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One last Breath, developed by Moonatic Studios and Maniac Panda Games. Published by Moonatic Studios and Catness Game Studios. Played on Xbox series S, Reviewed by Im Dave Angel
“I want to be…. a tree”
How would you sum up “One last breath” then?
One Last Breath” is a short 2.5D puzzle-based platformer. It combines haunting visuals with sharp, tension-filled gameplay. You play as Gaia, the earth goddess, navigating a post-apocalyptic world to restore life to an Earth devastated by pollution and greed. It’s a joy to play but over far too soon.
So, it’s a bit like Limbo, Inside et al?
“One last breath” wears its inspiration on its sleeve and it’s fair to say that this gaming apple is not falling far from the tree. The world is mostly greyscale in origin with some nice depth of field effects and is beautifully drawn. A huge thumbs up goes to Moonatic and Maniac Panda for the animation. Be it the run, stop, turn or simply bending down to stroke the head of a wild deer, the strange insectoid movement of the enemy, each is beautifully animated and really does raise this game up a notch.
The game has interaction points which are shown in the world as a splash of colour. Switches are mostly in green, as well as plants that can be manipulated to affect the environment so you can continue on. You also have access to your earth power which enables you to swing on certain pivot points. The joy of movement, the jumping, the animation and the swinging gives this game a feel like some of the older 2D Prince of Persia games, which is the highest compliment I can give it.
The game features eerie alien-like creatures that you can’t fight which adds to the suspense. These are also superbly animated and have a touch of staccato in their movements, making them appear to move like insects. These creatures are to be avoided at all costs and can be mostly avoided with some careful hiding around the levels.
The problem is during the later sections of the game, encounters start to become rare, and this can affect the pacing.
So, are there any problems?
The main problem this game has is its length. With repeated deaths, I was able to complete the main story in a little over 2 and a half hours. Now I am sure that if I were to replay this game, I could get this figure closer to 2 hours with less problem-solving and unnecessary deaths.
There is also the fact (no spoilers shall pass me lips) that when you get to the end of the game, you get a bit of animation and then the end credits. It’s a bit of a jar but works within the design of the game and gives you closure of the story.
Verdict
“One Last Breath” is a beautiful blast of fresh air on a hot day. It’s a great little game to fill some time in your gaming schedule, just make sure you have plans for something else afterwards.
Overall
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CX Score - 78%78%
Summary
PROS
- Beautifully realised environments of various themes
- Animation is sublime
- Intelligent use of environmental objects for puzzles
- The atmosphere is very quiet with touches that make the game come alive.
CONS
- Sometimes an obstacle will require repeated attempts to pass, so when you die the checkpoints take you back before the obstacle.
- The game is far too short, but you have to look at this game as a neat little palette cleanser. Also, if this is any indication of what we can expect from, Moonatic studios and Maniac panda games, their future is incredibly bright.