Last of Us is an action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for PlayStation 3 worldwide on June 14, 2013. Control player Joel, a smuggler in charge of escorting a teenage girl named Ellie in post-apocalyptic America. The Last of Us is played from a third person perspective; players use firearms and improvised weapons, and can use stealth to survive against hostile humans and cannibal creatures infected by mutated strains of the Cordyceps fungi. In online game multiplayer mode, up to eight players engage in cooperative and competitive games.
The Last of Us development began in 2009, shortly after the release of the previous game from Naughty Dog, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The relationship between Joel and Ellie becomes the main focus of the game, with all the other elements developed around it. Actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson play Joel and Ellie each through sound and motion, and help creative director Neil Druckmann with the development of his character and story. Original score compiled and performed by Gustavo Santaolalla.
Following the announcement in December 2011, The Last of Us is widely anticipated. Once released, it gets universal praise, with praise directed at the narrative, game, visual and sound design, characterization, and portrayal of female characters. The Last of Us became one of the best-selling games on the PlayStation 3, selling over 1.3 million units in the first week and 17 million in April 2018. It won the year-end awards, including some Game Awards this Year from several game publications, critics and game award ceremonies, making it one of the most awarded games in history, and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time.
After the release of the game, Naughty Dog released some additional downloadable content; The Last of Us: Left Behind added a single-player campaign after Ellie and her best friend Riley. The upgraded edition of the original game, The Last of Us Remastered , was released for PlayStation 4 in July 2014. The sequel, The Last of Us Part II , was announced in December 2016.
Video The Last of Us
Gameplay
The Last of Us is an action horror adventure game played from a third person perspective. Players cross post-apocalyptic environments such as cities, buildings, forests, and gullies to advance the story. Players can use firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to survive against hostile humans and cannibal creatures infected by mutated strains of the Cordyceps fungi. For most games, the player takes over Joel, a man in charge of escorting a young girl, Ellie, across the United States; Ellie and other friends are controlled by artificial intelligence. Players also control Ellie along the winter segment of the game.
In combat, players can use long range weapons, such as rifles, rifles, and bows, and short range weapons such as pistols and short barrel rifles. Players can scavenge limited melee weapons, such as pipes and baseball sticks, and throw bottles and bricks to distract, sting, or attack the enemy. Players can upgrade weapons on the workbench using collected items. Equipment such as medical equipment and Molotov cocktails can be found or made using collected items. Attributes such as health meter and craft speed can be improved by collecting pills and medicinal plants. Health can be replenished through the use of a health kit.
Although players can attack enemies directly, they can also use stealth to attack undetected or sneak by them. "Listen Mode" enables players to locate the enemy through high consciousness of hearing and spatial awareness, which is shown as an outline that is visible through walls and objects. In a dynamic cover system, players can crawl behind obstacles to gain tactical advantage during combat. The game has a period of no fighting, often involving conversations between characters. Players can solve simple puzzles, such as using a floating palette to move Ellie, who can not swim, cross water bodies, and use stairs or bins to reach higher areas. Story collections, such as notes, maps, and comics, can be scrolled and viewed in the backpack menu.
This game has an artificial intelligence system used enemy enemies to fight enemies. If the enemy finds a player, they may take refuge or ask for help, and can take advantage of players when they are disturbed, out of ammunition, or fighting. Player pals, like Ellie, can help in battle by throwing objects at threats to their stun, announcing the location of unseen enemies, or using knives and pistols to attack the enemy.
Multiplayer
An online multiplayer allows up to eight players to engage in competitive games in various single-player settings. The game has three types of multiplayer games: Supply Raid and Survivors are both team deathmatches, with the latter not including the ability to respawn; The interrogation shows the team investigating the location of the enemy team's key box, and the first to catch the lock box win. In every mode, players choose factions - Hunters (a group of survivors) or Fireflies (revolutionary militia groups) - and keep their clan alive by collecting supplies during the game. Each match equals one day; with twelve weeks remaining, players have completed the journey and can re-select their Faction. Kill the enemy, revive the allies, and make the item produce a portion of players that can be converted into inventory; parts can also be taken from the enemy's body. Players can bring more equipment by earning points as their clan inventories increase. Players can link games to their Facebook accounts, which change the names and faces of clan members to match their players' Facebook friends. Players have the ability to customize their characters with hats, helmets, masks, and emblems.
