Developed exclusively for the PS3 by Naughty Dog, the creator of the Uncharted series, The Last of Us, which was introduced at the Spike TV Video Game Awards on December 10, 2011, has been one of the most talked-about games since. So, did The Last of Us, which was released on June 14th, meet the expectations?
Story
If we briefly talk about the story of the game, The Last of Us revolves around the outbreak of a pandemic disease that spreads globally and turns those infected into creatures attacking humans within a few hours. The story is set twenty years later, in the year 2033. Civilization collapses due to the disease, and people are forced to live in different groups, struggling against each other and the infected to survive.
The Last of Us narrates the journey of our main characters, Joel and Ellie, and it adeptly explores the relationship between these characters. While the game primarily focuses on the journey of Ellie and Joel, the other characters encountered along the way also contribute to solidifying the story’s foundation.
The game’s story spans approximately 12-15 hours, and it progresses in such a captivating and beautifully-crafted manner that you’ll find yourself engrossed. What impressed me the most about the game’s story were the changes in the personalities of the main characters throughout the narrative. The gradual shifts in their personalities are skillfully depicted. The Last of Us stands out as one of the most successful games in recent years when it comes to storytelling, and no amount of praise for Naughty Dog’s achievement in this regard seems excessive.
Without delving into spoilers about the game’s story, this is what I have to share. While the narrative might seem somewhat classic to some, the presentation of the story and the connections formed between the characters set this story apart.
Graphics
Released in the final days of the PlayStation 3, The Last of Us is a visually impressive creation. Naughty Dog has spared no detail, successfully conveying environmental intricacies that reflect the game’s world. Utilizing a unique game engine, The Last of Us harnesses the full power of the PlayStation 3, providing players with a veritable visual feast.
Atmosphere
Naughty Dog has truly excelled in translating the suspenseful atmosphere of The Last of Us into the game’s world. Playing The Last of Us will leave you affected by the transformation of the post-pandemic world and questioning whether the true threat lies with humans or the afflicted creatures.
Furthermore, the game’s level and environmental designs effectively depict the new world order that emerges after the pandemic, successfully enhancing your gaming experience.
Gameplay
The Last of Us features quite successful in-game mechanics, including its gunplay and combat systems. However, in my opinion, one of the most significant aspects of its gameplay is how closely the mechanics are tied to the theme of survival. For instance, when crafting items using resources you’ve collected or when swapping weapons, you need to use your backpack. However, unlike in other games, using your backpack doesn’t pause the game. In essence, the game’s world always demands that you remain alert.
Crafting System
Thanks to the crafting system in the game, you can produce essential items like shivs, molotov cocktails, nail bombs, smoke bombs, and health kits that assist in your survival. However, you need to gather specific resources to create these items. The quantity of these resources varies depending on the game’s difficulty level.
Weapon Upgrades
At certain points in the game, you encounter a workbench where you can upgrade your weapons. At this workbench, you can craft weapon holsters to increase the number of weapons you can carry, and you can enhance various attributes of your weapons such as firing rate, magazine capacity, and reloading speed. However, you need to have gathered enough parts to perform these upgrades.
Character Progression
As you progress in the game, you can develop your character to improve your chances of survival. You can enhance numerous attributes, including health bar, healing speed, crafting speed, and the distance of the listen mode. And there are even more character development options awaiting you in the game.
Multiplayer
After completing the game’s story mode, there is also a Multiplayer mode available for you to engage in. In the game’s multiplayer mode, there are two different modes: Supply Raid and Survivors. In Supply Raid, each team has 20 respawns, and after a team exhausts their respawns and all members are eliminated, the opposing team wins. In the Survivors mode, once you die, you don’t respawn until the round ends, and your team wins when all members of the opposing team are eliminated. Additionally, in the multiplayer mode, the more enemies you defeat, the more you progress, gradually unlocking weapons.
Naughty Dog has successfully integrated the theme of survival even into the multiplayer mode, delivering a high-quality experience. Personally, I found it quite enjoyable to play, and I strongly recommend giving it a try.
Sound and Music
The music of The Last of Us is composed by the master artist Gustavo Santaolalla. The music crafted by Gustavo Santaolalla effectively captures the game’s atmosphere and manages to evoke various emotions within players at different times.
In addition to the game’s music, the sounds emanating from objects have been seamlessly integrated into the game. Everything from the creaking of objects to the sounds of creatures in the environment has been meticulously attended to, showcasing a great deal of dedication.
Final Word
Naughty Dog has pushed the boundaries of the PlayStation 3 to their limits to create a successful production. Despite minor flaws, The Last of Us offers players a high-quality experience with its storytelling, graphics, atmosphere, and gameplay dynamics. If you own a PlayStation 3 console, you should definitely play The Last of Us.
