For its first game on PC and console, independent London studio Kumi Souls Games has opted for homage rather than innovation. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing because the love expressed is full of sincerity.
From the atmosphere to the management of character attributes through an attack saving system, we see direct borrowings from From Software titles. The Last Faith certainly has its own nightmarish universe and its own, often narratively obscure, plot, but it’s difficult to play it for even a minute without thinking of Bloodborne, Dark Souls or Elden Ring.
And it’s the fans of these games who have the greatest chance of being seduced, starting with those desperate for experiences similar to the aforementioned Bloodborne, whose Victorian Gothic universe features prominently in many hearts and price lists .
Like any good Souls-like work, The Last Faith gives you a date with death on many occasions, even if it doesn’t push the boundaries of the genre to the extreme. The clashes against certain bosses in particular could cause some screams. Without reinventing the wheel, the game manages to make some victories very satisfying by rewarding observation of the enemy and the intelligent use of your weapons, including a range of pistols, and your spells.
In addition, the distance between save points (which are also used for fast travel) is well managed and it is always possible to walk through the mansion, which serves as a base to replenish the supply of healing flasks.
The variety of the arsenal available is considerable, even enviable for Metroidvania, but be careful: synergy with your attributes is crucial. For example, you want to favor strength or dexterity and have to live with the consequences of this decision because redistribution of the points invested is not possible. While this may disappoint some, it goes without saying that this decision promotes replay value.
It’s certainly the fight that makes The Last Faith strong. Fans of platform games are a little less well served. Obtaining a grappling hook and then double jumping helps with character mobility and the environments never get boring, but there aren’t many puzzles and traps and exploring the environments rarely requires any brain digging, especially in the first few hours of the game.
Players looking for a new Blasphemous may be a little dissatisfied despite the numerous similarities, but will certainly find what they are looking for once they realize that it is better to revise their expectations a little.
The last faith
Developer: Kumi Souls games
Editor: Playstack
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows (tested on Windows/Steam)