The Complex
The Complex
Game
Game2017
Late Shift
Developer CtrlMovie
Late Shift is an interactive FMV video game written and directed by Tobias Weber. The participation film technology behind the title was developed by CtrlMovie. The title was screened at many international film festivals, including the New York Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival, and the Festival du nouveau cinéma. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
216 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 2, 2026 · last updated Nov 4, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
79
LovedLoved
146 positive · 39 negative
95% range 72–84%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 146 | 39 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 8 | 1 | 21 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,041 of 2,411 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
79% recommend · 146 yes, 39 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 185 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (7,948 of 9,282 positive).
Players praise the high-quality live-action production, acting, and engaging story. [1][2][3] Many reviewers complain about the lack of a skip or fast-forward feature for replaying scenes. [2][4][5][6] Some players find the multiple endings and choices rewarding, while others feel choices lack impact. [1][7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [13]
This is actually one of the more enjoyable interactive movies I’ve played. Solid acting and filming, a somewhat good, yet rather slow-burning story and some tough decisions to make. But after I got a really disappointing ending - even when I thought I didn’t make any stupid decisions - the true problem of the game showed: There is no way to replay scenes or even skip or at least fast-forward already seen sequences. …
- [1]
Late Shift was my first experience with an FMV game, and I ended up doing something I almost never do—I played through the entire thing in one sitting. Then, instead of calling it a night, I immediately started over and played it again into the early hours, making different decisions just to see where the story would take me. I think that alone says more than any score I could give it. At roughly two hours long, …
- [5]
I won't give it a negative review because it's genuinely one of (if not the) highest quality FMV game that I've played. Camerawork is good, acting is good, story is engaging, different endings/scenarios are fun to explore, and I don't get bored rewatching it when I start another run. But oh my god, what the hell is up with the game not having a skip or fast forward feature on subsequent playthroughs? Especially …
- [17]
Ever watched a crime thriller and shouted at the screen because the protagonist made a decision so colossally stupid it ruined the movie? Late Shift is your chance to put up or shut up. This isn't a game made of pixels and polygons; it is a full-blown, high-definition cinematic experience shot in London, where you are the director, the conscience, and the potential ruin of a guy named Matt. He’s just a student …
- [2]
Late Shift is a FMV game, where you making choices which changes the movie you watching. This is one of the few FMV game which you can take a little bit more serious then the other ones. It doesn't play differently, but the acting, the story and how this game got produced is worth it. One of my main issue with it is the lack of skipping scenes which I already saw. The game has 7 different endings and all kinds of …
Summarised from 34 of the 210 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
79% of the 185 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Late Shift. The complaint that keeps coming up: no skip or fast-forward for seen scenes. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Late Shift received "mixed or average reviews" on all platforms, according to review aggregator Metacritic, except for the PC version, which received "generally favorable reviews". The Sunday Times named it "the most important film of the year", The Guardian called it "a digital experience to look out for". The film won many awards, including a BAFTA Cymru Award (Best Game), "Best Mobile/Tablet" and "Most Creative and Original" at Game Connection Development Awards and "Best Narrative" at BIG Festival Brazil. Further it was nominated for an IMG Award, for "Visual Design" and "Action and Adventure Game" at The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards 2017, and for "Writing or…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 216 · most liked firstLate Shift was my first experience with an FMV game, and I ended up doing something I almost never do—I played through the entire thing in one sitting. Then, instead of calling it a night, I immediately started over and played it again into the early hours, making different decisions just to see where the story would take me. I think that alone says more than any score I could give it. At roughly two hours long, there was no traditional gameplay to speak of. No quick-time events, no puzzles,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Late Shift is a FMV game, where you making choices which changes the movie you watching. This is one of the few FMV game which you can take a little bit more serious then the other ones. It doesn't play differently, but the acting, the story and how this game got produced is worth it. One of my main issue with it is the lack of skipping scenes which I already saw. The game has 7 different endings and all kinds of alternatives, however in order to get through them you would need to rewatch the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is actually one of the more enjoyable interactive movies I’ve played. Solid acting and filming, a somewhat good, yet rather slow-burning story and some tough decisions to make. But after I got a really disappointing ending - even when I thought I didn’t make any stupid decisions - the true problem of the game showed: There is no way to replay scenes or even skip or at least fast-forward already seen sequences. There is only the option to completely replay the game and rewatch everything.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game its about plastic where you Bowl hahaha🤣🤣
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some good news! I'm a half of Late Shift, a time-friendly to play, found-footage-inspired horror game. The Bournemouth-based dev has put all his funds into the game & I've offered to help with marketing, PR and other bits. If you'd like to chat/review it, email me 👻🍿
neutral · AI labelView post →Very Thrilling Movie Rating: 7.5/10 Think of it as a 1.5 hour thriller suspense where you have 7 endings depending on the choices you make. Production value felt similar to a big budget web series episode, and it exceeded my expectations. This game really needs some quality of life features and bug fixes. Ex - going through all 7 ending is torture, because you can't skip through any story node. Seeing the same common scene again and again is boring. Even one ending achievement - T.L.D. was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →as a movie i would recommend as a game i wouldnt recommend the first round experience is very good but there is no skip button, but i think second round is fine until when you know you click the wrong choice and want to change it and you cant you lit cant skip any scenes even you played the first round and its frustrating as a game feel like they didnt even playtest like you can watch the same movie like 8 times? or more than that to clear the game or get to see everything,thats bad and second…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The next game for @polykillpodcast.bsky.social Bingo's "If everyone else jumped off a cliff" square is: Late Shift!
