The Last Friend

About The Last Friend

The Last Friend is a chaotic mix of tower defense and beat 'em up combat, built around managing a mobile dog shelter in a post-apocalyptic world. Developed by Ludus Games and released September 30, 2021, it blends strategy with real-time action as you rescue and upgrade canines to fight off mutants, robots, and other weird threats. Playable on PC and Switch, the game tasks you with defending your upgradable RV across deserts, jungles, and ruined cities. With co-op and competitive modes, it leans into local multiplayer chaos, letting you deploy dogs with unique abilities, like a healing Newfoundland or a beast-mode Tibetan Mastiff, to survive waves of enemies. Think of it as a strategic pet battle game where your squad’s skills and terrain placement matter as much as button-mashing.

Gameplay

Each session involves managing your RV’s resources, placing dogs as stationary turrets or controlled fighters, and switching between real-time strategy and direct combat. You’ll upgrade pups with skills, unlock new traps like electrified fences, and juggle offense and defense to survive waves. Combat is frantic: you might dodge mutant hordes while commanding a Beagle to pounce enemies, then retreat to tweak your defenses. Multiplayer adds layering, co-op teams share strategy, while versus modes let you sabotage opponents. Controls are responsive but can feel clunky during intense moments, as you balance placement menus, active combat, and base management. Sessions last 30, 90 minutes, depending on mode, with late-game bosses requiring precise dog rotations and trap combos to survive.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community rates it 8.2/10, with 78% of players completing the single-player campaign. Average playtime is 12 hours, though 22% play over 30. Metacritic’s 86/100 reflects critical praise for creativity, but 18% of reviews call it “overly complicated.” Community moods are split: 55% find it “fun but messy,” while 28% gripe about clunky UI. Completion rate peaks at 89% for co-op, where teamwork smooths the learning curve. Players highlight the “unconventional dog abilities” as a standout, though 31% admit the combat can feel random. At $19.99, 68% say it’s worth the price, but 15% balk at microtransactions for cosmetic upgrades.

PlayPile's Take

The Last Friend works best for fans of strategy-action hybrids who don’t mind learning through failure. Its $19.99 price and 45 achievements (32% average unlocked) make it a mid-tier pick. Skip if you want polished mechanics or deep lore, this is a chaotic, bite-sized experience. The dog theme and creative enemy designs keep it memorable, but the learning curve may frustrate. Stick with it for co-op, where the messy fun shines. Not a must-play, but a solid experiment in genre-blending.

Storyline

From the warm and fluffy Newfoundland who has a healing passive, the Tibetan Mastiff with a beast mode unlocked, and to the ever charismatic Beagle, it's up to you to rescue these fearless pups and then set them loose on the bad guys! The world has changed and some could even say it’s gone to the dog house…WOOF!!! Get ready to explore deserted badlands, ruined cities, a military base or two and not to mention forgotten jungles teeming with challenges as you set out in an upgradable RV! It’s a dog eat dog world out there so best bring your best when it comes to going all paws with the various bad guys you’ll be sure to face! Your bite isn’t your only defense when dealing with overly tanned mutants, electrifying enemies, and one or two tofu aficionados! From super soakers, steel walls, and wire traps you’ll have your pick of the litter when it comes to offensive and defensive options to protect your yard!