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The Last of Us (Video Game)
12 years ago
I just wrapped up my first play through of The Last of Us. I normally just tolerate games with linear play throughs, but the Naughty Dog studio has a habit of making characters I give a damn about, or at least find enjoyable and charming, so I found myself looking forward to this one. I remember when someone turned me toward the first Disgaea game on the PSP, and I was so interested in seeing where the characters went next, that it made the grinding play very much worth it. I love TLOU because someone wrote a very good character-driven story and decided to then make it into a video game.
The gameplay in TLOU isn't "grinding" like a JRPG, but it's probably not what you're used to if you enjoyed Uncharted for it's combat mechanics. There is no move to switch cover quickly, there's no evasion roll, or anything spiffy like that. It's blunt, panicky, clumsy, and sometimes brutally lethal. The prospect of this makes one want to sneak around opponents sometimes, to leave them standing and avoid combat all together. When this is unavoidable, the best option is to have a plan first, be where you want to be, lay traps, and execute your plan. Once you get used to the combat, there's still this feeling that you don't want to get into it. You have a health bar, and it takes time to use medical kits to heal it. And there's nothing wrong with just hauling ass to a hiding place. The stealth options are trickier than in other games that employ stealth, that I've noticed. The enemy doesn't always employ predictable patrol paths in a never ending pattern. There were some tight "oh shit" moments where the enemy broke a patrol pattern suddenly to take on a new path, forcing me to act fast.
There were a few typical game-design quirks there, like how game designers keep using chain linked fences as barriers, as if people in real life can't just climb them. And there were a few moments when I was presented by an obstacle where I thought to myself, "Nathan Drake could have climbed that."
What really made me love the game where the characters, each warped in their own way by the outbreak of the human-infecting cordyceps fungus. It's based on a real parasitic fungus of that name that usually affects insects and other arthropods. I also recently played Metro: Last Light, and while I loved the game, it's characterization is fairly typical. Artyom was a mute nobody for all the legend he was. The characters in TLOU have the sense of being real, palpable people, and in everything they do, good things, bad things, every lie they tell, you can at least sympathize and understand them. Joel and Ellie are two characters motivated by their fear of tragic loss, which can be seen as both a touching strength and a flaw in both of them. Ellie displays all the weird foibles of a 14 year old kid that makes adults a little uncomfortable with someone in that gray area between child and emerging adult. They did a real good job characterizing her beyond the usual helpless, laughable archetypal kids you see in video games. Joel is a very pained character, and he's caused me to still not be sure what I make of the final cinematic of the game. I won't spoil it, but it hit me with a lot of mixed feelings. It's great when a story leaves you sitting there, wanting more, and yet knowing it's over and tidily wrapped up where the author has decided to leave it.
I loved this game because it wasn't just about how "fun" it is to run around and shoot people and do whatever else. It was about pushing the characters through an interested and compelling narrative created by an inspired author. It's a great game for Naughty Dog to cap off it's PS3 career with, and I can't wait to see what they do for the PS4.
The gameplay in TLOU isn't "grinding" like a JRPG, but it's probably not what you're used to if you enjoyed Uncharted for it's combat mechanics. There is no move to switch cover quickly, there's no evasion roll, or anything spiffy like that. It's blunt, panicky, clumsy, and sometimes brutally lethal. The prospect of this makes one want to sneak around opponents sometimes, to leave them standing and avoid combat all together. When this is unavoidable, the best option is to have a plan first, be where you want to be, lay traps, and execute your plan. Once you get used to the combat, there's still this feeling that you don't want to get into it. You have a health bar, and it takes time to use medical kits to heal it. And there's nothing wrong with just hauling ass to a hiding place. The stealth options are trickier than in other games that employ stealth, that I've noticed. The enemy doesn't always employ predictable patrol paths in a never ending pattern. There were some tight "oh shit" moments where the enemy broke a patrol pattern suddenly to take on a new path, forcing me to act fast.
There were a few typical game-design quirks there, like how game designers keep using chain linked fences as barriers, as if people in real life can't just climb them. And there were a few moments when I was presented by an obstacle where I thought to myself, "Nathan Drake could have climbed that."
