The Last of Us (2013)

If gamers and game designers want games to be viewed as art (as is the common sentiment with this particular game), then games have to be looked at through a critical lens. Which means, when faced with criticism, they cannot default to the 'well it's a game' defense. It is not a valid shield, and it is not a valid counter to criticism; you cannot have your proverbial cake and eat it too. The goalpost cannot be perpetually re-positioned in order to fend off difficult sentiments.

If this is meant to be art, it is a mediocre, uninspired and intellectually lazy piece. And it cannot hide behind 'being a game.'

All art goes through stages. There are flashes of early brilliance in all movements, however it often takes quite some time for a movement to become polished and perfected, to gain a sense of identity; to outgrow the monotonous. Video games are still in the early stages of exploration as an artistic medium. We have flashes of brilliance (Planescape: Torment, What Remains of Edith Finch, Silent Hill 2, The Stanley Parable, etc), but for the most part, we have a whole lot of imitation of other mediums, inviting the trials and tropes those mediums contain.

This was one of the earlier video games to imitate the overall production of a blockbuster film, and as such, it drowns in the myriad cliches and tropes that were fresh in theaters decades before its time. Imitating the art without understanding the purpose behind it, with none of the fundamental knowledge.

It's a game that never knows just when to stop being a game, or when to stop trying to be a movie; one that is overly tedious and unenjoyable as a game, and narratively unskilled and juvenile as a movie. It attempts to force tension through tedium, attempts to coerce emotion through a barrage of unsubtle and ineffective guilt-trips. In fact, it does a lot of what you'd expect a poor soap opera to do--over-the-top characterizations, incessant emotional extremes to feign depth, plot-hole blindness, instructing the viewer rather than allowing them to form their own feelings--while using violence that is so comically oversaturated that it becomes more a nuisance, in order to masquerade as mature.

This could be a much longer review, however, there's so little time in the day and so much poorly done with this game that demands itself be viewed as 'art' that I feel I'd be here for hours listing the myriad problems with such a middling, tepid piece of milquetoast being held up as some crowning achievement in anything other than continuing the wider belief that gamers truly are the lower rung of the intellectual ladder when it comes to media consumers.

I don't know how to review this game. I played it so long ago back in 2014, about a year after its release. I feel it's important to reveal one of my greatest fears up until a few years prior to playing this game were zombies (thanks Resident Evil). Yet I was excited to play this one when it was announced. It looked brutal, it had an interesting setting, and wasn't just another mindless zombie shooter. It ended up being one of the first modern games I played after I moved out of my parent's house (Skyrim being the exception). Up until that point, I was decades behind everyone else in experiencing any type of media, let alone video games, so it was really exciting to finally play this one on a console I could connect to the internet, download updates, DLC, play online, etc.

There's nothing new I can really say about the Last of Us but what did I personally enjoy about it? How the plot moves through seasons, the heart-wrenching characters, queerness depicted in a game cis-men assumed was strictly for them (though many of them tried to ignore it), the melancholic music, the impacts of trauma, and the morally grey human experience. I saw myself in many moments in this game, especially in Joel (a teenager seeing herself represented in a 40 year old man won't be unpacked here).

This game isn't perfect. It can be frustrating. The plot can be predictable but I forgave it for the way the story was told and the way the characters felt alive, regardless of how long they were on-screen. The combat was mostly fun and while the companion AI was broken in that they did not try to stay out of sight when sneaking around enemies, it was unintentionally hilarious to see them zooming around, knocking shit over, while you're trying to shank a Clicker.

I don't think it really matters what version of the game you play, though I think visually I enjoyed the original version the most (the character faces look a little trimmed in the newer editions). I consider the Last of Us a must-play and it is one of my favorite games of all time. I don't expect everyone to enjoy it but if you'd like to experience a series that pissed a lot of homophobic and transphobic Nazis off, this might be the most enjoyable way to do it.

(This review only compares The Last of Us (2013 – Game) and The Last of Us (2023 – Series, Season 1). If you’re looking for a proper game review, this is not the review for you.)

