The Last Hope
| The Last Hope | |
.jpg) The cover of the PC edition of the video game. | |
| Developer(s) | Zeta Games |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Epsilon Entertainment |
| Platform(s) |
iDrive PC |
| Release | 1728 AN |
| Genre(s) | action-adventure game |
| Mode(s) | Single and multi-player |
The Last Hope (ðə lɑːst həʊp) (Vegnian: L'Ultima Speranza) is a action-adventure game, developed by Zeta Games and published by Epsilon Entertainment in 1728 AN for the platforms iDrive and PC. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where an infection caused by a mutated virus is exterminating humanity, making it zombie-like, relegating all remaining humans to fortified cities. The game is set across the nation of Vegno, in particular in the cities of Scanzata, Mhazar and Lamino, with the protagonist, Marco, who must move between these cities to bring a test tube of mRNA to the only laboratory still active to find a vaccine for the infection.
Development
The game was announced in 1727 AN, with a trailer that showed some gameplay scenes and introduced the main plot. The game was developed by Zeta Games, an independent studio founded a few years earlier by programmers from Vegno and former Monster Interactive employees. The game used the latest generation graphics engine, which allowed the creation of detailed and realistic environments, with advanced lighting effects, shadows and reflections, with a native resolution of 4k. The game also took advantage of next-gen console features, such as ray tracing, 3D audio effect and haptic feedback. The game took approximately two years to develop, with an estimated budget of 50 million Rino.
Plot
The game follows Marco, a former soldier who lost his family to the infection in the early years of its emergence. Marco is one of the survivors of the virus, thanks to his military skills and lives inside the Scanzata quarantine zone. In the first moments of the story Marco, who works as a soldier enforcing martial law in the various armed centers, now comparable to cities. While on patrol outside the walls of Scanzata, Marco is approached by a man, in great pain and on the verge of transforming due to the infection. He is about to shoot him, but before he does, the man gives him a test tube, which he reveals contains an mRNA molecule obtained from the virus responsible for the worldwide infection, which could be the key to creating a vaccine and take her to Lamino, the only center with scientific and medical machinery still in operation in Vegno. Marco collects the test tube, however wary of the man and not trusting his words, before shooting him in cold blood, to prevent the latter from transforming due to the infection. In the following days he talks about it with his superiors, who do not react well to the news, do not believe him and order him to do his job, without going any further.
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The next day Marco makes the decision to leave, full of indecision and mental suffering that he will carry for the entire duration of his journey. He leaves from Scanzata, his hometown, where he gets a car and some weapons, stealing them from the military center where he worked. Along the way, he must face hordes of infected zombies, who roam the streets in search of human flesh. He must also avoid the rebels, groups of humans who have rebelled against the government of the military and who have gathered in autonomous fortified centers, also attacking the survivors and plundering the remaining resources.
Marco arrives in Mhazar, one of the most important cities in Vegno before the pandemic, which is now just a fortified military base. Here he meets Luca, an old friend and comrade in arms, who offers him his help inside the city. Luca reveals to him that the base was attacked by rebels, who stole weapons and ammunition. Luca proposes that he infiltrate the base and recover the material in exchange for fuel and maintenance for his car. Marco accepts and enters the base, where he has to face many rebels. For one of the first times in the history of the game, the protagonist finds himself having to face a threat even worse than the infected, the cruelty of hungry and desperate human beings. Marco manages to recover weapons and ammunition, barely escaping from the enemy hideout, when he discovers that Luca has betrayed him and sold him to the rebels, who capture and imprison him. Marco manages to escape from the rebel base thanks to a surprise attack by the Mhazar military and to recover a tank of petrol necessary for the continuation of his journey. He thus escapes from Mhazar, resuming his journey towards Lamino, promising himself that he will return to take revenge on Luca.
Marco continues his journey towards Lamino, but his car breaks down when he is now only 20 km from the city and he has to continue on foot. Marco thus crosses a forest, where he meets Anna, a girl who lives in a hut with her son Giorgio. Both are farmers who managed to resist the infection thanks to their house lost in the woods and the fact that they are located on an elevated hill, difficult to reach on foot. Anna and Giorgio offer hospitality to Marco, who accepts. After a few days of rest Marco offers to take Anna and Giorgio with him to Lamino, hoping that they can have a better life, but they refused.
Marco arrives in Lamino, the last modern and technological city, where the hospital is located. Here he finds an attack by the infected who are trying to storm the city. Marco must therefore flee from the battle, joining the inhabitants of Lamino to repel the horde of infected. He then manages to reach the hospital, where he finds Sara, one of the few doctors left in charge of the hospital. Marco gives her the test tube of mRNA, while the soldiers tell him that the rebels are attacking and infiltrating the hospital. The two become desperate and are forced to flee to defend themselves from the rebels who are attacking them. The game ends with a scene showing Sara being shot in the back by a sniper, causing the test tube to fall to the ground which breaks into a thousand pieces and Marco leaving through the back door of the hospital, throwing himself into a small lake to escape to the rebels who had now conquered the city.
Gameplay
The Last Hope is a first-person video game, which combines elements of shooter, stealth, adventure and resource management. The game is based on a linear narrative, with main missions and side missions, which can be carried out in different orders. The game also features dialogues and moral choices, which influence the relationship with the characters and the outcome of the secondary missions. The game has an average duration of approximately 25 hours, with a variable difficulty depending on the player's settings.
Single-player
The game features a story mode, where the player controls Marco and follows his mission. The player can explore the different cities of Vegno, which present varied and interactive environments, with points of interest, collectibles and secrets. The player must also face enemies, who can be infected, present in different forms based on the stage of infection, or rebels, using weapons and objects. The player can choose whether to face enemies and different areas of the game directly or stealthily, depending on the situation and playstyle. The player must also manage his resources, such as health, hunger and sleep, trying to find safe places to rest and replenish. The player can also interact with non-player characters, who can offer information that facilitates the completion of the story, missions or services. The player can also develop relationships with the characters, which can be friendly, neutral or hostile, depending on his actions and his choices.
Multi-player
The game also features a cooperative mode, where the player can join other players online and tackle secondary missions within the cities together, but not those of the main plot, which must be tackled in single-player. The game also features a competitive mode, where the player can challenge other players online in different modes, such as deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag and survival.
Franchise
The video-game “The Last Hope” quickly gained popularity for its engaging narrative and innovative gameplay. Following the success of the title, Zeta Games expanded the game's universe with novels, comics and a tv series programmed and produced by TeleV, all set in the post-apocalyptic world of The Last Hope.
The Romans and the comics explore parallel stories, delve into the secondary characters and offer fans a complete multimedia experience, while the tv series entirely follows the story experienced in the video game.
Additionally, merchandise such as action figures, posters, and thematic apparel allowed fans to show their support for the series. With plans for further games and potential film adaptations, “The Last Hope” is establishing itself as a major franchise in the action-adventure genre within Vegno.