What really made me love the game where the characters, each warped in their own way by the outbreak of the human-infecting cordyceps fungus. It's based on a real parasitic fungus of that name that usually affects insects and other arthropods. I also recently played Metro: Last Light, and while I loved the game, it's characterization is fairly typical. Artyom was a mute nobody for all the legend he was. The characters in TLOU have the sense of being real, palpable people, and in everything they do, good things, bad things, every lie they tell, you can at least sympathize and understand them. Joel and Ellie are two characters motivated by their fear of tragic loss, which can be seen as both a touching strength and a flaw in both of them. Ellie displays all the weird foibles of a 14 year old kid that makes adults a little uncomfortable with someone in that gray area between child and emerging adult. They did a real good job characterizing her beyond the usual helpless, laughable archetypal kids you see in video games. Joel is a very pained character, and he's caused me to still not be sure what I make of the final cinematic of the game. I won't spoil it, but it hit me with a lot of mixed feelings. It's great when a story leaves you sitting there, wanting more, and yet knowing it's over and tidily wrapped up where the author has decided to leave it.
I loved this game because it wasn't just about how "fun" it is to run around and shoot people and do whatever else. It was about pushing the characters through an interested and compelling narrative created by an inspired author. It's a great game for Naughty Dog to cap off it's PS3 career with, and I can't wait to see what they do for the PS4.
You pretty much summed up all of my own thoughts on the game, and I honestly think I may give it another play through at one point, just to enjoy the panicking that Bloaters bring again. XD
Dude. Your icon.
Haha...I thought I'd anime it up.
This sounds awesome-- and like BanditRingtail said, thanks for the lack of spoilers. This is definitely on my must-buy list now.
For storyline and character development, Sony did a brilliant job. But I've had enough Zombie games to fill up my shelf.
Not saying the game is bad, mind you all, but I wish we move a bit 'away' from the whole mindless-walking-dead and still come up with a perfect game.
Most of the runners sob as they tear into people or wander around the darkness. Also, its strange that your opinion was sway by that aspect of the game as it was little more than a referenced backdrop the real story was about Joel and Ellie and their growth/decay as people living passed the end of the world.
As I said, I have no problem when it comes to the storyline or character development because I loved those. My only problem is this zombie-like aspect repeating itself time and time again in lately everything, not just games. It became so freaking norm that it's almost becoming dull in my eyes.
So that whole beginning section looked like an excuse for a cheap tear jerk, to establish the game's 'serious emotional business' credentials and give the protagonist a convenient excuse to be an unlikable douchebag jerkoff later in the game.
*sigh* I did hear from plenty of people that the first couple of hours are like that and that it improves vastly later on. Maybe so, but that's like asking me to watch a tin of paint for two hours waiting for someone to drop a firecracker in it. :/
I find your vitriolic resentment rather interesting, though. If I were a psychologist, I might want to explore it further.
It's almost like reading the first chapter or so of 'The Fellowship of the ring' then skipping straight to 'The return of the King'. IE, you know who Frodo is, but what happened to him in the time we didn't see that shaped him into who he is now beyond just receiving the ring. (I hope that made sense) >.<
Now i'm not saying a suitably skilled writer can't make this scenario work, but it left a very sour taste in my mouth. What I would have maybe liked to see was a trilogy about this character's life. The first game being the continuation of his struggles after the incident in the prologue, trying to survive in this new unfriendly world and cope with his losses, with the incidents that make up the bulk portion of 'The Last of Us' as the third game that clinches the series.
Because DLC. :\
dont want to know how anything about the ending
But thanks to this review I can't wait to try this game!!
I've only seen let's plays (I know, scum of the earth right here, substituting videos for the actual experience of playing a game), but judging from what I have seen, I find anything that I can actually glean from watching someone else play is well iterated in this journal.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, thank you very much!
I like the characters and the plot too, my only problem is that they won't release a PC version, so I only can enjoy the gameplay on the youtube
Oh, and nice review!
The ending is just painful to watch (in a good way) and for that I really salute the writers.
Its getting better that certain games are focusing more on characterization then other aspects as usual. I noticed a similar trend with The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, and The Walking Dead. You play as a man with the life of a young girl in your hands. And while naturally each game had different themes, gameplay, and story. That element drove the game. Your grew to care for Elizabeth, Clementine, and Ellie. I look at them the same way I look at my little sister, or how I'd look at my daughter.
Your more scared of the people then the clickers from what I hear and the game leaves you feeling tense from the nonstop action. For me August can't come soon enough cause thats when I'm gonna get it!!!
For you personally though, who would you say you bonded to more emotionally, Clementine, Ellie, or Elizabeth?
I wish I could get their games on the PC. But oh well.
I enjoyed it in a way I haven't really enjoyed what I'd class as a 'Survival Horror' game in a long time, and while there were very very strong similarities in plot and characterisation with other games, I think Naughty Dog did an amazing job, and the leads did an amazing job bringing the characters to life, along with the work of the digital artists.
I'm curious about the Uncharted games now, since this is the first Naughty Dog game I'd played.