Last Epoch Review: A Time-Bending Action-RPG Adventure

Last Epoch

4

Overall Score

4.0/5

The Good Stuff

• Deep character customization
• Engaging endgame content
• Intuitive user interface
• Good performance
• Online & Offline Flexibility

The Bad Stuff

• Limited story
• Persistant bugs & glitches
• lackluster & repetitive dungeons
• Clunky town portal system

Last Epoch

“Last Epoch blends deep character customization with exciting action gameplay, offering a unique experience”

In the ever-expanding realm of action RPGs, where giants like Diablo and Path of Exile reign supreme, a new contender has emerged: Last Epoch. This time-bending title promises an experience unlike any other, offering a blend of rich character customization, thrilling action, and innovative systems. But does Last Epoch live up to the hype? Let’s dive into this Last Epoch Review to discover its strengths, weaknesses, and whether it deserves a place in your gaming library.

Last Epoch Review – Overview

Last Epoch, a new ARPG, has finally launched after five years in Early Access. It offers a sweet spot between the two giants: it’s easy to learn like Diablo 4, but has the deep character customization of Path of Exile. You can build your character exactly how you want thanks to a clear and flexible skill system.

The story campaign is a bit forgettable after the initial hours, but that’s okay because the real fun starts at the endgame. There are some online multiplayer bugs and occasional clunkiness, but if you can get past those, the journey to level 100 is rewarding, filled with exciting loot, thrilling battles, and a constant sense of getting stronger.

It offers a familiar starting point for ARPG veterans. You can choose from five classic character classes: Sentinel; Mages; Rogue; the undead-summoning Acolyte; and Primalist (similar to Barbarian class). Each character has a distinct playstyle, so you can’t go wrong with your pick.

The adventure takes place in the visually stunning high-fantasy world of Eterra, constantly under threat from evil gods, undead armies, and a mysterious void slowly consuming the planet, kind of like purple mold on a giant orange.

Last Epoch throws you into a classic ARPG experience filled with intense battles, exploration, and loot collection. You’ll hack, slash, cast spells, chug potions, and delve into quests, just like in other action RPGs. But Last Epoch adds some unique twists to the familiar formula.

For example, the “Ward” system adds a regenerating shield on top of your health, and your mana can go negative, acting as a cooldown for your spells. These additions make the combat feel deeper and more strategic compared to Diablo 3 or 4, without losing the core fun and simplicity of the genre.

Last Epoch delivers the expected gore and monster battles of an ARPG, with enemies like zombies, bird-warriors, and giant crabs. However, the story itself isn’t quite as dark and demonic as Diablo.

Story

The story borrows heavily from Chrono Trigger, particularly the character “Elder Gaspar” and the concept of time travel. While this inspiration helps explain the events of the game, the overall story itself is just decent, not outstanding.

The game heavily borrows from Chrono Trigger’s time travel concept. The story revolves around preventing Eterra’s destruction by traveling through five different eras.

However, unlike Chrono Trigger’s well-developed narrative, Last Epoch fails to create a compelling reason for the characters to care about the time travel mission, making the story feel uninspired despite the interesting premise.

The main story is a letdown. The ending feels like a series of disconnected events and areas with underdeveloped characters and a confusing plot. Thankfully, around level 60, this uninspired story gives way to the much more enjoyable endgame.

This features fun, procedurally generated challenges within each timeline you previously explored, along with some epic boss fights. While the story falls short, the engaging endgame content salvages the experience.

It’s clear the developers aimed high by referencing a classic like Chrono Trigger, but the narrative fails to meet those expectations.

Battle Gameplay

Last Epoch might feel like a step back initially in two ways:

However, persevere past level 15, and you’ll discover the true star of the show: the incredibly deep and unique skill system. Each class has its own distinct identity, and as you level up, the variety of skills and builds available truly shine.

This makes experimenting with all five classes highly rewarding, offering a breadth of character creation unlike any other ARPG.

Each of the five base classes has three subclasses to choose from. These subclasses drastically alter your playstyle. For example, the Acolyte can choose to be a Necromancer, focusing on summoning and buffing undead minions.

One of the best Necromancer skills is spawning Wraiths that get even deadlier. The Rogue can specialize as a Marksman, focusing on mobility and precise archery attacks. 

