The Last Caretaker didn’t seem like ‘my kind of game’ when I scanned the synopsis a few weeks before playing it. I’ve never been a fan of games that require you to manage intricate systems to make things work, but I do love a survival game, and the game’s base concept was very intriguing.
Hours down the line, into my first journey through The Last Caretaker, I’m smitten. It’s a stunning game with sumptuous visuals, authentic physics, and a story that’s equal parts thrilling and chilling. Without uttering a word, I’ve been won over by the game’s protagonist, a robot standing as a vanguard for the human race at the end of all things.
The World Has Ended, But You’re Still Going
It’s hundreds of years in the future, and Earth has succumbed to rising tides, being swallowed whole by the oceans, and only a few remnants of civilization still exist above the waves. You are a caretaker, a robot designed to preserve the human race by launching embryos into space, destined for a space station orbiting in the vast beyond.
It gets a little deeper when you learn you’re the last caretaker, and you’ve been awoken hundreds of years after humanity has departed the planet for pastures new. Through the game’s many memos and notes that you can collect as you explore the world, you’ll come to learn a damning truth: humanity may have long since died out.
But that’s a moot point, as you’re created with a single task in mind, and damn it, you’re going to accomplish it.
As The Last Caretaker opens, you’re guided into the game by an anonymous AI entity, telling you of your mission and how you can accomplish it. Within a few minutes, you’re introduced to the game’s fundamental mechanics, which revolve around resource collection, crafting, repairing, dismantling, and above all else, surviving.
It quickly gets tougher, and you learn that this isn’t a game that entirely holds your hand. Your cold, servo-guided, robot hand.
You’re given a boat to repair, refuel, and power up, and then it’s off across the oceans that now dominate the planet. Once you’ve secured your vessel, it’s up to you where you go and how you navigate the world, and the sandbox element is a little daunting. It’s a slow grind at first, but once you’ve invested a few hours, you’ll be faster, stronger, more powerful, and more capable.
There’s a chief goal before you, but the journey you navigate to get there is totally up to you. It’s not all plain sailing, though… Pun intended.
The Mysteries Unravel
The Last Caretaker boasts beautiful world-building and environmental storytelling mechanics that left me concocting my theories about what had happened to the planet. You’ll find hidden pockets that point to the human race going through a tough time before shooting up into the stars hundreds of years before, and you’re free to collect memories and throwbacks to humanity if you wish.
All over the world, you’ll find deceased caretakers, echoes of those who came before, all eager to conquer the path you’re now on.
Visually, The Last Caretaker is one of the most jaw-dropping games I’ve ever played. Everything from the lighting to the weather, the roll of the waves to the retro-futuristic furniture, and the effects of lightning, fire, and the game’s enemies, to the small details scattered around, is all beautiful.
It’s a very silent game, but that’s by design. You genuinely do adopt a sense of total abandonment and isolation when you play The Last Caretaker, as the only entities sharing this forgotten planet with you are hostile and almost alien.
It’s quite sad, really, to imagine this hardy, determined little robot exploring an entire planet devoid of life, going it alone and bearing the weight of humanity’s disappearance on his shoulders. It’s up to you to learn about the game’s intricacies, and it’s all to be handled at your own speed.
The game can quickly become extremely complex, I should stress. It’s not just an end-of-the-world simulator, but it requires you to solve problems and use your initiative to manage energy systems that could incorporate dozens, if not hundreds, of parts. Enemies can be tricky and take many forms, upgrades must be unlocked, skills must be learned, and the oceans must be conquered.
This is all done while keeping yourself healthy, topped up with power, and managing your inventory and ever-increasing collection of tools, resources, and relics. I found a kind of bliss in the systems, despite it not being ‘my kind of thing.’ You’re mostly unguided and left to your own devices, which is a rare kind of freedom, I think.
What’s Next For The Last Caretaker?
The Last Caretaker launched in early access exclusively on PC in November 2025, and the team at Channel37 Ltd has promised a stellar roadmap. It all begins with a major overhaul in the coming months, followed by new vehicles, locations, combat upgrades, photomode, quests, and, of course, more secrets to unfold.
If you invest now, you’ve got plenty of meat coming to the bones down the line, that’s for sure.
The Last Caretaker Review: Verdict
The Last Caretaker is a haunting and, at times, ethereal game with untold potential for expansion and evolution. It’s an early access title that bears almost no flaws, and the freedom it represents is both refreshing and exciting. There’s a staggering world out there to be explored, and as a lone little robot, only you can uncover what’s on the horizon.
I’m overwhelmingly glad that I decided to invest time in The Last Caretaker. It’s not the easiest game in the world, but it’s extremely rewarding and is genuinely one of the most interesting games I’ve ever had the pleasure of digging into.
The Last Caretaker
9
The Last Caretaker
Grant's adoration for gaming started on the Amstrad CPC in 1996. Now, he's a multi-platform expert gamer with a deep love for the industry, a passion for esports, and more…
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