LogFAQs > #950940424

#16 The Last of Us (Playstation 3, 2013)

The Last of Us was the first game to ditch the "one series per console" rhythm that Naughty Dog had going, and they ended the PS3 era with a pretty big bang. This one was probably the studio's most ambitious title ever; it remained a third person action adventure like all its prior games, but is completely different in terms of style and subject matter. While everything up to that point maintained a light-hearted and upbeat tone, The Last of Us is the oppositeone of the grittiest and most mature games of the PS3.



I am not saying that is what makes it great or deserving of a spot on the list, but the fact that they pulled off such a complete change of style successfully is remarkable. The Last of Us is a very serious game with a serious story, and it turned out to be one of the best and most engaging stories ever to be found in a video game. Joel and Ellie are a great duo, and they form a legitimately touching relationship that felt real. I guess I really have a thing for those father-daughter relationships, based on how much the Bioshock games also touched me.

It's a gorgeous game. Even in the twisted and disgusting enemy creatures that inhabit the land, there is an amazing amount of detail. The varied landscapes and seasons that are presented all feel lifelike and immersive. The acting is all spot-on, and every major character you meet has the same amount of thought put into them as the main duo.



Of course, it would not make so high on my list if it also was not a blast to play. Instead of the high-octane, guns blazing style that Uncharted embraced, The Last of Us gives you something a lot more thoughtful and carefully-paced. There are often long sections of quiet between deadly encounters, and each area gives plenty of options for how to address the conflict. Sometimes, conflict can be avoided altogether. There are many survival horror elements to the gameplaynot surprising, given its settingsuch as ammo conservation and crafting. You will very gradually upgrade Joel's abilities during the game, although nothing that will really be game-changing.

As Wigs said, the ending of the game is divisive. Which I think is another major credit to the game. You end up caring about the characters so much that what they end up doing at the climax is capable of disturbing your sensibilities. Personally I liked the way that it ended; not that I think what happened was good or right necessarily, but it's a fucked-up game set in a fucked-up world, and I think the ending is true to the characters and to the story, whether you like it or not. And that kind of embodies what I love about The Last of Us after all; the creators took some chances to make a new kind of game that plays its own way and tells its own story. It turned out to be very fresh and innovative and one of the best games ever made.

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At least your mother tipped well