Last Epoch lets you fine-tune your character in incredible depth. You have two main ways to do this:

These two systems work independently. You don’t have to choose between improving your passive or active skills; you can level them up both at the same time. This allows for unmatched character customization and lets you tailor your hero to your exact preferences.

Item Crafting & Gear

Its crafting system, using glyphs and scrolls, lets you completely transform equipment, making each piece feel unique and valuable. 

The game also throws surprises your way! You might find random items like a belt that grants your Necromancer a frosty surprise – every time you heal, it unleashes a wave of ice, freezing enemies and making them easy prey for your undead army.

This system encourages exploration and experimentation. Instead of just searching for gear to fit your build, you might find an amazing item that inspires you to completely redesign your character’s skills and passives to take advantage of its unique power.

The game lets you truly unleash your inner mad scientist when it comes to character building. You can combine up to five different skills at once, unlocking entirely new skill trees that let you precisely tailor your playstyle. 

Imagine finding an item that boosts you or your minion’s damage. This is where Last Epoch shines: the possibilities for creative combinations are endless. And if you ever change your mind, switching skills and character respec is a breeze, allowing you to constantly experiment and fine-tune your ultimate hero.

Last Epoch takes the guesswork out of character building with its intuitive guide system.

Overall, Last Epoch empowers players to experiment and customize their characters confidently thanks to its accessible and informative guidance system.

Post Story Content

Last Epoch’s endgame revolves around challenging “Monoliths of Fate,” inspired by roguelikes like Hades. These time rifts offer unique themes, diverse rewards, and replay ability as you progress to level 100. The true loot comes in the form of Blessings, permanent buffs impacting everything from experience gain to character stats.

You can equip up to 10, with some flexibility in choosing from a selection after each Monolith conquest. The element of surprise comes from hidden Blessings, motivating players to complete them all.

Last Epoch’s endgame throws you into the “Monoliths of Fate,” maze-like challenges inspired by roguelikes.

In essence, the Monoliths of Fate offer a strategic and ever-evolving endgame experience that pushes you to master your character and adapt to constantly changing situations. 

While Last Epoch has other endgame activities like traditional dungeons and an enemy wave arena, they feel less engaging compared to the Monoliths of Fate.

Here’s a breakdown of the drawbacks of post game:

These factors make the non-Monolith endgame feel somewhat unpolished and forgettable compared to the core strength of the game.

Last Epoch Review – Good and Bad

Last Epoch is a forgiving game, especially outside of challenging endgame activities.

Overall, Last Epoch prioritizes a smooth and enjoyable experience, offering a forgiving approach in most situations but providing a strong challenge in the endgame to keep things interesting.

Last Epoch’s town portal system throws a wrench into the otherwise smooth gameplay.

In short, the town portal system detracts from the overall experience, especially for online players.

Battle Online or Offline

Since you’re already in offline mode, you won’t encounter any of the game’s microtransactions or cosmetic options. These are primarily visual additions purchasable through the online store, and the reviewer confirms they can be entirely disregarded without affecting gameplay.

Last Epoch offers a great side system called Factions, with options for both online and offline players.

This system caters to different playstyles: online players who enjoy trading can join the Merchant’s Guild, while solo players or those offline can benefit from the Circle of Fortune’s boosted loot rates.

Last Epoch excels in presenting complex systems in a user-friendly way. Despite having a lot going on under the hood, the game’s intuitive interface makes learning its mechanics feel smooth and accessible.

This is in stark contrast to other ARPGs, like Path of Exile, where intricate systems can be overwhelming for newcomers. 

Therefore, Last Epoch could be considered the perfect entry point for anyone interested in the genre. It allows players to learn and master ARPG mechanics without the initial hurdle of overly complex interfaces or overwhelming systems.

Last Epoch impresses with both performance and visuals in the following ways:

Overall, Last Epoch delivers a visually impressive and smooth gameplay experience regardless of your hardware.

Last Epoch Review – My Verdict

Last Epoch blends deep character customization with exciting action gameplay, offering a unique experience between Diablo and Path of Exile. While it borrows elements from these giants, it also carves its own path with innovative systems and a captivating endgame that will keep you hooked for hours.

While the story might not be its strongest element, and there are some lingering bugs, the overall experience is still rewarding and shouldn’t deter you from giving it a try. I hope you enjoy the Last Epoch review. Please leave a comment below telling us about the game and other concerning matters. Until next time 😀