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CRITIK

Last Epoch

Name: Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Last Epoch
Item: Last Epoch
Author: Critik Editorial Team

2024

GenresAdventure, Indie, Action, RPG, Top-Down Perspective, Single Player, Multiplayer

AvailableFeb 21, 2024

PlatformPC

DeveloperEleventh Hour Games

Overview

Uncover the Past, Reforge the Future. Ascend into one of 15 mastery classes and explore dangerous dungeons, hunt epic loot, craft legendary weapons, and wield the power of over a hundred transformative skill trees. Last Epoch is being developed by a team of passionate Action RPG enthusiasts.

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Game analysis

Critik Scorecard

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Story and Narrative

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY

Story Score

Positive (80-100)

14%

Mixed (50-79)

86%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.

The story of Last Epoch in the eyes of the critics seems to have a mix of positives and negatives. Some reviewers, like IGN Deutschland and Twinfinite, appreciate the engaging time-traveling narrative with unique eras and compelling quests. Twinfinite specifically praises the fun cutscenes reminiscent of Destiny 2, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the storytelling experience. MMORPG.com also notes that the story is better written than expected, providing an intriguing backdrop for character progression. The variety in character and enemy designs, along with surprising plot twists, as mentioned by IGN Deutschland, adds depth to the overall narrative. On the flip side, several critics express concerns about the story's shortcomings. COGconnected and God is a Geek find the story to be weak and forgettable, lacking cinematic grandstanding and character development. Gamersky criticizes the storytelling and character development, highlighting a significant area of improvement needed in the narrative department. GamingBolt and Shacknews point out issues with pacing and depth, with GamingBolt mentioning excessive padding and meandering plot elements, while Shacknews notes a lack of engaging characters and quests. These criticisms collectively paint a picture of a story that falls short in terms of originality and depth. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards a mixed reception of the story in Last Epoch. While some appreciate the unique elements like time travel and engaging quests, others find the narrative lacking in depth and originality. The general sentiment suggests that while the story serves as a decent backdrop for the gameplay experience, it may not be a standout feature of the game. The variety in opinions reflects the subjective nature of storytelling preferences, with some finding enjoyment in the narrative's twists and turns, while others feel it falls short in delivering a truly compelling and immersive experience.

TL;DR

story and narrative

Critics have mixed feelings about Last Epoch's story. Some praise its engaging time-traveling narrative, unique eras, and fun cutscenes, while others criticize its lack of depth and character development. Overall, opinions vary, with some enjoying the twists and turns, while others feel it falls short of delivering a truly immersive experience.

Gameplay Mechanics

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY

Gameplay Score

Positive (80-100)

100%

Mixed (50-79)

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.

The majority of the critics unanimously praised the gameplay of Last Epoch for its exceptional qualities. COGconnected found the gameplay addictive with depth and accessibility, especially as the game progresses. Everyeye.it highlighted the unique gameplay experience with a detailed skill and talent system that allows for high customization and build diversity. GGRecon commended the diverse class options, impressive build diversity, and engaging progression system, encouraging experimentation with different skills and playstyles. GamingBolt noted the clever method of build customization through bespoke skill trees, offering plenty of customization options for players. While the overall sentiment towards the gameplay of Last Epoch was overwhelmingly positive, there were a few minor criticisms mentioned by some critics. PCGamesN mentioned that the game excels in mechanics and class identity but did not specify any negatives. However, it's worth noting that not all critics provided explicit negative feedback, indicating a general consensus on the game's strong gameplay elements. In conclusion, Last Epoch received high praise for its gameplay from a diverse range of critics. The game was lauded for its depth in character progression, skill customization, engaging combat, and rewarding loot cycle. Critics appreciated the extensive customization options, flexibility in character builds, and engaging endgame content. The innovative gameplay elements such as Ward and negative mana pools, diverse character classes, skill customization, and unique time-traveling mechanic were also highlighted as standout features. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Last Epoch offers a highly enjoyable and immersive gameplay experience that caters to a wide range of player preferences, making it a standout title in the genre.

