"I Want to Play A Game": A Last Labyrinth Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: Meta VR, PSVR, Steam VR

We don't review a lot of VR games here at A-to-J, but they tend to be very unique when we do. Last Labyrinth is a horror-themed puzzle game that released on several VR platforms back in 2019, and we're going to be looking at it on the Meta Quest today. This may not be the timeliest of reviews, but seeing as VR games can be rather evergreen, and there aren't exactly tons of new releases dropping every week for them, we figured that checking this one out now isn't all that strange after all. Anyway, I guess we don't need long intros here, let's just dive right in!

Last Labyrinth has a very interesting premise, one that is simple on paper, but very complicated in execution. You play as someone completely bound to a wheelchair, with your movement being limited to just your head and your right hand. This may seem like you don't have many options as far as gameplay actions go, and indeed that is true, but you still have the ability to shake and nod your head, and you also have a laser pointer that you can set off via a trigger conveniently placed in your free hand. Naturally moving your head around, and by extension that laser pointer, wouldn't make much sense if you were alone, but thankfully you're not. Joining you in this nightmare scenario is a mysterious girl named Katia. Katia speaks in a language you can't understand, but you're going to have to cross this communication barrier quickly as she is going to be your hands. Even though she technically is your only salvation, you're also hers. You may or may not have the brains to get out of the labyrinth, but she's the one who has to perform all the actions. It won't be that easy though, as every room you enter is set up with some sort of puzzle that is also a death trap. Fans of escape rooms might have an idea of what to expect as the game goes on, but here the stakes are literally life and death. Why are you trapped here? What is Katia's relationship to you? Who is that mysterious masked man who appears every so often? You'll eventually uncover more details regarding all these questions, but I'll leave those for you to discover on your own. Story might not have the strongest focus in this title, but you'll be hard pressed to find a plot as strange as this one.

It may not seem so at first, but Last Labyrinth is essentially puzzle game at heart. Each room contains some sort of puzzle, and solving it moves you onto the next. As I hinted at earlier, failing a puzzle can bring death to both you and Katia. That's actually the biggest challenge in this game: Keeping Katia alive. Making a wrong choice basically dooms you both, but you typically have to watch her die before your own eventual fade to black. There's also a bit of guild attached to any harm that might come her way. If the switch she hits brings about her demise, it's because you told her to press it. Katia pretty much never does anything on her own, so you're the only one to blame if her actions end badly. It may sound like I'm being dramatic there, but Last Labyrinth actually does a pretty good job of keeping you invested in Katia's safety. Part of you may want to see the death animations in a Sierra adventure style way, but you'll more than likely want to see only the good outcomes. That said, you will see her die several times over the course of your journey, so be prepared for that if you plan to go into this one.

As far as the puzzles themselves go, they're pretty much all of the switch variety. This makes sense of course when you think about it, as those types of puzzles are the only ones you can command Katia to complete via a laser pointer. One doesn't have to worry too much about getting bored though, as there are a lot of variations on the switch puzzle theme. Whether it's pulling a lever, moving an item, or simply pressing a button, you first have to select it with the pointer, and then confirm it with Katia via a nod or head shake. Many puzzles require arrangement or a set-up before hitting a main switch, but some may require many small actions in quick succession. It's rather hard to explain outside of the game, but these are typically more complex than something you'd find in Saw, but also simple enough to be completed with only minimum input. Also, while many puzzles allow you to take your time and experiment, some operate on a timer. These can be a standard "act fast or die" type scenario that plays out sort of like a Quick Time Event, or it could be simply moving switch in succession before a certain action is completed. It may not be the most involved of gameplay mechanics, but Last Labyrinth manages to get a lot of mileage out of this one element of game design.

I was first drawn to Last Labyrinth when I noticed that it had a tagline that referred to it as "SAW meets ICO", and I ultimately found that to be a very accurate comparison. I didn't know much about the game beyond that initially, but I immediately saw the ICO comparisons in Katia. Imagine my surprise to learn that the team behind the game actually does have staff who have worked on ICO, as well as others who've worked on other well-respected games. Even though this obviously is a big departure from something like ICO, the spirit of creating something unique as far as gameplay goes is still present here. Part of the reason this game works so well is the character of Katia. Not only is Katia the best aspect of the game itself, but I'm positive that many players will find her to be quite endearing. During my research for this review I found many people who did not care for her all that much, even some that seemed to enjoy her death animations, and I can't wrap my head around that. She's the heart and soul of the game, and was definitely the only thing that really kept me playing. Then again these same people tended to be indifferent to the game overall, so I guess that tracks if they weren't fans of Katia in general. As you may already be able to see, I'm sort of that "one dentist out of ten" who hates the toothpaste. Or in this case, the one out of ten who actually loves this game.

