The Last of Us (video game)

The Last of Us is a 2013 action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 3. It was developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. A remastered version of the game was later released for the PlayStation 4 on July 29, 2014. A remake was released on September 2, 2022 for the PlayStation 5 as The Last of Us Part I.

Background
Initially, Naughty Dog was planning on developing a sequel to Jak 3 after Uncharted 2: Among Thieves by splitting the development team into two, one team would work on Jak 4 while the other would work on Uncharted 3. However Jak 4 was quickly cancelled when fans reacted negatively to early concept art showing a realistic art style and Naughty Dog themselves felt they weren't confident about making a proper Jak game. The Naughty Dog team that was supposed to work on Jak 4 went on to develop The Last of Us instead.

Plot
20 years after a mutant fungus turned most of civilization into cannibalistic monsters and led to the death of his daughter (and on his birthday, no less), Joel does what he needs to survive and works as a smuggler. His latest job requires him to a take a teenager named Ellie who is immune to the fungus to a camp outside the quarantine zone. As they journey across the U.S., they realize that the mutants aren't the only threat.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) A great story that explores the bond between a man who is suppose to protect a girl while they make their way across the country in a post-apocalyptic world. Eventually forming a father and daughter relationship.
 * 2) As you progress the game the bond between Joel and Ellie get stronger becoming more comfortable with one another and the chemistry between them is also heartwarming and entertaining.
 * 3) * A more notable example is a hilarious quote said by Ellie after she finds an adult magazine to freak Joel out: “Oh. Why are these [pages] all stuck together?”
 * 4) The game cleverly uses stealth for situational purposes. The survivor enemies are more proactive and use firearms, encouraging stealth while infected enemies react more to sound and practically require stealth most of the time.
 * 5) * Along with these stealth sections is Listen mode, which allows players to see through walls just by honing in on Joel's hearing.
 * 6) The game has a unique take on the post-apocalypse genre by using a fungus of a mutated strain of the Cordyceps as the main culprit instead of some mysterious disease. The spores infect insects and replaces the host tissue with its own and manipulates the host's brain to spread the fungus. This adds to the horror of the game, because something like this does exist and this could actually happen to humans in real life. The Infected are also not zombies but instead, still-living humans that were infected by the mutated fungus, unlike zombies, which are reanimated corpses.
 * 7) * There are six types of Infected each different depending on how long they've been infected:
 * 8) ** Runners: They're are people who recently turned into Infected. They are defined by their intense speed, sluggish attacks, and tendency to attack people in hordes.
 * 9) ** Stalkers: People who have been Infected from somewhere between two weeks to a year. Per their name, they stalk and hide from prey in the dark and attack at opportune moments. Some also latch onto walls and allow the Cordyceps to fester, keeping the host alive until prey walks by, at which point the Stalker breaks free and attacks.
 * 10) ** Clickers: People who have been Infected for at least one year. The long time elapse has allowed the fungus to spread all over their bodies, blinding them and forcing them to use echolocation to find prey. However, the fungus has granted them enhanced strength and will insta-kill the player if they try to melee attack them with only their bear hands.
 * 11) ** Bloaters: They have been Infected for several years. The fungus has led them to become slow and blind, yet incredibly strong and resilient with the fungal growth serving as armor plating. Bloaters can also tear fungus from their bodies to use as spore bombs and throw them at their enemies. However, this additional fungal growth makes them vulnerable to fire. Much like the Clickers, they will also insta-kill the player if they get close and unlike the Clickers, melee of any kind is impossible.
 * 12) The AI is pretty smart for both allies and enemies as scavengers have reactions recorded for various situations. They are able to inform the others in their group if Joel is spotted or they find a body of one of their dead comrades, recognize the sound of an empty magazine, and take cover when fired at. They can even come up with strategies to surround and corner you. Also, enemies manage to invert stealth-based gameplay on you: enemies can hide, leave traps, sneak up behind you, take your gun, and attack you if you're not paying attention. Enemies can even grab you from behind and use you as a human shield, making you an easy target for their allies.
 * 13) * Ellie also demonstrates this by taking cover on her own, distracting enemies when Joel is in a pinch, attacking an enemy if Joel is struggling with one close by, and when Joel gets hurt by an attack, she asks if he's okay. She'll also notify you if she sees an enemy out of your line of sight. She is also fully capable of taking out enemies on her own when one tries to sneak up on Joel, and will collect ammo for him and give it to him before/during/after a fight.
 * 14) * Scavengers and hunters will start begging for their lives if you're good at killing their members.
 * 15) The game limits you in terms of ammo and supplies to make it closer to a survival game and encourages you to be more astute with the environment around you as you can find items for crafting, ammo, or pills for upgrades.
 * 16) To add to the survival aspect is a crafting system. With the right items, Joel can upgrade melee weapons, craft medical kits, molotovs, nail and smoke bombs, and shivs, which is the most valuable item as they're used to kill clickers and open certain doors.
 * 17) * In select locations there are also workbenches. Here, the player can upgrade certain aspects of their guns by having the right number of parts and tools.
 * 18) * There are also supplements. Supplements allow the player to upgrade any of Joel's 6 different skills: Maximum health, listen mode distance, crafting speed, healing speed, weapon sway and shiv master.
 * 19) There are many optional conversations that are side conversations that the player can choose to either participate in or ignore. Listening to them can help the player see how the bond between the two characters have grown and can even get to know the characters more.
 * 20) Awesome soundtrack.
 * 21) David is a very scary boss due to his pedophilia and the fact that he actually kills Ellie with a Machete if you lose to him.
 * 22) Excellent graphics that takes full advantage of the PlayStation 3's hardware, making it look closer to the graphical fidelity that you'd see on the PlayStation 4.
 * 23) Unlike other games where collectibles are added just to make the game longer, they're here added to expand the game's lore.
 * 24) The game has 5 difficulties and each can affect the game in many ways, with Easy mode making supplies easy to find and making the game closer to a cover shooter than a stealth game, which is great for those who want to enjoy the story, there's also Grounded mode (Hardest difficulty) where you heavily limit the supplies around you, remove your health and ammo hud and disable Listen mode, which makes it a true survival stealth game.
 * 25) The remastered version has photo mode and plays up to 4K and 60 FPS, with the option to switch to 30 FPS if you want.
 * 26) An interesting and compelling multiplayer mode where you grow your own clan while playing normally, with cross play between the PS3 and PS4 versions (before the shutdown of the PS3 version).
 * 27) The ending: While many consider Joel saving Ellie from the surgery might be a selfish move, it really shows that Joel was beginning to see the spirit his late daughter Sarah inside of her, and wants to save Ellie instead of developing a cure that wasn't guaranteed to be the solution for the world.
 * 28) * It leaves the player deciding that if he's done the right thing or not, that "If there ever was a chance, would you choose the world over your child?".
 * 29) Left Behind is a great DLC piece that show how Ellie got infected and how Ellie stitched up Joel. The Ellie and Riley story is a lot more charming and wholesome and is a great change of pace from the main game. Also, you can use the hunters and/or the infected to your advantage to some degree, by altering the infected that the hunters are near, making them fight each other.
 * 30) The Last of Us Part I takes advantage of the PS5 and improves the graphics and visuals of the game, adds new features such as speedrun mode which adds a timer to help speedrunners, lots of accessibility options like Part II, and adds many gameplay mechanics from Part II like the weapon upgrades.

