The Last of Us is well-executed for what it is. Effectively the first of its kind in a generation of gaming rewarding cinematic narratives delivered in prestigious AAA realism, the harsh post-apocalypse puts on the pressure with a linear but immersive and distinctly survivalist experience. But perhaps as a consequence of the hype and awards it received over the last decade, it turns out I am not the audience for the exact way it tries to blend gameplay and story–it feels like oil and water to me.

I love video games as a storytelling canvas, for the unique language they are able to take advantage of. I love Psychonauts, Half-Life, and Undertale for trusting the player to engage with the depth of their worldbuilding when it is baked deeply into the game design itself. You don't really get enough in The Last of Us that utilizes the gameplay language meaningfully for narrative effectiveness like those games do. The game’s story IS good, that much is fact. Rarely, however, can TLoU deliver any piece of it in a way only a video game can.

Outcomes are all predetermined by TLoU’s set path, dampening its themes about the cycle of violence (a topic Undertale’s player freedom engages with more intimately since you can affect the narrative by choosing murder or mercy for yourself.) Extraneous worldbuilding is typically found only in written notes, a far cry from Psychonauts demonstrating who its side characters are with the intramental level designs that represent them, right down to even the collectibles therein. Ellie is typically invincible, taking away from the stakes of protecting her as you bring her across America. Compare that to Ashley from Resident Evil 4, who isn’t even close to being as much of a character, yet you feel more need to actively defend her since she has a health bar and a failstate for it dropping to 0.

All these simpler decisions TLoU makes lend to it having broad appeal, but in trying to please the many, it fails my expectations about what video games are truly capable of. I enjoyed subversion of numerous established functions in the late-game, where you're made to think you'll be going through the motions, but enlightened by character-informed twists instead. But it feels like too little too late. I dunno. Frontloading the game with status quo and saving subversion for the eleventh hour could be genius, actually, but it doesn’t come across that way after the gameplay basics got repetitive and eventually felt like a slog.

I hear the HBO show is a good adaptation! Looking forward to watching that with my mom. Having a version of this story that doesn’t bog itself down for me by falling short of expectations of its artistic medium ought to be nice.

From the very beginning, this game feels like a journey. The introduction of characters and the world draws you in, making you invested in their stories. You simply want to know more, and that's precisely how the game keeps you hooked. It encourages you to listen to every dialogue, pay attention to all the characters introduced, and read every artifact you find. The story is simply incredible—one of the best I've ever seen in a video game. It's filled with moments that will keep you thinking about it for days.
The biggest selling point of this game is undoubtedly the story. There were moments where I could genuinely feel the pain, struggle, and victories that the characters experienced. The dynamic and character development between Joel and Ellie is beautifully portrayed, making you wish it could last forever. There were moments that made me cry and I had to take breaks to process the emotions.
On the technical side, the game's length is just perfect. Any longer, and it would have felt like it was dragging; any shorter, and I would have been left unsatisfied. The ending is also perfectly timed. The background music is exceptional, among the best I've ever experienced in a video game. The sound design is impeccable—you have to play it with over-the-ear headphones to truly appreciate it. You'll know exactly where the enemies are, adding to the immersive experience.
The combat encounters are great, with mechanics that allow you to choose between stealthy or aggressive approaches based on your resources. The graphics are stunning, maintaining immersion throughout the game.
If I had to nitpick, it would be about the puzzles. While they provide a much-needed break from the intense moments, they are a bit too easy. However, this minor flaw is more than compensated by everything else, especially the story.

Zerado tanto esse quanto a dlc Left Behind.

Dificuldade zerada: sobrevivente

Jogabilidade:

Na dificuldade sobrevivente, os recursos são escassos o suficiente para você se torna o tio patinhas enquanto joga, a pouco recurso e você tem que esta dez passos a frente sobre o que irá fazer com eles, não foi pouco os caso de eu voltar para o último checkpoint por gastar muita munição ou perdendo vida demais, apesar disso o jogo possui dificuldade adaptativa. Para que o jogador não fique preso em uma fase por falta de recursos.

O combate se torna massante e repetitivo contendo pouca variedade de golpes, o que é um erro, pois o que menos se usa nesse jogo são tiros.

O ponto forte fica para I.A tendo tanto um campo de visão mais realista que outros jogos stealth quanto por uma inteligência quase humana.

Design:

A ambientação se caracteriza por um ambiente hostil, inos pede e com bastante vegetação. Contem três variantes de infecção, mas cada indivíduo possui um design único.

O maior erro do jogo fica para seu port horrível para PC, com diversos stuttering e crash. No geral, vale muito a pena jogar.

The first time I played the last of us I didn’t really get it so I wasn’t a huge fan. I also played it on way too high of a difficulty and sucked at the combat so that really soured my experience. But coming back to it with better graphics really enhanced the experience. But on the other hand after watching the show so many times there were a lot of moments I didn’t like as much in the game. It’s funny because typically you see a moment from the adaptations and say “that’s not as good as the game” but it’s the other way around this time. A lot of it has to do with it having more time for story moments in the show and being able to execute it in different ways but I still found myself underwhelmed sometimes. Even so, still a fantastic game