Impressions from playing Last Epoch

I consider isometric RPGs to be one of my favorite genres. So you can imagine with what zeal I entered the open beta of the fourth part of the cult Diablo series, which took place over two weekends in March. But after thorough testing, I still wasn’t satisfied. The search began for a title that would provide me with the desired dose of endorphins associated with the constant improvement of the game character, fighting his way through endless hordes of enemies of all kinds. But what to play? I spent hundreds of hours on the third part of Diablo, and the content of the final game, for my taste, turned out to be very superficial. Path of Exile is an extremely complex affair, and it takes a lot of time in the form of watching tutorials and reading walkthroughs to get into all the systems. So I was looking for something between the two mentioned camps.

Some time later, I worked on a game that has been in early access for several years. We are talking about The Last Age. This ARPG from Eleventh Hour Games has recently been enjoying unprecedented interest among players, and thanks to this, it came to my attention. A big influence on this, of course, is the fact that in early March, multiplayer was added to the game, so you no longer have to go on an adventure alone, but only with four people. I expected from Last Epoch only such a time jump before the fourth Diablo, but I was very pleasantly surprised by what the developers were able to do.

For the magician and the robber

At first glance, Last Epoch doesn’t stand out. The audiovisual processing is not offensive, but it’s certainly not the top of the current one. And not even by the standards of the genre. However, this is compensated by the variety of the environment. You will look into dungeons, forests, mountains and deserts. The game offers five main classes, namely the Mage, Primalist, Acolyte, Rogue and Guardian. The main profession subsequently branches into three others. Thanks to this, Last Epoch can boast fifteen playable classes that will be available in the final version. Currently, there are twelve to choose from, since three are currently only in development. Nevertheless, this is a more than solid number.

Last Epoch boasts a variety of playable classes.

I have to admit that the first two hours of the game didn’t excite me too much. The game starts slowly and reveals its secrets to you later. But if you persist, you will be rewarded with a really good ARPG. For my adventure, I chose a classic – a mage. I focused on using storms and lightning for Gramlove, whose name comes from hitting my little finger on the threshold of the door a moment before installing the game. The talent tree in Last Epoch gives you real tricks, and there are no limits to the ideas. On the other hand, it is not too difficult (yes, I am looking at the talent forest in Path of Exile) and even a player unfamiliar with the genre will get the hang of it after a while. However, if you get bored with a given skill, it is not a problem to exchange it for others. You will lose a few levels of the skill you are currently using, but it does not take long and you will get a new fireball or elemental nova of the same level. Thus, the respecialization system is very favorable to players and allows for experimentation. Around level 25 of your character, you choose what are called masters, which are the subclasses we wrote about above. Here, think carefully about where you want your character to go, as the choice of specialization is irreversible.

No prey filter, not even a shot.

RPGs have always been about looting and upgrading your avatar. In the Last Age, things are no different. But there is a big focus on crafting, which is relatively easy to learn and makes it a little easier to build your dream build. Speaking of loot, I can’t help but mention the so-called loot filters. Without them, you won’t get much enjoyment out of the game because a lot of items drop. Too many for my taste. Loot filters can be found online or created in-game. This will ensure that your enemies only drop what you’re interested in. In terms of gear, I was frozen by the fact that not all weapons and armor models have their own appearance. It often happened to me that I ran through twenty levels in the same tunic or helmet. The distribution of loot seems to be classic. From common items to rare, unique, and set gear, you can reach the so-called exalted and legendary. But finding really good armor or weapons is not easy, and you can’t avoid grinding. But that’s the point of this genre.

Race against time

The plot of Last Epoch is quite original within the genre. As an adventurer, you travel through several eras separated by more than a millennium, trying to uncover the cause and effect of the invasion of hostile entities. You could say that here we are approaching the origins of the Chrono Trigger cult. But if you are looking for a narrative terno, you will not find it in Last Epoch yet. The main storyline is not finished yet, but personally I do not expect any big changes. If the creators added cutscenes, it would definitely improve the overall atmosphere of the story. On the contrary, I really liked the story boss fights. They are definitely not easy, and some mechanics can cause difficulties even for the most experienced of you.

A promising ending

But how to have fun once you finish the story content? The endgame is always a very important aspect in these types of games. No one wants to get bored after tens of hours of customizing their characters. Last Epoch fits this content page very well. At least from my point of view. Around level 55, you can go to the first of the so-called Monoliths of Fate, which is a network of timelines and realities (echoes). In the monoliths, you will also find smaller stories, but at their core, these are randomly generated maps that become more and more difficult as the network progresses towards the final boss, since the further you are from the beginning, the more affixes the echo contains. Enemies live longer, are immune, or do several times more damage, etc. I think it’s great that you choose echoes based on the rewards they offer. Want to farm axes, necklaces, or helmets? No problem. You choose the path yourself, and after filling the progress bar, to which you gain points by filling any echo, you will have the aforementioned boss fight and another piece of the story.

You choose an echo depending on what reward they offer.

Monoliths come in two difficulty levels. The first one is aimed at the level the monolith is designed for, and the second (harder) one is aimed at players with a character at max level. The current level is 100. However, if you believe in yourself, you can reach the monoliths earlier. But expect that the game will not spoil you too much. In addition, echoes can be reset and the so-called corruption can be increased, which leads to an increase in difficulty and requirements for a well-developed build of your character. Another endgame content is dungeons. There are only a few of them in the game, but if you choose the hardest of the six difficulties, I can only wish you luck. The last option for spending time in the game is the arena. In it, you have only one life, and you will have to face waves of enemies that become more and more difficult. Sometimes it really gets on your nerves. In addition, the creators promise a seasonal format in the future, such as we know, for example, from the already mentioned Diablo or Path of Exile.

Rough diamond

Even though Last Epoch is still in Early Access, it already has a very solid foundation of endgame content. The developers at indie studio Eleventh Hour Games have been extremely willing to listen to the community. With the addition of four-player multiplayer, the game has opened up to a wider range of people interested in a true ARPG adventure. Add to that the fact that all of the development is happening in the form of remote collaboration across continents, and I have to tip my imaginary hat as a long-time player. While Last Epoch doesn’t have the visual sparkle of its AAA big brothers, it does offer more complex systems and an endgame in many ways. So it can easily stand on their side. The idea that Eleventh Hour Games will have the same budget as the upcoming Diablo IV makes me wonder why the big games of last year are so cut back, with laughable excuses coming out of the mouths of the developers.

Last Epoch is proof that if you want anything, everything is possible, and while I’m still waiting for the sequel to the devil’s saga, I’ll definitely be back in a world where good and evil, the present, the past, and the future. are in a brutal battle. I’m looking forward to the full release, which should happen soon. If you’re an avid ARPG fan, you probably already have Last Epoch on your hard drive. If not, I recommend giving it a chance. That is, provided you don’t mind early access and uncut diamonds.