The Last Stand Legacy Collection
- July 15, 2021
- Con Artist Games
- 5h median play time
The Last Stand Legacy Collection is a comprehensive package of the first three games in the franchise: The Last Stand, The Last Stand 2, and The Last Stand: Union City. In these games, players assume the role of Jack and navigate through the zombie apocalypse, gathering weapons and supplies during the day, repairing barricades, and defending against hordes of the undead at night. The goal is to reach the coast before evacuation and survive in the chaotic Union City.
Reviews
- Nostalgic trip down memory lane for fans of the original Flash games.
- The collection includes three games, providing good value for fans of the series.
- Union City introduces RPG elements and character customization, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Union City suffers from significant performance issues, including lag and input delays.
- Bugs persist, such as companions losing their weapons when changing areas.
- The games feel dated and may not appeal to new players unfamiliar with the original Flash versions.
- gameplay107 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay across "The Last Stand" series is characterized by a mix of simple yet engaging mechanics, primarily revolving around zombie survival, resource management, and character customization. While the first two games focus on wave defense and straightforward mechanics, the third installment, "Union City," introduces RPG elements and exploration, albeit with notable bugs and performance issues. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic charm and addictive gameplay, though some express concerns about repetitiveness and the need for modern updates.
“The gameplay improves through all three games as each game adds more features and ways to kill zombies.”
“The simple yet addictive mechanics of fortifying a location, scavenging for resources, and fending off waves of zombies still hold some charm and can provide a fun time for players looking for a quick zombie-killing fix.”
“Union City completely drops the wave defense gameplay and opts for an open world ARPG with survival/scavenging.”
“A buggy, broken mess that tries to up itself in each game by progressively adding more shallow mechanics without any meaningful depth to them.”
“Unfortunately, the game suffers from a multitude of bugs that severely disrupted my gameplay, leading to frequent save file reloads, particularly in Union City.”
“The repetitive nature of the gameplay, which primarily revolves around defending a location and surviving waves of zombies, can become monotonous after a while.”
- stability90 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The stability of the game collection, particularly "The Last Stand: Union City," is widely criticized for being plagued with numerous bugs and glitches, including game-breaking issues, low frame rates, and unresponsive controls. While the first two games in the series are generally more stable, players still report minor glitches that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, the nostalgic value is acknowledged, but the persistent technical problems significantly detract from the experience, making it difficult to recommend for new players.
“Companions will lose the weapon you gave them for no reason, sometimes when gaining a companion the game freezes, forcing you to close it, and upon loading your save again, the companion you just did a quest for no longer exists.”
“The game has a very low FPS cap, and numerous game-breaking glitches that range from forcing you to be trapped in a single area, unable to move forward without restarting from the beginning, to having your follower lose weapons each time you enter a new area.”
“The lag (input lag and screen lag) is terrible and the glitches and bugs are just as bad, and the worst part is that none of these things were problems on a low-end Chromebook and a MacBook more than a decade ago, yet this port chugs down to 10-15 FPS when inside buildings or during combat.”
- story85 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "The Last Stand: Union City" is generally considered simple and somewhat cliché, focusing on a survivor's quest to find their spouse amidst a zombie apocalypse. While the narrative includes some interesting twists and side quests that enhance exploration, it often takes a backseat to gameplay mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its depth and creativity. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic value and the engaging, albeit straightforward, storyline that ties the series together.
“If you like zombies with a pretty decent story, I'd recommend this game to anyone who likes side scrollers with zombies and survival.”
“No doubt this will have been quite the big project for Con Artist Studios back then, seeing how much more involved the player is with exploring Union City to find their beloved spouse and escape the doomed city together, although plenty of obstacles face the character and will need solutions brought forward in the form of typical 'quests' (some are mandatory to the story whilst others are optional for extra XP/gear) to progress as your character becomes stronger to face off against the zombies that become more aggressive and in bigger numbers whilst progressing into the more populated areas of Union City!”
