Let me know first, the new PS3 game The Last of Us should have a rating of 10. Who knows… some other ratings will probably be higher. The problem is that this game was buggy! That’s my own term for glitch gremlins. This game completely froze three times; three times too much for a $59 game. Hence the drop in gameplay and entertainment. Other than these diversions though, the game is a stellar experience.
The game begins with a flurry of emotions. In fact, there’s a scene at the beginning that almost brought a grown man to tears. Not an easy feat for any form of entertainment medium; especially a video game. Let’s say a pandemic starts, guns are fired, people attack and bite, and all hell breaks loose. After this initial flurry of events brings you into the game (in an emotional way); then you are transported to 20 years after this fateful night.
As one of the main protagonists, the deals, lifestyle, etc. Joe’s. in the last 20 years are pure conjecture. All you can see is that he is a hardened man who has seen things that were not meant to be witnessed. In this world, the infected run around looking for people to attack, and the uninfected survivors will kill you for whatever resources (ie weapons, food, etc.) you may have. Not a great place to be!
One of the best attributes of any medium is if there is a good story to tell. In this case, the Naughty Dog team has created a phenomenal story for The Last of Us. This story allows you to feel the despair not only of yourself, but of those around you. You certainly don’t want to be attacked, but you begin to understand why. So in this kill or be killed civilization, weapons are a high priority. This brings Joel and his supposed partner, Tesse, in search of the fireflies. Looks like they’ve taken most of their weapons. When he comes across an injured firefly, he states that he’ll give up the location of the weaponry if Joel and Tess can transport important cargo across town… Ellie. ¿Why is it so important? She looks like she has been bitten by an infected and seems to be immune to complications. From here, Joel, Tess and Ellie are in survival mode. Soon, the team is reduced to two… Joe and Ellie.
During the game, as a player you have the opportunity to play in the style of your choice. There are many cases where you will also have to combine stealth tactics and all weapons on. The key is knowing when to keep quiet and knowing when to turn them on. Throughout the game, ammunition is very scarce. So when you shoot, you better take a good shot. Resources are also limited. In my opinion, Molotov cocktails, nail bombs and, towards the end, smoke bombs are the best option. Weapons attract all kinds of unwanted attention, so only use them when necessary.
It is during the stealthy part that one of the weaknesses of the game is shown, which is the behavior of Ellie’s AI. She runs off in the spot cleared of the bad guys, when we’re supposed to be hiding. She blurts out loud comments to a room full of infected, when we’re supposed to be quiet. In a game where your relationship with her is key, an intelligent AI is a must and is missing from The Last of Us.
Once you’ve stopped being upset by Ellie’s AI behavior, you’ll be back to enjoying this amazing experience. Another cool attribute is the game’s changing seasons. Each season brings with it a sense of renewal, but also a feeling that more challenges are sure to await you. The winter season stands out as my favorite in the game for many reasons. The setting is cool and serene (for a while), and you play as Ellie (I can’t tell you why). It’s an unexpected change of pace, but just as enjoyable. It is during this season that you meet another character, David. Let’s just say that he will be in your memory for quite some time after the game ends. Winter changes everything for both Joel and Ellie.
As shown, the PS3 game The Last of Us has plenty of great segments to enjoy. But in the end, it’s the story that took hold and didn’t let go. I don’t get lost in the irony of how the story unfolds between the two young women in Joel’s life. His daughter, Sarah, in the game’s open segments; and Ellie for the rest of the game. In the end, the game is about survival of the fittest. It’s Darwinism plain and simple. However, the game is also very symbolic of nurturing and caring for others. The game deals with this metaphor in some very interesting story twists, and that’s where The Last of Us is strongest… it has a great story to tell.