The Last of Us First Impressions

In the twilight of every console generation we find that there are special games that come out that remind us why we started playing games in the first place.

The mad dash to a new generation invigorates both gamers and developers to seek meaning in the present generation by firmly placing a bejeweled crown atop the head of a sacred few games; The Last of Us is one of them. 

**It’s scarier than it looks even though it looks really scary.**

It is easy to get lost in the post E3 frenzy of hype and announcements, but any true lover of video games can see how important The Last of Us is. In the future, when game scholars, such as myself (and perhaps you), look back in a desperate attempt to attribute meaning to a generation The Last of Us will likely be one of the sacred few that make the list.

I have not yet finished the game, and I’m not sure how far into it I am, but I can confidently say that this is likely Naughty Dogs’ best game yet. Everything from graphics to the gameplay screams quality and is exceptional even when compared to the Uncharted series. 

First, I have to say that this game is HEAVY. I don’t mean fat guy heavy – I mean the kind of heavy that necessitates a break every once in awhile because some of the story moments make it feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach. Specifically (but spoiler free) there are moments between Joel and Ellie that made me put down the controller and literally think about what emotion I was feeling as a result of the dialogue.

The magic between the characters really happens when we are reminded that Ellie is a child that was born after the infection started. She never knew civilization as we do, and as such she is dumbfounded by things we see literally every day – like a stack of records, or a group of fireflies. It is in these moments that we see this character, who walks the thin line between innocence and premature adulthood, is a teenager. The contrast with Joel, who is a 20-year veteran of the “apocalypse”, is stunning. So far, their relationship is the star around which the entire game revolves.

**The Last of Us is as beautiful as it is sad.**

The game world in itself can also be considered a character. Few games pull this off well, one example being the Aperture Labs in Portal, but The Last of Us is right there with it. Crawling through the dilapidated buildings that are simultaneously familiar and uncanny can be a chilling experience, especially when you hear the nearby croaks of a Clicker or the desperate and forlorn screams of a Runner. The world is empty, scary, sad and exhilarating no matter how you look at it.

This is not to say that the gameplay comes second fiddle, because it is almost perfect. Stealth plays a huge roll in The Last of Us, and those of you that have read my previous work here may know; I am a huge fan of the stealth. One of the most unique aspects of the stealth in The Last of Us is that it is very rarely perfect. By this I mean you can be sneaking all you want, but if you accidentally run into a stray glass bottle or can of paint the jig is up and Joel better be ready to fight.

**The “Listen Mode” is imperative to any successful stealth ambush.**

The combat is fairly straightforward, but simultaneously complex. Press square to melee, standard third person shooting mechanics, etc. However the challenge comes when you realize that bullets don’t do all that much to some enemies, and punching them does literally nothing. Pile that on top of the fact that certain baddies are one hit kills and you have yourself a bona fide pickle. However it is a pickle that is a pleasure to fight your way out of.

This is not a review, but I cannot recommend this game enough. Few games make me shed a tear, but this game has made me tear up several times within the first few hours of due to its relentless poignancy and aura of futility. This game is special and may even be the title that brands the entire generation, or at the very least the PS3. 

What do you think of The Last of Us? Are you playing it? If not, what’s wrong with you? Sound off in the comments down below and maybe I’ll let you come with me through an infested subway system full of infectious spores!