Maps The Last of Us
Plot
In September 2013, the mutant outbreaks of the fungus Cordyceps damaged the United States, turning humans into aggressive creatures known as Infected. In the suburbs of Austin, Texas, Joel (Troy Baker) escapes from chaos with his brother Tommy (Jeffrey Pierce) and his daughter Sarah (Hana Hayes). As they flee, Sarah is shot by a soldier and dies in Joel's arms. In the next twenty years, most civilizations were destroyed by infections. Survivors in tightly supervised quarantine zones, independent settlements, and nomadic groups. Joel works as a smuggler with his partner Tess (Annie Wersching) in the quarantine zone in North End of Boston, Massachusetts. They hunt down Robert (Robin Atkin Downes), a black market merchant, to recover the cache of stolen weapons. Before Tess kills him, Robert reveals that he swapped the cache with Fireflies, a rebel militia opposing quarantine zone authorities.
The leader of the Fireflies, Marlene (Merle Dandridge), promised to double their cache in exchange for smuggling a teenage girl, Ellie (Ashley Johnson), to the fireflies hiding in Massachusetts State House outside the quarantine zone. Joel, Tess, and Ellie sneak out at night, but after meeting the patrols, they find Ellie infected. Full infections usually occur in less than two days, but Ellie claims she was infected three weeks ago and that her immunity can cause healing. The trio travels to their destination through a mob of infected people, but finds that the fireflies there have been killed. Tess reveals she has been bitten by an infected person; believing in Ellie's interests, Tess sacrificed herself to pursue the army so that Joel and Ellie could escape. Joel decides to find Tommy, a former Firefly, in hopes he can find the remaining Fireflies. With the help of Bill (W. Earl Brown), a smuggler indebted to Joel, they obtained a functioning vehicle. Driving to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Joel and Ellie were ambushed by bandits and their car broke down. They are allied with two brothers, Henry (Brandon Scott) and Sam (Nadji Jeter); after they escaped from the city, Sam was bitten by an infected person, but hid it from the group. When the infection struck, Sam attacked Ellie, but Henry shot him dead and committed suicide.
In the fall, Joel and Ellie finally find Tommy in Jackson, Wyoming, where he has collected a fortified settlement near a hydroelectric dam with his wife, Maria (Ashley Scott). Joel decides to leave Ellie with Tommy, but after he confronts her with Sarah, he decides to let her stay with her. Tommy directs them to the firefighting area of ​​the University of East Colorado. They found the university abandoned, but learned that Fireflies had moved to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Afterwards, both were attacked by bandits and Joel was badly injured while running away.
During the winter, Ellie and Joel take shelter in the mountains. Joel is on the verge of death and relies on Ellie to take care of him. Hunting for food, Ellie met David (Nolan North) and James (Reuben Langdon), a scavenger who was willing to trade medicine for food; David became an enemy after revealing the university bandits were part of his group. Ellie managed to lead David's group away from Joel, but was eventually arrested; David intends to recruit him into his cannibal groups. Rejecting the offer, he fled after killing James, but David cornered him in a burning restaurant. Meanwhile, Joel recovers from his injuries and tries to find Ellie. She reaches Ellie as she kills David and cries; Joel comforted her before they escaped.
In the spring, Joel and Ellie arrive in Salt Lake City. Ellie became unconscious after nearly drowning, before they were captured by a Firefly patrol. At the hospital, Marlene informs Joel that Ellie is being prepared for surgery: in the hope of producing a vaccine for infection, Fireflies must remove the part of Ellie's infected brain, which will kill her. Not wanting to let Ellie die, Joel struggled into the operating room and took Ellie unconscious into the parking garage. He is confronted by Marlene, whom he shoots and kills to prevent the Fireflies chasing them. On a trip out of town, Joel claims that Fireflies have found many other immune people but can not make drugs, and that they have stopped trying. On the outskirts of Tommy's neighborhood, Ellie reveals that she was not alone when she was infected and expressed her guilt. At his insistence, Joel swears that the story of Fireflies is true.
