The Last Of Us - Game Review

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The Last Of Us is Naughty Dog's newest baby that has taken the gaming industry by storm in the past couple of weeks.


Released on June 14, 2013 is a captivating action-adventure video game that is set in a post-apocalyptic United States of America. This game is not for the faint-hearted, so be prepared to have your heart racing throughout your journey towards freedom.

Synopsis


After battling through the onset of a raging epidemic that seems to be infecting most of the population of the United States and surviving it for a few years, Joel scrapes through the basic amenities by living in one of the last remaining Quarantine Zones.

With his partner Tess, Joel is given the responsibility of taking care of Ellie, a 14-year old orphan who gives the term 'badass' a whole new definition.

This mission, however, will change Joel's and Ellie's lives in unspeakable ways.

While traveling through a post-apocalyptic USA, they encounter some of the most dangerous and unthinkable strategies of dealing with the infected. Constantly searching for supplies, ammo and other survival kit essentials, Joel and Ellie teach themselves to work together as a team and build a foundation of trust that is their key to making it through to the end of this seemingly long tunnel to hope.

Characters

While there is a multitude of characters that appears throughout this game, Joel, Ellie and Tess are the main characters that I will talk about, as the other characters appear as the journey progresses, and therefore would act as a spoiler if mentioned here.

Joel


Joel is a determined survivor of a fungal pandemic (a spore-based infection) who treks through the country and encounters some gruesome infected humans and other obstacles on the way.

Ellie


Ellie is a 14-year old girl who is being escorted by Joel and Tess and has a voracious personality.

Tess


Tess is Joel's partner who helps him get through the Quarantine Zone and assists in Joel's mission of escorting Ellie.

Gameplay Features

The Last Of Us has got some nifty techniques of survival to assist Joel in his quest.


For example - there are a range of supplies that are scattered throughout the areas of the game:
-XP Points (for weapon upgrades)
-Supplies to build a health kit or a molotov (alcohol, binding, rag, scissors)
-Supplies to build a shiv (blade, binding)
The list of possibilities is endless so make sure you go on a scavenger hunt every time you enter a new area, because these are what are going to get you through the game.

As you enter new chapters of the game, you have the ability to upgrade your weapons with the XP points collected throughout the course of the game. Be aware that as you progress through the game, the infected 'humans' will be more powerful and difficult to kill so keep a bunch of explosives and upgraded weapons handy. Also, ammunition for your guns are going to be the most used, so conserve on your ammo, and look for any spares available around those that you kill.

Platform Specifications

The Last Of Us is designed to be played on a Playstation 3 . The controllers for this game have dualshock capabilities that allow you and your player to have the realistic feeling of actually 'being in the setting' of the game. This is very handy, considering the nature of the game's characters, objects and general ambience.

Overall Rating

I think this game appeals to me immensely, mainly because of my interests in apocalyptic situations and strategies on how to survive it. The game gives me a sense of how realistic such a possibility is, and there are some clever and crafty ways of 'making do' as you go.

I'd give this game a 9.8/10 for its heart-wrenching plot line, amazing graphics and its terrifying characters.

Official Trailer

Make sure you check out The Last Of Us official trailer to get a glimpse of what you might be thinking of getting yourself into.

Are you ready? You could well be....the last of us!



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