The Last Remnant

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 267 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 193 out of 267
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 267
  3. Negative: 27 out of 267
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  1. RushSykes
    Jun 9, 2009
    10
    It was a very good game, although there are little complications and so so storyline and dialouges, well the game play covers that up, what hit me the most was how the music blended in with each scene or map, the music was one of the best in rpg games, most games from square enix have good music though,
  2. LieChenZhou
    Mar 6, 2013
    7
    After I read how the reviews has no balance whatsoever (some as low as 1 while others as high as 10), I decided to pitch in.
    First of all total time spent on this game 100hours. Although sadly I haven't complete the game cause I needed to reinstall Windows and I forgot to back-up my save (the save is at the final dungeon ).
    Here is my review breakdown : Visual 8 The diversity of    After I read how the reviews has no balance whatsoever (some as low as 1 while others as high as 10), I decided to pitch in.
    First of all total time spent on this game 100hours. Although sadly I haven't complete the game cause I needed to reinstall Windows and I forgot to back-up my save (the save is at the final dungeon ).
    Here is my review breakdown :
    Visual 8 The diversity of enemy sizes, model are very nice. You can tell you are in trouble when you see your team need to look up to a big dragon-like monster. Since this is ported of course some find the visual lacking, as the area resembles FFXII.
    Gameplay 8 I admit it is confusing at first, cause you need to think of your squad just like an RTS. It is not just about squad level and equipment but who you put in the Formation, Flanking position, and other matter. A good combination in your squad means you could unleash devastating attacks while failure to combine means your squad could spend time doing worthless things (i.e magicians keep using physical attacks also causes the magician to learn physical attacks instead of magics- becoming a worthless magician A good logic in placing who goes with who is needed.
    AI 9 You'll regret button mashing against Last Remnant AI. They'll flank you, they'll kill your weakest team, they'll try to match their best formation against your weakest link. The AI is good for a challenge.
    And that's just the normal enemies, Boss are different matter altogether. There are several rare enemies appearing also in the same field as normal enemies. Avoid these until you are ready. These rare enemies are like sub-boss in MMO. tough and hard hitting. And they are not just the buffed type from the normal enemies, If you see a Devil among those bees you usually 1-hit kill, that's a rare enemy. These guys will be the reason you return to your starting town from time to time.
    Sound 6 quite okay. Nothing catchy IMO.
    Story 6 the story aren't well thought to be honest. Can't say too much that won't be a spoiler but its simply quite cliché. It's just alright story but it worsened by a certain factor, keep reading Character 3 Well, here's lies the weakest chain Let's see :
    The side character are bad ass, a bad ass scarred female knight, a Duke who can summoned a Cannon, a silent 4-handed assassin/warrior bad ass, you can recruit various bad ass mercenaries right from the beginning. And the Enemy is bigger Bad Ass than those guys. The SIDE Characters are Bad Asses.
    The MAIN Character however, is an annoying, childish, stupid, sister complex, disrespectful brat. I don't know how can someone created a stupid character like Rush and place him as the main character. Rush likes to nag, and he does it a lot. He asked for help, he nags, he wanted to move to another area, he nags, he is warned to stay invisible, guess what he shows up in front of the enemies "Naruto-Style" (shouting and screaming) only to nag. His nagging is the sole reason I dislike the cinematic. Whether you will buy it or not is up to you, it's best to try the game first. Last Remnant is not for everyone, but for some it will be a 100hours+ game    … Expand
  3. RonaldB
    Oct 1, 2009
    10
    This is an outstanding game. Using the best of SAGA character development, an innovative combat engine modeled off of squad tactics, but with each character being individualy accounted for (if they are the one attacked, thier chance to dodge is what matters, but formations and current tactics effect who is at risk) an intruiging and well told plot (note, "side" quest are essential to This is an outstanding game. Using the best of SAGA character development, an innovative combat engine modeled off of squad tactics, but with each character being individualy accounted for (if they are the one attacked, thier chance to dodge is what matters, but formations and current tactics effect who is at risk) an intruiging and well told plot (note, "side" quest are essential to experience the majority of it), outstanding graphics (as played on a PC), and most of all, constantly fun. There is something of a steep curve to get good at combat, and if you do not wrap your mind around it, it may seem random, but it isn't very random at all, and a keen understanding of pre fighting tactical choices (setup) and in combat tactical choices is essential to beat any of the major monsters from about the first 1/5 of the game on. fortunately there are numerious (really iunlimited) fights with lesser monsters, and so equally limited (or not) chances to experament. On that note, while the soundtrack is well done and highly fitting, it could have been longer and more various, to match the hours of gameply. That said, it sells as a 4 cd soundtrack... 6 would have been a better minimum. Worth playing by all rpg fans, this manages to be unique and present some experamental ideas with polish and mechanical balance that makes it seem like a much more mature project. on a side note, many reviewers were turned off by the combat engine. I suspect this came from not indulging enough in the gameplay, it is not a standard console rpg, mechanically, and one should not expect to succeed without some new ways of thinking. That said, it is something that the rpg (jrpg especially) market really needs. LR's combat engine is also important as a story telling device, because it is not the story of a few super heroes, but rather of a world war, and the player controls an army. The combat engine allows the player to quickly, elligantly, with simple menu choices and just a few buttons, control a small army of 36 unit (6-10 squads if mem serves), and fight even larger ones, as well as fascilitates massive bosses attacked by your army. For instance, your army fighting a dragon and its horde of followers, in one large battle. So far, no J-styled rpg has greatly surpased the techniques used in the earliest FF games, a big fight as described above would just be your 1 squad fighting a series of battles without a break, followed finally by the big bad, and *maybe* letting you fight the big bad with more than one squad. Gmaes which have used engines to deliver more, have been too convoluted for simple menu based play. LR manages to be simple to control, fun to think about (as a tactical puzzle, which is the big draw of JRPG combat) and delivers a constantly rewarding and enthralling experience. Because of these concerns, I give it a 10. In spite of a few small flaws, LR remains a well designed and built game, consnstantly fun and hcallenging, and truly innovative and worth the time of any player looking for a brilliant new idea.… Expand
  4. TXTSWORD
    Jul 10, 2013
    10
    This game is incredibly good if you can appreciate the complexity of the union dynamic and the way it relates to individual leaders and their classes/unique stats. Most criticisms of the game seem to stem from a lack of patience or understanding which is fine, if you found the game too complicated you have the right not to like it as long as you understand the system and critique itThis game is incredibly good if you can appreciate the complexity of the union dynamic and the way it relates to individual leaders and their classes/unique stats. Most criticisms of the game seem to stem from a lack of patience or understanding which is fine, if you found the game too complicated you have the right not to like it as long as you understand the system and critique it accurately or admit to not understanding. The story is not something I find very interesting, but the world and aesthetic is something pretty exceptional. I'm choosing not to reduce my score based on the story because I simply find it to be not my taste and thus it's not really fair for me to judge it based on that as well as the fact it doesn't hinder my enjoyment of the game.