INTRO

I’ve played through the first game three times in my life, and I have to say I really like the series adaptation of The Last of Us a lot. But both the game and the series have their strengths over the other.

THE SERIES

Playing The Last of Us felt like a series brought to life. While watching the show, it felt so naturally suited for a series that I sometimes forgot it was based on a game. I like the casting, and I love how accurate the environments and the infected look. Regarding the characters, I like them all more in the series, except for Joel and Ellie. I like them a bit more in the game, but they do not disappoint me in the series.

What the series does best is when it tells stories that weren’t part of the game. It enhances some characters and the worldbuilding, even though the game already did it well. But the game had to stick to Joel and Ellie’s point of view, while the series can shift focus more freely.

THE GAME

A game is (and sorry for the lack of a better word) more three-dimensional compared to a medium that dictates what you see and where the camera is located all the time. You control where to walk, and Joel’s eyes are your eyes as well.

The series did its best to cover a long journey as well as a show can. It was slow-paced and cut a lot of boring parts out. This is why the journey in the game feels more better, it is longer and more tedious. While the series only shows you the most important moments, the game makes you find them yourself and walk toward them, often over an average of 16 hours of playtime. Also I have to mention that Naughty Dog are experts at stretching a game through their loop of story, exploration, and action without making it feel like a drag (even though I felt the second game was very stretched, but that’s not today’s topic).

Remember when I said I like Joel and Ellie more in the game? In the game, you play as them, you’re on the journey with them, which makes the experience feel much more personal. You feel more immersed, because what Joel and Ellie experience affects you directly. Their gains and losses are yours as well.

LAST WORDS

In the series, you’ll never care if Joel is low on ammunition. And the game’s focus only on the protagonists adds to the immersion.

For me, watching the series felt like I pressed a “New Game+” button. You already know the story, but you uncover new things.

Thank you for reading my review.🧡

Overall an excellent experience but still suffers from some unfair enemy encounters in spring and the occasional bug that ruins its excellent immersion.

The story really is the highlight here, or rather the characters. Not gonna say anything that hasn't already been said but Joel and Ellie are a joy to watch. The phenomenal Soundtrack also elevates a lot of the more emotional scenes in the second half of the game, but its also appropriately tense when needed.

While the gameplay elements here do feel dated now (The cover shooting, the very basic stealth, obnoxious upgrade system, etc.), The overall game still feels good to play thanks to an emphasis on smooth animation work and brutality. Kills have real weight to them and the lack of resources on higher difficulties forces you out of your comfort zone, often encouraging impromptu strategies and scrappy firefights.

I don't have much else to say because this is a game that's already been analyzed and discussed to death. Gameplay is simple but intense thanks to a clever reliance on survival horror elements, Story and Atmosphere are some of the best in any game, and the cast of characters remains one of the most expressive and engaging in any game.

After first picking this up in 2015 I've finally finished it. What a journey and what an experience I have been missing out on this entire time.

The Last of Us is video game story telling at its finest, hell its story telling itself at its finest. The father-and-daughter-like bond that Joel and Ellie develop throughout the journey reaches right down into the depths of what it is to be human, what it is to love unconditionally, and what a person will do for their family.

The lines between good and evil are blurred here. There is no right, there is no wrong. There is only survival. The Last of Us captures this theme perfectly through its cinematics, in-game dialogue, and gameplay events.

The gameplay is weighty, punchy, and just the right amount of slow. Traversing the gorgeously decaying environments was a treat, despite being constantly reminded of the fall of mankind. Backing all of this up was the cast of incredible voice actors and music that accompanies the game.

This isn't just a post apocalptyic survival game, it's a story heavily focused on human connections and survival - sometimes the decaying flesh around you is more of a backdrop than a focal point, which some people have an issue with but I'm all for it.

If you haven't experienced this masterpiece in cinenamtic video game story telling then definitely treat yourself and go on the most beautiful infected filled journey you'll ever go on!