TL;DR

gameplay mechanics

Critics unanimously praise Last Epoch's gameplay for its exceptional depth, customization, and engaging progression system. Minor criticisms noted, but overall, the game stands out for its character progression, combat, and innovative mechanics, offering a highly enjoyable and immersive experience for players of all preferences.

Graphics and Visual Design

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS

Visual Score

Positive (80-100)

46%

Mixed (50-79)

54%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Last Epoch are quite varied. Several critics praised the game for its visually appealing aspects. COGconnected highlighted the detailed environments and colorful spell effects, while GGRecon commended the visually appealing environments, including dark caves and lush forests, with good visual variety. God is a Geek also appreciated the aesthetically pleasing visuals and the broad enemy and location variety, comparing it to Lost Ark's style. PC Invasion noted the vibrant and diverse art style, expansive environments, and varied enemies and locations that complement the time travel adventure. On the other hand, some critics expressed concerns and criticisms about the game's graphics and visual design. Everyeye.it mentioned a lack of originality in the art direction, making it hard to remember creatures or environments, and signs of aging in technical aspects despite some graphical improvements. Gamersky criticized the combat animations for lacking innovation and visual appeal compared to other similar games, and the equipment system for being complex but not always intuitive. LevelUp also criticized the game for limited graphics and unpolished animations, while INVEN highlighted subpar graphics and a lack of external polish despite being in early access since 2019. Overall, the consensus among the critics seems to lean towards the positive aspects of Last Epoch's Graphics and Visual Design. Critics like GGRecon, God is a Geek, PC Invasion, and COGconnected appreciated the game's visually appealing environments, diverse art style, and broad variety of enemies and locations. Despite some criticisms from critics like Everyeye.it, Gamersky, and LevelUp regarding originality, combat animations, and polish, the general sentiment is that Last Epoch offers a visually engaging experience with its stunning landscapes, colorful world design, and immersive zones, making it a solid choice for players who enjoy RPGs with diverse visual elements. Twinfinite's mention of a graphics overhaul with improved effects also indicates a commitment to enhancing the game's visual quality, placing it favorably among other popular action-RPG titles.

TL;DR

graphics and visual design

Critics have mixed opinions on Last Epoch's Graphics and Visual Design, with some praising its detailed environments and diverse art style, while others criticize its lack of originality and unpolished animations. Despite concerns raised by some critics, the general consensus leans towards positive feedback, highlighting visually appealing environments, broad variety of enemies, and immersive zones. The game offers a visually engaging experience with stunning landscapes and colorful world design, making it a solid choice for RPG fans.

Music and Sound Design

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TL;DR

music and sound design

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Voice Acting

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TL;DR

voice acting

Description unavailable

Technical Performance

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE

Tech Score

Positive (80-100)

10%

Mixed (50-79)

70%

Negative (0-49)

20%

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.

In terms of the positives for Last Epoch's technical performance on PC, LevelUp praises the stable offline play and quality-of-life features such as loot filters and inventory organization. COGconnected also notes that despite some server issues and problems with the day one patch, the game was in pretty good shape overall. Additionally, Twinfinite highlights that the game runs well on modest hardware even on Very High settings, showcasing its optimization for a wide range of PC setups. On the flip side, several critics point out the negatives regarding the technical performance of Last Epoch on PC. Everyeye.it mentions bugs like the inability to respawn after death and slow server response times, indicating significant gameplay hindrances. Hey Poor Player raises concerns about issues with the cumbersome UI and controller support impacting the overall experience, suggesting potential usability issues for players. IGN notes issues with returning to the field from town, leading to players spending most of their time in Offline mode to avoid problems, which can disrupt the immersion and flow of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding Last Epoch's technical performance on PC is mixed. While there are commendations for stable offline play, quality-of-life features, and optimization for modest hardware, the presence of bugs, server issues, cumbersome UI, and controller support problems detract from the overall experience. The game seems to have a decent foundation but is marred by technical hiccups and performance issues that need addressing to provide a smoother and more enjoyable gameplay experience for players across all platforms.

TL;DR

technical performance

Last Epoch on PC impresses with stable offline play, quality-of-life features, and optimization for modest hardware, but suffers from bugs, server issues, cumbersome UI, and controller problems. Critics have mixed opinions, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses in the game's technical performance. Addressing these issues is crucial for a smoother and more enjoyable gameplay experience across all platforms.

