The Last Worker

Lore & Background

The game is set in an otherwise automated fulfillment center where players control the last human worker. Initially, gameplay involves solving puzzles to correctly sort packages. After the protagonist is convinced by revolutionaries to sabotage the facility, stealth elements are added, and players must maintain high productivity levels; falling below a certain threshold results in being fired. A robot sidekick named Skew assists the player. As the revolutionaries' demands escalate, players choose whether to continue aiding them, ally with the tech CEO who owns the warehouse, or seek personal fulfillment. Development featured comic book-style art by Mike McMahon and voice acting from Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jason Isaacs, and Clare-Hope Ashitey. Wired Productions released the game on March 30 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, with support for PlayStation VR2 and Quest 2.

Reader's Guide

The Last Worker received mixed reviews on Metacritic for PC and PlayStation 5, while the Xbox Series X/S version received positive reviews. Rock Paper Shotgun found the rote sorting tasks more compelling than later stealth and sabotage puzzles, and praised McMahon's art but felt the satire 'lays its ideas on far too thick.' PC Gamer called it 'a breezy, charming caper with a broad anti-corporate theme,' though noting it explained its jokes too often and lacked poignancy compared to other satirical games. The Guardian and Slant Magazine were more negative, criticizing the satire as superficial and ignoring real-world sweatshop concerns in favor of an unconvincing rebellion story. Nintendo Life wrote it is 'likeable and well-packaged with plenty of character, but it doesn't always deliver,' citing some 'fiddly' puzzles. Push Square criticized the virtual reality implementation on PlayStation, noting some puzzles are better played without VR.

Did You Know?

• The game features comic book-style art by Mike McMahon.
• It supports PlayStation VR2 and Quest 2 virtual reality headsets.
• Players must maintain high productivity or risk being fired from their job.