Last Vanguard

f****** in tents

One of the things I appreciate most about Last Vanguard is that it starts players with a double jump. Where most Metroidvanias feel restrictive at the beginning, this one immediately gives movement a smooth and satisfying flow. The game is also truly open—players can head to any area from the start. Combat feels equally good, with the option to move and fire or stay stationary and aim. Different guns with unique firing patterns provide variety, and I especially liked the inclusion of a healing bot. It charges from melee strikes on enemies, creating a loop of ranged combat, close-up strikes, and healing that kept me engaged. Enemy and boss variety is also strong, with distinct patterns to learn and overcome. Unfortunately, the writing is not on the same level. Dialogue often boils down to “We’re going to fight because you’re here,” without meaningful context. Worse, it can’t be skipped cleanly—pauses in the text force you to sit through it, making the weak story even hard...

Your basic MV game. Forgettable plot. Ok, non linear exploration. Frequent boss encounters. Some difficulty spikes, but nothing out of hand. Fast travel system was pretty bad. Game currency was a bit odd. You can build a base to earn it, but total cost of all purchasable items was SUPER low. Platforming was ass. These are just my minor gripes. I truly hated the final boss experience. Extremely bad lag. Luckily the final boss was pretty easy. Also a bit of a disappointment.