Last Encounter

Last Encounter doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it offers short bursts of frantic fun. The random nature of its procedurally generated space dungeons can sometimes throw the difficulty curve out of the window, which can hamper the experience from time to time, but the game is still enjoyable when it clicks.

Ultimately Last Encounter is a decent game that misses the mark on greatness. It has some great ideas that really do bring some fun new life to its respective genres but a simplistic gameplay loop coupled with some lacklustre enemy AI leaves me wanting more from the title. If you’re looking for a simple, twin-stick shooter that you can play with some friends, Last Encounter will fit the bill for a while but it just doesn’t have the staying power to keep you engaged long term.

With so many roguelike twin-stick shooters out there, Last Encounter remains an overall enjoyable yet middling experience.

While a lot of the basic elements are present, Last Encounter lacks any killer selling points that make it worthy of a recommendation. While building up your ships power with temporary or permanent perks brings enough fun for a few blasts, the bland presentation and performance issues mean there are much better games for you to spend your money on.

Despite everything you just read, Last Encounter is not a bad game. It looks decent, it plays decently, and it sounds decent. That's all it is, though: a relatively inoffensive twin-stick shooter. Since it glosses over the woes concerning design, perspective, and heck even gameplay, but this title is pretty functional. If "functional" is the kindest word that can be mustered for this flat and frustrating game, then I wouldn't necessarily call it good, either.

Last Encounter is punishing and unfair, it may be fun at times but its difficulty needs to be reassessed.

Overall, this is one of those games that’s going to appeal based on your tastes. If you like a punishing twin stick shooter that pretty much sends you back to square one each time you die, you might like this game. However, if progress is important to you, you’re probably going to find this game to be pretty frustrating after a while, especially if you make it deep into the stages and then end up having very little to show for it. That will go a long way toward determining if the $14.99 price tag is worth it.

Last Encounter joins the ranks of roguelike games on the Nintendo Switch and as a twin-stick shooter, it does a good job at presenting ideas regarding the ship's upgrading and an approach to combat that forces the player to think carefully. Unfortunately not all goes well, and the weight of the difficulty and limits to upgrades will erect a wall that becomes difficult to overcome. Dedicated roguelike fans will find it more bearable but the wider audience will quickly lose motivation.

Last Encounter is punishing with difficult AI and controls. Be prepared to die a lot and invest a good chunk of time if you hope to master the game and make progress.