Development
Naughty Dog started developing The Last of Us in 2009, after the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves . For the first time in the company's history, Naughty Dog was split into two teams; while one team developed Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011), others started working on The Last of Us . Director Bruce Straley and creative director Neil Druckmann lead the team responsible for developing The Last of Us .
Druckmann sees The Last of Us as coming from an age story, where Ellie adapts to survive after spending time with Joel, as well as an exploration of how a father's desire to save his son. The main motive of this game is "life goes on"; this is presented in a scene where Joel and Ellie find a herd of giraffes, which by draft artist John Sweeney described is designed to "rekindle Ellie's lust for life", after her suffering following her meeting with David. The Infected, a core concept of the game, was inspired by the segment of the BBC documentary Planet Earth (2006), featuring mushrooms Cordyceps . Although fungi mainly infect insects, control their motor functions and force them to help cultivate fungi, the game explores the concept of fungi that evolve and infects humans, and the direct result of this outbreak of infection.
The relationship between Joel and Ellie is the main focus of the game; all other elements are developed around it. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson served as Joel and Ellie, respectively, and gave a sound show and motion capture. Baker and Johnson contribute to character development; for example, Baker assures Druckmann that Joel will care for Tess because of his loneliness, and Johnson assures Druckmann that Ellie must be stronger and more defensive. Ellie's physical appearance was also redesigned throughout the development to make it look more like Johnson. Other game characters also change. Tess's character was originally intended to be the main antagonist of The Last of Us, but the team found it difficult to believe in his motives. Bill's character's sexuality was initially unclear in the manuscript, but later changed to better reflect his homosexuality.
The Last of Us displays the original score compiled primarily by Gustavo Santaolalla, along with compositions by Andrew Buresh, Anthony Caruso, and Jonathan Mayer. Known for its minimalist composition, Santaolalla was contacted at the start of development. He uses various instruments to compose scores, including some he does not recognize, gives a sense of danger and innocence. This minimalist approach is also taken with sound design and game art. Infected Sound is one of the first tasks during development; the team experimented with sound to achieve the best work. To reach the sound of Clicker, they hired the voice actress Misty Lee, who cast a voice that leads to Phillip Kovats audio derived from "back of the throat". The art department takes various works as inspiration, such as photographs of Robert Polidori following Hurricane Katrina, which is used as a reference point when designing flood areas in Pittsburgh. The art department was forced to negotiate for the things they wanted to include, due to the strong dissent from the team during the development. Finally, the team sets the balance between simplicity and detail; while Straley and Druckmann preferred the former, the art team preferred the latter. The game's opening credit is produced by Sony San Diego Studio.
The team created a new machine to meet their needs for gaming. Artificial intelligence was created to coordinate with the players; Ellie's addition as artificial intelligence is a major contributor to the machine. The lighting machine is also recreated to incorporate a soft light, in which sunlight seeps through space and reflects the surface. Gameplay introduces difficulties to the team, because they feel that every mechanic needs a thorough analysis. The user interface design of this game also undergoes various iterations during development.
The Last of Us was announced on December 10, 2011, at the Spike Video Game Awards, in addition to his debut trailer and an official press release that recognizes some game features. The announcement sparked widespread anticipation in the gaming industry, which journalists owe to the reputation of Naughty Dog. This game lost the original projected release date of May 7, 2013, and was pushed to June 14, 2013 worldwide for further polishing. To promote pre-order sales, Naughty Dog collaborates with several retailers to provide game-specific editions with additional content.
Additional content
Downloadable content (DLC) for games released after launch. Seasonal tickets of the game include access to all DLCs, as well as some additional capabilities, and documentaries Grounded: Make the Last of Us ; the documentary was released online in February 2014. Two DLC packages were included with some special editions of the game and available after release. The Sights and Sounds Pack includes a soundtrack, a dynamic theme for the PlayStation 3 home screen, and two avatars. The Survival Pack displays bonus skins for players upon completion of the campaign, and in-game money, as well as bonus experience points and initial access to customizable items for multiplayer games. Packaged Area Map Packages , released on October 15, 2013, added four new multiplayer maps, based on location in the game story. Nightmare Bundle , released on November 5, 2013, adds a collection of ten head items, nine of which are available for purchase separately.
