The words ‘satire’ and ‘Soulsborne’ are rare bedfellows - not that FromSoftware’s trademark titles of punishing challenge aren’t without their moments of levity. But The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is leaning fully into the funnies, even as it’s lining up Dark Souls-like nasties that can wipe you out with ease if you flail wildly rather than pick your pokey-end sword thrusts.
Developed by Over the Moon and published by Coatsink (Moonglow Bay, Gang Beasts, Phogs!), The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is set in a land of video games - already, things are getting meta - where the medium’s very existence is under attack. Fidelity is disappearing, detailed assets degrading, NPCs losing their already simple minds - and into this decaying place steps you, me, us, as an unnamed adventurer made of the most minimal pixels. As you proceed, the game’s narrator - think Bastion, only exceptionally snarky - rarely misses an opportunity to cut you down with a criticism or celebrate your demise in a very told-you-so style.
Watch a gameplay trailer for The Last Hero of Nostalgaia below
At the outset of the game, Nostalgaia presents you with a familiar-feeling character creation tool - only, none of it means anything, as you’re just a stickman. Skin colour, tattoos, nose width: there are sliders for these things but they’re simply there for show, for the lols, and sure, yeah, it’s sort of funny. “Full character customisation” exists in your mind alone; although your pencil-thin protagonist can pick up various pieces of armour as they go, and switch weapons and stances much like a typical Soulsbourne title.
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And just like a Soulsbourne, Nostalgaia doesn’t go easy on you. Sitting down with the game for 15 minutes at Gamescom, I’m dumped into a dust-coated old library full of aggressive nasties who, if you’re not smart with your blocks and speedy with your dodges, will end you with little fuss. There are mysterious items to pick up, new weapons to weild, and a bonfire-like save and upgrade spot to activate - the developers aren’t so much nodding to FromSoft’s creations as actively stealing from them, albeit with a nudge and a wink that makes this stand alone well enough on first impressions.
Anyone who knows the Dark Souls series and Elden Ring like the backs of their no-doubt-calloused-by-now hands will feel right at home with this one, replicating as it does the demanding-yet-fair combat of its core influence. And newcomers to the genre might well click with the humour at play, which will help push them further into Nostalgaia’s digital depths - after all, we can’t let the narrator win. There’s potential here, a lot of what you know with a nice dollop of freshness stirred in. I look forward to seeing more, soon.
The Last Hero of Nostalgaia releases for PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles later in 2022.
Topics: Preview, Indie Games, Dark Souls