The Last Survey

Details

Playtime Not Played
Last Activity Never
Added 9/3/2025 18:12:20
Modified 4/5/2026 11:14:01
Completion Status Not Played
Library Itch.io
Source itch.io
Platform PC (Windows)
Release Date 8/7/2020
Community Score
Critic Score
User Score
Genre Adventure
Indie
Simulator
Developer Nicholas O'Brien
Publisher
Feature Single Player
Links Official Website
Steam
Itch
Twitch
Nintendo
IGN
HowLongToBeat
Tag [HLTB] 01 to 05 hours
essay
Interactive Fiction
Narrative
Story Rich

Description

The Last Survey is a narrative essay where you take on the role of a geologist contracted by a Brazilian mining company to survey rare earth metal reserves. Rare earth metals like nickel, silver, cobalt, and platinum are used in most major electronics including PC parts, green technology components, and almost all mobile devices. However, after a year of conducting your research, you've found that there is not enough of these metals on the planet to sustain industries reliant on current supply chains, and you must deliver these findings to the company's CEO, Victor Ferreira.

Based on studies and projections from real-world geoscientists and mineral analysts, recent findings show there isn't enough mineral material on the planet for the growing demands for electric cars, high efficiency fuel cells, solar paneling manufacturing, and even some of the components used to play & produce this game.

Will your choices help steer the direction of your employer away from global mineral fatigue? Or will the urgency of your research fall on unsympathetic ears?

This Game Features

  • Over 1500 of hand-drawn digital, graphite, and charcoal drawings
  • Choose-Your-Own Adventure monologue / dialog options
  • Multiple endings depending on how you conduct yourself
  • Dynamic soundtrack by Lewis Kopenhafer
  • Story-rich narrative that critiques globalism, extractionist capitalism, and executive greed

Praise for The Last Survey

"A gorgeously animated short game about confronting the limited resources this planet & a chilling CEO... its haunting story has really stuck with me."
-Eli Cauley of Crawlspace Studio

"The Last Survey is certainly one of the most poignant games I have played in a long while, and it is exquisitely illustrated to boot.”
-Dhruv of Studio Oleomingus

"I can't think of many other games that absolutely nail the atmosphere of serious corporate power. Plus the art style and soundtrack are excellent!"
-David Cribb, maker of A Hand with Many Fingers

"If there’s still an ongoing argument about whether visual novels are ‘games’, then The Last Survey is the conclusive answer."
-John Walker, co-founder of Rock Paper Shotgun