The Last of Us: Left Behind adds a single-player campaign that serves as a prequel to the main storyline, featuring Ellie and her friend Riley. It was released on February 14, 2014 as a DLC and on May 12, 2015 as a stand-alone expansion package. The third package was released on May 6, 2014, featuring five separate DLCs: Grounded adding new difficulties to the main game and Left Behind ; Reclamation Area Map Packages add new multiplayer maps; Professional Survival Skills and Situational Skills Groups add eight new multiplayer skills; and Survivalist Weapon Bundle added four new weapons. The Grit and Gear Bundle , which adds new headgear items, masks and gestures, was released on August 5, 2014. Game of the Year Edition contains all downloadable content released in Europe on November 11, 2014.
The Last of Us Remastered
On April 9, 2014, Sony announced The Last of Us Remastered , an enhanced version of the game for PlayStation 4. The album was released on July 29, 2014 in North America. Remastered features improved graphics and improved rendering, including increased spacing, improved combat mechanics, and higher frame rates. Other enhancements include advanced audio options, audio commentary, and Photo Mode. This includes previously released downloadable content, including Left Behind and some multiplayer maps. The development team aims to create an "original" remaster, maintaining "core experience" and key elements of story and games.
Reception
Critical response
The Last of Us received critical acclaim. Metacritic's gathering website review calculates an average score of 95 out of 100, showing "universal recognition", based on 98 reviews. This is the fifth highest PlayStation 3 game on Metacritic. Reviewer praises the development of characters, stories and subtitles, visual and sound design, and portrayal of female characters and LGBT. This game is considered one of the most significant titles of the seventh generation of video games, and has been incorporated among the greatest video games of all time. Colin Moriarty of IGN calls The Best of Us an exclusive "masterpiece" and "PlayStation 3 exclusive", and Edge sees it as "the most riveting and emotionally charged epic. " "from the console generation. Welsh oil from Eurogamer writes that it is a" flare of expectation "for the survival horror genre; Andy Kelly from Computer and Video Games declares it" the best moment A Naughty Dog ".
Kelly of Computer and Video Games found a memorable story, and IGN's Moriarty named it one of the prominent features of the game. The PlayStation magazine ' David Meikleham writes that pacing contributes to the story enhancement, stating that there is "the real meaning of time passing and traveling through every step of the way," and Destructoid's Jim Sterling praised the thrilling moments of this game. Richard Mitchell of Joystiq found that narration enhances character relationships.
The characters - especially the relationship between Joel and Ellie - get praised. Matt Helgeson from Game Game Informers wrote that the relationship was identifiable, calling it "poignant" and "well drawn". Eurogamer ' s Welsh writes that characters are developed with "real patience and skill", appreciate their emotional value, and Joystiq Mitchell finds "authentic" and emotional relationships. PlayStation Magazine ' s Meikleham names Joel and Ellie the best character of any PlayStation 3 game, while Moriarty IGN identifies it as the highlight of the game. Kelly of Computer and Video Games names the "richly painted" characters, feeling invested in their story. Philip Kollar from Polygon felt that Ellie was trustworthy, made it easier to develop a relationship with her, and that the relationship between characters was aided by an optional conversation of the game. The character's performances also received praise, with Edge and Eurogamer ' s Welsh noting that the script improved as a result.
Many reviewers are discovering this game battle as a refreshing difference from other games. Game Informer ' s Helgeson appreciates vulnerability during fights, while Kelly from Computers and Video Games enjoys the diversity in approaching combat. IGN's Moriarty felt that the craft system aided the battle, and the latter contributed to the emotional value of the narrative, adding that the enemy felt "human". Mitchell of Joystiq repeated the same comment, stating that the battle "piles death over death at Joel's hands". Welsh from Eurogamer found a tense and threatening encounter adding positively to gameplay. Tom McShea from GameSpot writes that artificial intelligence negatively affects combat, with enemies often ignoring players' friends. Polygon ' s Kollar feels that the battle is unfair, especially when fighting Infected.