I love The Last of Us, potentially one of the best and defining games of the decade, it has one of the best narratives of any piece of media, and though maybe gameplay-wise it isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s not bad or anything. Truly deserving of the awards and milestones it got and broke.

PROS:

• A really emotionally investing story that leads to heartbreaking decisions that can keep you enthralled with these characters that are built up in the course of the game.

• Settings are atmospheric and can be haunting and creepy, whereas other times it can be beautiful. Every place is distinctive and memorable.

• These characters are very vulnerable, they have emotional and physical weaknesses and they’re not overpowered in any way. They’re just normal people caught in an abnormal situation. There is no clear good and bad, each of these characters do some fucked up shit. The resources are pretty rare (one of my favorite things about survival horror) which creates improvisational situations.

• The presentation is top-notch. Even if I’m playing the Remastered version, the graphics, the sound design, the cinematography are on another level and fully take advantage of their generation.

• Though yes, the AI is flawed. You cannot deny how much it defined videogame AI for a while. It’s fun that you can take different paths and BOOM! there’s an enemy you can take down with extremely fun hand-to-hand combat, or throwing something.

• There’s a really surprising multiplayer mode, but it never strays away and though it isn’t the best, it’s kind of...good? It doesn’t take away from the story in anyway, so yeah, I’m confident in saying it’s good.

• The DLC is long enough, and it does improve in some aspects, like the combat. It still has a mature and well-thought story, and the perspectives give the game a lot of meaning.

CONS:

• While really good at plot, some mechanics like swimming aren’t really developed at all, and though the AI really shaped future video games, sometimes they can be really annoying.

• This isn’t really a con for me. But this game can really turn off some people. It’s depressing, and I get it, I get in the mood where I don’t really want to play it. This isn’t a game you can really replay, (obviously that’s not it’s focus, so it isn’t a problem for me) but this isn’t a game for everyone, and I get that. You need to be in one hell of a mood to play this.

The Last of Us is a great game. I’m playing the remastered version, so obviously it’ll look a bit nicer, the frames per second are improved and the textures are more smooth, but that doesn’t really detract or add anything. This is definitely a must-play title if you’re into Naughty Dog games. The sequel fucking sucks, but it’s technically good, this is one of the best games of all time. It has an amazing narrative, something that you can remember experiencing and it’s special. It never feels forced, it never feels like they took too much from Uncharted, and the gameplay really accents the plot in a way that doesn’t disturb. Highly, highly recommend.

The Last of Us is easily in my top 5 favorite games of all time. The relationship between Ellie and Joel I found compelling, emotional, and one I grew attached to.

While the general atmosphere of this post apocalyptic landscape is bleak, there are many moments of beauty, humor, and humanity mixed throughout, which help ground the series, keeping it from getting too depressing, but also lending even more emotional punch to major plot points.

The game itself also does an amazing job of giving blended gameplay. You cannot just shoot your way through this game, nor can you just sneak the entire time. You need to save and best allocate your resources, otherwise you will quickly runout, especially on harder difficulties.

I loved the crafting system, and the wide range of items the game provides for you to use.

If you like Uncharted, this game has a very similar feel (unsurprising, since it is the same maker), with 3rd person perspective, fun dialogue between the characters when playing the game, and interesting climbing and exploring mechanics.

A must play game for any video game enthusiast.

I really enjoyed this one. One of the few games that compelled me to complete the DLC immediately after finishing the main story. I loved Joel and Ellie. There were plenty of big, set piece events, but I think the story shines most in the quiet moments. Such amazing characterization with so few words.

The combat felt great. I got better at it as I played more, but when I missed a shot or ran out of ammo, it takes on a frantic, messy quality that a real life-or-death fight would have.

The Left Behind DLC was also great. Since the events in the DLC are discussed in the main game, you know exactly what's going to happen, but seeing it play out is another great show of character development. They weren't afraid to have some fun in the DLC, either. The arcade bit was really cool and unexpected.