The Last of Us is a third-person Survival-Action game and PlayStation 3 exclusive featuring a unique character action driven storyline focused on the unlikely pairing of a young girl and a hardened scavenger in a post-apocalyptic gameworld. The game utilizes multiple gameplay mechanics, including “Dynamic Stealth,” allowing differing possible strategies and techniques in conflicts, resulting in different possible outcomes. Additional game features include AI that adapts to choices and situations, a variety of enemies, a live inventory system, and beautiful graphics.
Story
20 years after a pandemic has radically changed known civilization, infected humans run wild and survivors are killing each other for food, weapons – whatever they can get their hands on. Joel, a violent survivor, is hired to smuggle a 14 year-old girl, Ellie, out of an oppressive military quarantine zone, but what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal journey across the U.S.
Gameplay
The Last of Us is a third-person Survival-Action game that utilizes choices in gameplay action to develop the game storyline, as well as the relationship between the two main characters, Joel and Ellie. The game features a combination of combat, exploration, stealth and platforming game mechanics. Although Joel and Ellie are both residents of a post-apocalyptic world, they have had different experiences that affect the way they see the world around them, and feel about what they see and do. Joel had a life before the pandemic, while the world of the pandemic is all that Ellie has ever known. As part of Joel’s job to smuggle Ellie out of the quarantine zone, players have to make choices in how they deal with enemies, which include, roving gangs of human scavengers not unlike themselves, military elements and infected civilians. Player also have opportunity to together interact with elements of the world around them, which helps to build the bond between Joel and Ellie. Resources in the game are scarce, making overwhelming use of firepower unlikely and unwise in conflicts, and resource gathering missions. In addition, most other residents of the ruined world that are encountered are just trying to survive – blurring the line between good guys and bad guys. Finally, game AI react differently depending on the specifics of the player’s actions, making choice in gameplay a major consideration.
Key Game Features
Third-person oriented gameplay that blends survival and action elements into a genre-defining video game experience.
Character driven story about a population decimated by a modern plague, and the resulting ambiguity of good and evil.
A unique blend of exploration, platforming, stealth, and combat game mechanics.
“Dynamic Stealth,” which allows for multiple strategies and techniques to use in situations, resulting in different possible outcomes
AI (artificial intelligence) that adapts depending on the situation, player actions, and weapons/tactics used
A live inventory system in which the game actions and dangers continue as players organize, combine, and select items
Developed by Naughty Dog, creators of the best-selling Uncharted series.