The visual features of the game are praised by many reviewers. Art design is hailed as "exceptional" by Kelly's <
The world and the game environment attract many praises from many reviewers. Kelly of Computer and Video Games states that the environment is "big, detailed, and full of secrets", adding that The Last of Us "covered" linearly successfully. Edge repeats the same comment, writing that the level design presents the story exactly. Helgeson from Game Game writes that the world "effectively and beautifully [conveys the" loneliness "of the story IGN's Moriarty appreciates additional design elements placed around the gaming world, such as hidden notes and letters.
Reviewer praises voice usage at The Last of Us . Eurogamer ' s Welsh feel that sound design is significantly better than in other games, while Game Informer ' s Helgeson called it "extraordinary". Mc Shea from GameSpot states that audio is added to the gameplay effect, especially when hiding from enemies. Kelly of Computer and Video Games found that environmental audio had a positive impact on the game, and that Gustavo Santaolalla's score was "rare and smooth". Both Game Helper and Destructoid's Sterling call the "haunting" score, with the latest findings that it complements the gameplay. ' s Helgeson and Destructoid's Sterling
The graphic representation of violence in The Last of Us resulted in substantial comments from critics. Author engadget Ben Gilbert finds the game's persistent focus on battle is "a necessary evil to lead the protagonist's fragile duo game for salvation", as opposed to being used as a method to achieve goals. Kotaku ' s Kirk Hamilton writes that violence is "heavy, consequential and necessary", as opposed to haphazard. Anthony John Agnello of USGamer writes that this game consistently reinforces the negative things associated with violence, which deliberately make players feel uncomfortable while in fierce fighting. He stated that death in the game was unnecessary or unjustifiable, making the story stronger. Kelly of Computer and Video Games states that, although the battle is "very brutal", violence never feels haphazard. Eurogamer ' Welsh echoed the same statement, stating that violence is not "sensitive or unreasonable". Matt Helgeson from Game Informer observes that violent games cause players to question their morality of choice. Mitchell of Joystiq writes that violence is "designed to be uncomfortable", suggesting that the violence contributed to Joel's character. Prior to the release of the game, Keith Stuart of The Guardian wrote that the acceptance of violence would depend on the context in the game.
Many critics discuss game depictions about female characters. Jason Killingsworth of Edge praised the lack of female sexual characters, writing that it "offers a refreshing antidote to sexism and the regressive gender stance of most blockbuster videogames". Eurogamer ' s Ellie Gibson praises Ellie as "sometimes strong, sometimes vulnerable, but never cliche". He feels that Ellie was originally founded as a "girl in distress", but this concept was subverted. Carolyn Petit of GameSpot praised female characters as moral and sympathetic conflicts, but wrote that gender in the video games should be evaluated "based on their actual abilities, not in relation to other games". Chris Suellentrop from The New York Times admits that Ellie is a fun and "sometimes strong" character, but argues that The Last of Us is "the actual story of Joel", stated that it was "another video game by men, for men and about men". The Last of Us is also praised for his portrayal of LGBT characters. Sam Einhorn of GayGamer.net feels that Bill's sexual revelation "is added to his character... without really ruling him out". The American organization GLAAD calls Bill one of "the most exciting new LGBT characters in 2013", calling it "deeply flawed but wholly unique". The kiss between two female characters in Left Behind was greeted with a positive reaction.
Sales
Within seven days of its release, The Last of Us sold more than 1.3 million units, becoming the biggest video game launch of 2013 at the time. Three weeks after its release, the game sold over 3.4 million units, and is considered the launch of the biggest original game since 2011 L.A. Noire and the best-selling PlayStation 3 game of 2013 at that time. This game became the best-selling digital release on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3, although numerical sales figures were not disclosed; The record was then beaten by Grand Theft Auto V . The Last of Us finally became the 10th best-selling game of 2013. In August 2014, the game has sold eight million copies: seven million on the PlayStation 3 and one million on the PlayStation 4. In April 2018, the game sold 17 million copies in both consoles. This is the third best-selling PlayStation 3 game of all time. In the United Kingdom, this game stays on the charts for six consecutive weeks, matching the notes set by multi-platform titles. Within 48 hours of release, The Last of Us earned more than Ã, Â £ 3 million received by Man of Steel in the same period. The game also topped charts in the United States, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, and Japan.
