The Last Story - The Final Chord

This is an amazing game. A unique blend of action and team tactics. The hero gives orders and personally deals with creatures. Fierce enemies and bosses force you to carefully study all the tutorial material and apply the acquired knowledge on the battlefield. The plot manages to be a serious adult epic about an unprincipled struggle for power and a kind fairy tale about friendship and love.

Game designer Hironobu Sakaguchi is rightfully considered one of the greatest game developers in the history of the industry. After all, he was at the origins of Final Fantasy. The series has existed for more than two decades and is not going to stop. And the seventh part is enshrined in the pantheon of greatest games of all time.

In this generation, things were not going so well for the legendary author. Lost Odyssey turned out to be too old-fashioned, Blue Dragon - too childish and drawn out. However, the maestro was in no hurry to stop and decided to try the idea of a "last word" once again. Thus, an exclusive for Nintendo Wii called The Last Story was born. European residents traditionally had to wait a year for the localized version to appear. An ordinary mercenary named Zael, along with his comrades, travels through the vast expanses of a certain Empire and performs various jobs. A difficult fate brings the squad to Lazilus Island. This piece of land is notable for being home to the legendary Tsar Cannon. But the heroes are not particularly concerned about this. They go about their daily business, clearing caves, relaxing in taverns, and moonlighting as guards at high-ranking balls. Our ward meets a pretty girl. The measured life of coin hunters ends when the evil Gurak race treacherously attacks the capital.

Gameplay demonstration trailer

The game's plot combines the complexity of politics and the simplicity of a fairy tale. The powerful of this world weave webs of intrigue and pursue their mysterious goals. The main character is forced to immerse himself in this society. It turns out that behind beautiful titles and pompous ranks lies an boundless thirst for power and a desire to bring the whole world to its knees. It doesn't matter how the goals are achieved. It seems no one can be trusted; every character is ready to strike in the back at any moment. War appears without excessive romance - only death and difficult decisions. At the same time, the narrative manages to remain a beautiful fairy tale. Sometimes kind, sometimes sad, funny, and a little naive. Even in the most terrible and hopeless situations, there is room for boundless courage, strong friendship, mutual assistance, and, of course, all-consuming love. It is these feelings that help the hero understand who he really is, realize his destiny, and understand that a dream is not about titles and beautiful words.

Of course, such a performance would be impossible without vivid personalities. Here you have a brave general setting an example for his subordinates, cunning nobles, and villains striking with their bloodlust. Zael's companions also turned out great. Be it a deliberately calm sorcerer, a tomboy girl, or the leader of the squad trying to navigate an alien environment. Everyone has their weaknesses and skeletons in the closet.

The story develops at a measured pace, not rushing to reveal all secrets to the heroes at once or overwhelm with its scale. It includes traditional elements such as saving the world, the chosen one trope for the main character, and a number of other clichés. But one approaches such plot twists with understanding. A Japanese role-playing game simply cannot do without them. The voice acting deserves special mention. The voices of the characters are impeccably chosen. All personalities are fully revealed. The heroes do not allow for a second to doubt the sincerity of their emotions and actions. Even in fleeting dialogues, there is no falseness, let alone in important scenes. Without exaggeration, one of the best English localizations. When not observing the plot twists and watching luxurious CG cutscenes, one has to distract oneself by exterminating hostile life forms. Battles take place in real-time, monsters are placed on levels in advance. No teleportations to a parallel dimension. You reach a cluster of undead, and the fight begins. The main feature is that Zael can take cover, making quick dashes from one safe spot to another. Just like in a proper shooter, you can avoid enemy fire by hiding behind a rock or a concrete block. The main character dodges attacks, blocks, and performs spectacular counter-attacks. Only the controls are not entirely smooth. For Zael to start beating an opponent, it is enough to approach the target closely and direct the stick in the right direction. There is no separate attack button. In spacious arenas, this approach demonstrates its best qualities. But when the action unfolds in a narrow corridor or a small area, everything becomes much more complicated. You try to run away, but the hero enthusiastically continues to pummel the monster standing nearby. This often leads to unnecessary damage and even death.

The game doesn't try to rely on the principle of "here's a cover-based combat system in a Japanese RPG - marvel at it!" The Last Story presents surprises and forces you to use the most unexpected tricks to win. You can jump out from behind a corner at an unsuspecting soldier and deal serious damage with one blow. Don't want the guard to raise the alarm? A crossbow shot will make him scout the area, and he'll fall straight into a trap. Don't forget about your loyal companions. Annoying snipers are entrenched on a distant bridge? A powerful magic charge will break the structure into small pieces, and the enemies will fall into the abyss. Also, nothing prevents you from collapsing ceilings on enemies' heads. Such tricks are performed simply - just aim at the corresponding interactive object and give the order. Although the project resembles a wild action game with swords and magic, it has plenty of features characteristic of the Japanese RPG genre. However, there are no formations, multi-stage commands, or other intricacies here. Companions are allowed to give orders to use their unique abilities or tell them to retreat from too strong a creature. But the wizards from Mistwalker managed to assemble a complex mechanism from simple parts.

