Everything we know about The Last Oricru

Souls-like games are a dime a dozen these days. Since the release of 2009’s Demon’s Souls for PlayStation 3, the genre has become a widely popularized core game philosophy for many titles. From the recently released Dolmen to Moonscars, it’s an engaging gameplay philosophy for many reasons. For example, It’s dark, brooding, and discouraging, but with each fall, warriors rise again. With each feat, there is a victory, one that invigorates players with reward and immense satisfaction. The genre isn’t going anywhere, but there will be those that want to shake up the formula and add something new to it. Enter The Last Oricru from studio Gold Knights.

The Last Oricru isn’t like its competition. The game takes place deep on the fringes of the universe, on the partially terraformed planet Wardenia, where a deadly war wages between three factions. The Noboru are the dominant race and have held the rat-like Ratkin under their control. In revolt, the Ratkin have formed their own “Ratvolution” against the Noboru. Between the shadows, a third faction, The Broken Army operates with their own secret agenda. On a planet cut off from the rest of civilization, there are no spaceships or ray guns, but there are weapons, from swords to magic. However, in The Last Oricru, the most potent weapon and tool to possess is the power of choice. In The Last Oricru, your choices have a significant effect on the outcome of not just a single person, but the entire planet. These decisions will decide the fate of all people, and finally, reveal the truth about yourself.

So, as we race towards its October 13 release, here is everything we know about The Last Oricru!

Opening the doors to a new world

The Last Oricru puts players into the role of an unknown warrior. Emerging mysteriously from a slumber, the player awakens on a planet rife with war and conflict, isolated from the rest of known space.

The action is much faster than the competition, but the familiar mechanics of a Souls-like remain. Players wield a variety of familiar weapons from one-handed combat axes to double-handed great swords. This also includes specially infused magical items with ranged attacks, from fire to healing. In single-player combat, dodging and methodical movement are the keys to victory. However, while the game is competent in single-player, co-op turns The Last Oricru into a significantly different game.

Experience the fantastical adventure with a friend

The Last Oricru will feature local co-op, both online and split-screen. During Pax East and Pax West this year, the game’s PR manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling demonstrated local co-op. In his demo, he showcased the effectiveness and fluidity of cooperative combat.

In one demo, Tobias produced a special energy shield. He encouraged me to fire a fire spell at him, and while I was reluctant to do so for fear of damage from friendly fire, he encouraged me to use the spell. Firing a flaming fireball, Tobias used the shield, deflecting it off his person, and onto a helpless foe. This tactic was most effective in dealing with lighter enemy units and wearing down the sturdier ones. The same kind of mechanic is applied to healing power. Tobias used a green-colored ray of energy to heal me. When an enemy got between us, Tobias used a similar spell, to connect to me, but it greatly damaged the hapless enemy between us.

One of the great aspects of this title is that it offers Souls-like gameplay with a much brighter and colorful aesthetic. In addition, the influence of co-op as a key gameplay function offers the added benefit of experiencing in-depth combat with a friend. Conquering enemies and bosses alongside a friend is by far one of the greatest experiences in gaming. And this game delivers with its focus on tactical encounters with enemies!

Become the ultimate warrior, one choice at a time

During the course of the game, players can access new weapons and upgrade their character with various traits and abilities. The Last Oricru expertly infuses fantasy and science fiction. In doing so, it creates the atmosphere of a mysterious cybernetic force beneath the surface players can uncover along the ride.

The most effective utility presented to players is the ability of choice. The Last Oricru has a meaningful choice system for many situations throughout the game. These choices aren’t merely window dressing but course-altering decisions that affect who supports the player, who opposes the players, and what kind of missions the player can embark on. Additionally, these choices affect the outcome of the story, from the kingdoms that fight to the fate of the player as well as the entire planet.

After playing The Last Oricru firsthand, I witnessed the moral decision system. After a formidable boss fight, I had to choose to either eliminate one of the Ratkin leaders or spare him. Killing him would make my character a champion in the eyes of the Queen. In turn, I could get more missions, weapons, and support from the Naboru.

Alternatively, sparing the leader shows the Ratkin that I can support them and their plight and show honor, much to the alienation of the Queen and the rest of the Naboru. For the sake of the demo, I chose to spare. Tobias hinted that more missions from the Ratkin will be available as opposed to the Naboru. Finally, Tobias hinted that the entire outcome of the story could change as well.

The Last Oricru storms out this month!

The developers intentionally built The Last Oricru to be a brighter, grander scale fantasy sci-fi experience. In crafting a more colorful world, the team hopes for a more encouraging dynamic environment to explore, still fraught with danger and challenge but not as oppressive as other games in the genre. As a meddling of different design philosophies, The Last Oricru has something resembling of a futurist Medieval times. There is modern-looking armor but no laser rifles. The Ratkin are more worn and primitive, but still sport a variety of magic items and melee weapons. The trailer hints at stasis pods and a holographic A.I. In addition, we get glimpses of the interconnectedness the player has to the world, meaning there will be even more mystery to unpack at launch.

The Last Oricru launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Steam on October 13 digitally on the respective storefronts of each platform. You can also wishlist the game now on Steam.

Are you excited for The Last Oricru? As always, share your thoughts with us in the comments!