Awards
The Last of Us is one of the most endearing games of all time, winning over 240 Game of the Year awards. Before being released, he received many awards for his preview at E3. It is the second highest ranking Metacritic and GameRankings collector for 2013, behind Grand Theft Auto V . The game appeared on some of the year-end lists of the best games of 2013, receiving a win from the 41st Annie Awards, The A.V. Club , Video Game Video Award, Canada.com, Daily Mirror , The Daily Telegraph , Destructoid, 17th DICE Annual Awards, The Escapist , GameRiver, GameTrailers, 14th Annual Developer Award, Game Revolution, Giant Bomb, Good Game , Gamer Hardcore , IGN, IGN Australia, < i> International Business Times , My Account , National Video Game Trade Advisory Academy, VG247, VideoGamer.com. It is also named Best Game PlayStation by GameSpot, GameTrailers, Hardcore Gamer , and IGN. Naughty Dog won the Studio of the Year and Best Developers from The Daily Telegraph , Edge , Golden Joystick Award, Hardcore Gamer and Spike 2013 VGX.
Baker and Johnson received many nominations for their performances; Baker won awards from Hardcore Gamer and Spike VGX 2013, while Johnson won awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards, DICE Awards, VGX 2013, and from The Daily Telegraph. The story of the game also received awards at the UK Video Games Awards, DICE Awards, Game Developer Awards, Golden Joystick Awards, and Guild of America Writers Award, and from GameTrailers, Giant Bombs, Hardcore Gamers and IGN. Sound and music designs receive awards at DICE Awards, Inside Gaming Awards, and from IGN. Graphic design and artistic games also won awards from Destructoid, DICE Awards, Golden Joystick Awards, and IGN.
The Last of Us was awarded Extraordinary Innovation in Games at the DICE Awards, and the 3rd Best Male Token from GameTrailers. This game received Best New IP from Hardcore Gamer , Best Newcomer at Golden Joystick Awards, and Best Debut from Giant Bomb. It received the Best Overall Sound, PlayStation 3 Multiplayer, and the Best Action-Adventure Game on the PlayStation 3, and overall at the Best of 2013 Awards IGN. It also won the Best Action-Adventure Game at the British Academy Video Games Awards, and The Escapist and Best Action Games from Hardcore Gamer and Adventure Games of the Year at the DICE Awards.
Adaptations
A four-edition comic book, titled The Last of Us: American Dreams, published by Dark Horse Comics from April to July 2013. Written by Druckmann and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks, the comics serve as a prequel to the game , taking a trip from Ellie and younger Riley. On July 28, 2014, the game players performed live readings of selected scenes in Santa Monica, California, with Santaolalla's live music. The show is guided and directed by Druckmann, with graphics by Alex Hobbs.
On March 6, 2014, Sony announced that Screen Gems will distribute the adaptation film The Last of Us , written by Druckmann and produced by Sam Raimi. In January 2015, Druckmann had written a second script draft, and performed a reading with several actors. Very little work happens after this, as Druckmann stated in April 2016 that the movie has entered a development hell. In November 2016, Raimi stated that the film stalled after Sony had a dispute with Druckmann. Actress Maisie Williams expressed enthusiasm in playing Ellie, and is in talks with Druckmann and Raimi to take on the role.
Sequel
In February 2014, Druckmann said Naughty Dog was considering a sequel but needed to find the story "really worth telling, and it does not repeat itself". In September 2015, Druckmann stated that the small team had begun making prototypes, but turned the development to Uncharted 4: A Thief's End , released in May 2016.
Sony announced The Last of Us Part II on the PlayStation Experience event on December 3, 2016. The story lasts about five years after the first game; Ellie and Joel return, with the player controlling Ellie. Santaolalla will return to compose the music, and Druckmann will return to write the story with Halley Gross. Straley will not return as game director.
References
Note
External links
- Official website
- The Last of Us on IMDb
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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