The Last of Us- New game by Naughty Dog

[SnakeTheLegend]

I just started playing the Last of Us. The new game by the creators of Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and Uncharted. I really loved the uncharted series and this game follows in the same tradition of quality that the 3 uncharted titles brought to PS3. So far the production values, voice-acting and story has been top-notch. I especially love the music of the game; it sort of has a twangy southern guitar soundtrack that reminds me of something out of "No Country for Old Men." The game has a lot of similarities to the books "The Road" and "No Country for old men", which both examine human nature and how human cruelty for survival knows no bounds. Both are excellent books by Cormac Mccarthy, so something in video game form in the same vein is phenomenal. I was just wondering if anyone is playing it here on the forums or was thinking of picking it up. I am open for any discussions. I am about 3 hours in game so I probably won't get too deep in the discussion until I complete it. Currently, I am playing it on hard and having a great challenge.

 

[Krynn72]

I've picked it up as well, after hearing nothing but stellar things about it. Its really quite unique in its atmosphere, its quite gritty and realistic. The violence is quick and brutal, not over the top so, but its sometimes a little unsettling in how realistic its portrayal is. Especially the infected, I'm reminded of 28 weeks later, when the husband turned and beat the shit out of his wife, a very animalistic and desperate way to kill in order to survive.

I'm also playing on hard and love the difficulty. You have to be very careful, because if you make a mistake when you're in a bad position, you get screwed. If you make a mistake when you have the upperhand then you can still come out on top if you act quick. It seems perfectly balanced, with avoiding encounters usually being the best option if you're outnumbered.

You need to be frugal with your item uses, because if you don't you'll often come out of a fight with far less supplies than you came in with (most games give you an immediate resupply right after). That means you may be going through another dangerous area or two or even three with practically no equipment/ammo.

Ellie is awesome. Its really cool how she was born after the world went to shit, and has only ever known the safe haven they start the game in. She is in awe at things like forrest animals, big skyscrapers, art, etc. because she's never seen anything like it before. That was a really cool touch.

I also like the minimalistic approach to the HUD/Gameplay prompts. I didn't realize until later that you can pretty much turn everything off, but even with the defaults you pretty much only know your health level and ammo for your equipped gun. This makes the melee combat fun as it doesn't blink a giant red square icon in your face to let you know what button to press like a lot of console games do.

I would guess I'm just about halfway through the game. I did have one negative experience so far, in that my game didn't save for several hours, and when I came back to play later had to redo about 2.5 hours of the game. Didn't bother me too much, the game's good enough for me to not mind. I may even get the DLC for this when it comes out, and I never buy DLC.

 

[SnakeTheLegend]

I've picked it up as well, after hearing nothing but stellar things about it. Its really quite unique in its atmosphere, its quite gritty and realistic. The violence is quick and brutal, not over the top so, but its sometimes a little unsettling in how realistic its portrayal is. Especially the infected, I'm reminded of 28 weeks later, when the husband turned and beat the shit out of his wife, a very animalistic and desperate way to kill in order to survive.

I'm also playing on hard and love the difficulty. You have to be very careful, because if you make a mistake when you're in a bad position, you get screwed. If you make a mistake when you have the upperhand then you can still come out on top if you act quick. It seems perfectly balanced, with avoiding encounters usually being the best option if you're outnumbered.

You need to be frugal with your item uses, because if you don't you'll often come out of a fight with far less supplies than you came in with (most games give you an immediate resupply right after). That means you may be going through another dangerous area or two or even three with practically no equipment/ammo.

Ellie is awesome. Its really cool how she was born after the world went to shit, and has only ever known the safe haven they start the game in. She is in awe at things like forrest animals, big skyscrapers, art, etc. because she's never seen anything like it before. That was a really cool touch.

I also like the minimalistic approach to the HUD/Gameplay prompts. I didn't realize until later that you can pretty much turn everything off, but even with the defaults you pretty much only know your health level and ammo for your equipped gun. This makes the melee combat fun as it doesn't blink a giant red square icon in your face to let you know what button to press like a lot of console games do.

I would guess I'm just about halfway through the game. I did have one negative experience so far, in that my game didn't save for several hours, and when I came back to play later had to redo about 2.5 hours of the game. Didn't bother me too much, the game's good enough for me to not mind. I may even get the DLC for this when it comes out, and I never buy DLC.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with everything you just said hahah. The sense of realism and danger is quite refreshing. I am totally loving the unsettling nature of the game. When you have to kill someone it feels real and terrifying. The struggling animations and deaths are so realistic that it actually feels depressing when you have to kill someone. You are right on the nose with the gameplay balance point; I find myself sneaking and only using my weapons when necessary.

 

[Dynasty]

Finished it about an hour ago, and delved straight into Survivor difficulty.

