When I saw the screenshots for The Last Friend, I knew I had to demo it. I fully intended to at the MIX, but was lost in the never-ending corridors of games, food and more games. Thankfully, I managed to find Stonebot Studio’s booth on the E3 showfloor, and promptly headed over to check the game out. The concept of The Last Friend is like a mix of Mad Max with puppies. Let’s see how well they meshed.
The demo of The Last Friend that was available to play takes place somewhat later in the game. That’s relevant since it meant that the demo was a bit more challenging than I anticipated. Your goal in the game is to protect the puppies in a post apocalyptic environment from deranged mutants and dog haters. Your canine companions aren’t just cargo either, they gift you with special abilities as well. It’s a cool concept, and in the demo my puppy was slowly recovering the health of my turrets.
Besides the setting of the game, The Last Friend is also unique since it’s a hybrid of tower defense and beat-em-up. Your wild haired hero can place batteries on the field, and where they intersect you can attach gun turrets and other goodies. Once set, the waves of angry mutants come running, and your job is to supplement your weapons with a few well placed punches and kicks. You can move from lane to lane while you do so, and you’ll quickly need to get adept at doing so.
While I enjoyed the basic mechanics, I was quickly overwhelmed by the hordes of mutants in the demo. Thankfully, I did enjoy the basic mechanics, and feel there’s a good game here once it gets a bit more polished and balanced. When you pair the cool premise with fantastic art and pumping music, I feel Stonebot Studio might have a gem here. If you enjoy either of the genres represented here or just like colorful, fun games with doggos, stay tuned, since The Last Friend is slated to release Q4 of 2019 on Steam and all major consoles.