Running into a crowd of abominations, swinging a sword, is in most cases a losing tactic. After all, enemies also remember to heal, actively use magic, and throw their best forces into battle. To deal with the threat, you have to study the features of the terrain, carefully monitor the movements of all participants in the skirmish, and look for loopholes in the defensive redoubts. Among other things, at the very beginning of the game, the protagonist gains a superpower that allows him to become the main target. This is an extremely useful function when it is necessary to distract enemies from a mage casting a complex spell. In general, when it comes to the variety of problem-solving methods, The Last Story flourishes. Some creatures need to be approached from behind, others are immune to physical attacks, and still others need to be brought down from the sky. No trick is left out.

At the same time, the game does not focus on one thing. Zael and his friends discover new talents, and the party composition changes. Old tricks are not retired and find their application later. There are several ways out of certain situations.

Of course, tactical genius is tested in boss battles. Most duels, whether a battle with a mythical creature of gigantic proportions or a clash with a master swordsman, force you to perform miracles within defined limits. True, the epic battles are designed more for execution than for ingenuity. Companions suggest what to hit the adversary with, or the method of elimination is obvious from the start. But it doesn't get any easier, because particularly tough guys can easily knock out the entire team. Therefore, the tension does not subside for a second. In addition to the mandatory adventures, the game also has side missions. There are very few of them (not even a dozen), but each of these excursions is a full-fledged chapter with its own plot and a memorable boss. You can also learn more interesting things about the local characters. And you shouldn't miss the opportunity to visit a haunted house or another attraction. Moreover, a reward in the form of a rare crossbow, sword, or armor is never superfluous. The Last Story cannot be called a long game. The main storyline can be completed in about 25-30 hours. Not that much by genre standards. But the game is very user-friendly. It doesn't force you to search for ingredients, collect many items, and other tedious tasks. There is even no urgent need to level up to progress further (the only exception is the final boss). After completing the main campaign of brave mercenaries, the game does not end. New Game+ is included. But that's not all. The following phrase may seem crazy, but the fact remains. The game has multiplayer! Players are allowed to settle scores in Deathmatch mode or join forces in the fight against an endless stream of enemies. Despite the wide possibilities for customizing your Alter-ego and the unusual setting, the multiplayer add-on, alas, is not popular. And it's understandable - few people want to deal with Wii online now.

The project's appearance captivates with stunning effects. Perhaps for the first time on a Nintendo console, developers managed to create believable fire, water, and spell effects. The boundless ocean during a storm makes a terrifying impression: waves rise high, rain pours from the sky, and it seems the merciless elements will engulf everything around. The appearance of bosses and fateful moments are accompanied by colorful pyrotechnics. The models of the main characters and their opponents were not spared polygons and detail. Most of the story unfolds on an island, and there is only one city in the game, but in this universe, there is much to admire in peacetime. Majestic castles and the rich decoration of the abodes of the upper classes coexist with poor quarters and taverns. Every house, every room, every hall in the palace is tastefully decorated so that the traveler does not get bored. Also, events are transferred to other continents, and monumental structures made in the style of "greetings from Mordor" appear before the eyes. In another dimension, the designers' imagination completely broke loose, and the heroes walk on cubes hanging in the air or contemplate something surreal. The Last Story, like any other Wii game without motion sensor support, does not get along with the console's traditional input devices. If you want to get the most out of the project and not struggle with the control features, it's best to purchase a Classic Controller in advance.

Diagnosis

It's impossible to speak of the project in exclusively enthusiastic tones. The controls could use additional customization, performance sometimes falters, multiplayer arenas are empty, and hardcore fans and those who prefer stories lasting hundreds of hours will be dissatisfied.

But the aforementioned rough edges are surmountable. This is an amazing game. A unique blend of action and team tactics. The hero gives orders and personally deals with creatures. Fierce enemies and bosses force you to carefully study all the tutorial material and apply the acquired knowledge on the battlefield. The plot manages to be a serious adult epic about an unprincipled struggle for power and a kind fairy tale about friendship and love. Everyone who misses sincere emotions and interesting finds in game mechanics should check out "The Last Story". Pro:

• Captivating story combining palace intrigues and the simplicity of a fairy tale
• Memorable characters, superb acting
• Excellently staged key moments of the storyline
• Unusual combat system that combines team tactics and real-time battles
• Diverse gameplay moments force you to apply all the tricks of the game mechanics
• Masterfully crafted boss battles
• Well-developed, albeit few, side quests
• Superb (by Wii standards) graphics, especially the effects
• Excellent musical accompaniment

Contra:

• On small arenas, problems arise related to control peculiarities
• Minor performance issues