the fourth quarter of the game.”
“That's why character design is so important; it has the power to either elevate your game or bring it to the ground.”
“Character designs, art, environments, animations... all of it is so lovingly put together, so expertly polished.”
“The level-up system is frustrating, as you have to spend the currency you get from killing monsters into attributes... and can only spend on one attribute and not the entire character development, so if the next level takes 10,000, you will spend that level in only one out of five!”
“Only downside is the class choice doesn't change the character design, just the stats.”
“But unfortunately, some design choices made the game far less enjoyable as a whole, like instant kill hazards, a bad parrying mechanic, poor character design for bosses, and other minor issues.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with players on lower-end systems, particularly the Switch, experiencing significant lag and performance issues, while those on higher-end setups report excellent performance. Many users noted bugs and a lack of options to adjust settings for better performance, leading to frustration with gameplay mechanics and overall experience. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary greatly depending on the platform and hardware used.
“Performance: excellent (played on ASUS ROG Ally, 1080p, 60fps)”
“Each one has a crucial impact on your character's performance based on the build you're using.”
“Note: given the requirements, performance is most likely not an issue.”
“The game seems to hit the Switch's performance max, so it often lags.”
“Originally played on Switch, but performance was poor and I felt the game deserved to be played at its potential.”
“Pode ser só comigo por conta do meu PC mais humilde, mas o jogo sofre com constantes travamentos e não possui nenhuma opção que permita diminuir a qualidade em prol da performance.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from quirky character designs, such as the protagonist's funny face mask, and amusing gameplay mechanics, like the contrast between weapon speeds and damage. Players find the absurdities in character choices and the game's cryptic storytelling to be unintentionally humorous, leading to more laughter than intended. Overall, the humor is characterized by a mix of visual gags and gameplay quirks that add a lighthearted touch to the experience.
“The protagonist has a funny face mask.”
“It's funny because great swords are much slower than dex weapons, but they deal more damage.”
“It's funny that the stargazer class starts with a weapon without having the stat requirement for the starting weapon.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of frustration and emotional investment in the game's exploration mechanics, particularly due to the immediate penalties for falling or touching spikes, which can detract from the sense of discovery. The need for extensive backtracking after dying or respawning enemies can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed or punished, especially during challenging boss fights, impacting the overall emotional experience of the game.
“I had two bosses which made me feel like I really shouldn't fight them at this point in the game because the fight took so long.”
“It made me feel like there were areas I had not explored when in reality it was either just an open sky area I could not reach or a pit with a kill plane.”
“This made me feel stupid and punished for choosing dex.”
Critic Reviews
The Last Faith review
The Last Faith is a beautiful but inconsistent rehash of older, better games.
60%The Last Faith Review (PC)
The Last Faith is a grueling metroidvania, leaning into pinnacle souls-like gameplay elements that reward exploration, precision, and patience. Its combat may be simple and fun, but the challenge of mastering its traversal may be too much to handle. Its gorgeous visuals might not be distinct enough to separate itself from the pack of its predecessors, but it’s a great start for those wanting to test the waters of the souls genre.
85%The Last Faith review
The Last Faith doesn't have a hugely original setting, but it’s an atmospheric, thrilling experience throughout.
90%