Game of the generation, bar none.

The animations and voice acting staggered me the whole playthrough. Everything feels polished, the detail in the world is incredible (they even spend the time to weather the signs and little posters etc that maybe 60% of gamers won't even see), every room feels like it has a purpose...

Just...mind-blowing in every sense.

 

[Krynn72]

Agreed, haven't had such an engrossing experience in a long time with a game, and no game in recent memory has ended on such a high note. Will definitely be replaying once the Singleplayer DLC comes out. Its hard to tell if they were planning on ending the story here, or if they're leaving it open for a sequel. They ended it perfectly so that it could work either way as a final ending, or just as the first chapter.

I simply had no idea games could be so well made. I can't think of a single gameplay flaw, and the only recurring issue I had is so negligible that I can't even remember what it was. I was blown away when watching the credits, there must have been close to 500 people, probably even more. It blows my mind that so many people and places could coordinate to make such a nearly flawless game.

 

[SnakeTheLegend]

Great to hear such positive reviews . I pretty much agree with all the points that you guys have brought up. I am around 9 hours right now, so I haven't finished it yet. Definitely one of the greatest games I have played in recent times. Once again I cannot stress how much I love the soundtrack. I think I am going to purchase it very soon.

This is a general preview.

This track is incredible, beautiful and haunting at once.

 

[Unfocused]

I'm kind of thinking of picking up a PS3. There's a few PS3 exclusives I'd like to play - this, Heavy Rain, Uncharted series, Journey, Flower, MGS4 - and there's also GTA V coming (not PS3-exclusive, but we have no idea when it will be ported to the PC).

 

[SnakeTheLegend]

I'm kind of thinking of picking up a PS3. There's a few PS3 exclusives I'd like to play - this, Heavy Rain, Uncharted series, Journey, Flower, MGS4 - and there's also GTA V coming (not PS3-exclusive, but we have no idea when it will be ported to the PC).

All those games are wonderful exclusives,that is why I prefer the PS3 to Xbox 360. PS3 just has more original and interesting exclusives. The 360 has Gears of War, Halo, and Alan Wake. For a short while 360 had Mass Effect, now that is multi-
platform.

 

[Sliver]

Beat this last night and loved it. The different emotions and interactions between characters was amazing and the last half of the game is one of the best I've played in years. Everyone should play this game.

 

[Stigmata]

Still only a couple hours into the singleplayer, I hopped on the MP after meeting my first Clicker and have been stuck since, in the good way. I have no idea how much resemblance it bears to Uncharted's multiplayer, but regardless I think of it as "Gears, but good". Really fun, feels very balanced, highly tactical, it's great. Already managed to put a dozen people on my friends list because of it.

As for the SP, what little I've played... ****ing phenomenal. Krynn said it all. It feels like something that almost transcends the medium. I will finish it this weekend if I can rip myself away from the MP.

This game alone has nearly justified my PS3 purchase.

 

[Dynasty]

There was litearlly only ONE thing that bugged me throughout the game, that kind of pulls you out of the immersion, but at the same time it's understandable why they did it:

When you're sneaking, the AI doesn't react to your allies.

I saw Ellie COUNTLESS times run straight in front of someone looking for me. Like...2ft from them, NO chance they didn't see her.

Also when you're hiding from, say, a clicker, and then Ellie goes "That was close!" or something.

I was like "SSHHHHHHHHH! WTF ELLIE!?", yet the clickers who use sound to find you, didn't react. And she's again, like 2ft from one of them.

I get why they did it, as it's incredibly unfair in a sneaking-preferred game for your co-op AI to be spotted when you're hidden so well.

Apart from that, no game has ever been made this well.

 

[Viperidae]

If Sliver and Krynn both love it to death...

 

[Dynasty]

lol I also noticed that in the playtrough

and I have a questiong,how many games have come lately where you have a ai sidekick who barely attacks and seem inmune to the enemy? there is bioshock infinite and now this game,both having a young girl as sidekick

Not many.

Elizabeth in Bioshock was different though, she was helpless.

Ellie though gets in there and attacks at times, usually only against humans though.

I got grabbed from behind a few times mid-fight, and Ellie jumped on the guy's back and stabbed him so he released me. She threw a brick here and there, with the "HEY ASSHOLE!" shout.

But yeah, 90% of the time she kind of hides out the way.

Spoiler

I LOVED playing as her though. The whole scene in the hut in the snow where she's all badass with the bow on that guy that ends up kidnapping her, getting them to drop their weapons, not trusting them at all etc. She reminded me a LOT of Arya from Game Of Thrones. She seems all helpless but she has a kind of ruthless side to her. I mean that scene with the machete where she's just whaling on the guy's face and Joel pulls her off him. Yikes.

