I wrote this review in June 2013 a few days after The Last of Us came out. I did not play Left Behind (though I intend to at some point) or any other DLC. This is a review of the base game. I am republishing this since The Last of Us Remastered is releasing for PS4 July 29. It is currently available for PS3. The PS4 version will feature upscaled graphics at 1080p, 60 fps (compared to 720p, 30fps on PS3) as well as both multiplayer packs and the Left Behind DLC. Enjoy:
Post-apocalyptic
fiction can be somewhat of a challenge in the entertainment industry. Video
games, books, TV shows, and movies have overused this genre to the point where
we go into these stories with low expectations. You expect a lot of cheap
zombie animations and kills. Last year, however, this trend changed when
Telltale games released The Walking Dead, which was my personal choice for Game
of the Year. The choice and emotion found in the game was unparalleled in all
forms of entertainment. I’d never think another piece of post-apocalyptic
fiction could challenge that. That is, until I played The Last of Us.
Naughty Dog, the creators of
classics such as Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Dexter, and Uncharted bring another
successful game with The Last of Us. The Last of Us provides a memorable
experience for all players and it makes me remember why I bought a PlayStation
3. A lot of my friends play on Xbox 360 and I would love to play with them, but
PS3 offered tons of exclusives simply unmatched. People are going to buy a PS4
just because of Naughty Dog. Not only is The Last of Us the best PlayStation
exclusive of all time, it’s one of the all-time greats that will be looked upon
and treasured for years to come.
In The Last of Us, a cordyceps
fungus infects mankind and brings the downfall of civilization. You control
Joel, a man who has lived through both the luxuries and pleasures of life today
but now struggles to survive in a world where people will kill you just for
shoes. It makes players start to appreciate the life we have today. Without
spoiling anything, Joel has been through a lot and you feel sympathetic for him
throughout your journey.
Early in the story, you meet Ellie,
who is the real star of The Last of Us. She only knows the post-apocalyptic
world being born after the outbreak. She does and sees many things most normal
14 year olds don’t, but that’s what makes her special. You start caring for her
and feel protective for her throughout your adventure. She can also handle
herself in a fight, and this makes for some pretty cool scenes in the game.
Starting off in Boston, Ellie and
Joel begin a cross-country journey to get Ellie to the Fireflies, a resistance
group trying to fight the Military. Why? Well, I’m not going to spoil it for
you, but trust me, you will be surprised. The journey is intense, filled with
intense encounters and exciting plot points. The game is an emotional
rollercoaster that shows just how bleak and hopeless this world is. It is one
of the most immersive games I have ever played. Of course, it does help that
the graphics are superb and rival that of next-generation games. The voice
acting and motion capture is top notch, and Gustavo Santaolalla provides a
memorable soundtrack to accompany your journey. The production value in this
game is staggering and you can’t help but be in awe in some sections,
especially in cut scenes.
Of course, you are not simply going
to reach your destination without encountering hostiles. There are two types of
enemies in the game: the human survivors and the infected. Human enemies are
smart and very dangerous. They will coordinate with each other and will act
smart behind cover, making it more difficult to kill them than in Uncharted. The
AI, while not perfect, is one of the smartest I have seen in a game in a while.
You don’t have much ammo throughout the game, and are sometimes out completely.
Stealth is absolutely necessary to use in The Last of Us, and you will mutter a
curse under your breath if you are spotted. Taking out a room of enemies almost
entirely with stealth is incredibly satisfying, similar to how satisfying
stealth is in Rocksteady’s Batman games. Different tactics and strategies are
important in The Last of Us, and not everyone’s journey will be quite the same.
The other type of enemy is much more
terrifying and you will almost always want to use stealth on these enemies: is
the infected. The infected are people who have been affected by the cordyceps
fungus and are lethal. Obviously they are less intelligent than the sane human
survivors, but are more lethal and terrifying. Runners are one type of infected
you will encounter, and they are not completely infected by the cordyceps
fungus. They are fast though and are more aware of your movements. Another
type, clickers, are the ones that will make you hate clicking sounds. That
sound is absolutely terrifying and you will almost always want to avoid them,
as the only way to silently kill them is with shivs and those are in limited
supply. One hit from them and it is game over. The infected along with the
survivors will provide a challenging journey.
The Last of Us also comes with a
crafting system and this is incredibly satisfying and is better than many RPG
crafting systems such as the one found in Skyrim. From here you can make new
weapons and health kits to aid you in battle. Even better, it happens in real
time through your backpack, so you better hope there are no enemies about to
charge at you. You will find this very useful in your journey.
On normal, I beat the game in about
13 hours. However many people have completed the game in up to 17 hours. The
game, though linear, has tons of replayability. New Game Plus is a great way to
return, but the real draw is the insane amount of collectibles, firefly
pendants, and comics. These include audio recordings, letters, notes, and
pictures. They are very interesting and add a whole new depth to the game.
These also may lead to a conversation with Ellie and helps you build your
relationship with her. And trust me, after you beat this game, you will want to
replay it.
Multiplayer is also present in The
Last of Us. This, like Uncharted, is not the focus of the game and is passable.
It is nothing mind-blowing, however it is in no way tacked on or generic. It is
a smaller package than Uncharted, with fewer modes, maps, and players. However
it is very intense and is not something casual players can simply pick up.
You choose a faction, Hunters or
Fireflies, and begin a twelve week campaign to try to add and keep members of
your clan. The Last of Us multiplayer also packs a deep customization system
for outfits and gear. The two modes, Survivors and Supply Raid, have
incorporated elements from the single player. You can use listen mode, which lets
you see enemy movements from a distance (though you can only use it for a short
time, unlike singleplayer). The crafting system is also in check and is very
useful. Supplies are scattered around the map for you to use. Scaling back for
The Last of Us multiplayer provides a unique experience for players and adds
even more replayability to the game.
The Verdict_______________________________________________
I have never played a game quite
like The Last of Us. The game provides an excellent, emotional story and unique
multiplayer. The adventures of Joel and Ellie are some of the most memorable I
have ever had with a game. This is one of the best games ever made, and easily
a strong contender for both Game of the Year and possibly Game of the Generation.
SCORE: 10/10
MASTERPIECE
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