    How the combat works is: your unions (max of 5 unions, max of 5 units per union up to a total of 18 units) are something like a single character in an of themselves, but a very complex one. A union is a sort of machine that you must tune to be able to function the way you want it to. You don't get to micromanage and select the exact action of each and every unit in the union, but that's part of the fun. To manipulate the variables that ensure the actions you want, you have to focus your units by answering their questions on how to train, and by using the commands you find most appropriately fit your "role". For example, if you wish to be a combat unit you should avoid using mystic commands. These types of systems are made easier by the PC exclusive ability to entirely turn off certain skills for each unit. In addition to that, the way you use a character will determine their class or title, and classes may have unique commands you can give your union such as the ability to launch into a back attack freely. Unions have aggregate HP, reinforcing the idea that they are sort of a single "character", however it's a misconception that individual units won't die without the death of the entire union. If a single unit in a union is focused on or fails a "curse" check, that individual unit will die. Sometimes that unit is the leader of a union, which creates a situation in which you cannot issue commands to the union. The battle system is complex and interesting and I enjoy the time I spend looking at the wiki when I'm not playing assessing unique leader value and imagining how they might fit into my dream team. Take an honest look at the slow death of the stale JRPG series and then take a second to appreciate games like this one that add a fresh spin (okay well this is 4 years after it's release but whatever) on a once beloved genre. It's unfortunate that games like this one don't see the acclaim I feel they deserve. The JRPG genre had a chance to grow and change and evolve into the current age of relevant gaming and we all dropped the ball. This game is fantastic. Check it out.    … Expand
  5. Bulletlol
    Feb 8, 2012
    10
    Brilliant gameplay & story in my view. Only £8 off amazon and was worth every penny.

    The game will seem difficult at times, particularly at the quater/mid points on the game where you have boss fights to deal with. This & the overall style may be off putting for most who havent experienced an RPG before. If you enjoy a great & lengthy RPG with style simular to that off    Brilliant gameplay & story in my view. Only £8 off amazon and was worth every penny.

    The game will seem difficult at times, particularly at the quater/mid points on the game where you have boss fights to deal with. This & the overall style may be off putting for most who havent experienced an RPG before. If you enjoy a great & lengthy RPG with style simular to that off Final fantasy etc, then you';ll deffinately enjoy this one.
    Many hours of Fun incorporated unlike other RPG games (eg: Fable series) where the game ends after about 20 hours. Clocked over 100 hours on this which is abit insane, but i went through it thoroughly :D.

