The Last of Us: Things to know before playing
The Last of Us Part I is a remake of the groundbreaking action-adventure game that sends players on a dangerous journey in a post-apocalyptic world. Not so long ago, its adaptation became a huge HBO hit. The Last of Us: Things to know before playing
Now Joel and Ellie may extend their fan base as The Last of Us will finally be available on PC. Buy it here.
Gameplay and fighting
The Last of Us takes us to a post-apocalyptic USA overrun by zombie-like mutants infected by fungus. You will follow the story of Joel and Ellie, who embark on a dangerous journey to find the rebel group called Fireflies. Both characters are equally essential to the story, but it’s Joel who you will control.
In this hazardous environment, you will be forced to draw your weapons a lot. Joel may use the cover system to sneak behind enemies and eliminate them quietly or gain a tactical advantage before he starts shooting. Similarly to most games set in a post-apocalyptic setting, TloU offers a crafting system. You may gather resources that can be later used to compose various items, such as bombs or health kits.
Characters and story
At the beginning of the journey, Joel is a 52-year-old experienced survivor who works as a smuggler. His life is tainted by the loss of his daughter, who was killed on the apocalypse day. Ellie, on the other hand, is a 14-year-old girl born after the outbreak. Therefore, she didn’t see the world filled with populated cities and planes crossing the sky. The duo is supported by a bunch of colorful NPCs who they meet on their journey. There’s Joel’s partner Tess, a grumpy yet extremely skilled survivor named Bill, and Joel’s younger brother, Tommy, to mention only a few. The Last of Us: Things to know before playing
Although the game’s story is linear and a player can’t make any choices that affect the plot, it contains many emotionally charged moments. As a result, TLoU has considered one of the best stories told in a video game. Therefore, its adaptation was just a matter of time. The first two attempts to make a movie based on the game failed, but HBO successfully launched The Last of Us series in 2022. The show starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey has instantly become a hit, praised by both fans of the game and viewers who have never played The Last of Us.
Zombies and other enemies The Last of Us: Things to know before playing
The monsters who terrorize the world of TLoU are often called zombies. However, if we stick to the definition, we must admit that they are not zombies because they weren’t revived after death. They were infected by a fungus that caused the mutation. Regarding the stage of infection, we can point out four main types of the infected:
- Runners – They are humans who have recently been infected and still possess some of their basic intelligence, allowing them to pursue victims.
- Stalkers – They can see in the dark and often use stealth tactics when hunting prey.
- Clickers – Arguably the most iconic enemies in TLoU. Clicers represent a more advanced stage of infection, which leaves them blind but with heightened hearing and a hard armored outer shell. They make a characteristic clicking sound because clickers use echolocation to find their prey.
- Bloaters – The most dangerous species of the infected. They are covered in a thick layer of fungal armor and have powerful explosive attacks capable of taking down any human or animal that is unfortunate enough to cross their path. Despite their large size, they are agile and can surprise you easily. The good news is that bloaters are vulnerable to fire.
Unfortunately, the infected are not the only enemies Joel and Ellie must face on their epic journey. In the post-apocalyptic USA, humans are as dangerous as zombie-like monsters. The protagonists will meet various military groups, including FEDRA (Federal Disaster Response Agency), which authority rules quarantine zones. There are also many factions that prefer killing to talking, such as bandits, cannibals, smugglers, and hunters.
Remaster and remake
The Naughty Dog blockbuster video game initially premiered on the PlayStation 3 console in 2013. It was one of the bestselling PS3 games, receiving high praise from critics and fans alike. Its creators can also boast about the over 200 awards that The Last of Us has won. As a result, Sony wanted to use this asset again when the PlayStation 4 hit the shelves. The Last of Us Remastered, an upgraded version of the game, was released in July 2014. However, it was not the end of this action-adventure classic’s evolution. The Last of Us Part I is its latest incarnation. It’s a complete remake that brings much better visuals and gameplay improvements. Since September 2022, PlayStation 5 owners have been able to play it. In 2023, PC players can join them as The Last of Us expands beyond the realm of Sony consoles for the first time.
The PC version The Last of Us: Things to know before playing
Thanks to the Windows version of the game, Joel and Ellie follow in the steps of Kratos, Aloy, Nathan Drake, and other iconic Sony characters that, after years of Sony exclusivity, have reached the world of PC gaming. The Last of Us Part I for PC was originally set for release on March 3, 2023. In February, Naughty Dog announced that players would have to wait a little longer as the premiere was moved to March 28. The developers assure that this additional time will allow them to polish the PC port of the game, thus releasing the best possible version of TLoU.
The remake of The Last of Us remains faithful to the original game; however, it provides modern graphics and makes good use of the capabilities of new graphic cards. Consequently, it offers previously unattainable features such as ray tracing. It’s also worth mentioning that The Last of Us Part I includes the Left Behind DLC that lets players control Ellie. This widely-praised expansion consists of two story arcs: one is set before the events depicted in TLoU, and the other takes place during the “Winter” part of the game.
