Last Asylum: Plague review - "Classic base-builder with a dash of plague"

If you know me even a little bit, you know I love a dark aesthetic in mobile games. I love the gacha element too, but that comes secondary here. Today's Last Asylum: Plague review will dive into all that this experience brings - the good, the bad, and the bubonic.

Expectation vs reality

There was a certain expectation that I had when I started playing Last Asylum: Plague. First, I was drawn in by the ads - if you were, too, then you'll know exactly what I mean. You see this plague doctor roaming around the fields, picking up medicinal herbs while trying to save humanity's last...humans (I suppose).

I expected there to be a certain truth to that, and I have to say, I was not disappointed. You have to heal patients, collect medicinal herbs and even tend to your very own herb garden (later on). Props to the devs - this was as close to the ad as it gets. 

Generic base-building formula

Even though you can tend to your patients and work on upgrading the wards, hire more nurses and whatnot, that is just a small part of the action. The other 80% revolves around the generic base-building strategy: you will upgrade your buildings, assign workers, and slowly progress in the battle stages.

If you've played any strategy base-builder, you will be all too familiar with all of these aspects, and more. As someone who has played their fair share of the genre, I have to say that even I liked it. Personally, this has been a welcome element.

Saved by the dark ambience?

One thing that really appealed to me was the atmosphere. The dark aesthetic isn’t just visual. It successfully shapes how the whole experience feels, from the muted colours and Dark Ages structures to the fitting background music.

Admittedly, I can simply leave the music running while I do my daily chores. It's dark, and even if the character designs can definitely use a little bit more "roughening" (the characters - heroes & survivors - feel like they belong in a different game), it is more than fitting.

Let's talk about the plague doc

The plague doctor mechanic is what made the experience stand out for me. It goes hand in hand with the theme. I love how one seemingly little thing can tie the entire experience together. 

Even though you have your regular strategy element, which is key to your progress, you can't really move on to the next chapter until you've expanded your Sanctuary, collected your rewards, and healed some patients - even some VIP ones.

This is what has kept me playing for so long.

You can progress at your own pace

Unlike in many other survivals, it feels like you aren't punished as much for taking your time here. If I were to compare it to other base-builders, I'd say that you can safely leave your base unprotected for a couple of days and you won't come back to a million "you've been attacked" notifications. 

That might have just been my luck, but this was pretty important to me. 

Consistency is key

I'd argue that the most challenging aspect is the player-driven one. You have to stay consistent with your upgrades and progress. It's not that you have to spend money or you're forced to reach a particular CP (Might) number to be relevant, but rather, you need to keep doing all the small upgrades you have to, every single day. If you can do that, you'll likely find success. 

Conclusion: classic, dark, and a little bit dramatic

If I could pick a couple of elements that stayed with me after playing, it would be the following: 

• You are not pressed for time, which is a huge plus.
• It doesn't promise anything ground-breaking - it stays true to the genre, and adds its own twist.
• The plague doctor mechanic is absolutely brilliant!
• If you actually paid attention to the story... well, it's a little bit dramatic, to say the least. It's a fun read, though, so you should read it!