    Thanks for reading & thankyou square enix ^.^    … Expand
  6. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    6
    Great improvement from the 360 version with better optimization and less bugs. Loaded with secrets and has a Suikoden-sized cast of party members. The PC version works great as long as you force v-sync and use JP dub with subs because the english voice acting is awful. The combat is... "unique", to put it nicely. Early on it is frustrating because it feels slow with small squads and laterGreat improvement from the 360 version with better optimization and less bugs. Loaded with secrets and has a Suikoden-sized cast of party members. The PC version works great as long as you force v-sync and use JP dub with subs because the english voice acting is awful. The combat is... "unique", to put it nicely. Early on it is frustrating because it feels slow with small squads and later it feels frustrating because your units like to do stupid things if you don't micro between fights. So basically, combat is uniquely rage inducing and worth playing just for that. Combat scales based on your average level except for certain storyline bosses. Difficulty is all over the place but challenging when you expect it to be. Overall this is a decent JRPG/strategy game but definitely not for everyone.… Expand
  7. Kenjori
    Aug 6, 2013
    10
    This is a unique game for PC players who love J-RPG games. It has strategy aspect, character building aspect, stat grinding and item farming possibilities and most of all a good story. If you like this genre, this is the best (and the only one for PC) game ever published. Don't mind the hate reviews written by FPS players Again, this is a great game if you like turn based J-RPG genre..
  8. IsaacK
    Apr 2, 2009
    8
    Don't let the reviewers get you down on this one. I'm not even a fan of JRPGs(including FF) and this is the first one I've played one in a long time. It's great and the combat is mostly enjoyable except the randomness that sometimes occurs but that's usually part of any rpg(crits), and the main character is pretty damn lame at times. I really don't find many Don't let the reviewers get you down on this one. I'm not even a fan of JRPGs(including FF) and this is the first one I've played one in a long time. It's great and the combat is mostly enjoyable except the randomness that sometimes occurs but that's usually part of any rpg(crits), and the main character is pretty damn lame at times. I really don't find many reviews of this game truly accurate(come on IGN complains about the difficulty) and it deserves an 8 in my book by todays scale.… Expand
  9. remnant
    Apr 26, 2009
    8
    This game is enjoyable if you like a solid rpg. The story is a bit flimsy but otherwise good. Combat is a fun experience as well as no two combats seem to play out the same so that does not seem to get dull quickly. It is unique as you can not give direct commands to your party members but rather suggestions to groups of them at a time instead. This game is worth playing do not get put This game is enjoyable if you like a solid rpg. The story is a bit flimsy but otherwise good. Combat is a fun experience as well as no two combats seem to play out the same so that does not seem to get dull quickly. It is unique as you can not give direct commands to your party members but rather suggestions to groups of them at a time instead. This game is worth playing do not get put off but what critics may tell you. I actually played through the game.… Expand
  10. YanR
    Apr 3, 2009
    9
    The Last Remnant was the perfect RPG for someone like me, who hasn't found any of the Final Fantasy main characters or plots interesting. The story is fairly interesting to follow, but, and this is important, it avoids cliches well and the dialogue, world itself and characters (even almost all of the random NPCs you run into on the street have a personality and a story to tell, let The Last Remnant was the perfect RPG for someone like me, who hasn't found any of the Final Fantasy main characters or plots interesting. The story is fairly interesting to follow, but, and this is important, it avoids cliches well and the dialogue, world itself and characters (even almost all of the random NPCs you run into on the street have a personality and a story to tell, let alone the side quests) were absolutely enthralling. The voice acting (I felt the English one was superior to the Japanese one and brought out the characters better) is top notch and shines not only in the plot-advancing cutscenes, but also gives a more intimate feel to the battles, with different squads and units shouting "You ok?!" and "They're coming from the side, get ready!" to each other. Which brings me to the next point, the battle system. It's definitely unique, but it has its flaws if you want to take it apart to raw numbers. The more important thing for me, though, was the excellent cinematic feel I mentioned earlier. The larger battles are complex enough to have you thinking about your next move for a while, so they're not just about mashing A(or Enter). On a side note, the music is "ok" in most parts, but there are some truly outstanding tracks, both in the ambient and battle (mainly boss battle tracks) sections. Altogether, all of these mechanics and development choices seem to have split RPG lovers pretty well apart. For me, this was the best JRPG I've ever played, but be sure to check out the excellent demo available on the 'net if you have doubts about the game!… Expand
  11. PeterW
    May 10, 2009
    9
    A Final Fantasy Style game from Square-Enix... complicated to understand at the beginning with a deep story (old school RPG) but fascinating till the end of the game.
  12. Brumbek
    May 6, 2009
    10
    First, for those reviewers who gave it super-low scores, I say you don't have a clue what you are talking about. If you don't like RPG's/JRPG's, then don't review the game! To all those out there who actually like RPG's and like Square-Enix games, you should try this game! I find it incredibly addictive and fun. The combat system is unique and very cool. First, for those reviewers who gave it super-low scores, I say you don't have a clue what you are talking about. If you don't like RPG's/JRPG's, then don't review the game! To all those out there who actually like RPG's and like Square-Enix games, you should try this game! I find it incredibly addictive and fun. The combat system is unique and very cool. Anybody who whines about not being able to pick the options you want in battle shows that they don't understand how combat works. I've only had one or two cases where I'd liked to be able to do a certain command but I *understood* why I couldn't. Anyway, the story is engaging and I love the characters. The guild tasks are addictive and the whole game is just fabulous. The graphics are awesome, although you really should tweak your RushEngine.ini. Google "Tips and Tricks Depot Last Remnant." To review, if you like RPG's like Ogre Battle, Dragon Force, Final Fantasy's, ect, then try this game. It's totally awesome and one of the most addictive RPG's I've ever played, and I've played a LOT of RPG's.… Expand
  13. ThomasPower
    Dec 18, 2009
    9
    I felt really stupid after buying this game. I wanted to play a 'classic RPG' and dropped 40 on it. Well after messing around on it for a couple days I decided to forget it; the characters seemed too unrelatible to me, and I couldn't get over the cheesy script... but a bit later I jumped back on and decided to give it another go. I decided to just shut up and play, and holy I felt really stupid after buying this game. I wanted to play a 'classic RPG' and dropped 40 on it. Well after messing around on it for a couple days I decided to forget it; the characters seemed too unrelatible to me, and I couldn't get over the cheesy script... but a bit later I jumped back on and decided to give it another go. I decided to just shut up and play, and holy **** I can't stop. I'm at 80+ hours suckaz! Oogles of story characters that you can have in your party, meaningful side quests that actually can alter the story, a decent weapons upgrading system, awesome hit detection in battle, brain melting enemies, what more do you want?? I've gotten my money's worth outta this game and I feel like a child in a candy store with daddy's credit card when I play this. The best part? IF you don't wanna watch a cutscene again after losing somewhere, YOU CAN SKIP IT. THERE IS A BUTTON THAT LETS YOU SKIP IT. OMG WHO KNEWWWW? WHO HERE KNEW THAT YOU COULD SKIP CUTSCENES??? Apparently not one of the reviewers who voted it down, that is all.… Expand
  14. CutLunch
    Oct 11, 2011
    9
    This is an excellent and very underrated game. You break your party members into squads and you don't control them directly which is probably turned a lot of reviews off. There is a huge amount of content and it's a lot of fun to upgrade your own and your party members equipment, who will request assistance from you in upgrading their gear. Lots of places to explore, fancy techniques toThis is an excellent and very underrated game. You break your party members into squads and you don't control them directly which is probably turned a lot of reviews off. There is a huge amount of content and it's a lot of fun to upgrade your own and your party members equipment, who will request assistance from you in upgrading their gear. Lots of places to explore, fancy techniques to use, heaps of monsters, excellent graphics and lots of phat loot.… Expand
  15. Torgul
    Jul 5, 2011
    9
    Intro ...