Replay Value

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SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE

Replay Score

Positive (80-100)

50%

Mixed (50-79)

44%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Replay Value of Last Epoch are quite varied, with a mix of positive and negative feedback. Many critics highlighted the game's extensive character customization options and engaging endgame content as major positives. COGconnected praised the game for rewarding experimentation and repeated play, while GGRecon commended the variety of endgame content such as time-travel story quests, challenging dungeons, and the Arena mode. God is a Geek also mentioned the build diversity and engaging gameplay as factors contributing to the game's replay value. Additionally, Hey Poor Player and MGG appreciated the wealth of endgame content, crafting systems, and character customization enhancing the replayability of Last Epoch. On the other hand, some critics expressed concerns about certain aspects of the game that could impact its replay value negatively. Everyeye.it criticized the lack of variety in endgame content and distinctive artistic direction, which may not keep players engaged after completing the main story. PC Invasion noted that while the endgame activities like Monolith of Fate and Dungeons offer replay value for players experimenting with builds, they may feel repetitive for those sticking to a single build. Shacknews described the endgame content as shallow and underwhelming, lacking incentive for further exploration or build development, which could hinder long-term engagement. Overall, despite some criticisms, the consensus among the critics leans towards Last Epoch offering a solid replay value for players interested in character customization, diverse gameplay modes, and challenging endgame content. Critics like IGN and MMORPG.com highlighted the unique challenges and rewards in endgame activities like Monoliths of Fate, while PCGamesN acknowledged the comprehensive endgame experience. While there are concerns about repetitive gameplay for some players, the majority of critics appreciate the game's potential for experimentation with different builds, classes, and playstyles, ultimately enhancing its replay value for a wide range of gamers.

TL;DR

replay value

Critics have mixed opinions on Last Epoch's replay value. Positive feedback highlights extensive character customization and engaging endgame content, while some express concerns about lack of variety and repetitive gameplay. Despite criticisms, most agree that the game offers solid replay value with diverse gameplay modes and challenging content for players interested in experimentation and customization.

Overall Verdict

CRITIK

OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Critik Score

Positive (80-100)

77%

Mixed (50-79)

23%

Negative (0-49)

Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.

In analyzing the opinions of the critics, it is evident that Last Epoch receives praise for its addictive gameplay, depth, and potential. Critics like COGconnected, God is a Geek, and MGG commend the game for offering engaging and creative ARPG experiences. The game is lauded for its polished mechanics, player-friendly approach, and satisfying combat encounters, as highlighted by GGRecon and Gamersky. Additionally, IGN and Twinfinite appreciate the wealth of customization options, satisfying boss fights, and extensive replay value, making Last Epoch a compelling choice for fans of the genre. On the downside, Last Epoch faces criticism for its weak narrative, lack of distinctive artistic direction, and somewhat repetitive endgame content. Critics like Everyeye.it, GamingBolt, and PC Invasion point out the game's shortcomings in storytelling, character engagement, and limited character customization. Furthermore, Shacknews notes that while the game excels in character build depth and visual design, it falls short in providing a compelling narrative and engaging endgame experiences, which may hinder long-term engagement for some players. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Last Epoch is a solid addition to the ARPG genre with significant potential for growth and improvement. While some reviewers express reservations about the game's technical issues, narrative weaknesses, and endgame content, the general sentiment leans towards appreciation for its addictive gameplay, customization options, and immersive entertainment value. With a good balance between power fantasy and complexity, Last Epoch manages to carve out a niche for itself in the competitive ARPG market, offering a promising experience for both new and experienced players.

TL;DR

Critics praise Last Epoch for its addictive gameplay, depth, and potential, with engaging ARPG experiences and satisfying combat encounters. The game shines with polished mechanics, player-friendly approach, and extensive customization options, providing compelling replay value. However, it falls short in narrative and artistic direction, facing criticism for repetitive endgame content. Despite some flaws, Last Epoch is seen as a solid ARPG with room for growth, offering a balanced mix of power fantasy and complexity for players.

CRITIK

Reviews

40 reviews found

Twinfinite

Feb 19, 2024