Official Review Xbox Series X|S

The Last Worker (Xbox Series X|S)
Official GBAtemp Review

Name: The Last Worker
Item: The Last Worker
Rating: 7
Author: Prans

Product Information:

Release Date (NA): March 30, 2023
Release Date (EU): March 30, 2023
Publisher: Wired Productions
Developer: Oiffy, Wolf & Wood
Genres: Adventure
Also For: Computer, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Virtual Reality

Game Features:

Single player

Local Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Co-operative

Launching today is The Last Worker, a collaborative effort between writer/director Jörg Tittel and indie developer Wolf & Wood. Should you place an Amazon order for this dystopian adventure title that itself critiques Amazon-like conglomerates?

attachFull361481

The Jüngle Fulfilment Center 1 (JFC-1) used to be filled with thousands of so-called “explorers”, warehouse staff navigating through the literal towers of packaged goods awaiting inspection and deliveries. Now this number has dwindled to just one, the titular last worker, Kurt. He managed to stay on board while his colleagues were replaced by automated robots as he has never made a single mistake.

Efficiency and customer satisfaction are key to Jüngle’s operation and Kurt, as the loyal Jüngle Explorer, abides by that. So much so that he chose his work life over his love life and even made work his home (by sleeping at the Recycling Facility).

However, Kurt’s over 25 years of dedication to the mega-corp comes into question when he is contacted by the activist group S.P.E.A.R. (Society Promoting an End to Automated Redundancy). As the last human worker, Kurt is the group’s last hope of stopping Jüngle from making humans redundant altogether. Will he side with the activists or the capitalists?

Rage against capitalism

I’ve had my eye on The Last Worker for some time already. Not just because of its eye-catching star-studded cast (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jason Isaacs, Zelda Williams and more) but also because I had the chance to play a demo of the game last year which left me intruiged. In addition, the plot’s premise was a drawing factor to me as it falls into the sub-genre of “capitalism critique” which has grown on me after recently finishing Disco Elysium.

While The Last Worker’s narrative isn’t as compelling as the latter, its fictional dystopia does not sound far-fetched altogether. It draws parallels to our contemporary eccentric mega-rich, their questionable work ethics and our increasing dependence on the services such conglomerates offer. In addition, its depiction of the threat of automation is a close call following the recent rise of GPT-like AI.

attachFull361482

This original, yet familiar universe is brought to life by the excellent voice acting of its cast. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson’s portrayal of Kurt, who wants to be left alone with his menial job but unwittingly becomes the driver of an activist movement, is on point as is Jason Issacs’ voicing of the occasionally (jail)broken robot companion Skew. And while The Last Worker’s promotional material does not shy from the voice cast, some of them such as Zelda Williams and Tommie Earl Jenkins have only a handful of lines that I’d be surprised last for more than 2-3 minutes in the whole game.

The Last Worker’s comic book-inspired cel-shaded visuals also add a layer of originality to its universe. The details of the towers of delivery items, the highly-automated processes and Kurt’s “home” further flesh out the dystopian atmosphere of the game.

attachFull361485

There’s also a branching aspect to the plot, but only towards the very end where the game offers you some decisions which leads to different endings. It’s a welcome feature that can entice replays. However, the experience would have been made more compelling if more branching choices were integrated from earlier on but that would bring another scope to the game altogether.

Delivering dreams as Jüngle’s last worker

As Jüngle’s last worker, you’ll get to experience the pleasure of delivering dreams to customers in The Last Worker. By guiding Kurt in first-person on his JünglePod, a hovering warehouse loader-mobility scooter hybrid, you’ll pick up packages awaiting delivery with a JüngleGun, inspect whether they are damaged or mislabeled, and decide whether they are fit for delivery or need to be sent to recycling. Your decisions will impact your performance score and at the end of your shift, you’ll get a score which should not be below F if you want to maintain the job stability as a Jüngle employee.

attachFull361488

Even as Kurt gets more involved with S.P.E.A.R.’s brewing revolution, you’ll still need to partake in those shifts to ward off suspicion and maintain access to the warehouse. As you progress, your JüngleGun will get new attachments that unlock a host of new abilities from hacking security systems to temporarily shutting down worker bots.

