The Last Oricru Review

Within the wide catalog of games of the Soulslike sub-genre, we have some that stand out for their different proposals to Dark Souls. As an example we have The Surge, Nioh, Code Vein, Mortal Shell, among others. However, now we have to analyze The Last Oricru the first game of Gold Knights Studio and is published by Prime Matter, a title where every step matters.

The Last Oricru is an action RPG game, whose main premise, unlike other titles in the genre, is that it is focused on narrative. It offers us a ramified story in which we will constantly be choosing crucial decisions that influence the future events.

a strange planet

The Last Oricru takes place on a strange planet called Wardenia set in a medieval age reminiscent of technology in which we play Silver. Our protagonist is one of the few surviving humans who is stranded on that planet in the middle of a civil war between 3 factions. In a few minutes we discover that we are immortal and this gives us an advantage against each faction that wants to take control of Wardenia.

The interesting thing about the title is how the plot is carried out based on the decisions that we will make throughout the adventure. Literally every step we take can lead us to unexpected events. In fact, the objectives that we are fulfilling are not failed by not doing something, the plot must continue. For example, we must go unnoticed in an area and if the guards discover us, the game does not end and instead they will take us to prison.

At first, of the three factions, we will think we are clear about which one we should follow, but as the plot progresses we will see that things are not what they seem. Leaning towards one faction or another leads us to have them as enemies or not, even the game invites us to play without engaging in any combat (except level bosses) if we know how to play our cards in conversations.

A game in which its story is the cornerstone of the whole, must have interesting characters. Yes, there are, but their personalities and the tone given to the plot are not always in line with what we will experience. An example is Silver himself, who has a sarcastic attitude, it is not a bad thing but for the serious attitude that almost all the NPCs have, we will feel that sometimes it does not fit.

Last Souls

At a playable level, the title is not only about decisions and Masocore mechanics, it also offers us combat, exploration, secondary missions, equipment improvement and boss battles. There is a faction bar (3 in total), which implies tilting the balance for one side or the other depending on the actions we take against or for. We will be able to get equipment and objects that have rarity levels and to use some of them correctly we must have the necessary statistics.

The Last Oricru takes advantage of game mechanics like Souls, but with a focus on using skills via a mana bar. We will be able to fight against individual enemies as well as with groups, we will even have allies from time to time from the factions that are our allies. We will have the rest places that serve to level up, improve equipment and save.

Among the weapons that we can use will be one or two hands, of different types and sizes. There will also be the standard weapons and those with a special secondary attack. Like the Souls, by defeating enemies we will collect Essence, which serves as the currency for leveling up. If we are defeated we will leave the collected Essence at the place of our death, and if we die again without having collected it we will lose it.

What I could notice about the combat is that it feels more leisurely and even somewhat bland, because the forcefulness of the connected blows will not feel like such. It’s not a bad thing at all, but we all love to feel like our attacks have a bigger impact on enemies. Another detail is that the skill system does not have the depth that other similar games have, in fact it is much simpler, because its strength lies in the decisions that we will be making in the story.

with friends is better

One of the most marked differences in The Last Oricru is that it has a multiplayer mode. It can be played in both local co-op (split screen) and online (when available). Each player can have a different class to complement each other in cooperative games, and the game becomes more fun that way.

As in the Borderlands series, the game increases in difficulty when we are accompanied, but so do the rewards. It is not necessary to play the entire game with the same partner, but to access this mode we must activate it in one of the resting places.

The Last Unreal Engine

Regarding the audiovisual section, we have that The Last Oricru was created with the almost omnipresent Unreal Engine 4. We can notice that the game has correct character models, although almost inexpressive; ambient lighting (not dynamic), and some scary architectural structures. However, it will suffer from very obvious frame stutters at times, though no slowdowns or other issues were noted.

Musically, the game has medieval and epic themes, always emphasizing sober tones. It has an English dubbing with Spanish subtitles, although the voice of the protagonist Silver has not convinced us due to the shrill tone, other characters do highlight his participation.

Verdict

The Last Oricru It is a title that stands out for its plot focused on the decisions we make. His story will show us that not everything is black and white, and that our decisions matter. His combat is correct, although fun in multiplayer and his audiovisual section complies, although he could have given more of himself. Souls lovers can give it a try, and we will find a very replayable title.