The offensive of the undead begins. Gather holy power to summon soldiers and strengthen the starlight of Hellendil to defeat the undead. If the undead destroy this place, it will be game over.
The core gameplay loop of "The Last Saintess" revolves around players taking on the role of Claire, the last remaining priest, who must defend against waves of undead enemies. Players must strategically summon and upgrade a variety of soldier units, while also carefully healing and buffing them to withstand the onslaught. The game requires players to thoughtfully construct their defenses, utilizing different unit types and abilities to counter the diverse undead foes. Positioning soldiers, using special abilities, and timing heals are all crucial to survival, especially as the difficulty ramps up over time.
One of the game's key strengths is its progression system and replayability. After each run, players earn experience points and currency that they can use to unlock new soldier units, upgrades, and cosmetic skins. This encourages players to continue experimenting with different strategies to overcome the increasingly challenging waves of undead. The inclusion of both a story mode and an endless mode further adds to the game's longevity, as players strive to push their defenses further and further.
While the game's initial difficulty spike may frustrate some players, the difficulty curve becomes more balanced over time as players unlock upgrades and gain a better understanding of the game's mechanics. The ability to gradually strengthen one's defenses through persistent progression helps mitigate the frustration of early failures, making the overall experience more rewarding.
Although the gameplay is the primary focus, the game's characters and lore have also been praised by players. The story of Claire, the last remaining priest, fighting to protect the last stronghold of order against the undead invasion, provides a compelling narrative backdrop to the tower defense action.