    1st off left me say ... this game is not only good, fun, addictive ... its innovative. The style is turn based JRPG but with a twist. You are able to have multiple "squads" of characters. A squad shares a common hit point pool made up of the HP pools of each character in that squad. Each character acts separately and is attacked separately. With the excellent JRPG graphics this    Intro ...

    1st off left me say ... this game is not only good, fun, addictive ... its innovative. The style is turn based JRPG but with a twist. You are able to have multiple "squads" of characters. A squad shares a common hit point pool made up of the HP pools of each character in that squad. Each character acts separately and is attacked separately. With the excellent JRPG graphics this makes for some very cool to look at combat.

    Some details ...

    Graphics/Spell detail/Animations ... all excellent.
    Story/Characters ... not Mass Effect 2 ... but good.

    Controls ... My XBOX360 wireless didn't work for me but it does for others (not sure why). I ended up using KB/Mouse. I used a G13 with the relevant keys mapped to its keys etc. You can fully customize the keys in the game as well. I wanted to use a controller and was bummed it didn't work (in the demo); however, the game looked pretty cool so I bought it from steam during the summer sale. Once i settled in the KB mouse became very intuitive. Techy stuff, I looked on the internet and found some tweeks to minimize some texture pop in as it was easy to tweek. The game hes yet to crash or show a single bug (other than the 360 thing)

    Value for money ... extreme. On the PC the game is polished, slick, and just plain sweet. I paid $27 for the game during the recent steam summer sale. Sooo much more value than sooo many AAA games coming out lately. I'm so hoping for a sequel.

    Combat mechanics ... as far as JRPG turn based I haven't seen better in any of the FF series. You basically give your squads the basic I idea of what you want them to do and they do it. You can also have them "play it by ear" and they will adjust to battle conditions. The way you set up your squads and what abilities you set up for them effects the choices presented for that squad during combat. The cool thing is that every single character acts independently. They also are attacked independently. To keep things manageable each squad has a common hit point pool, heal/buffs/debufs act on squads. Once you get a cpl squads going battles can look like a MMO raid with characters tanking, healing, buffing and debuffing etc etc. It's really fun to watch. Check out youtube to see some combat on you'll see what I mean ... its beautiful (be sure to watch HD :)).

