The gem of this generation
The Last of Us is nothing short of one of the greatest games of the past decade and this generation. Seven years after its release, it’s regarded as a gem that shines brighter than most video games.
By far, the most exceptional acting in video game history is found in The Last of Us. It raised the bar in quality, reaching the same caliber as an expensive Hollywood blockbuster.
The Last of Us is something genuinely unique that needs to be experienced first hand. The game has continued to cause so much hype over the sequels anticipated release that tension has caused hackers to leak the entire game online.
This still hasn’t deteriorated the authentic TLOU fan base. Before it’s release, I want to take a look back on how great this game is.
Concept
The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world after a viral pandemic. Players take control of Joel, a man who has gone through many hardships to stay alive.
His journey leads him across a destroyed United States. Accompanying him is a young girl named Ellie.
Their dynamic relationship progressively improves throughout the story. The characters that they meet along the way leave a lasting impression and are never forgotten.
In the first 20 minutes of The Last of Us, audience members are left crying. It sets the tone for how harsh the story is going to be.
Every step further into the story is an adrenaline-filled rollercoaster. Joel and Ellie are always fighting for their survival from either the infected or evil people.
Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson portrayed Joel and Ellie with an outstanding performance. These actors brought the characters to life.
Design
The entire game is a very long escort mission. Usually, in-game, it gets boring as the main protagonist has to protect the escort, but here Ellie knows how to defend herself.
She’ll throw bricks at enemies or distract them. If Joel has a hard time, she will interfere in your fights, saving you by stabbing them with a knife.
Ellie learns how to hold her ground, and slowly as the levels go by, she becomes more of an asset than a liability.
Levels are split into chapters. Players will travel to different parts of a desolated United States.
During this arduous journey, Joel can either sneak past enemies using stealth or take them out head-on. Each level is designed for the players to approach in different ways.
Use guns, melee weapons, and throwables to survive in any way you can. Explore levels, finding resources, and tools to help improve your arsenal of weapons and abilities.
As you gain control of the player, we can notice just how incredibly detailed each level is.
Green triangles will appear, allowing you to trigger an interaction. Each level is chock full of items to scavenge. You’ll have to play various times to find and unlock them all.
In certain areas, alluring objects or landscapes prompt an icon to start meaningful conversations between characters.
Shooting is a significant upgrade from the Uncharted series. Guns feel more authentic as the reticle sways in different directions, making it challenging to get the target correctly.
After moments of intense action, Joel and Ellie will be given short sequences of platforming where they must help one another reach a higher surface.
Every chapter builds upon the heart-pounding decision making of the level before. The Last of Us builds tension and continues to surprise you every step of the way.
Aesthetics
The game goes through the four seasons of a year. During the year, players travel to all sorts of environments like suburban neighborhoods, forests, sewers, and Pittsburg.
The graphics are a delight to see. More important than graphics, it’s the sheer amount of detail that is put into every level.
Every area or room in the game is decorated with objects to make things more realistic. All the environments feel authentic with fresh content without recycling assets.
It is this standard of high quality that makes this game so visually appealing.
The music has been composed extraordinarily well. Tunes are melodic and transmit a mysterious set of emotions during each scene.
In intense areas like starting the car in Bills Town, the music takes a very dramatic leap with pianos. Simply amazing how an original and authentic composition affects the atmosphere.
The way how Ellie is able to cover herself under Joel is one of those simple but unique features of the cover system. In most games, friendly AI have their own blocks of space.
Value
There are a few differences between the original PS3 and the remastered PS4 version. For starters, all the DLC is available which contains the following:
The campaign DLC Left Behind focuses on Ellies’ relationship with a valuable friend. It also explains how she got infected.
All the multiplayer maps and weapons are also available for users. A notable change is the button layout for the shooting is different PS4 and can be changed through the options.
Finally, the new difficulty setting Grounded is available for those who genuinely like to feel punished. I must say that it is doable, not as difficult as it seems, and is worth the try, especially to get that trophy.
Find every magazine, Firefly dog tag, and other useful resources hidden in the game. Some shine while others only appear interactable when in close proximity.
Multiplayer is called Factions. Players can engage in deathmatches, eliminations, and capture the flag game modes.
A text-based RPG simulation was included in the multiplayer mode made the experience more unique when it came out in 2013.
Players begin their online experience with a circle that slowly populates with blue dots representing healthy people. The population slowly turns red if you do not acquire enough points at the end of a match.
As you win more matches, you’ll populate your circle with people. Users can connect to their Facebook to fill the simulation with their friends and relatives.
It’s an excellent addition that makes players want to improve their performance, so they don’t have to see their loved ones die from illnesses.
Verdict
There isn’t much to say other than this is what a perfect game looks like. The Last of Us is exemplary at portraying a compelling story.
The atmospheric level designs and survival horror are beyond incredible. The world is cruel and gritty, something that Naughty Dog had never done before.
You will fall in love with the cast of characters and wish the best for them.
Revisiting the game felt very good. Like watching your favorite movie on repeat, The Last of Us is a work of art that grabs your attention every time you go back.
Every character is essential; each scene pulls the audience in. The characters portrayed have real feelings and problems. It’s that good.
And it has been that way for the past seven years and has reached the same level of superiority by Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, a game made by the same developer.
The upcoming release is relevant now more than ever. We are currently living through a pandemic, and, ironically, the game we have been waiting to play for years happens to be about a pandemic.
We cannot wait for June 19, 2020.
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