The Last of Us

pro

The Last of Us is a journey, but not just any journey. A heartfelt and heartbreaking story so well written it will take you through a valley of emotions you might never have experienced in a game before. A journey that will take you from one of the strongest openings in a game I have ever played, through fear, relief, terror, joy and some truly magic moments that culminate in what can only described as an utmost fulfilling end. There is nothing out there quite like The Last of Us and you are with Joel and Ellie on every step of the way, not a beat skipped. It is without a doubt Naughty Dog's best game, and it could very well be one of this generation's best as well.

pro

Not only is it a visual masterpiece in terms of graphics, but there is also an absurd attention to detail that shine through around every corner in every chapter. You can spend hours walking around in houses scavenging, reading letters and just marvel at everything that once was a living place, but is now buried in grass, dust and memories. It's a bleak, desperate world, but more importantly it is also believable. This is accompanied by a living, breathing soundtrack that keep tugging at you throughout the story. Conversations and banter between characters enrich the subtle details and places you visit.

pro

Beauty is not exclusive to the look of the game, but also in the characters your meet and interact with during your travels. They all feel fleshed out and I can't remember one character where the voice acting didn't win me over. You will care for those who deserve it, and respect those who demand it. You will meet various kinds of Infected - some more lethal than others - with Clickers being the source of the most intense encounters. With the Infected's creepy sounds and disfigured looks it might be tempting to underestimate your human opponents, but all it takes is a well placed shot to push you off balance and end the fight.

pro

It's your decision how you choose to play the game, but the tools you have at your disposal are great and will help you out no matter how you approach each situation. The inventory system might take some getting used to, but once you're up and running you will be crafting makeshift spike bombs, health kits and upgrading your weapons as you see fit (as long as you can find the resources you need). Melee weapons degrade, but can be modified with scissors to create truly devastating means of attack. A small layer of strategy is added to crafting; Molotov cocktails require the same ingredients as health kits. It's easy to get too excited when you discover a great cache of resources, when all it takes to lose it all is one bad encounter.

con

Some locations feel like arenas, and at times it's about progressing from one arena to the next to duke it out or sneak past. It's a pattern that feels a bit unsettling and might pull you out of an otherwise immersive world. Choke points also add to this notion, a gaming trope I wish we could leave behind. Environmental puzzles do get a bit repetative. The friendly AI will sometimes deliver less than desired help and literally just be in the way. These are all minor points in a 14 hour adventure where the sum of the good outweighs the bad.

pro

Because of the low player count I have not yet been able to thoroughly experience the multiplayer, but I managed to get a few rounds in. It brings over the crafting and a lot of the tension from the single player experience and so far it's been a lot of fun. Keep a look out for a more in-depth post on this.