neutral · AI labelView post →It's a decent FMV Adventure game. But the missing ability to SKIP seen cutscenes is just a cheap and annoying way to make you way way longer to get all 7 endings.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Late Shift is one of those rare games where your choices genuinely feel like they matter specially if you are gonna multiple playthrough. It’s simple on the surface, but every decision nudges the story in a different direction, making you second guess yourself in the best way. It feels less like playing a game and more like being responsible for someone else’s fate and that’s what makes it stick with you.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I won't give it a negative review because it's genuinely one of (if not the) highest quality FMV game that I've played. Camerawork is good, acting is good, story is engaging, different endings/scenarios are fun to explore, and I don't get bored rewatching it when I start another run. But oh my god, what the hell is up with the game not having a skip or fast forward feature on subsequent playthroughs? Especially after there are hundreds of posts and reviews on Steam and other forums alike…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you’ve ever wanted to feel like the lead in a high-stakes thriller where your choices actually shape the outcome, this is one experience worth checking out. It’s part movie, part game — a fully live-action, interactive story that drops you right into the middle of a crime gone sideways. You play as a regular guy — a smart, calm student working the night shift at a parking garage. Nothing exciting ever really happens… until, suddenly, it does. What starts as a normal evening quickly turns…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Going live on Twitch with Late Shift a FMV game, so join me for some Morning Cinema! twitch.tv/thenoirenigma
neutral · AI labelView post →Good acting, good story. Should be perfect if I have the option to skip, or replay with different choice instead of playing the whole game again!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A good story with decent acting and music. Really wish the game a skip scene button so you don't have to watch the entire scene over and over.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This week's #Schedule! Its ALL Collabs! Big REPO game on Tuesday! Gentleman's Dispute on Friday! Late Shift PlateUp Saturday! 500 FOLLOWER PIRATE #TIERLIST 2PM SUNDAY! DROP YOUR PNGS! I'm softdebuting the Scribblue Chibi #vtuber model on the streams this week too! Come see my second ever rig!
neutral · AI labelView post →Great story and good filming.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of those few good FMV games. Short and not very memorable. Have a few choices to impact story. OK I guess.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very intriguing for the first walkthroughs, but too many repeated scenes when I tried other branches. The game wanted to apply game theory but it was just a hoax. The plot does not make much sense either, too many insignificant choices.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ever watched a crime thriller and shouted at the screen because the protagonist made a decision so colossally stupid it ruined the movie? Late Shift is your chance to put up or shut up. This isn't a game made of pixels and polygons; it is a full-blown, high-definition cinematic experience shot in London, where you are the director, the conscience, and the potential ruin of a guy named Matt. He’s just a student working a boring night shift at a parking garage until he gets kidnapped and forced…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's OK the first play-through, but very frustrating that you can't fast forward or load a part from where you want. It was very tedious to let it run in the background waiting to get to the choices so I can choose something else.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Took about 1 hour and 20 minutes for just one playthrough, haven't thoroughly explored every choices and outcomes. Great acting and cinematography, although I wasn't a fan of timed choices. A must try, for sure! Kudos to the game dev and the game's ctors, everyone who created Late Shift.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →@polykillpodcast.bsky.social #JustBeatIt Late Shift (PS4) is an FMV game that works like an interactive movie. It is very well shot with a great lead actor & an intriguing story. 6 more endings to go for me in order to experience everything and get the platinum trophy. I'll pace this out over months
positive · AI labelView post →The game is a pure masterpiece. If only it were possible to skip all these cutscenes, this game would be priceless...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I honestly do not understand the positive reviews... the choices you make basically do not matter and some of the character decisions / actions are just ridiculous. Definitely cannot recommend this.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played this after finishing The Complex, and man, this game is ten times better. The writing, the music—everything is on another level. I felt more connected to the main character because he's just a normal guy clocking in his hours and trying to get by like everyone else. He's just a normal guy clocking in his hours and trying to get by like everyone else, but a series of unexpected events turns his life upside down. The choices in this game also feel much heavier and can significantly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Would've been the perfect London simulator, but there wasn't enough knives for that true UK experience. Nah but like there needs to be more games like this, really enjoyed that it's done IRL and not like Until Dawn or Detroit Become Human (They're still great games)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yeah, it’s not terrible overall, but the game really pushes the story a bit too hard in places. If the choices you make don’t actually change anything, what’s the point of even having them? There are a couple of interesting twists, but the whole thing seriously lacks believability. That said, the acting is decent. Plus, you can’t skip scenes you’ve already seen, which makes replaying for different paths kind of a pain. Honestly, I’d say skip it — unless you can get it super cheap.