“Union City definitely ups the ante and gives the game a real story, including main & side quests, but even then it's not exactly creative or awe-inspiring.”
“Additionally, the storytelling and narrative elements in the Last Stand Legacy Collection are minimal.”
“The last stand: union city had a proper story that was admittedly generic and cliché.”
“Union city definitely ups the ante and gives the game a real story, including main & side quests, but even then it's not exactly creative or awe-inspiring.”
- graphics76 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game collection are generally described as simplistic and reminiscent of its origins as a flash game, with only minor improvements and upscaling that do not significantly enhance the experience. While some players appreciate the nostalgic art style and the charm of the original visuals, many criticize the lack of substantial graphical updates, performance issues, and glitches that detract from gameplay. Overall, the graphics are considered adequate for a retro collection, but they fall short of modern standards, leading to mixed feelings among players.
“The graphics look good at max resolution, but the 'upscaled' setting does not do much, (maybe changes how the gun looks).”
“The art style is fantastic (for all three games, haven't played Dead Zone yet).”
“Brings back a lot of nostalgia and I love the overhaul to the graphics.”
“The graphics and animations are dated, lacking the polish and detail expected from modern games.”
“The only new change added is that you can set the graphics to a higher setting, but that just makes the game somehow run even worse and borderline unplayable.”
“Great for the nostalgia factor and obviously flash is dead so it's hard to play this any other way, but the upscaled graphics and resolution will make your computer slow to a crawl even on high-end machines.”
- optimization58 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game collection, particularly "The Last Stand: Union City," has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as significant lag, input delays, and frame rate drops, especially during intense gameplay scenarios. While the first two games perform adequately, the third installment is deemed nearly unplayable due to its poor optimization, leading to frustration among players. Overall, the collection is seen as a nostalgic experience, but it requires substantial performance improvements to enhance playability.
“The games have also all been given bug fixes and performance upgrades since their Steam release.”
“Great to be able to play these old classics again, but they really need some performance and bug fixes.”
“I love the updated graphics for each of the games too, as well as the performance upgrades that have been made to all three games.”
“The first two games are okay; however, Union City is broken and bugged, and also has a lot of performance issues.”
“Union City is optimized incredibly poorly, with many FPS drops and extreme input lag.”
“Performance is horrendous and often unplayable.”
- replayability23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the "Last Stand" series offers varying levels of replayability, with the third game being highlighted as the most replayable due to its expanded map and engaging mechanics. While some players find the earlier titles enjoyable yet limited in replay value due to glitches and minor gameplay issues, many appreciate the nostalgia and fun factor that encourages multiple playthroughs. The collection is generally considered a good value for those seeking a quick, enjoyable experience with decent replay potential.
“I enjoyed the extra portion of the map, and find this game to be infinitely replayable (that goes for TLS, TLS2, and TLS:UC).”
“It's such a simple idea, but so enjoyable and replayable, and the nostalgia is unbeatable.”
“If you're looking for a fun base defense/scavenge game that is both smooth and technical with tons of replayability, then this journey of a thankfully not forgotten series is for you.”
“While Union City is actually a good shooter, I can't call it an RPG. It's well-made and fun to play, but it suffers from a lack of replayability, and the stat changes did not feel like they had a significant effect on the gameplay compared to the other two games in the collection.”
“Games have little replayable value, and if you're short on cash, don't buy this.”
“Not much replayability, but the $11 are worth the playing time and fun you'll have through the three games in this package.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be enjoyable and nostalgic, it is often marred by tedious gameplay, bugs, and performance issues that make combat feel frustrating. Many users express a desire for improvements to reduce the repetitiveness and lag, as these factors detract from the overall enjoyment. For those seeking a straightforward, less grind-heavy experience, some recommend alternatives that focus on simpler gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“These problems mainly range from pure performance issues such as input delay and horrid loss of frames, which makes combat a bit more tedious than it needs to be.”