Overall

 * 1) In the multiplayer, some weapons and perks are locked behind a paywall. This mode also has a steep learning curve.
 * 2) The game can be rather slow for some people as it takes some time for the action to start and even then it can still be slow due to the heavy reliance on stealth.
 * 3) The stealth in this game can be a bit awkward at times, because whenever you try to sneak up on enemies or bypass them by sneaking around them, another enemy will pop up out of nowhere, and spot you immediately, listen mode does help warn you though, but it's removed in Survival and Grounded difficulty.
 * 4) The game has a bit of pacing issue when transitioning from one scene to another since gripping scenes will end abruptly.
 * 5) Marlene suffers from Bond Villain Stupidity. At the end of the game, she has Joel escorted out of the hospital but she has a single guard walk him out of the building without binding his hands or handcuffing him. You'd think she'd know to take more precautions with someone who has proven to be as tough and brutal as Joel has.

PS3

 * 1) There are moments where the framerate drops in certain areas. This was fixed in the PS4 version.
 * 2) The multiplayer servers were shutdown in 2019, and since a few trophies could only be obtained on multiplayer it is impossible to get the platinum trophy for this version.
 * 3) Survival mode (second hardest difficulty) is locked and requires you to beat the game to unlock it while Grounded mode (hardest difficulty) is paid DLC, but if you bought the DLC you'll have grounded mode unlocked from the start, which is stupid.

PS5

 * 1) This version has been seen as very unnecessary as the graphics and visuals were improved but the difference is barely noticeable due to the older versions looking great already.
 * 2) The multiplayer was removed from the game, it doesn't help the fact that the game costs $70.
 * 3) The Firefly Edition of the game was released in a terrible state, with many claiming they received it damaged.