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Would be great if they include fast-forward for multiple runs.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love this interactive movie. I’ve played it for 31 hours in total, showed it to people, got all the achievements, and still: When I start it again, the music begins and the main character starts speaking — I feel a bit at home. That’s just how it is. That said, you’ll probably get the most out of it if you already enjoy interactive, story-driven games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Overall, the game is not bad as an interactive movie, they even tried very hard on the direction. The acting is at its best, but there are its pros and cons. Pros - An interesting plot that is not drawn out and is essentially easy to understand. - Several ending options. Cons I didn't like the controls - the standard mouse cursor that disappears when inactive was annoying, it was really difficult to make it translucent during passive video playback, so I started playing on a gamepad. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I did not enjoy this game and I typically love Choices Matter and FMV games. The controls were basic yet somehow sucked when you had to move up to then click one of the options when it's a quick time event. Not being able to skip scenes after a play through really discouraged further gameplay. In addition the choices really didn't seem to matter since most of the storyline forces you in one direction. The endings are all variations of about 4 different choices with the majority of those you…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →oh my god you can't do any choice without replaying the entire game, i'm not replaying 1,2 hours to get a better ending lol cmon
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros: - above-average FMV - fun action with potential romance - summary of your decisions at the end - $3.59 (on sale) is a good price for over 2 hours for the first play-through Cons: - can not skip scenes previously viewed scenes - no pause so just 10 seconds to make a decision Side note: my favorite games by Wales Interactive are Late Shift, Five Dates, and Ten Dates.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is just a waste of time because your choices don’t affect anything for most of it. You can’t replay endings from a certain point, and you can’t skip cutscenes you’ve already seen. At the very end, I accidentally pressed the home button—just an input mistake—and bam, credits roll. Now I have to start over, with no way to speed through those tedious dialogues. At first, I was intrigued… until I realized it’s just a lazy cash grab with no proper gameplay mechanics or UI. You’re better off…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am surprised it is rated as "very positive" there are SO MANY things that doesnt make any sense at all. very poor storyline.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Late Shift - 4/10 I'm a big fan of FMVs - especially from Wales Interactive - but this one didn't quite hit the mark. The first playthrough is fun, don't get me wrong. A new story is always thrilling - but if you're an achievement hunter, you're going to get very bored very quickly. It's not a game - it's a film where you click buttons, pretty much. Think Bandersnatch level lack of interaction, so you can lose your mind a little. And the worst part - once you hit playthrough two, you've…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was late in all my decisions. Late Shift is a choose your own adventure style FMV game. It's actually a pretty well made short film with decent directing, cinematography and acting that is not bad at all. The story however is just not that memorable and I don't care to play the game again for that very reason. The sound production is good but sometimes the music did get a bit loud. The actors sounded good and the production quality overall is pretty solid. There's not much else to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a narcisstic Maths student shows up to his valet shift only to discover the probability of free will existing is p < 0.05 as he falls in love with the second woman he meets and realises every smart choice he makes is a dumb one 9/10 best FMV of all time (so yes, in 2.5 hours I got 2 endings that is how these work) -1 for a random valet guy just casually participating in a heist and walking away a free millionaire, no questions asked (or maybe I just won with my first playthrough).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its really fun game to play. You don't get bored. Cinematics are great acting also acting as well. Don't miss it if you want to just chill and relax.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Masterpiece ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☑ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run Paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A lack of chapter select or scene skip combined with a bug wherein the game freezes and forces a restart of the chapter mean that I cannot recommend this game. Having to repeat an entire chapter because it freezes near the end is highly frustrating, especially in a game designed to be replayed to see the different endings. I managed to get all the endings and achievements because I'm stubborn, but it took far longer than it reasonably should have and was a very frustrating experience.