The Last Spell

Although some runs took me up to a quarter of my day, I was consistently entranced by the head-smashing music, and pulled along by the tactical decision-making process. Ishtar Games clearly knows how to induce a flow state, distort time, and balance challenge with approachability. Playing The Last Spell means settling in for the long haul; but when the long haul is this thrilling, I’ll keep returning.

It is difficult to score The Last Spell, because it's a game that does so much so well, from the music to the game balance to charming writing. If you can wrap your head around the counter-intuitive controls - which an eventual patch will hopefully sort out - there is plenty for tactical RPG fans to sink their teeth into. We enjoyed our time with the game, but the hasty feel of the Switch port keeps the game from reaching its full potential, though.

This is a highly niche title that expects a lot from the player but gives back in equal measure if you have the time and energy.

Last Spell probably won't satisfy those who need a small and quick dose of action, since restarting is frequent, and often after (many) hours in a run

The Last Spell is a fun and complicated tactical RPG. The gameplay alternates between building components and turn-based fighting, providing plenty to do here. It's a lot to take in, especially initially, but there's plenty of fun (and horror) to be had.

The Last Spell is definitely not the easiest game, but every time you fail, you’ll come back a little more experienced and even more determined to succeed this time. With six difficulty levels, this game is perfect even for the most die-hard hardcore gamers. Take on the role of a leader and save the world from destruction.

The Last Spell is an excellent title for long evenings. It's frustrating in places, but it's also fair and can be rewarding. The great rock music and the pixelated graphics help make this one of the best indie efforts of the year, at least for now.

The overall nature of the gameplay led The Last Spell to become one of my favorite games of the year. It’s such a great spin on the genre. It feels fast-paced but retains every ounce of tactical goodness you would come to expect. The freeform nature of progressing my heroes and controlling them in battle is fantastic, and the entire game just oozes a good time.

An interesting turn-based fantasy game with nice mechanics and a bit too-long sessions.

A roguelike tower defence game that doesn't throw any punches in relation to its story, pixelated graphics and killer soundtrack. I'm sure you'll have a blast on the pursuit to banish all magic with The Last Spell.