The Last Worker

The Last Worker is a first-person narrative experience about the woes of our increasingly automated workforce. In a world where everything runs at tip-top efficiency, who's to say what's going through the minds of the disgruntled and oft-forgotten workers?

While narrative experiences such as this one are rarely renowned for their engaging gameplay, The Last Worker manages to keep things fresh by including unique mechanics that aren't found anywhere else. Still, is this plot-heavy VR experience the right one for you, or would you be better off working your 9 to 5? Let's find out!

Satire Supreme

The wild world of The Last Worker is filled to the brim with clever satire and witty dialogue. In the same vein as Valve's Portal, the game takes its source material and injects it with a dose of sardonic humor. Whether riding an elevator that feels like a roller coaster or dealing with some of the most monotonous menial tasks ever conceived, each setting serves as an apt metaphor for its central themes.

Throughout the game, players will be exposed to several subplots that are occasionally interwoven with the main narrative. Each character is given equal attention, which makes for a compelling experience as we piece together clues and try to unravel the game's mysteries from within.

Outstanding Presentation

The Last Worker's cartoonish presentation – similar to that of Borderlands – has been meticulously crafted by Mick McMahon, of Judge Dredd fame. Every line of dialogue is delivered with perfect timing and impeccable delivery, while the whole game oozes charm and personality. While there are no real puzzles to speak of, the experience is still very much enjoyable thanks to some rather simple but satisfying gameplay mechanics.

Using some clever tricks to keep the UI to a bare minimum, gamers can quickly navigate through levels, interact with objects, and access menus without having to worry about getting lost every few seconds. This proves vital in an interactive VR experience such as this.

A Matter of Taste

While the game's outstanding presentation values – elevated by some top-notch performances – might be enough to appeal to some players, there's still the matter of actually liking the dystopian reality that The Last Worker presents.

As is the case with games that feature humor as one of their main selling points, your mileage may vary depending on how well you take the whole affair. Personally, I enjoyed the narrative and the overall tone, but the subject material isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Some of the jokes and the over-the-top corporate satire might grow old quite fast for some players – and once that's gone, there's little else to talk about in The Last Worker. Still, this might be one of the most entertaining (and less graphics-intensive) options to try out your new VR headset.

If you're looking for a quirky title with great satirical humor and entertaining gameplay, then definitely give this one a go.

Rating 9/10

The Last Worker is an exciting, personal adventure that delves deep into the relationship between automation and humanity.

Pros

• Great writing with original concept and story
• Interesting, entertaining gameplay
• 3D hand-painted art style with a lot of humor thrown in

Cons

• Some of the jokes might fall flat on some audiences