When not engaged in the joy of delivering dreams, Kurt will occasionally need to sneak past security bots. A stealth approach is required during those segments where you’ll have to scan the surroundings and look for hiding spots until the coast is clear to progress. Even if you’re in the line of sight of a bot, the game is forgiving enough to provide a brief window to escape.

attachFull361492

While these equipment as well as some stealth segments bring some welcome diversity to the gameplay, actions are unfortunately often too repetitive. Hitting ‘A’ in time, solving puzzles and removing debris/shaft covers are what you’ll encounter most while exploration remains minimal. Even if The Last Worker isn’t a particularly long game, lasting around 4-5 hours, the recurring aspects of the same actions can be felt.

Moreover, the execution of the interactive sequences could have benefited from more polishing. It is not always evident when an action is required from the player; and can lead to some occasionally awkward moments where you press a button expecting something to happen but nothing does, and other moments where you idle around but should move or activate something. Among the last scenes, I was left to wander aimlessly even after completing my shift, with no direction given, thinking the scene would end after the shift was complete as it was the case up until then.

The game does offer some guidance, sometime during conversations, but even these aren't too obvious. Even if it includes a tracker, it’s only available to identify packages during your shift while it could have been made available in other parts of the game as well.

attachFull361495

An original, repetitive dystopia

Even if it is a relatively short-lived experience, The Last Worker is memorable for its original plot and universe that are brought to life with the excellent voice acting and comic book-styled looks. However, its reliance on repetitive actions is noticeable even during the short amount of time it lasts for. It could also have benefitted with some better execution as some directions are left unclear and the lack of exploration can be felt. Including more exploration could have spaced out the repetitive aspects and also flesh out the universe further with more characters and Jüngle bots which the game could use more of. That said, the overall package is a decent game that showcases the indie development team's capabilities.

The Last Worker | Release Date Trailer

Verdict

What We Liked ...

Original universe
Excellent voice acting
Stealth mechanics

What We Didn't Like ...

Repetitive actions
Recurring unclear directions
Lack of exploration sequences

Gameplay

Despite its reliance on repetitive actions, the gameplay is somewhat redeemed by mixing stealth mechanics and new add-ons to your equipment.

Presentation

The Last Worker’s universe is an original one that stands out with its voice acting and comic-book inspired aesthetics, even if the cast remains limited.

Lasting Appeal

It’s a relatively short-lived experience which helps bear with the repetitive aspects but the branching narrative could entice replays.

out of 10

Overall

Set in an original yet eerily familiar universe, The Last Worker stands out with its presentation but could have benefited from a more diversified gameplay.

Reactions: SuperDan, Mama Looigi and KiiWii

7 7 7 we have a winner here

Reactions: dudeguy2022

KiiWii
Apr 3, 2023

I think this is out for PSVR2 as well. Looks neat

Reactions: SuperDan

PC VR 100% saw it about a week ago

Reviews

Hardware
MelGeek CYBER01 Magnetic Switch Rapid Trigger Gaming Keyboard

Today for review, we’ll be taking a look at the latest gaming keyboard from Meltek, the CYBER01 magnetic switch offering!
Hardware
GEEKOM XT12 Pro Mini PC

Claimed to be the world's most cost-effecient i9 Mini PC, we check out the latest from Geekom.
Hardware
Kospet Tank T3 Ultra

Tough enough to navigate and conquer the rugged wilderness.
PlayStation 5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants

The Turtles are back for their umpteenth game outing, but is this one worth it?
PlayStation 5
Alone in the Dark (2024)

Alone in the Dark is a Survival Horror game available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X and PC.

More reviews

Product Information:

Game Features:

Rage against capitalism

Delivering dreams as Jüngle’s last worker

An original, repetitive dystopia

The Last Worker | Release Date Trailer

Verdict

Overall

MelGeek CYBER01 Magnetic Switch Rapid Trigger Gaming Keyboard

GEEKOM XT12 Pro Mini PC

Kospet Tank T3 Ultra

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants

Alone in the Dark (2024)