“Riddled with bugs and parts with major lag no matter what PC specs you have, very tedious and repetitive, with lots of useless side missions that involve tons of backtracking.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game effectively enhances the atmosphere, building and maintaining tension, though it may not be particularly memorable on its own. Users appreciate the nostalgic elements of the soundtrack, which aligns well with the gameplay, while the sudden changes in music add an element of surprise. Overall, the soundtrack serves its purpose, contributing to the immersive experience.
“Music is on point, story and details are the same as it was back on the browser, runs a lot better.”
“The music is good, not particularly eye-catching but it serves its purpose of building and maintaining tension quite well.”
“Zombie screams, weapons feedback, explosions, and one music track that changes tempo when the zombie horde attacks.”
“The soundtrack... exists.”
“Because waves appear at random, the sudden change of music jump-scared me a bit.”
“Zombie screams, weapon feedback, explosions, and one music track that changes tempo when the zombie horde attacks.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to "The Last Stand Legacy Collection," highlighting nostalgia and the intense feelings evoked by its gameplay. Many reviewers mention moments of sadness and tension, reflecting on the game's ability to create memorable experiences despite its horror themes. The blend of nostalgia and emotional engagement makes the collection resonate deeply with those familiar with the original trilogy.
“I recommend this game because it's a good game. I cried a little; it's so nostalgic.”
“Unlike many here, I never played The Last Stand 1 or 2 as a kid, mainly due to being scared of the horror themes. However, I do have very fond nostalgic memories of the flash game golden age, which made me feel right at home not just with The Last Stand 1, 2, and Union City, but also Aftermath interestingly enough.”
“It honestly is heartbreaking.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as dense and immersive, evoking feelings of paranoia reminiscent of nighttime escapades in "Dying Light." Despite some visual aging, it maintains a strong ambiance supported by iconic audio elements, contributing to a dark and gritty overall experience.
“Surprisingly, part 3 of the series convinces with a fairly dense atmosphere, solid gameplay, and the typical loot spiral.”
“Even though it's a flash game from the mid-2000s, it still has great atmosphere, style, and audio, with every moan, blast, and tear sounding positively iconic for those familiar with them.”
“It's visually starting to show cracks, but the atmosphere it creates had me thinking of the paranoid nighttime getaways in Dying Light.”
“Put Dawn of the Dead on in the background for extra retro zombie atmosphere.”
“Dark and gritty atmosphere.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a key element that enhances the overall experience, making it both entertaining and engaging. Players appreciate the blend of comedy and gameplay, finding it more enjoyable than many high-budget titles. Nostalgic reflections on simpler games also contribute to the perception of humor as a timeless aspect of gaming.
“This is how you do a good zombie game: you put zombies in it and make it funny to play.”
“I'm not sure if it's more funny or disturbing that I find these 'simple' games to be more entertaining and stand the test of time better than almost everything the so-called 'professional' and over-budgeted developers have crapped out to us lately.”
“It's funny looking back now, but when I was really young in computer class, I considered Union City one of the most in-depth and intense games I had played.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is criticized as a lazy cash grab, with users noting its repetitive nature and lack of multiplayer or co-op features. While the game can be played for free online with numerous ads, the paid version offers an ad-free experience and offline play, which some may find appealing despite the overall negative sentiment.
“Lazy cash grab.”
“Avoid this cash grab; repetitive, old, and lacking multiplayer/co-op features.”
“You can still play these games for free on internet gaming websites with hundreds of ads, but this version ensures you don't get any ads and require no Wi-Fi or network connection after downloading.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express a desire for greater depth and engagement in character development and narrative, comparing the game to titles like Left 4 Dead and Fallout in terms of potential. While it may not match the mainstream inspirations in complexity, it retains a strong core that resonates with fans of the genre.
“This may leave players craving more depth and engagement in terms of character development and a meaningful narrative.”
“It's kind of a game that is to Left 4 Dead (and some survival game with character development, perhaps Fallout considering the skill books and such) what Salt & Sanctuary is to Dark Souls; it doesn't look like the more mainstream title that inspired it, but the heart and soul are there.”