The Last of Us

Leave it to a video game to produce the greatest zombie story since George Romero's Dawn of the Dead. Yes, the story is great. Yes, the voice acting is great. Yes, you get emotionally involved with the characters and everything that happens to them. With that said, though, The Last of Us is more than just a well-told story, it could very well be a sign of where the genre is headed, and if that's the case then colour me excited.

What I'm talking about, mainly is the emphasis on survival. In most zombie games, ammo is really the only resource you need to worry about, and more than often there seems to be enough of it. I'm not saying those kinds of zombie games are bad, but it really seemed like a cop-out when these games would continue to embrace a heavy action, FPS style of gaming. But what about the survival aspects? What about having to consistently gather food, weapons, various items, and find shelter? Why not makes these games about how far someone's will can take them, of how determined they are to survive and the things they're will to do in order to do that? The Last of Us aims to do just that.

While still an action game, it's definitely not a shoot-em up. While you collect various weapons throughout, mainly guns, ammo is extremely scarce. There is no guarantee that an enemy you kill will drop some ammo, and if they do it may not be for the gun you need it for. Sometimes they don't drop ammo at all, but instead supplies that can be used to craft other weapons. Even then, the amount of supplies that's dropped is never consistent, and if you don't have enough of one particular item it can mean the difference between crafting another weapon or health kit, and ultimately, your ability to survive. In short, The Last of Us encourages you to find new ways to kill or bypass your enemies in order to preserve your supplies for as long as possible. Though the game doesn't go as far as I've described in the last paragraph, The Last of Us definitely points towards that direction.

I'm also a fan of how involved other humans are in this game. It isn't simply one person or a few persons trying to sabotage you the whole way, you interact with a lot of people in this game, and it's because of that that it really grounds it. It doesn't simply become a game of Us Vs. the Infected, but instead, and a lot like in Romero's best Zombie films, it's mainly about the collapse of society, of people trying to carve a little spot for themselves in this New America, and striving to discover your purpose and worth amongst the chaos. It's so easy to make the zombies the villains in these games, but it's ultimately pointless because zombie's cannot reason. They are what they are and their nature must be accepted, for better or worse. Humans, on the other hand, can reason, and it's what they're capable of that is most frightening. The Last of Us gets that, and that's why it stands out.

With all of this said, there are some issues I have with the game, though not detrimental enough to cause any kind of dent in my rating, though they're issues non-the-less. I'm not the biggest fan of there being different types of zombies, as it just feels like the developers are purposely doing it to give gamers varying levels of difficulty in their encounters, which doesn't ring true to me. I'm also not a fan of how your allies interact with the zombies; so Clickers can kill you in one attack, but if they attack Ellie then she can withstand it for a longer period of time? There's just no consistency there.

Still, the good far out way those two quibbles of mine. The game is damn near flawless, from how the story is written and acted, to the mechanics and how the game is played, to the graphics and just how real and involved everything feels. Naughty Dog continues their success with this game, and the way it ends definitely calls for a sequel. It's one of the best games I've ever played, and I can't wait to see where they take the story next.

I rate a ton of things on this site all the time, but I've never done an actual review. The Last of Us more than warrants one. I've never had a gaming experience quite like it. It transcends an average game.

The story is the meat and potatoes of this game. It will grab you in the opening scene and hold you throughout. You will come to care a lot about the characters and their struggles in this post-apocalyptic world. This game also contains some of the darkest topics ever touched by gaming. I won't go into any of them but know that it was a bold move and it paid off. Note that this game truly earns its M rating and is not for everyone.

The major reason that the story works so well is because it contains some of the greatest characters ever crafted in gaming. The characters feel so real and they face problems that are all too real. The voice work is as good as any I have ever seen. Hats off to Troy Baker as Joel and Ashley Johnson as Ellie for their exceptional performances. This game has made me a fan of both and I can't wait to see more work from them.

The gameplay is just as smooth as the Uncharted series, but it offers more of a chance for some variety and stealth. There is so much choice in the route and strategy you choose to take while going through this game. There are times when going guns a blazing will work, but those times are quite few. Stealth and scavenging are heavily encouraged.

The graphics are possibly the best that have ever graced the PS3. The amount of detail in the characters and the environment is incredible. The lighting, colors, and textures are very strong. There is no way to see everything in one playthrough...all the more reason to return.

This game is receiving near universal praise from both critics and gamers alike. A ton of perfect scores have been given out and they are certainly well earned. This game is a gritty experience the likes of which I have never played. I'm not a person who cries, but I am a thinker. This game has invoked a lot of deep thought since I finished it last night. It brings up a lot of issues and you won't be able to stop thinking, hmmm...would I have done that or been able to do that? There were times where I said yes and some where I had to say no. That is the true power of The Last of Us. It brings out feelings that gaming rarely succeeds in doing and it will get inside your mind. All in all, The Last of Us is a chilling masterpiece that sticks with you.

10/10

Pros:

• Amazingly Great story & characters
• Great gameplay
• Great ending
• Amazing graphics
• Companions are very helpful
• Great cinematics and cutscenes
• A-grade voice acting and animation
• Diverse level design
• Effective horror elements
• Online is also not bad

Cons:

• none

Verdict: Emotional and deep, this is might be the best game I've ever played on all consoles.

10/10

The overall zombie/post-apocalyptic/infected/dystopian story may be somewhat trite, yet that doesn't halt The Last of Us from being one of the best and most cinematic video game experiences ever.

You can see multiple filmic influences throughout the game, 28 Days Later, The Road, Dawn of the Dead, Pontypool, Rec, The Road Warrior.

You play the game as two (soul) survivors, a hard boiled man who's lost everything and a cocky young girl who just may have the solution to save the world.

It's very much like interacting in a live action film rather than just playing a game. These feel like real people and not just game characters.

Looking forward to the inevitable sequel(s).

Holy moly quacamolely! I think I've found a game that is better than mostly all TV and film alike. Just...where do I start? I was made aware of this game a long time ago when it first came out, and I always knew it had stellar reviews, so I did buy the Grounded version and DLC package in 2015. Thing is- I never had the time to sit down and play it, because I'm the kind of person who likes to start and finish a game in one sitting. So since I could never find the time, it always just sat on my shelf collecting dust. Flash forward to 2020, inside quarentine and have nothing to do but watch and or play everything I already haven't. I was going through my video game collection and I remembered about the game, so I popped it into my PlayStation to play.

About 12 hours later I was sobbing in my seat. I just can't start, other than saying, this game is a masterpiece! A genuine masterpiece. I'm not saying its better than most TV and Film, but I'm saying its SUPERIOR!

The atmosphere, the setting, the cinematography is breathtakingly beautiful. I teared up at the lighting in the decimated city landscapes. You could feel the lonliness, but also feel the somberness to it. The writing? It's shockingly thoughtful. You're never gonna get writing like this in video games. Very few have been able the capture the sentiment and care in their dialogue. And especially for a post-apocalyptic, first-shooter, stealth kind of game, it's very easy for it to become generic. But it never did. Nothing the character's said ever felt out of place. It felt natural and it built the story. Never an awkward moment.

Now, Joel and Ellie. I'm just calling it as it is. Top 2 characters of any video game in the last decade. I have a wide range of characters from video games I adore so much. But Joel and Ellie are just rare. They have so much complexities for the average survivor, and have grey areas to them that make you unsure at times. But they felt human. I actually cried for the both of them. And if anything, Ellie made me want to adopt a girl. Cause I just fell hard for her. The relationship between them is amicabley thoughtful.

I think I found a game that changed my life. More than any film, show, book or anything. 500% recommended. I think it's a genuine crime to not play this.