The Last of Us (2013/2014) Review

For years I have heard that The Last of Us is one of the best video games ever made, I've tried to get into it before but I never quite got too grips with it. But recently, I decided that I was finally going to play the game to completion and I finished the main story last nice and its DLC story today, so here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees a deadly disease destroy a chunk of humanity, a rugged man goes on a mission that might give the human race a second chance. 

Characters

The Prolific voice actor Troy Baker plays Joel Miller and he absolutely knocks it out of the park. He is a gruff, angry man who seems to lack humanity but as the game progresses you really see Joel grow as a person. He has so much depth to him and Baker plays it superbly, this is one of the best video game protagonists that I have ever seen. 

Ashley Johnson plays Ellie, she is a vital character in the game and is so much fun to be around. Though the situation is pretty dire, she has plenty of wise cracks and jokes to get her by. The chemistry between Johnson & Baker is brilliant and really carries this game.

The rest of the cast are way smaller in the size of their roles but are also really well acted. Henry & Sam are two brothers that the protagonists meet and they are really well acted and reflect the two of them really well. 

Tommy & Tess are allies to Joel & Ellie and both have pretty fiery personalities that make them memorable and fun additions to the cast here. 

Story

The story is really where the game truly thrives here. The main characters are so enriched and developed fantastically. The world is built incredibly well and it really feels fleshed out which adds even more to the performances. I really cared about Joel & Ellies story and the large amount of cutscenes didn't upset me and had me gripped to watch. 

Side Content

This game is pretty linear, it is a very story driven game and focuses on its characters, gameplay and story. There are some pretty cool collectables and some good crafting mechanics that can be done. There is also a multiplayer, however, nobody is playing it anymore so I can't really comment on it. 

The fact that this game is so engaging means I can overlook the fact that there isn't too much side content and I would rather have a game like this then a massive game that fails to provide the depth that this game has. 

Gameplay

The game's gameplay is a little bit different to what I am used to. It is a real Survival Game, you have limited resources and this really forces you to cherish your ammunition and really plan your attacks. Though there is a large variety of weapons and gear that keeps the game fresh and unique. You fight both humans and the infected monsters and the game balances these incredibly well, you have your more action missions against humans compared to your horror missions with the infected and it is balanced in a way that both are engaging. 

Graphics

I played the first remaster of The Last of Us that was made for the PS4 and it looks fantastic. The character models looks great and the designs of all of the infected are horrifying and fit the world perfectly. Also, this game has tremendous sound design that just adds to the creep factor of certain elements of the game. 

Overall

Overall, The Last of Us is as good as people say and is an Epic Video Game journey that has some of the best character and story work that I have ever seen in a Video Game. It is a must play for anybody that enjoys single player video games and I can't recommend it high enough. 

Rating - 10/10