 

[SnakeTheLegend]

Just finished the game this morning and all I can say about this game is wonderful things. The story, the characters, music, and setting was so well done and polished. The game made you think, made you feel, and made you contemplate about the complexities of relationships. This is an example of a video game that is truly art and this is why I continue to play games because of pieces of art like this. Definitely in the top five games of this generation for me.

Spoiler

Joel's decision in the end had me so unsettled, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Throughout the game he is hiding and dealing with the loss of his daughter and Ellie slowly fills in that gap where his daughter used to be. The two moments that stuck out to me was when Tommy offered Joel a picture of him and his daughter and Joel just says " No thanks" or something along those lines. This meant to me that Joel is still living in the past and just doesn't want to be reminded of it anymore. The second moment is way later in the end of the game in Salt Lake City. Ellie offers Joel the same picture and he accepts the picture. This meant to me that he has come to terms with himself emotionally and mentally of the past and is finally letting Ellie be the one he loves and cares for instead of being drowned in the past with his daughter. He even says you can't run away from your past at this moment. Overall, I thought the moral ambiguity of the ending was such a punch in the gut mentally and emotionally. Though it was a tough ending to swallow, I have total respect for Naughty Dog for the choices they made with Joel. The ending was designed to make you think and contemplate if Joel made the better decision, which is totally up to the player. Save the one person in your life that makes you keep living? or potentially save the world?]

 

[Dynasty]

Just finished the game this morning and all I can say about this game is wonderful things. The story, the characters, music, and setting was so well done and polished. The game made you think, made you feel, and made you contemplate about the complexities of relationships. This is an example of a video game that is truly art and this is why I continue to play games because of pieces of art like this. Definitely in the top five games of this generation for me.

Spoiler

Joel's decision in the end had me so unsettled, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Throughout the game he is hiding and dealing with the loss of his daughter and Ellie slowly fills in that gap where his daughter used to be. The two moments that stuck out to me was when Tommy offered Joel a picture of him and his daughter and Joel just says " No thanks" or something along those lines. This meant to me that Joel is still living in the past and just doesn't want to be reminded of it anymore. The second moment is way later in the end of the game in Salt Lake City. Ellie offers Joel the same picture and he accepts the picture. This meant to me that he has come to terms with himself emotionally and mentally of the past and is finally letting Ellie be the one he loves and cares for instead of being drowned in the past with his daughter. He even says you can't run away from your past at this moment. Overall, I thought the moral ambiguity of the ending was such a punch in the gut mentally and emotionally. Though it was a tough ending to swallow, I have total respect for Naughty Dog for the choices they made with Joel. The ending was designed to make you think and contemplate if Joel made the better decision, which is totally up to the player. Save the one person in your life that makes you keep living? or potentially save the world?]

Spoiler

I think he realised that, even if the cure worked, you couldn't save the world as it was all too late, based on what he had seen and experienced. And that chance of failure wasn't worth the death of Ellie, the girl that had basically replaced his daughter. I really loved the ending because, as much of a "WHAT!?" ending as it was, it's when you think about it afterward that its' genius shines. The ending is...whatever you want it to be. Unless they officially make a sequel featuring Joel and Ellie, you can make up your ending. I like to think Joel lives out his days in peace back in his brother's community, with Ellie growing up by his side. He teaches her to swim, sings to her, and dies warm in his bed. Maybe Ellie then decides to take the risk and has the surgery, for the greater good even if it doesn't work or not.

 

[SnakeTheLegend]

Spoiler

I think he realised that, even if the cure worked, you couldn't save the world as it was all too late, based on what he had seen and experienced. And that chance of failure wasn't worth the death of Ellie, the girl that had basically replaced his daughter. I really loved the ending because, as much of a "WHAT!?" ending as it was, it's when you think about it afterward that its' genius shines. The ending is...whatever you want it to be. Unless they officially make a sequel featuring Joel and Ellie, you can make up your ending. I like to think Joel lives out his days in peace back in his brother's community, with Ellie growing up by his side. He teaches her to swim, sings to her, and dies warm in his bed. Maybe Ellie then decides to take the risk and has the surgery, for the greater good even if it doesn't work or not.

Spoiler

Yeah, I feel the ending would be something similar to what you said, Joel and Ellie living their lives out together and doing the things that he wanted to teach her. A part of me wants a sequel to see what happens to them, especially Ellie. But there is a part of me that feels that the game would be tarnished with a sequel and it would be best to just leave the rest to the imagination. I find that leaving things to the audiences imagination is best. Though it would be interesting to see if Ellie ever found out the whole truth about Joel's lie. At the end, the look on her face tells that she knew something was off, but she believes him and trusts him soo much at this point.

