“All of humanity may have been wiped out, but at least we managed to save this dog. Oh — it pooped on the floor. . .”
Historically, Japan really isn’t too well-known for their output in the first-person shooter genre. Sure, the Resident Evil series is known for flirting with this specific camera perspective nowadays. And you can certainly find a handful of oddities throughout the years that put their own spin on things. But it’s really not something you’d regularly find otherwise. It’s what makes games like The Citadel or — more recently — The Last Salvage Squad stand out compared to their contemporaries.
Boasting a striking limited color palette paired with the promise of alien invasions and bubbly androids, The Last Salvage Squad does more than just slap some guns and basic hitscan enemies together before calling it a day. Is it the most complicated shooter I’ve ever tried? No, far from it. Is it the most difficult shooter I’ve played in a while? No, that distinction goes to INCISION. But it is one of the most promising shooters I’ve taken a look at. Seeing as how the Steam Next Fest is alive and well, I figured now is the perfect time to showcase this game’s demo ahead of its official release date.
Humanity Is Gone, Aliens Are Here
In the distant future, the Earth is still spinning — sans humanity. After the sudden arrival of a malevolent alien armada, the once domineering force on the planet is swiftly and effectively destroyed. That’s not to say that humanity didn’t leave behind a deadly surprise, however. Say hello to the “CogrinaUnits,” colossal androids armed to the teeth with deadly weaponry that stand toe-to-toe with massive manmade structures and towering alien tripods alike. With only so many CogrinaUnits still in operation, including yourself, they’re tasked with taking down the remaining alien forces on Earth to salvage what remains of their very own creators. Between battles, you may even discover that there’s more life left on Earth than you were initially led to believe.
The Last Salvage Squad is striking, but still mostly easy on the eyes. Its red and black color scheme does have the unfortunate stigma of being tied to the similarly uncomfortable Virtual Boy by Nintendo, that’s true. But there’s enough of a balance here to still feel appealing. The game’s aliens, seemingly ripped wholesale from War of the Worlds, have spindly tripod limbs and a towering presence that’s a welcome reprieve from typical bipedal foes. But how does it play?
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The Last Salvage Squad isn’t too complex, all things considered. At the very least, the demo came off as being pretty simple compared to other FPS games I’ve played. It’s mission-based, allowing you to dive into a handful of levels that last around a few minutes each. Your goal in these levels? Take down the aliens. And maybe collect a handful of gears and other parts scattered across the map.
Each map felt more like a miniature arena compared to something you’d find in CULTIC. You’re wandering around giant towers and other elements of urban sprawl, using buildings and rubble for cover while avoiding bulbous projectiles and firing your own projectiles back at the tripods. Hitscanners? Nonexistent. Everything is projectile-based here, including your own guns, meaning you can take advantage of leading your shots and all the fun quirks that come with it. In the same way, however, you’ll have to contend with navigating swarms of projectiles lobbed your way in the game’s more difficult maps.
Your guns are all fairly reliable, at least. The demo gives you a handful to work with, and they’ll feel familiar to most FPS fans — a typical semi-auto rifle, a burst-fire heavy gun, and a surprisingly fun sniper rifle are all teased throughout the demo’s handful of levels. I was especially a fan of the latter, as the bulbous, wide bodies of the tripods lent themselves well to being sniped.
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I really do like the game’s charming elements. Every mission is prefaced with a brief section involving you and the other CogrinaUnits analyzing the mission briefing, allowing you to get some fun dialog, extra insight into how they think and function, and even some occasionally funny moments. The brief promise of being able to take on future missions with other CogrinaUnits makes me even more interested in how you can potentially forge connections with these bubbly androids.
Special mention needs to go to some of the game’s finer details, too. The game’s UI is minimal, but effective, even showing your own CogrinaUnit’s facial expressions as you’re trouncing around the ruins of Earth. Its music is upbeat but still melds well with the action. You can tell that there’s a lot of fun that went into all these little design decisions, which you’re just as likely to find in other games published by Waku Waku Games — especially Brebreman.
Should You Play The Last Salvage Squad?
The Last Salvage Squad interests me. Would I recommend it to someone who more firmly enjoys boomer shooters like Captain Wayne? Maybe not. Would I recommend it to someone who doesn’t really play too many FPS games, though? I’d say yes. There’s a simplicity here that’s warmly welcomed, and while I personally didn’t have too much of a rough time with the demo’s challenges — especially in the most difficult mission — there’s enough here to entertain someone if they’re just interested in all the cuteness. This is especially true if you like Shiba Inus.
If you want to check out The Last Salvage Squad for yourself, check out the game’s demo on its Steam page.
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