Reception
The Last of Us received "universal acclaim", according to review aggregator Metacritic, based on 98 reviews. It is the fifth-highest-rated PlayStation 3 game on Metacritic. Reviewers praised the character development, story and subtext, visual and sound design, and depiction of female and LGBT characters. It is considered one of the most significant seventh-generation video games, and has been included among the greatest video games of all time. Colin Moriarty of IGN called The Last of Us "a masterpiece" and "PlayStation 3's best exclusive", and Edge considered it "the most riveting, emotionally resonant story-driven epic" of the console generation. Oli Welsh of Eurogamer wrote that it is "a beacon of hope" for the survival horror genre; Andy Kelly of Computer and Video Games declared it "Naughty Dog's finest moment".

Kelly of Computer and Video Games found the story memorable, and IGN 's Moriarty named it one of the game's standout features. PlayStation Official Magazine 's David Meikleham wrote that the pacing contributed to the improvement of the story, stating that there is "a real sense of time elapsed and journey traveled along every step of the way", and Destructoid 's Jim Sterling lauded the game's suspenseful moments. Richard Mitchell of Joystiq found that the narrative improved the character relationships.

The characters—particularly the relationship between Joel and Ellie—received acclaim. Matt Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the relationship felt identifiable, naming it "poignant" and "well drawn". Eurogamer 's Welsh wrote that the characters were developed with "real patience and skill", appreciating their emotional value, and Joystiq 's Mitchell found the relationship "genuine" and emotional. PlayStation Official Magazine 's Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters of any PlayStation 3 game, while IGN 's Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game. Kelly of Computer and Video Games named the characters "richly painted", feeling invested in their stories. Philip Kollar of Polygon felt that Ellie was believable, making it easier to develop a connection to her, and that the relationship between the characters was assisted by the game's optional conversations. The performances also received praise, with Edge and Eurogamer 's Welsh noting that the script improved as a result.

Many reviewers found the game's combat a refreshing difference from other games. Game Informer 's Helgeson appreciated the vulnerability during fights, while Kelly of Computer and Video Games enjoyed the variety in approaching the combat. IGN 's Moriarty felt that the crafting system assisted the combat, and that the latter contributed to the narrative's emotional value, adding that enemies feel "human". Joystiq 's Mitchell reiterated similar comments, stating that the combat "piles death upon death on Joel's hands". Welsh of Eurogamer found the suspenseful and threatening encounters added positively to the gameplay. Tom Mc Shea of GameSpot wrote that the artificial intelligence negatively affected the combat, with enemies often ignoring players' companions. Polygon 's Kollar also felt that the combat was unfair, especially when fighting the Infected, and noted some inconsistencies in the game's artificial intelligence that "shatters the atmosphere" of the characters.

Many critics discussed the game's depiction of female characters. Jason Killingsworth of Edge praised its lack of sexualized female characters, writing that it "offers a refreshing antidote to the sexism and regressive gender attitudes of most blockbuster videogames". Eurogamer 's Ellie Gibson praised Ellie as "sometimes strong, sometimes vulnerable, but never a cliché". She felt that Ellie is initially established as a "damsel in distress", but that this concept is subverted. GameSpot 's Carolyn Petit praised the female characters as morally conflicted and sympathetic, but wrote that gender in video games should be evaluated "based on their actual merits, not in relation to other games". Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times acknowledged that Ellie was a likable and "sometimes powerful" character, but argued that The Last of Us is "actually the story of Joel", stating that it's "another video game by men, for men and about men". The Last of Us was also praised for its depiction of LGBT characters. Sam Einhorn of GayGamer.net felt that the revelation of Bill's sexuality "added to his character...without really tokenizing him". American organization GLAAD named Bill one of the "most intriguing new LGBT characters of 2013", calling him "deeply flawed but wholly unique". A kiss between two female characters in Left Behind was met with positive reactions.

The Last of Us Part I had a mixed reception following its announcement but it received positive reviews when it was released, with praise for its graphical enhancements, facial animations, artificial intelligence, and added accessibility, audio, and controller options; the response to its gameplay and level design was mixed, and several critics questioned the necessity of a remake, especially considering its price.

Sales
Within seven days of its release, The Last of Us sold over 1.3 million units, becoming the biggest video game launch of 2013 at the time. Three weeks after its release, the game sold over 3.4 million units, and was deemed the biggest launch of an original game since 2011's L.A. Noire and the fastest-selling PlayStation 3 game of 2013 at the time. The game became the best-selling digital release on PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3; this record was later beaten by Grand Theft Auto V. The Last of Us ultimately became the tenth-best-selling game of 2013. In the United Kingdom, the game remained atop the charts for six consecutive weeks, matching records set by multi-platform games. Within 48 hours of its release, The Last of Us generated more than the £3 million earned by Man of Steel in the same period. The game also topped the charts in the United States, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, and Japan.

