So this is a 3rd person action adventure game developed by Naughty dog and published by SCE and released in 2013. I remember this game very well around 2012 when I was googling and I came across it and checked a few screens that had leaked prior to its release and I said to myself "this game the day it releases in that year it will be game of the year". I could just tell at the time that it was going to be legendary. It just fell short as in the same year the great GTAV got released. So indeed some nostalgia. To cut the chase lets get into some of the things I experienced.
First of all this version I played is the remastered version from PS3 to PS4 so the hardware I used here was a PS5 so its basically running PS4 logic but at very much locked stable frames for a more smooth experience targeting 1080p/60 and 4k/30. I am not sure if its native 4k but I don't think so as PS4pro couldn't run games at native 4k but checkerboard so as mentioned PS5 is more or less emulating PS4 and PS4pro but using a little part of its horse power to keep the frames more stable than its predecessors. So as far as I know and at the time of writing this game has no PS5 patch. This game came out in the year Playstation 4 and Xbox one were being ushered in as the new gen and it was maxing out the PS3 hardware. Its notable that something similar happened last gen as part 2 of this game came out (2020) when Series X and PS5 where also coming out a few months later so perhaps we might see a PS5 remaster hopefully due to this similar trend.
The Last of us comes as a highly immersive story starting with a unique pace of its own immersing you into a chaos at the early stages of the game. The pace at which events unfold shows a well written story and its also a very quiet game hardly accompanied by background music which is suitable considering the nature of the game. I feel compelled to say a few things regarding the story however I will reserve much and say more when we cover part 2 because I have some really strong grievances of my own.
So is it the best Last of us game? To me yes of course. The gameplay feels slow which is good as you have to make calculated moves when taking down your opponents especially clickers. I liked the 3rd person aspect also how you easily control the camera as you explore the game world. The gear and upgrade system is very purposeful allowing room for a challenging experience and not so easy to complete with one playthrough. I like also how they have a new game plus and an extra mode (The Last of us left behind) for Ellie, adding replayability value and also a comprehensive understanding of the story.
One thing notable is you have to be on the lookout for your weapons as you have minimal resources to get past your enemies which leaves you with choices in some areas where you have to either engage in combat take down all, take down some or just preserve ammo and quietly go past. The visuals are generally top notch and stand the test of time as it was a game built to push the original system to the limits spilling over its potential to be even better to the next generation of the time. Its a little unforgiving at times as one mistake can lead to a frustration of repetition due to deaths from runners and clickers. But I noticed once you repeat the game with new game plus it turns out more easier as your weapon and character upgrades come to your aid in areas you had a tough time. Perhaps to give a slight understanding to one who wants to know how the gameplay feels, if you have played Read Dead Redemption the tempo within the game is similar to this from a gameplay perspective and slightly challenging and better than its Naughty dog counterpart Uncharted.
Among others there's one aspect I drew and its that The Last of Us is governed by one big conflicting principle of either sacrificing one for many or sacrificing many for one, not to say much as to spoil for someone who might not have played it this is the prime decision that your main character Joel has to take. This game for me put this series in the spotlight and although part 2 has received a lot of awards I still think this is the better game. I will explain myself more as promised when we do part 2 to find out why the story became a disappointment to the likes of me and others who share the same sentiment. I still want more of this game and I am presuming that if there is to be a next entry it will be Last of us 2 and not "part 2" but we shall see. I really wonder how the story will turn out to be considering the events in part 2. Should you buy this and play? If you have no subscription services yes its worthwhile. One day I will want to tackle the issue of should I always buy new games? Or resort to a subscription service? Because I see new developments with the likes of Gamepass day one launch and Playstation Play at home.
kindly let me know your thoughts and support the discussion with your valuable experiences.
Cheers.
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