Going back to Katia, one of the biggest reasons why her character works so well is due to fact that she's voiced by Stefanie Joosten. Stefanie Joosten is a voice actress who is probably best-known for providing the voice of Quiet from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and she gives an amazing performance here. This could've easily come off as a bad Simlish character, but there's so much charm and emotion to be found in lines that are basically gibberish. There are times when you might hear a syllable or two that sound like something familiar, or maybe you'll even catch a snippet of what might be a real word, but the incomprehensible nature of her language really hammers home the horrors of the situation you and Katia are in. This is actually something helped along by the presentation as a whole. The graphics aren't particularly great, but they work for this setting. You feel like you're in the liar of a Jigsaw-like madman, and there's plenty of small details in the environments for those who have keen eyes. The music is great too, as it does a perfect job of establishing a creepy atmosphere that is more than just ambient noises and stray music notes. This is a smaller title that is destined to be very niche thanks to it being a VR release, but the developers clearly put their all into this. There's simply so much to love here, and I found that I sometimes forgot how high the stakes were. An inevitable Katia death would usually bring me back down to reality, but that's just the nature of the beast.

Even though I had a great time with Last Labyrinth, and have mostly positive things to say about it, I do think there are some criticisms worth discussing. Since I just raved about how important Katia is to the overall experience, perhaps we'll start there. Even though I found her character to be quite good, there are some technical elements to the game that sometimes ruined the experience. There were plenty of times where Katia's movements would be very odd and jerky, and more than once her movements would come off as broken. It's something that's really hard to explain if you haven't played the game yourself, but it sort of felt like she was the follower in an escort mission, and the one escorting her was taking the worst possible route to the destination. That's not it either, as Last Labyrinth also seemed to like to waste your time. Failing a puzzle obviously means death, but death isn't a simple matter of pressing a button to restart. Many of the death animations are quite long, and I never figured out a way to skip them. Dying also usually takes you back to the puzzle menu, and both of those factors together often meant that it could be minutes before your back at the puzzle that was giving you trouble in the first place. Add to this the fact that there are times when Katia seems to misunderstand a nod or a head shake, and you'll start to feel the frustration creeping in. and isn't a simple matter of pressing a button to restart. This means that you'll lose minutes just getting back to the puzzle, and this frustration can spill out into other aspects of the game. The game isn't exactly hard, but it is in challenging in ways that can test one's patience.

I'm not sure how long it takes to fully clear Last Labyrinth, but I'd guess there's about 5-10 hours of content here for the completionist. The publisher claims more than that, but I think their figure is on the higher end of things. You can most definitely take more than ten hours if you're not particularly good at puzzles, but I think that most people will clear it in less time than that. Game length aside, I have to say that this is one of the best VR games I've ever played. That fact is all the more amazing when you realize that this is a five year old game. Many VR experiences are short and shallow, but Last Labyrinth manages to pull off something that actually feels like a game. It admittedly is just a collection of what are basically standalone puzzles, but the entire package comes together to form something that sticks with the player long after they reach the end. You can pick up the game for $29.99 on the Meta eShop, and at the time of this writing it's even on sale. Though that price is a bit on the premium side of things, I do think that the content is more than worth it. It may not be perfect, but it stands head and shoulders above most other VR releases.

I think it comes as no surprise that I give Last Labyrinth the fullest of recommendations. It's a must-buy for fans of puzzle games, horror games, and anyone who owns a VR headset in general. It's simple enough to be able to be played by casuals, and has elements that very niche demographics will enjoy. If you enjoy escape rooms, then there will be something for you here. The same can also be said for fans of ICO too. Obviously you'll have to also be able to deal with the graphic nature of the game's many death scenes, but there's a truly great game here for those that can get beyond that. I still feel a bit odd being such a positive voice in a sea of negativity, but those are my honest thoughts on the game. Grab it on whatever VR platform you can, and thank me later. See you in the next one!

Check Out Last Labyrinth on Meta VR:
https://www.meta.com/experiences/last-labyrinth/1427490644042488/

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Story: A
Gameplay: B
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: A
Value: B

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A game that truly captures the "SAW meets ICO" description.
+ The premise of the game may seem rather thin, but the game manages to deliver plenty of unique challenges in spite of those limitations.
+ The puzzles themselves can be quite challenging, and this can be seen as a bonus for those who are simply a fan of that style of gameplay.
+ Katia is a great character all around, and she also features awesome voice work from Stefanie Joosten that brings her to life.
+ While there admittedly isn't tons of competition, this is one of the best VR games I've experienced.

Cons:
- The long unskippable death animations make getting back into the game a bit of a chore at times.
- There are times when Katia movements, as well as her understanding, can just feel off.
- Even though this is an amazing game by VR standards, it probably wouldn't shine as bright if released on traditional gaming platforms.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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