    Positional concerns are also key ... if a unit gets flanked its moral will decrease and they will be less effective (rear attacks are there as well with greater effects). If you successfully flank etc your teams moral will go up etc. You do have some control of this but its somewhat limited in that the battle field can be dynamic.

    so anyway ... I signed up to meta critic just to post this review. If you like JRPG's get this game! :) T.    … Expand
  16. AlienSpaceBats
    Oct 8, 2013
    4
    I really wanted to like this game. At first, things seemed promising, if a little dumb. At its best, The Last Remnant recalls numerous JRPGs that were released during the PS2's lifespan (in fact it reminds me of a bunch of 6th gen titles); at its worst it is tedious, bland, repetitive, filled with poorly explained mechanics (if at all) and 'walls' (bosses). Also goes against typical JRPGI really wanted to like this game. At first, things seemed promising, if a little dumb. At its best, The Last Remnant recalls numerous JRPGs that were released during the PS2's lifespan (in fact it reminds me of a bunch of 6th gen titles); at its worst it is tedious, bland, repetitive, filled with poorly explained mechanics (if at all) and 'walls' (bosses). Also goes against typical JRPG sensibilities with enemy scaling (grinding levels makes enemies tougher too), combat (which makes up 80% of the game) can be exciting and delivered in a turn based, cinematic manner, though mechanics are randomly unfair, frustrating and broken. Practically automated, the game takes away the majority of decision-making on the part of the player; you can not choose when to use a summon, special attacks, heal specific party members or use spells until the game gives you the option, even then, it chooses which spell that it will use for you. Outside of combat the game is equally obtuse, quests and storylines regularly grind to a halt because the player is not given a single clue about what to do next, just a single, unhelpful sentence in a red-lined speech bubble. Best left alone, The Last Remnant can provide a certain amount of fun for a time (what constitutes "Disc 1" on the 360 version) then you hit one of those walls.… Expand
  17. AnonXD
    Jun 21, 2014
    10
    Thank you steam summer sale for putting this game on my radar. I payed $2.50 for this game, and having played it extensively, I would have bought it for full price in a heartbeat.

    The story is genuinely engaging and the visuals hold well even today. The combat is complex, but it's rewarding and, once mastered, is a blast. If you're looking for a JRPG to keep you satisfied for 60+    Thank you steam summer sale for putting this game on my radar. I payed $2.50 for this game, and having played it extensively, I would have bought it for full price in a heartbeat.

    The story is genuinely engaging and the visuals hold well even today.

    The combat is complex, but it's rewarding and, once mastered, is a blast. If you're looking for a JRPG to keep you satisfied for 60+ hours, look no further.    … Expand
  18. balvan64
    Jun 23, 2013
    9
    Great Game, not sure why critics gave it such a low score.
    It's a real gem!

    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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  19. Omaeka
    Sep 16, 2013
    9
    This game is SquareJP's finest work this generation. The story, whilst being somewhat generic is a shining example of how you take a generic concept and make it more than that. In this game, you do not control a few singular characters, instead you have 'unions' which you form with a key character acting as a general so to speak, with bodyguards and special units in the union. You can haveThis game is SquareJP's finest work this generation. The story, whilst being somewhat generic is a shining example of how you take a generic concept and make it more than that. In this game, you do not control a few singular characters, instead you have 'unions' which you form with a key character acting as a general so to speak, with bodyguards and special units in the union. You can have several unions depending on your battle level which allows for some jaw dropping gigantic battles against hostile unions. The traditional Japanese roleplaying elements are heavily modified, with RTS style tactics of engaging and 'deadlocking' enemies in a close combat fight whilst your other unions move around to flank them or intercept enemies who are trying to flank your unions whilst they are in a deadlock. All of this is controlled with a sleek, stylish interface and battle controls identical to a traditional JRPG and is very easy to use whilst having respectable depth. If you think that the game is an actual RTS in the way it handles, and are put off by it, don't be because it isn't. This is a fantastic example of how you can merge two genres together whilst catering to every bodies tastes.

    At £7.99/$9.99, this game is more than worth it, and is a no brainer in a sale. I'm not even a huge JRPG fan at all, and other than Final Fantasy 4, 7, 13 and Lost Odyssey, I have never played any other ones and I have to say this one is easily the best. If like me you were left with a sour taste in your mouth after the latest, awful Final Fantasy games, The Last Remnant is a breath of fresh air, a fantastic new IP and proof that Square have not lost their touch.

