The Last of Us

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

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).

I know this has almost become clichéd on IMDb but the greatness of this game has indeed caused me to write my first and only review. The Last Of Us is a unique game which captures the fragility of our social structure and demonstrates the brutality that some people are capable of. Don't pay any attention to nonsensical reviews by critics such as Polygon's Phillip Kollar who argues criticisms such as 'the game isn't fun' as it was never meant to be. The world that the game is based in isn't fun and this has been further emphasised by every trailer and demo that had been revealed prior to game's release. When playing on normal i felt like almost every encounter could be my last and i was equally terrified by the fact that Naughty Dog wouldn't hold back in showing just what the consequences of failure are. The game rather than focusing on horror revolves around the relationship between Joel and Ellie and this is masterfully complimented by the score which was composed by two-time Oscar Award winner, Gustavo Santaolalla.

The game-play is reminiscent of Uncharted as it uses the same engine however it is much more down to Earth; focusing on small-scale firefights or stealth to navigate through levels. However, one small downside I found was that the AI for followers/companions would often act obstructive or perform actions like running right in-front of eight people you may have spent 10 minutes sneaking past and for some reason not even warranting a reaction.

The story may be (inspite of some tiny detail over-sights which you may or may not notice as they linger in the back) quite possibly the greatest asset to this game. It is so well structured and directed by Neil Druckmann that it is hard to believe that this was his directorial debut. The game leaves a long lasting impression on you long before you're even halfway through the game and a series of events in the game leave your jaw hanging and your eyes teary.

The game is well presented and ammo is scarce; helping to emphasise the survival-orientated objective of the game. The multi-player is far from just a distraction as although it could still be a little more refined it has an interesting concept.

In conclusion, this game is absolutely amazing and it is hard to argue that the storyline isn't one of the best in gaming. I'd like to point out that I am a hardcore gamer and in the 15+ years of gaming I have only previously used the word 'Masterpiece' for four titles: Zelda: Ocarina of Time, FFVII, Half-Life 2, and more recently Bioshock: Infinite. I can whole-heartedly say that The Last Of Us is a Masterpiece in every sense of the word.

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

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.