Summary
The Last Spellis a turn-based roguelike strategy game that blends frantic large-scale zombie slaying likeThey Are Billionswith brilliantly deep RPG mechanics. It’s undoubtedly impressive that Frenchindie gamesstudio Ishtar Games has managed to bring together a variety of features that are seemingly at odds: one of the most common pain points among turn-based strategy fans is having to deal with a great number of enemies at one time, andThe Last Spellleans heavily into this challenge while avoiding the usual frustrations.
In an interview with Game Rant,The Last Spellgame designer and producer Benjamin Coquelle and Dwarves of Runenberg DLC producer Manon Bertin weighed in on some of the game’s early inspirations that helped shape its distinct identity. In particular, the classicDynasty Warriorshack-and-slash gamesgave the team the idea to focus on a small number of heroes duking it out against massive amounts of enemies, and this idea ultimately led to a gameplay loop that stands out spectacularly among indie strategy games.
Dynasty Warriors' Large-Scale Combat Fits Surprisingly Well In The Last Spell
Of all the titles that might inspire a turn-based strategy game, theDynasty Warriorsseries is one of the more peculiar names to drop.Dynasty Warriorsis ahack-and-slash franchisethat typically pits the player against entire armies of opponents, and turn-based strategy may not be the first thing that its gameplay brings to mind. However, after playingThe Last Spell, it’s easy to see how that inspiration manifested: most skills the players use can obliterate numerous zombies in a single stroke, and there are always a few dozen more waiting to join the fray in upcoming turns.
It was an idea from Matthieu, our creative director and CEO. We had just releasedDead In Vinland, our previous game, and it was a very narrative-driven game with a lot of text. He wanted to make a game with mostly gameplay and less focus on narrative. He was playing a lot ofBattle Brothersat the time and was like, “Why not make a tactical RPG?”
He also really liked theDynasty Warriorsfranchise where you fight hundreds and hundreds of enemies. That’s the starting point ofThe Last Spell: making a tactical RPG with hundreds of enemies and just a few heroes. Also during this time, in the studio, we were playing a lot of roguelike games likeSlay the SpireandInto The Breach.
One of the more basic design elements that makes this work so well is that the zombie turn is played out all at once. Anyone whohas playedBaldur’s Gate 3knows how tedious it can be when a dozen or more characters are locked in battle and playing out their turns one by one, andThe Last Spelleliminates that tedium by keeping players in control at all times.
Impossible Odds Make The Last Spell’s Roguelike Gameplay Feel Rewarding
The scale of the game’s combat also lends well to roguelike gameplay in general, where much of the enjoyment comes from survival despite less-than-favorable odds. It can be seriously intimidating toface 20 or more zombiesat the beginning of a turn, and it’s immensely satisfying to meticulously plan out every aspect of a turn to maximize the zombie carnage. By the end of the night, it’s a pleasant surprise to find that the team has managed to keep the horde at bay.
It’s that feeling of oppression by the number of enemies. Every turn, you think, “Oh, I’ll never make it. I’m going to lose this turn.” But you actually do it. You play it out and you’re like, “Oh, I just killed like 14 zombies. Amazing! I managed to do it.” That’s really the feeling we were aiming for.
After that, it was the progression where we have meta-progression with a lot of unlocks, and it was important for us to have this reward to tell the player, “It’s okay, you failed, but here’s something new you can play with and you can try to win your next run.” I think that’s an important pillar.
In typical roguelike fashion, the zombie hordes will almost inevitably grow to be too much for players to handle, and that’s when the game’sroguelike progression systemkicks in. Each failed run is almost guaranteed to afford a few helpful new upgrades that’ll make the next one go even smoother, and the satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay keeps the “one more run” mentality strong for hours on end.
The Last Spellis available on PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.
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