The Last of Us preview: it's still good

Playing through more of the single-player adventure revealed that The Last of Us can be as much a blockbuster as it is a thriller.

Andrew Yoon

May 17, 2013 12:01 AM

If there's one thing I learned from my previous hands-on with The Last of Us, it's that it's not Uncharted. Approach the game like Nathan Drake, and you'll find yourself staring at a Game Over screen in no time. Rushing towards armed baddies will get you shot and killed instantly; trying to take a clicker head-on will get you bitten; trying to make giant leaps of faith will have you plummet to your doom. But, it is a Naughty Dog game, and playing through more of the single-player adventure revealed that The Last of Us can be as much a blockbuster as it is a thriller. For example, in one scene, Joel ends up walking into a trap that lifts him, leg up, dangling as bait on the ceiling. Ellie attempts to cut him down, but a horde of infected swarm the area. As you swing upside-down, you must fend off the infected, making sure that both you and Ellie can get away unscathed. When one of the clickers shows up, you know you're in trouble: a single bite means game over. It's a scene that wouldn't be out of place in an Uncharted game. But this time, the threat seems so much more grave. Not only is health a commodity, but bullets are as well--so you're trained to make every bullet count. As your aim sways from side to side as you view the world upside-down, it's scary just thinking "maybe my clip is empty" as a clicker races towards you. Later on in the game, an ambush from a gang of human survivors has you rushing for cover, trying to figure out the best way to get out alive. It may be missing the (literal) explosiveness of a typical encounter in Uncharted, but it's no less gripping. I remember taking someone hostage, putting a gun to his head, and walking out so that his gang could see me. I pulled the trigger--not because I thought it would be an effective strategy, but because I wanted the rest of the group to fear me. It worked. The Last of Us masterfully weaves between moments of tranquility, tension, and terror. There's a clear craftsmanship in every aspect of the game: whether you're fighting off infected, outsmarting human enemies, or simply navigating the environment, scavenging for supplies. As Naughty Dog slowly unravels more of their latest adventure, I'm excited to say that not only does it hold up, it gets even better.

Crafting is essential in TLOU

Andrew Yoon

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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May 17, 2013 12:01 AM

Andrew Yoon posted a new article, The Last of Us preview: it's still good.

Playing through more of the single-player adventure revealed that The Last of Us can be as much a blockbuster as it is a thriller.
- valcan_s
  
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  May 17, 2013 7:36 AM
  
  Am really looking forward to playing this, cool.
- KAF Elite
  
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  May 17, 2013 11:26 AM
  
  I'm looking forward to NOT playing this cause Naughty Dog is too ignorant to develop for PC, or their team is too stupid to do it, or both. Idiots, it's 2013.
  - Creepin_Jeezus
    
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    May 17, 2013 11:31 AM
    
    Yes, how dare those ignorant fucks sign lucrative publishing deals with Sony where they are given large sums of cash to develop their games for exclusive segments of the market.
    - et72
      
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      May 17, 2013 11:48 AM
      
      We dont have to like it, thanks
      - Creepin_Jeezus
        
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        May 17, 2013 11:50 AM
        
        Don't have to like it, but they're not idiots for doing it.
        
        AndrewYoon
        
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        May 17, 2013 11:55 AM
        
        It's more than a publishing agreement. They're a Sony first-party studio. Sony employees.
  - Vegtro
    
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    May 17, 2013 11:31 AM
    
    Someone tell Iwata and Balmer to get me all Zeldas, Marios, Halos, Forzas on PC STAT!
    - et72
      
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      May 17, 2013 11:49 AM
      
      Newsflash, Im not buying a console just to play a *certain* game, the people that do are literally retards
      - FlamingGimp
        
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        May 17, 2013 11:52 AM
        
        they are literally retarded. Inseparable from the mentally delayed
      - freshyk
        
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        May 17, 2013 3:19 PM
        
        You are the worst type of gamer.
        
        et72
        
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        May 17, 2013 3:47 PM
        
        I wont buy an expensive console just to play an exclusive and IM the retard?
        
        [deleted] 512828367
        
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        May 17, 2013 5:58 PM
        
        [deleted]
        
        et72
        
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        May 19, 2013 11:38 AM
        
        Why dont you make a point, because the point im getting here is that you spend 500$ to play a game
      - niiftyniichy
        
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        May 17, 2013 4:43 PM
        
        LITERALLY
        
        et72
        
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        May 17, 2013 5:39 PM
        
        LOLOLOL ALWAYS ON MS SUCKS IM BUYING PS4 LOLLZ
        
        is that better?
        
        niiftyniichy
        
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        May 17, 2013 5:52 PM
        
        No.
      - R@zzle
        
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        May 17, 2013 5:41 PM
        
        i did it because money ain't a thing, pussy bitch
        
        et72
        
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        May 19, 2013 11:44 AM
        
        Money aint a thing and language like that? Daddy's money! Better start learninz, parents dont live forever
    - valcan_s
      
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      May 17, 2013 1:30 PM
      
      Honestly, they would make a lot more money if they did this ^^^ it is really stupid only short term thinking. How many PC users are there compared to a specific Console say Xbox 360 user base on PS3?
      
