Last Resort

Game Details:

In its art design, Last Resort is heavily influenced by classic sci-fi films, presenting a desolate and highly industrial post-apocalyptic landscape. The game's core mechanic is a spherical device called the "Unit," which is attached to the player's ship. This sphere can not only block enemy bullets but also rotate 360 degrees to change the direction of fire.

Players can hold the fire button to charge up and launch the sphere in a designated direction. The launched sphere is not only highly damaging but also ricochets off terrain. This physics-based interaction adds significant tactical depth. The level design is challenging, taking players from abandoned cities to underground factories filled with biomechanical creatures. Each stage's boss battle is visually stunning, making it a pinnacle of early NEOGEO shoot 'em ups.

Game Guide:

Core System: Using the Unit

Mastering the Unit is the only way to beat Last Resort.

• Defense: The Unit can block almost all small projectiles. When facing dense bullet patterns, learning to rotate it to cover the side under attack is a fundamental skill.
• Charged Attack: After charging, release the Unit to send it flying out and returning like a yo-yo, or to have it bounce repeatedly in tight spaces. Use its ricochet trajectory to hit enemies behind cover or the weak spots of large bosses indirectly.

Weapon System Breakdown

There are three main weapons in the game, which are cycled by picking up power-ups:

• Blue (H): Homing Missiles. Automatically seeks out enemies, ideal for situations with numerous mobs.
• Red (V): Vertical Spread Laser. Offers wide coverage, suitable for defending against ambushes from above and below.
• Yellow (L): Powerful Laser. Concentrated firepower, making it the go-to weapon for taking down bosses.

Level Survival Strategy

• Pattern Memorization: Enemy spawn points and level layouts are fixed, making this a classic pattern-based shoot 'em up. Dying on your first few attempts is inevitable; the key is to memorize the timing of large enemy mech appearances.
• Positioning: Your ship's hitbox is quite large, so avoid staying at the far left edge of the screen. Keeping to the left of the screen's center will give you more reaction time for enemies spawning from behind.