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well acted and an enjoyable story. The twists are fun too. On sale 100% worth getting. High 3 out of 5.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is interesting and it’s well made, it kept me engaged and curious to see where my decisions would lead. That said, it’s not really the type of game I usually play, so it didn’t completely hook me the whole time. Still, it was an enjoyable experience and something different from the usual.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Story are below average and you can't skip watched scenes.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A pretty good FMV. Good production, decent direction, the story isn't much very sophisticated but the different scenes linked to the choices you have to make are consistent and make for a rather immersive experience. The only bad point here is the fact that you can't go back on your choices. It's a one-shot deal with no possibility of going back or even analyzing your actions at the end of the game. It's such a shame because, knowing that there are more than +10 possible endings, if you fail,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Has an amazing story, but why do you have to start all the way from the beginning to try new choices..?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is solid, and the acting is unusually good for an FMV game. But I cannot recommend this game for one reason, which is that there is no way to skip scenes you've already seen before. This is simply a must in FMV games for me, and for that reason I can't recommend this.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you want classics? the original Tex Murphy series is amazing. If you want new? Contradiction, The 13th Doll, Erica, The Bunker, The Mysterious Madness of Doctor Dekker, Late Shift, The Shapeshifting Detective, Dark Nights with Poe & Monroe, or the new Tex Murphy game The Tesla Effect.
neutral · AI labelView post →Cinematic, but felt like Matt carried the narrative more than he should.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've never played this type of game before but it was really cool, felt like a movie I could control.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like this game a lot. Very well acted and it looked pretty slick. I only wish that I could skip the in-game cutscenes when doing multiple playthroughs. That sounds kinda bad, but I just really want to see the new footage without slogging through stuff that I've already seen multiple times.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🎨 Visual Vibes ☐ What planet is this?! ☐ Jaw-Dropping ✅ Slick & Sharp ☐ Gets the Job Done ☐ Meh Pixels ☐ Eyes, Why Have You Betrayed Me ☐ Retro Relic Polished, high-definition cinematography. Feels like a Netflix thriller. 🎮 Trigger Thrill (Gameplay) ☐ Masterpiece Mechanics ☐ Solid Combat ☐ Functional, I Guess ☐ Kinda Boring ✅ Feels Like Homework ☐ Controller Screams in Pain It’s a choose-your-own-adventure with timed choices — not for action junkies, but choice matters.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's been a while since we played an FMV game, how about the prequel to Night Shift Nurses (I think). The Late Shift. www.twitch.tv/crushergerald
neutral · AI labelView post →Although our choices which in the first couple of chapters don't make differences, rest of them quiet do. However, there are some story flaws. For example, the place where May-Ling know ,which is a hotel, is the same place where we go when we choose "Better Plan", or after the car accident ,due to one of our previous choices, May-Ling doesn't want to do anything, but if we choose different option, May-Ling wants us to go to the Mr. Woe. Despite the sad fact that there are ,for me, huge mistakes…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🔷INTRO🔷 Late Shift invites you to follow the night of a parking attendant who finds himself involved in a very bad situation... It's an interactive film, with a simple premise: as you watch the movie, choices are offered, and certain events change depending on what you decide to do or say. 🔷REVIEW🔷 I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the acting. Let's face it, in FMV games this isn't always a strong point. However, here I found each actor to be perfect in their respective roles.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is very entertaining with great acting and seamless filming for FMV choice moments. I did figure out the entire whodunnit before the crime was even committed, but it was still such fun to play, to make choices to see if I could outsmart them and to see if I was right. This game's huge downside is its replayability: you can't start from any save points and you can't even skip previously viewed scenes. If you want new choices you have to play the entire thing at the same speed. If you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🔴 We're live, pals! Late Shift is now. File in. #superfesrival #gamedev #stream #twitch twitch.tv/megapowergames
neutral · AI labelView post →An alright game. I don't like that you can't skip through scenes you've already seen, makes the game a little tedious when replaying.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →DOPROS will have free demo-prequel The Late Shift, a tiny slice of main game with its own story and pacing inside grim DOPROS reality! Wishlist the game — store.steampowered.com/app/4348260/... Trailer — youtu.be/748ii9f3VEM P.S. We are the Official Selection of Monochropoly 2026 event on Steam!
neutral · AI labelView post →
Posts are quoted from public profiles with links to the original. Want yours removed? Contact us.
