this game was great, even when i had already been spoiled on probably every single major plot point in it. the crafting mechanics added a certain depth and flair to the game that i often find lacking or to be subpar in most other post apocalyptic survival games. the combat was amazing; intense, quick firefights ending in either your death or a slow, methodical death for your enemies. the story, though, is really where this game shines. probably the best one that naughty dog has ever and will ever make -- it flips the cliche zombie apocalypse setting on its head by focusing on the development of its characters and the humanization of their emotional states and ideas rather than the idea of the apocalypse itself, creating a sense of realness that is, once again, often lacking in other survival games of the post apocalyptic genre. truly a fantastic experience.