Well where to start. I guess it would be to point out its flaws.

There were a couple of instances when character models froze early in the game whilst the environment and narrative continued to roll. Also, as good as the AI is in the game, the companions will run out into the middle of the battlefield, right in between stealth sections, often spoiling the atmosphere. That aside, I can quite happily say that the last of us is one of the finest experiences I have had the pleasure of witnessing this generation. The player follows Joel; a battle worn, middle aged man who has been living amongst the virus ridden, post-apocalyptic world that has engulfed mankind. Set twenty years after the outbreak of the Cordyceps virus, a real life insect infection that has, in-game, mutated to humans. The majority of people are either infected or dead, and the rest of humanity has been sectioned by the last remnants of the government into quarantine zones. Joel has been given the task of escorting Ellie, a young girl who has spent her entire life in this postapocalyptic land, across the country for reasons that will become abundantly clear as the player progresses. They must traverse their way through state after state, encountering survivors living outside of the quarantine zones, scavenging whatever they may find. This will often involve the survivors killing anyone they encounter, namely Joel and Ellie. The Hunters, as they are referred to in the game, are ruthless and sadistic in their pursuit of you. They are clearly portrayed as desperate, and this comes across when battling them. They will cleverly flank you, forcing Joel to change tactics. They will hear when you are out of bullets and will become more aggressive towards you. They truly feel alive, which makes it all the more difficult when Joel must take their lives. Strangling these people is an unpleasant experience. The player will hear them struggling for breath, clawing at Joel whilst he extinguishes the last bit of life from them. Whilst it is a formidable and heart racing experience, facing the survivors, it is a walk in the park, when compared to the stress and tension encountered when traversing around the infected. Infection spreads through spores. Gas masks must be worn to prevent becoming one of the many infected beings found throughout the land. It is clear when Joel and Ellie encounter them, as the mood of the game changes completely and a sheer tense atmosphere engulfs the player. Firstly there are runners, men and women who have become infected and can be distinguished by their blood red eyes and pulsating veins. When Joel and Ellie are sneaking around them, they can be heard screaming and sobbing, fighting the fungus infecting their brains, humanity still present within. They may charge the player when disturbed, or not attack at all until they feel threatened. Dealing with the runners must be dealt with carefully and methodically, using the scarce resources to the players advantage. Strangling is an option, which makes a little bit of noise and takes longer to subdue the foe. This can be problematic as it can end with more runners noticing, and attacking, thats when using shivs is the other choice of action. Hearing the gurgling of the fallen enemy is disturbing and unpleasant to encounter. When the runners have mutated, the real horror begins. The clickers are truly terrifying. The second stage of the infection, present after a year or so of exposure, the fungus has completely taken over the host, so no humanity remains. It has erupted from the head of the man or woman it has infected, causing them to become blind, forcing them to use a modified version of ultrasound to find their way around. These clicks can be heard when

entering an area, sending shivers down your spine. The clickers skulk about the area, constantly searching for food. Joel must make as little noise as possible, crouching and sneaking even slower than usual, or risk suffering a one hit, gruesome death from these monsters. Shivs are the only way to take them down, and with resources at a minimum, you must decide whether it is a good idea to kill them and risk not having a shiv for the next area, or save it when you may truly need it more. This constant fear and thinking required adds to the tension. What sets this apart from other narrative driven games is the way it is delivered. The voice acting is superb. Troy Baker is unrecognisable as Joel, showing how battle hardened he is, whilst Ashley Johnson puts in a truly emotional performance as Ellie. Over the course of the game, you will grow along with these people and experience how tough living in this new world can be. The presentation is incredible. It is quite easily the best looking game on the PS3, and the sound is incredible. The attention to detail is second to none. You can tell the talent of a developer when a story can be told simply by walking around an abandoned house and finding half packed bags, or scattered remains, or a body in a bathtub, or even a locked door with the bodies of a man cowering in a corner with several children. There were moments where I had to put down the controller and simply stare, emotion overwhelming me, as I felt the pain behind these poor souls, unable to escape their imminent doom. Notes and diaries can be found throughout the game, explaining situations to the player, about how people coped with the outbreak, and what came of them. In my first playthrough, I played it on normal difficulty. However a few hours in, I wanted to increase the difficulty. I was so immersed in the game and felt so engrossed in its combat and story that I wanted to suffer through trial and error and progress through the game and feel immense satisfaction upon its completion, possibly the only time I have ever felt that urge. The story itself is extremely dark. There are moments where the player can catch their breath, but only to encounter a situation which is just as dark if not darker than the previous one. What makes it all the more intense is how brutal and violent the game is. Blood physics are intensely realistic, heads will become mush and arterial spurt occurs. Melee attacks are satisfying and weapons carry real weight. The conversations between Joel and Ellie are outstanding; the young girl constantly asks questions about how things were before the infection, showing real naivety. In one situation Ellie expresses her desire to be able to whistle. It is through a couple of small conversations later in the game that we find she is learning and then finally learns to master the art. This is a small taste of how deep the script is, and writer Neil Druckman should be applauded for creating characters which are so believable. Once the ending comes, you will be left jaw dropped. The last of us multiplayer is different and satisfying enough to keep you coming back for more. Set up in to two modes, survivors and supply raid. It is satisfying in the sense that it forces you to play in the same way you would with the single player. In survivors mode, you only have one life, and need to kill the opposing team, usually consisting of four players. Both modes are variants of team deathmatch. The last of us is one of the most emotionally draining games I have ever played. Clocking in at between 15 and 18 hours in length, it is one of the longest games in its genre. During my

playthrough, I had to take several breaks because the game was so dark and depressing. It never lightens up, meaning it will not appeal to everyone. The story and gameplay alone brings you back for more. There is so much to applaud this game on; graphics, sound, voice acting, combat, story, that it would take a review twice as long to describe it all. The game has flaws, no doubt. The combat can wear after a while, occasional bugs can break the illusion and companion AI can be frustrating. However, the way to look at The Last of us is thusly; the game is not perfect, but there are none which do it better.

10