There’s no denying that consumerism is a pox upon our very existence. With our ever-growing desire for creature comforts, keeping up with the current trends, and salivating over the most recent technological advancements, we as a species continue to take and take from our precious planet. But what happens when we go too far? What happens when we surrender our freewill into the hands of those that provide the unyielding supply of the almighty goods? These are some of the questions that The Last Worker, from developers Oiffy and Wolf & Wood Interactive, are keen on exploring.

The Last Worker is a first-person narrative adventure, set in the not too distant future. You play as Kurt, a lonely man who is the last human worker in an almost entirely automated world. Kurt works for the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, Amazon, Jüngle, where he finds himself in constant competition with his automated counterparts. His only “friend” is a malfunctioning robot named Skew, who proves to be a dedicated companion and provides the majority of The Last Worker‘s comic relief. Kurt trudges through his tedious and painstaking existence, until one day he is met with the unexpected arrival of an unfamiliar robot from the activist group, S.P.E.A.R.. They claim to be working towards freeing humanity from the clutches of Jüngle, but Kurt finds himself wondering if he can really trust anyone.

Even though The Last Worker is largely centered around its narrative, it also has other gameplay elements. In the earlier sections of the game, Kurt will have to find and deliver the correct packages he’s been assigned to deliver. On top of that, he’ll also need to inspect each box to ensure it’s the correct size, weight, undamaged, etc. This is where The Last Worker was at its most fun, because it even though you might feel confident about the parcel in your possession, there were often times some other sort of discrepancy you might not have thought to check before shipping it off to Jüngle’s valued customers.

In that regard, a lot of this game almost felt like it was trolling you, especially in the beginning. At the end of each shift you’re given a grade on your performance. If you receive an F, you’ll be fired immediately. This is obviously a terrible spot for someone like Kurt to find himself in. Especially considering he’s the only human still still employed, purely based on a bureaucratic oversight. Meanwhile, getting a high score for the day or completing certain challenges will grant Kurt the greatest reward of them all: a brief moment to dance amidst some flashing lights. With rewards like these, who needs bonuses?

It’s not all delivering packages in The Last Worker, though. Once S.P.E.A.R. arrives on the scene, Kurt will find himself torn between capitalism and activism. After pairing up with S.P.E.A.R.’s HoverBird, he’ll be entrusted to help them find some dirt on the inner workings of Jüngle. This means that he’ll have to sneak around Jüngle’s various security robots, in order to avoid detection and find the truth about the company he works for. This was my least favorite aspect of The Last Worker.

Giving credit where credit is due, these sections were integrated very well into the overall narrative. It didn’t feel like too stark of a contrast between the two gameplay loops. However, the controls left much to be desired. While the overall full-range freedom of motion was fun to play around with, I didn’t feel like it was utilized as much as it could have been. My biggest issues though, were with the boost mechanic and the Jüngle gun. I found that the boost only activated about two out of three times, even when allowing for it to cool down enough to use it again.

The Jüngle gun is a fun tool at times, with a wide array of functions, but what I find most frustrating are its tethering and hacking functions. The tethering mechanic is serviceable when attempting to deliver packages, but it isn’t ideal for precision movements. On its own, the hacking function isn’t bad per se, but when its imprecise aiming is paired with a time constraint (i.e. enemy robots bearing down on you), it becomes incredibly aggravating. The worst part is if you get spotted by a security robot, you’ll have to start the entire section over.

Visually, The Last Worker is a bit of a mixed bag. Its cel-shaded grahics fit the satirical tone of the game well, but there isn’t a whole lot of diversity to the level designs. Although, that’s understandable, considering the entire game takes place in a gigantic warehouse. The few glimpses into Jüngle’s seedy underbelly were welcome (?) sight.

The sound design is without a doubt The Last Worker‘s highlight. The sound effects of the loader and Jüngle gun are realistic, while some of the sound effects of the contents of various packages can be amusingly wacky. But where the sound department really shines is in its voice acting. There are some truly fantastic performances from the star-studded cast, such as Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Zelda Williams, Clare-Hope Ashitey, and David Hewlett. However, nothing compares to Jason Isaac’s portrayal as Skew, who steals every single scene he’s in and is clearly having the time of his life in this comedic role. I never thought I would have loved hearing Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter films calling me a “f***ing twat” as much as I did, but here we are.

All in all, The Last Worker is an enjoyable time, despite some flaws with its gameplay. The regular package handling sections are a lot of fun, especially when discovering the crazy contents within each one, but the stealth and hacking sections can get pretty frustrating. Thankfully, the story is compelling enough to overlook the gameplay shortcomings, and the performances are wonderful all around. If you’ve ever worked as a low employee for a large retailer, then The Last Worker will definitely speak to you on some level.

Graphics: 7.0 The cel-shaded graphics fit the satirical tone of the game well, but there isn’t a whole lot of diversity to the level designs.	Gameplay: 6.0 The controls are often unreliable and difficult to handle with any sort of finesse, leaving for some truly frustrating sections.
Sound: 9.0 Without a doubt, the highlight of the game was its vocal performances, which were solid across the board.	Fun Factor: 7.0 The premise is compelling enough to keep playing until the end, with plenty of laughs and emotional moments along the way. Its enjoyment is hampered by its poor controls, though.
Final Verdict: 7.0

The Last Worker is available now on PC, Meta Quest 2, PS5, PS VR2, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

Reviewed on PC.

A copy of The Last Worker was provided by the publisher.