    9/10    … Expand
  20. reepo
    Jan 26, 2013
    9
    The Last Remnant has wonderful graphics and a deep story line. As a completionist I found wonderful challenges throughout the game- even after most side quests had been completed, which is rare for most games of this nature. I am excited to try another playthrough.
  21. rzrrazer
    Jan 11, 2014
    10
    The last remnant is a game that any grand rpg fan should try. Its battle system at first glaces is a convoluted example of battlefield confusion, however after you get use to it, this game is one of the moat enjoyable gaming experiences ive ever had. After you get use to the battles you uncover a wonderful character development system, crafting system, and an over the top feeling ofThe last remnant is a game that any grand rpg fan should try. Its battle system at first glaces is a convoluted example of battlefield confusion, however after you get use to it, this game is one of the moat enjoyable gaming experiences ive ever had. After you get use to the battles you uncover a wonderful character development system, crafting system, and an over the top feeling of accomplishment when you take on a ron on monster at once and prevail. Highly recommend.… Expand
  22. gsninja
    Jul 21, 2014
    8
    Arguably one of the most underappreciated, if flawed, games of the past decade or so. That being said, it's not a game for everyone, but a product that's far better than what the hack critics said it is.
  23. Dark_wizzie
    Aug 7, 2014
    8
    Gameplay: Very novel, steep learning curve. Mashing random commands gets you killed in tough boss fights. Overall game is a challenge, a refreshing change to all the "casual", easy games nowadays. You control unions, which are groups of soldiers. You will not find a more thought-out and different battle system anywhere. Even though this game is clearly aimed for more hardcore players, thatGameplay: Very novel, steep learning curve. Mashing random commands gets you killed in tough boss fights. Overall game is a challenge, a refreshing change to all the "casual", easy games nowadays. You control unions, which are groups of soldiers. You will not find a more thought-out and different battle system anywhere. Even though this game is clearly aimed for more hardcore players, that doesn't mean the game needs to leave the player in the dark about most parts of the mechanics. The keys shown ingame are Xbox buttons, not keyboard buttons, which is not good. There are things I learn about the game mechanics and I've finished the game 3 times. It speaks to the depth of the battle mechanics but also just how little the game guides you. Some people accuse the battle-system of being too luck based. This is not true. It only seems luck based because you don't understand the game mechanics enough so you're assuming all the battle commands are random. It's not. And the veterans of the game knows this, so they create ridiculously powerful, low-level run-throughs that can beat DLC bosses. Every single review you see where the player complains that the game is "too hard" or "luck based", you should ignore, because they don't understand the game and how to play it. There are countless weapons you can make and/or customize. With the PC version you can now finally manually equip the members of your union with whatever you want, even units that isn't Rush. (Doable via ini tweak) This opens up the doors for more serious customization of each character.

    Quests - Weak to average. Could use some more drama. Didn't feel too involved. Main quest is better, but story needs some work. The worst are the cutscene animations. But I find that JRPG cutscenes all tend to leave me squirming at the desk. Would have liked all dialogue to be voiced. Mouth animations sometimes don't perfectly match the dialogue spoken. Also, some quests are very easily missable and will be disappear without the player knowing if the player continues to story too far. This can lead to some serious consequences: For example, you must defeat the large-ass bird to later get the chance to defeat the Fallen, so that you can access the DLC dungeon. The player has no way to know this without checking a guide. I also dislike how the final boss's difficult scales based on how many quests you've done. Having a final boss feel easier to beat than the major boss midway in the game is unsettling - it hints that the battles were improperly balanced. But it's not significant enough for me to really feel this way. I still feel the final boss should have been made more difficult. However, the DLC bosses will surely give you a run for your money.

    Character Design - Very good. Monster designs are recycled a bit too much for my tastes.

    Performance - Framerate issues on Xbox is over on the PC. PC version has many updates compared to the Xbox version. The turbo mode is a must-have for seasoned TLR players. Free DLC. New Game+ that is on hard mode. Graphics are so-so but easy to run on a weak machine. Texture pop-in remains a problem but I managed to cut it down to only 2 seconds or less.

    Soundtrack - Kick-ass.

    And holy **** people on the internet are absolute morons. 1/10 rating is what you reserve for a game like Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing, not a game like The Last Remnant. Just hows how immature, impatient, and patently stupid some reviewers are. This game can be bought very cheaply. Because of this, I recommend grabbing it on Steam sale if you can, just know that you won't fully enjoy it unless you really spend time on the game.

