One Last Breath review

Environmental puzzle platformers and a creepy atmosphere go hand-in-hand very well, with the likes of Somerville, Little Nightmares, and Black the Fall all fitting into the genre nicely. Limbo has inspired video games in such a huge way, as did Inside, but there’s a reason for that. They can provide plenty of satisfaction when a puzzle finally clicks, and a story told without words can often be better than when there is dialogue or scattered notes to find. One Last Breath doesn’t quite reach the same levels of quality that those two benchmarks did, but it’s still a solid effort.

It would probably be more enjoyable to go into One Last Breath completely blind as far as the story goes. You can visit the Steam page for a background to what’s going on, but if you like the look of the trailer, I would say just grab it and dive in. The world is dying, and something has gone drastically wrong. Cities are burning, wildlife is dying out, and horrid creatures lurk around every corner. You play as a woman who has an affinity with nature, which plays into the gameplay somewhat.

As you progress through the different levels, it’s clear to see the world is in ruin. Abandoned lumbermills, burning rooftops, eerie laboratories. As dark as it seems, there’s a serene beauty to your surroundings, but those moments of peace can be torn away from you with the clicking shrieks of the monsters you’ll bump into. While you do die if they grab you, the animations aren’t graphic like they are in Limbo, but rather a flurry of neon leaves appear and it’s back to the last checkpoint.

Thankfully, those checkpoints are rather common, although there are a few areas where you have to traipse a little too far, especially because some of the puzzles can be tricky to solve, and if you place a foot wrong it’s time to replay and try again. Despite seldom times you have to travel further than necessary, load times are quick and getting another chance to attempt a tricky encounter or puzzle happens nice and fast. While One Last Breath doesn’t break new ground when it comes to its traversal and conundrums, I still had fun playing and exploring this haunting world.

Most of the puzzles revolve around pulling levers, pushing crates, and interacting with the environment, but it is the way these aren’t thrown at you consistently that I appreciated. When you do have to solve something, they’re smart enough to challenge you, but not be overly difficult that you’ll be trying over and over again. There were a few that drove me mad, but that’s because I didn’t see the simplest of solutions, specifically crouching to get through a fence following a chase with one of the monsters.

Traversal is smooth, and along with jumping and crouching, you’ll be able to harness that connection with the plants to swing across large gaps and extend and retract roots to build bridges of open doorways. Ripping off wooden boards from doorways and pushing crates are some of the other simple gameplay interactions you’ll have, and that simplicity allows you to take in the atmosphere without being overwhelmed by various commands. It never pushes boundaries but it doesn’t need to, thanks to the main character’s drive to save humanity.

It’s also worth mentioning that One Last Breath has some fantastic music. The score fits the intensity of escaping the threats as well as allowing the game to breath in the quieter moments, softening the tension with beautifully simple melodies. It’s so pretty that you forget everything has gone to hell and you’re out there with the threat of death hanging over your head like a swinging pendulum, but it reminds you that the world is beautiful and worth saving. There’s a message not so hidden: one of protecting the Earth and appreciating its beauty.

One Last Breath has some smart puzzles that feel familiar to the genre, but the world is so inviting despite it being on the brink of collapse. There isn’t a ton of originality in its puzzles or its creatures, but the way it tells its story without a single word is admirable, choosing to let the environments do the talking. There’re a few collectibles to find which allow you to explore certain areas, and with a delightful art style and beautiful score, it’s an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.