 

[Dynasty]

Spoiler

Yeah, I feel the ending would be something similar to what you said, Joel and Ellie living their lives out together and doing the things that he wanted to teach her. A part of me wants a sequel to see what happens to them, especially Ellie. But there is a part of me that feels that the game would be tarnished with a sequel and it would be best to just leave the rest to the imagination. I find that leaving things to the audiences imagination is best. Though it would be interesting to see if Ellie ever found out the whole truth about Joel's lie. At the end, the look on her face tells that she knew something was off, but she believes him and trusts him soo much at this point.

Spoiler

Couldn't agree more about the lack of a need for a sequel. And yeah, that little eye movement she made before she says "Okay." and the screen goes black, makes me too think that she kind of suspects that Joel is lying. I have to say I was surprised when the screen went black and the credits rolled, but I loved it about a minute later when I realised you can make your own ending. So beautiful.

 

[Sliver]

Spoiler

Couldn't agree more about the lack of a need for a sequel. And yeah, that little eye movement she made before she says "Okay." and the screen goes black, makes me too think that she kind of suspects that Joel is lying. I have to say I was surprised when the screen went black and the credits rolled, but I loved it about a minute later when I realised you can make your own ending. So beautiful.

Spoiler

To me the ending was their relationship as father and daughter finally being realized. Up until that point Joel told her the cold hard truth about everything. He finally took on the fatherly role when he lied to her. When she asked that I took it to mean "Am I really important enough to you to warrant this?" She's too smart not to know that he's lying, and she's fine with that.

 

[Krynn72]

Spoiler

To me the ending was their relationship as father and daughter finally being realized. Up until that point Joel told her the cold hard truth about everything. He finally took on the fatherly role when he lied to her. When she asked that I took it to mean "Am I really important enough to you to warrant this?" She's too smart not to know that he's lying, and she's fine with that.

Damn... that's a good interpretation.

Spoiler

She definitely doesn't believe him. She'd have to be pretty stupid to believe him after waking up drugged in a backseat wearing hospital surgery scrubs. They wouldn't have prepped her for surgery if they knew it was pointless and they didn't need her, and also I'm sure she had to have talked to them while Joel was unconscious, and allowed herself to be put under anesthetic. Otherwise she would have woken up pissed about being physically forced into it. So yeah... that interpretation makes a whole lot of sense.

**** me, what a good game.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

Finished it. I like Sliver's interpretation. Everything about this game felt right.

Especially hand to hand combat. Oh my god I haven't played a game that made beating the shit out of someone so enjoyable.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Finished, great ****ing game.

Spoiler

One of the most morally grey endings I've seen in a video game where I didn't just think the character was a ****ing dumbass. They manage to keep the character motivations consistent and relevant throughout, which is impressive. The narrative never betrays Joel's obsessive guilt/protectiveness, he always acts in accordance with the motives set forth in the story even when things get a little ridiculous. Even more impressive is how consistent the gameplay mechanics are with the tone set by the story, especially the sense of desperation. My only small criticism is that, while I really liked that you had to scavenge for everything and be extremely frugal (hard mode was a great challenge), I felt like sometimes I was missing the forest for the trees a bit by obsessively checking every nook and cranny for items. In addition to that I guess so much of the game felt very progressive and refined in service of the narrative that pilfering for collectibles might have felt a little too gamey at times. Mind you this is only really a flaw in light of all the other things the game does right, and I don't have any great suggestions for how it could have been improved. I did like the way Ellie followed you into areas off the beaten path sometimes to talk privately, that was a really nice touch.

Also, "Tell them Ellie is the little girl that broke your ****ing finger" has to be one of the most badass one liners I've heard in a while.

 

[Krynn72]

Yeah, I agree on the point that the scavenging, when you go out of your way to find stuff, sometimes took you out of the immersion a bit, but honestly, I think it helped the pacing. There's one moment in particular that was so god damn tense for me, being low on supplies at surrounded with no way out, and I really needed that "Ok, its finally safe, lets just take a min to relax a bit and just look around."

Spoiler

I'm thinking of that ambush scene in the city, playing on hard and having very few items left from the last encounter made it pretty damn hard, and I was completely engrossed in the situation after that buildup.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Great game, just a bit into my survivor mode run now, and not having the hearing skill actually makes the game more enjoyable. There's less looking at enemy movements and more actually trying to listen on my part, gameplay in general goes faster (at least in part due to the fact that I know where to actually go and where most enemies will be). I might have to get a PS4 in the future since the sequel will no doubt be for it.

 

[Bad^Hat]

No listening in survivor mode? Yep, gonna have to give that shit a go.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Also, 99% of enemies don't drop ammo. Just left Bill's town and so far about 3 baddies dropped anything.