The Last of Us

Most video games I play are nothing more than a distraction. They are fun rides for the 10 hours or so and I never think about them again. The same goes for movies and books. I enjoy the ride and I love checking them off my list, but the experience does little else for me. It’s much rarer that I experience media that leaves a lasting impression on me.  It’s rarer still that I experience something that changes my list of favorites of all time.  The Last of Us is one of my favorite games of all time and it’s easily one of the best games of all time, if not the best. It’s about as close to perfect as any video has ever been for me.

The narrative is second to none. We follow Joel and Ellie as they travel across the post-apocalyptic America with a specific goal in mind. They fight for their lives every step of the way and grow in the process. It’s pretty standard in some ways, but it’s executed flawlessly. It’s nuanced and it drags you in. It’s honestly one of the best stories I’ve ever experienced in any medium. I don’t really want to say more than that because everyone deserves to experience it unspoiled. However, the narrative is only one part of the game. Without tremendous gameplay, a good story can be dragged down. Thankfully, Naughty Dog delivers. Though it’s not revolutionary 3^rd-person action gameplay, it’s enjoyable and it strikes the right balance to really make the player feel as helpless as one should in a post-apocalyptic society. You never feel too overpowered (or underpowered), but at the same time the game isn’t so difficult that you stop enjoying yourself.  The level design (not that there are traditional “levels”) is superb. I was so impressed by how open the world felt despite the fact that there is a pretty linear progression. I simultaneously felt like I could go anywhere while never struggling to figure out where I needed to go next to progress in the story. It somehow felt organic. I was never lost. Or maybe I was but I never felt it. There were a lot of little things to explore that added to the narrative. Nothing ever felt like filler or a waste of my time.

There is so much more that I could say about this game, but I won’t. Please experience this for yourself.