    If you're a very story-orientated or graphics-orientated player or one just looking for a casual game to waste some time, you will probably not like this game. Subconsciously subtract 2-3 points from my rating if that's the case. If you're a hardcore JRPG type of person and you take on grinding and foreign mechanics and difficult bosses as "challenge accepted", add 1 point to my score.    … Expand
  24. MarkL
    Aug 15, 2009
    9
    Let me start off by saying this game is not for everyone. If you're not a fan of JRPG's you will not like this game... If you hate any game that smells like a console port you will not like this game... And finally if you only like games you can just pick up and play because everything is self explanatory you will not like this game... Otherwise.... First off the buggy piece of Let me start off by saying this game is not for everyone. If you're not a fan of JRPG's you will not like this game... If you hate any game that smells like a console port you will not like this game... And finally if you only like games you can just pick up and play because everything is self explanatory you will not like this game... Otherwise.... First off the buggy piece of crap that was the XBox 360 version has been completely redone. Once I updated my video card drivers (the game did not like my 2 year old video card drivers) it ran like a champ with only two crashes in 100+ hours of gameplay. As others have said there is a texture pop in entering new areas but this is an engine limitation and can be minimized with a few tweaks (google it). If you are using a KB/M be sure to look at the hotkeys for the important stuff... the game has some weird defaults like actually using the keyboard's 'pause' key for pausing... In all my years I have never used that key until this game... And the game does show it's console roots in a loading screen between areas but it's only a couple of seconds if that. Otherwise the game is beautiful and a real feast for the eyes. But enough with the technical aspects... This is a really incredible RPG... tons of stuff to do, places to explore... and monsters to fight... The story is pretty good imo... it's not the best but it certainly held my interest... One great feature of the game is the ability to use the original Japanese voice acting with subtitles which makes the drama a lot sharper. The US voice acting is superb as well and is more consistent though with none of the low points that are present in the Japanese score. Game play is really fun most of the times but not without its flaws. It takes a long time to get used to despite seeming to be deceptively simple. One key thing to remember is the game does not reward grinding for most things (and if you try and grind too early you can find yourself in an impossible situation) but rather rewards more efficient gameplay... One huge exception though is components... a system which is incredibly and unnecessarily complex... Also the game can be hard... really hard... especially rare monsters and certain boss fights many of which have an element of pure luck to them that drives some people insane... If you can get over that however you can have some truly epic battles... I would suggest checking out the last remnant wikia for help on the more complex stuff. It's well designed and spoiler free for the most part if you avoid the spoiler areas and explains almost all the technical stuff that the game should explain but unfortunately doesn't (like just what Battle Rank is, what it does for you, how it is raised and why it is not like standard leveling system in that higher does not necessarily mean better). The game is not for everyone but it is far better than many of the professional critics make it out to be if you are willing to give it a chance.… Expand
  25. galstaff
    Jul 3, 2011
    7
    The developers came up with unique and engaging battle system. At the same time, they did everything to alienate players from the game. Incredibly stupid story with ridiculous characters (a bunch of 15 y.o. kids, supported by 6 y.o. kid straight out of kindergarten, are running around pretending to save the world or something). Absence of tutorial other than for some very basic stuff; theThe developers came up with unique and engaging battle system. At the same time, they did everything to alienate players from the game. Incredibly stupid story with ridiculous characters (a bunch of 15 y.o. kids, supported by 6 y.o. kid straight out of kindergarten, are running around pretending to save the world or something). Absence of tutorial other than for some very basic stuff; the game doesn't even try to explain meaning of key concepts such as battle rank, character class, or chain count. Tons of important character stats are hidden, and the players are presented with just four or five, which leaves full impression that the game plays itself. That said, I quite liked the game. Huge open world, a lot of dungeon crawling and challenging battles. And the game's combat system really shines once you invested some time into figuring out how it works. I'd say, if you feel like you can overlook game's ugly sides, give it a try… Expand
  26. aksu113
    Oct 21, 2011
    10
    great games from square enix.i play this game from my laptop one week and its still funny.battles are something new,graphics are good and gameplay is great
  27. not_good
    Jan 30, 2013
    6
    Alright so there isn't a lot of decent jrpg's out for the pc and this is an example of why. It seems alright at first, the battle mechanic seems cool at first with your squads and everything, but ultimately with limited control over their growth you feel like you're just depending on luck more than skill to beat fights.
  28. IanP
    Jul 3, 2009
    2
    I am baffled by all the high scores this game is recieving. Are there so few JRPGs on the pc that gamers are happy with this detestable example. As a rule I love JRPGs and games by square enix are usually a pretty good bet, however something has gone horribly wrong in the making of this game. The problem lies in the battle system. Instead of controllling individual characters who you give I am baffled by all the high scores this game is recieving. Are there so few JRPGs on the pc that gamers are happy with this detestable example. As a rule I love JRPGs and games by square enix are usually a pretty good bet, however something has gone horribly wrong in the making of this game. The problem lies in the battle system. Instead of controllling individual characters who you give specific commmands to, you instead control teams (known as unions) who you give vague actions to. At the start of each term you are given a seemingly random selection of commands, such as use magic, attack and use special attacks, to choose from. These command options are supposedly situational and linked to whoever you have as leader but they just feel completely arbitary. In a number of occasions I have recieved a game over simply because the game never gave me the option of healing (despite my characters being injured). Even if you get the command you actually want to use there is no guarantee that your team will end up using it as characters are prone to switching commands as the situation (which you have no further input into after your initial selection) evolves. Also, unlike traditional JRPGs, there is no notion of elemental weakness. While you can use either magic or physical attacks, there is no way of telling which will be more effective. Most times you end up just using the attack that has the highest AP cost and hoping for the best. The same applies to all the different weapon types and stances, there is no explaination of what they actually do or why you should use them. Initiating battles is a strange hybrid of the MMORPG system. Enemies are visible on the world map and to fight them you have to run