      Probably not going to happen tomorrow for they need software to push their boxes. But you never know they may see the light one day and time release everything and make a tone more on software sales after their boxes have had first dibs.
  - 'flip'
    
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    May 17, 2013 11:52 AM
    
    ah yes the 'games shouldn't be done in c++' guy http://www.shacknews.com/chatty?id=29929688#item_29929688
    - g3dHorse
      
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      May 18, 2013 8:50 AM
      
      If the front pagers had a king, KAF Elite would be him.
  - Ambient80
    
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    May 17, 2013 12:02 PM
    
    Wow, take a breath dude. It's a Sony-developed company making a Sony exclusive game. There are exactly zero surprises that it's not on PC or the 360.
  - eorlas
    
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    May 17, 2013 3:49 PM
    
    Good to know that you have such an in-depth knowledge of publishing deals and how to make games.
    
    You aren't Kurt Schilling by any chance, are you?
  - MrClean24
    
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    May 17, 2013 5:44 PM
    
    There seems to be a PC elitist in every thread regarding an upcoming console game. Elitist's relax...with both next gen consoles being x86 it won't be too long until most titles make it on PC. However if this particular game was developed for PC I would be busting out my gamepad, a keyboard/mouse would be difficult.
    - KAF Elite
      
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      May 17, 2013 8:38 PM
      
      Not that I'm bashing people who prefer a controller for certain games, but difficult? lol. Anything that can be done on controller can be done just as easily on M+K, if not easier on the majority of titles. The only exception to this are racing games.
      - eorlas
        
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        May 18, 2013 1:03 PM
        
        The control scheme would be clearly very different, and I'm sure the only exception isn't racing games.
      - [deleted] 1243182645
        
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        May 19, 2013 10:08 AM
        
        [deleted]
- KAF Elite
  
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  May 17, 2013 4:40 PM
  
  Why should I care who hires them and what publishing deals they want to make? They make GAMES and they are excluding an extremely talented development team from successfully getting their product to an extra, and quite large, market of gamers that LOVE this type of stuff and will buy it in an instant. So yes the whole situation is full ignorance and is completely asinine.
  - Creepin_Jeezus
    
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    May 17, 2013 5:31 PM
    
    a) Developers just want good jobs at good companies, I doubt that anyone working at Naughty Dog is dying for their moment to express their creativity through finally coding on a different platform.
    
    b) Sony, being the large multifaceted global corporation clearly have much more to gain than mere game sales by having their own exclusive games on their own multimedia console. I think it's fair to say that they don't give a shit about non-sony game buyers, unless they are going to become soon-to-be sony game buyers.
    
    But what do I know? I'm ignorant, sony is ignorant, and everyone else is asinine but you.
    - Borzoi
      
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      May 17, 2013 5:41 PM
      
      personally, I'm literally retarded.
- lonza
  
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  May 17, 2013 6:16 PM
  
  I truly believe that this game is going to be something special. If I didn't own a PS3 already, this quite likely would get me to buy one. I guess that makes me literally retarded.
  - KAF Elite
    
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    May 17, 2013 6:31 PM
    
    Yes, it does. Especially considering the new consoles are half a year away. Enjoy being an idiot and a sucker.
    - eorlas
      
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      May 18, 2013 1:02 PM
      
      Why are you being so abrasive.
- KAF Elite
  
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  May 19, 2013 11:48 AM
  
  I would like to apologize to everyone for my earlier, and may I say, abrupt comments. I may not agree with the fundamentals of the business practice in question, but that is not an excuse to be abrasive and willfully ignorant over the issue.
  
  This is capitalism after all, businesses like this and the practices they stick by to make the most money and/or have the most influence or good standing with third parties will always exist and I know that, I was just being sour a few days ago. Perhaps one day I'll be able to play this title on new gen hardware if I have the funds for it.
- KAF Elite
  
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  May 19, 2013 2:40 PM
  
  Having said that this is only the fourth game or game series that I've been disappointed with because I'll most likely never be able to play them since they are not on PC. Those previous 3 being Killzone, Uncharted, and God of War.
  
  So in 8 years of consoles I'd say that the 4 games I feel like I am missing out on, personally anyway, is a pretty decent track record.
  - lonza
    
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    May 19, 2013 5:34 PM
    
    Don't get me wrong... I always prefer the PC, and I don't particularly like exclusives for the same reason. However, exclusive titles sell systems.
    I would think that, as a developer, I would want the most people playing the game as possible. I get why it happens, though. With the industry the way it is, I really don't think developer greed is a factor whatsoever.