The Last of Us is one of the best-selling PlayStation 3 games, and Remastered is among the best-selling PlayStation 4 games. By August 2014, the game had sold eight million copies: seven million on PlayStation 3 and one million on PlayStation 4. By April 2018, the game sold 17 million copies across both consoles. According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, the game had sold over 20 million units by October 2019.

Accolades
Prior to its release, The Last of Us received numerous awards for its previews at E3. It was review aggregators Metacritic and GameRankings' second-highest rated for the year 2013, behind Grand Theft Auto V. The game appeared on several year-end lists of the best games of 2013, receiving wins from the 41st Annie Awards, The A.V. Club, the British Academy Video Games Awards, Canada.com, The Daily Telegraph, Destructoid, the 17th Annual DICE Awards, The Escapist, GamesRadar, GameTrailers, the 14th Annual Developers Choice Awards, GameRevolution, Giant Bomb, Good Game, Hardcore Gamer, IGN, IGN Australia, International Business Times, Kotaku, VG247, VideoGamer.com. It was also named the Best PlayStation Game by GameSpot, GameTrailers, Hardcore Gamer, and IGN. Naughty Dog won Studio of the Year and Best Developer from The Daily Telegraph, Edge, the Golden Joystick Awards, Hardcore Gamer, and the 2013 Spike VGX.

Baker and Johnson received multiple nominations for their performances; Baker won awards from Hardcore Gamer and the 2013 Spike VGX, while Johnson won awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards, DICE Awards, VGX 2013, and from The Daily Telegraph. The game's story also received awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards, the DICE Awards, the Game Developers Choice Awards, the Golden Joystick Awards, and the Writers Guild of America Awards, and from GameTrailers, Giant Bomb, Hardcore Gamer, and IGN. The sound design and music received awards at the DICE Awards, the Inside Gaming Awards, and from IGN. The game's graphical and artistic design also won awards from Destructoid, the DICE Awards, the Golden Joystick Awards, and IGN.

The Last of Us was awarded Outstanding Innovation in Gaming at the DICE Awards, and Best Third Person Shooter from GameTrailers. The game received Best New IP from Hardcore Gamer, Best Newcomer at the Golden Joystick Awards, and Best Debut from Giant Bomb. It received Best Overall Sound, Best PlayStation 3 Multiplayer, and Best Action-Adventure Game on PlayStation 3 and overall at IGN 's Best of 2013 Awards. It also won Best Action-Adventure Game at the British Academy Video Games Awards, and The Escapist, as well as Best Action Game from Hardcore Gamer and Adventure Game of the Year at the DICE Awards. The game was nominated for Best Remaster at The Game Awards 2014, and received an honorable mention for Best Technology at the 15th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards. The game was named among the best games of the 2010s by The Hollywood Reporter, Mashable, Metacritic, and VG247.

Videos
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Trivia

 * The game broke Naughty Dog's tradition of releasing one franchise per console.
 * According to the Japanese game manual, Joel and Sarah's last name is Miller.
 * In a photograph of Joel and his daughter, his daughter is wearing an Argentina coloured football shirt. A nod to Gustavo Santaolalla who wrote the score and was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
 * Giraffes are a recurring theme throughout. Seemingly representing innocence, almost every time they are seen, it is in the presence of a child or relating to children.
 * As of January 2020, this game is the highest rated game on IMDb with a rating of 9.7/10.
 * The Fall section was originally going to be a bit longer, but due to budget and time restraints it was cut down. The Left Behind DLC fills in some of the gaps.
 * Other than movies, literature, and other video games, directors Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley took inspiration from real life events as well, one of which was the 1918 Spanish influenza. Druckmann also considered the lengths he'd go to protect his family drawing inspiration from his newly found fatherhood. In an interview, he stated "All of a sudden I realized just how far I'd go to protect my kid, things I've never ever thought about before. It's become a huge inspiration."
 * Joel's birth date is presumably September 26, as it was the date seen in the newspaper during the beginning of the game.
 * Naughty Dog worked on the game secretly for two years. After completing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in 2009, the company split their staff into two teams: one team worked on this game, and the other team worked on Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.
 * Sony asked Naughty Dog to make PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, however Naughty Dog was forced to reject because they were already working on The Last Of Us.
 * Some of the inspirations for the game were the films True Grit, 28 Days Later, and the franchise The Walking Dead.
 * The character of David is played by Nolan North who also plays Nathan Drake in the Uncharted franchise.
 * A TV show based on the game, is set to debut in 2023 on HBO. The series, said to be the largest television production in Canadian history, began filming in Calgary, Alberta, in July 2021 and is expected to end in June 2022. It is the first HBO series to be based on a video game, and is a joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, The Mighty Mint, and Word Games.