near to them and ping (for want of a better word) them with the space bar. If the enemy runs into you without you pinging them they get a massive combat advantage over you. While the game encourages you to fight multiple groups of enemies at the same time, you often find yourself running back and forwards trying to lure a lone enemy away from the pack. The game does away with the classic notion of levelling and experience points. As you fight enemies your stats seem to randomly increase and characters gain more skills. There is a fourth stat that is named differently for each character (eg love, bravery etc) but no one seems to know what it does. As with many aspects of this game, things are just not explained properly. The learning curve is so steep as to be vertical. As for equipment you can only alter the main character Rush's gear. Everyone else in your party randomly levels up their gear as they go along. Characters in your party ask for components (which are dropped as loot for winning a battle) to improve their gear. However, annoyingly, they will only take the components from a battle and not from your inventory. For example if a character needs copper and despite you having twenty pieces in your posession you still have to go battle enemies that drop it if you want them to improve their weapon. For me personally this takes all the fun out of saving up and buying your team new equipment, which was often a large part of a JPRG. The premise of the last remnant is an interesting one so it's a shame that the story is so bland and straightforward. The graphics are ok, but even on a pretty decent pc the load time on some of the textures is epic. You can be halfway through a cut scene and textures are still popping up. The voice acting and sound are fine. It's a shame this game turned out the way it did. I really wanted to like it but the terrible game design conspired against me. If I can prevent even one person from wasting their money on this poor excuse for a JRPG then I'll be a happy man.… Expand
  29. ShaneF
    Nov 6, 2009
    4
    The game has a great storyline that's deeply involved with interweaving plots and is a novel masterpiece in that regard. The graphics are also superb and even on my less-than-perfect system, the game can run with high-rate graphics (though I have to use the smallest resolution to get it to run smoothly). The vast majority of different monsters, armor and characters individually are The game has a great storyline that's deeply involved with interweaving plots and is a novel masterpiece in that regard. The graphics are also superb and even on my less-than-perfect system, the game can run with high-rate graphics (though I have to use the smallest resolution to get it to run smoothly). The vast majority of different monsters, armor and characters individually are rather original and inspiring. However, the game lacks something that will allow you to bypass the VERY long cinematics. I often have to watch the same 2-10 minute long cinematic over and over and over again between fight attempts, which becomes nothing more than an inconvenience and an annoyance. Nobody cares to watch the same sequence over and over and over agian, people on the PC don't have the time or patience for this kind of thing. Next, the game lacks balance. Combat either comes in one or two varieties: You either win by a landslide, or you get one-shotted by a normal creature. I often find myself dying rather easily to the 'beginning' mission monsters; which, in any other game, wouldn't be an issue as the beginning missions are SUPPOSED to be the easiest. They also have a habit of placing high-level monsters into low-level areas. Such as Longbeak being in Dillmoor (which has around 230,000 Hit points on the PC version). They intentionally made the PC version ten-times harder than the X-Box version. What, are you punishing PC players for not using X-Box? I've died a little over 55 times playing the game, and I've not even made it 25% of the way through the game yet. Good game concept, just a poor way of putting it out there. Too much combat-focus as well, not enough character development. And Rush is, more or less, a very selfish and very inconsiderate character. Why they made him so immature is beyond me. They said Rush is to appeal to the Japanese audience. What...are they trying to promote selfishness and immaturity in their players in Japan? Something to think about, at least.… Expand
  30. DrBrogbo
    Nov 14, 2012
    2
    This game is horrible! On paper, the battle system sounds very interesting, with the ability to rush head-on at a unit, flank, counter-attack, etc. The problem is that, with the exception of the quick-time-event countering, combat devolves into a fuster-cluck mish-mash of arbitrary nonsense. Being able to form "unions" (tiny 1-5 man groups of units) and give them tactics sounds appealing,This game is horrible! On paper, the battle system sounds very interesting, with the ability to rush head-on at a unit, flank, counter-attack, etc. The problem is that, with the exception of the quick-time-event countering, combat devolves into a fuster-cluck mish-mash of arbitrary nonsense. Being able to form "unions" (tiny 1-5 man groups of units) and give them tactics sounds appealing, but it isn't. You can't really tell them what to do. You're given a predetermined list of commands (which are supposed to be smartly chosen based on context, but since fully-healed units are given the option to heal themselves, and units at the brink of death are not, it's easy to see the list is random), some of which make no sense, and not all of which are followed by your units. Telling a union to heal will see them charging into battle and attacking more often than not. If you're fighting in a battle of 5 unions or more, prepare to have absolutely no idea who is attacking who, which units are enemies and which are friendly, etc. Even once you've played for a few hours and gotten a hang of the "tactics," the game never becomes fun. Issuing orders to groups of units seems like it would make you feel like a commander (like in an RTS), but the battles are never large enough to feel that way. It simply feels like you're one step removed from combat, almost like you're watching someone else play an RPG. Plus, it seems like combat is either won without any challenge, or your units are wiped out in the first round. There are far too many battles early on where you have one unit in a union facing an enemy union of 3-4 weakling units, which will completely demolish you in one turn. Game over. Repeat ad nauseum. Maybe 14th time is the charm? This game is absolutely not fun in the slightest bit, and if I hadn't gotten this as part of a $10 7-game pack, I would be even more pissed off than I am right now. Avoid at all costs. Play Xenoblade or Last Story if you want a good modern JRPG.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
13
#13 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 23
  3. Negative: 2 out of 23
  1. 3DJuegos
    76
    The promising The Last Remnant gets its best on PC thanks to a technical polish that's far better than the Xbox 360 version. Square Enix achieves an occasional enjoyment in its proposal, with an interesting story and a long term fascinating combat system.
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  2. Gamers.at
    71
    Why does Square Enix port a mediocre game like Last Remnant and not a hit like Final Fantasy?! Why do I need a Gamepad for perfect control?! We recommend Last Remnant only to those select few J-RPG-Fans, who don't own a console… which should probably be about 10 people worldwide.
    Read full review
  3. GameSpot
    80
    The PC version of this fun and fascinating role-playing game is far superior to its Xbox 360 counterpart.
    Read full review
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