The Last of Us: A Game That Will Leave You Emotionally Changed

[AnTiFreeze3]

I have an Xbox360, not a PS3, but my friend let me borrow his PS3 and his copy of The Last of Us after he finished playing it, and I have to say that I have never had a game, let alone any fictional work, ever affect me emotionally in such a way. Oddly enough, the game made me come upon a realization with my own life that has more or less gone unnoticed until now.

Has anyone else played this game yet, or are you planning on playing it?

 

[WannabeNewton]

How high were you though? It makes a difference.

 

[DiracPool]

No, I haven't played it. But thank god you didn't drop a bomb such as:

Oddly enough, the game made me come upon a realization with my own life that has more or less gone unnoticed until now.

And then not said what it was, or people may have been curious.

 

[AnTiFreeze3]

How high were you though? It makes a difference.

Not high whatsoever

... And then not said what it was, or people may have been curious.

I suppose I can share

Seeing the relationship grow between Ellie and Joel (the two main characters), and the bond that they had as they constantly risked their lives for each other made me realize that there's really no one in my life towards whom I have those feelings. Frankly stated, there's no one in my life that I could honestly say that I love. It's sad, yes, but up until now I never really realized that I don't have a relationship with another person like what I saw in the game. Like I said in my original post, it is a bit odd that a video game, of all things, made me realize this, but nevertheless that's how it happened. It's not some fairy-tale idealization that I feel I'm missing, but simply someone that I could say that I love. It has made me feel a little incomplete, lately, and that's probably why the game has had such an emotional impact on me.

I've typically been emotionless throughout my life, never investing much emotionally in people, for one reason or another, but this game makes me think that this outlook might be a bit of a waste for what life can truly offer.

 

[AnTiFreeze3]

To anyone wondering how to turn a friendly video game thread into a somewhat awkward existential discussion, take some notes

 

[DiracPool]

To anyone wondering how to turn a friendly video game thread into a somewhat awkward existential discussion, take some notes

Have you checked out this thread, Freeze?

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=695804

 

[WannabeNewton]

The game is overrated. It is far too linear and the AI is absolutely brain dead (I mean how scripted an AI can you have really?). There are too many people jumping on the Naughty Dog bandwaggon. I mean the IGN review said it was one of the greatest games of the generation. I mean really?!

 

[AnTiFreeze3]

The game is overrated. It is far too linear and the AI is absolutely brain dead (I mean how scripted an AI can you have really?). There are too many people jumping on the Naughty Dog bandwaggon. I mean the IGN review said it was one of the greatest games of the generation. I mean really?!

A little birdy told me you haven't even played the game yet

 

[WannabeNewton]

A little birdy told me you haven't even played the game yet

Was that little birdy me?

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I have the game, but I haven't started playing it yet. I've seen someone else play a few hours randomly from throughout the story, and...

...it's basically uncharted with less of an emphasis on cover-based shooting, tons of ladder-moving, and a quasi stealth element involving tossing bricks and then poking blind monsters with a shiv. I like uncharted, more or less, so this is okay. But I don't think it deserves all 10 ratings like it has been getting.

Until I play it though, who knows, maybe there is something totally awesome that I am missing. I might get at it next weekend.

 

[collinsmark]

I'm a PC gamer. Unfortunately for me "The Last of Us" is a PlayStation 3 exclusive. So it's very unlikely that I'll play it.

I just can't bring myself to play a first person shooter (FPS) without a mouse and keyboard, out of principle.

I'll give consoles there advantage to racing games; 2D games (e.g., Mario Brothers, Tetris); fighting games (e.g., Mortal Combat); sports simulation games (e.g., anything Madden); and even many 3D, third person games (e.g., the first few Tomb Raider games).

But when it comes to FPS's concerning the PC: "ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US"

 

[AnTiFreeze3]

I have the game, but I haven't started playing it yet. I've seen someone else play a few hours randomly from throughout the story, and...

...it's basically uncharted with less of an emphasis on cover-based shooting, tons of ladder-moving, and a quasi stealth element involving tossing bricks and then poking blind monsters with a shiv. I like uncharted, more or less, so this is okay. But I don't think it deserves all 10 ratings like it has been getting.

Until I play it though, who knows, maybe there is something totally awesome that I am missing. I might get at it next weekend.

You're fairly accurate about the gameplay; it does become a bit repetitive. However, I felt as though the combat scenarios were unique enough to keep it interesting, especially if you play on a higher difficulty and choose to use stealth, because then you have to be more strategic with your movements and actions (your ammo runs out very quickly.) If your friend was playing it on a lower difficulty, then the fighting could probably seem too repetitive and too easy to be enjoyable (as it is with most games when played on the easier difficulties).

But even if the gameplay isn't revolutionary, I really loved the storyline, and that's what made it such a great game to me.

I'm a PC gamer. Unfortunately for me "The Last of Us" is a PlayStation 3 exclusive. So it's very unlikely that I'll play it.

I just can't bring myself to play a first person shooter (FPS) without a mouse and keyboard, out of principle.

I'll give consoles there advantage to racing games; 2D games (e.g., Mario Brothers, Tetris); fighting games (e.g., Mortal Combat); sports simulation games (e.g., anything Madden); and even many 3D, third person games (e.g., the first few Tomb Raider games).

But when it comes to FPS's concerning the PC: "ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US"

It's not a FPS, it's a 3rd person shooter.

 

[collinsmark]

It's not a FPS, it's a 3rd person shooter.

Oh. Well nevermind then.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

You're fairly accurate about the gameplay; it does become a bit repetitive. However, I felt as though the combat scenarios were unique enough to keep it interesting, especially if you play on a higher difficulty and choose to use stealth, because then you have to be more strategic with your movements and actions (your ammo runs out very quickly.) If your friend was playing it on a lower difficulty, then the fighting could probably seem too repetitive and too easy to be enjoyable (as it is with most games when played on the easier difficulties).

But even if the gameplay isn't revolutionary, I really loved the storyline, and that's what made it such a great game to me.



It's not a FPS, it's a 3rd person shooter.

Does difficulty have any effect on anything other than just the amount of damage you can take, and the amount of damage required to kill enemies?

 

[AnTiFreeze3]

Does difficulty have any effect on anything other than just the amount of damage you can take, and the amount of damage required to kill enemies?

Increasing difficulty basically increases the difficulty of the entire game. Enemies will notice you more easily, you're less likely to find ammunition and supplies, enemies hit harder, take some more damage, and I'm pretty sure they're able to grab onto you more easily, and can also break free from any chokeholds that you put on them more easily.

For example, on normal, you might be crouching and knock into a bottle on the ground. A few infected/hunters might take notice, but won't act on it. On the hard or survivor modes, they will take notice and you'll be spotted, blowing your advantage of stealth (which in turn makes you use more ammo, which is harder to find on higher difficulties).

I haven't played on Survivor yet, because you have to unlock that by beating the game on Hard, but in Survivor mode, you also lose your "Listening" ability, which allows for you to focus your hearing and see a visual representation of moving enemies on your screen.

 

[dreamLord]

The game is overrated. It is far too linear and the AI is absolutely brain dead (I mean how scripted an AI can you have really?). There are too many people jumping on the Naughty Dog bandwaggon. I mean the IGN review said it was one of the greatest games of the generation. I mean really?!

Though you're right about these 2 points, the game is still a masterpiece. While the friendly AI is quite pathetic, the enemy AI is very good. The linearity never seems frustrating, and helps the game flow very well. In fact, TLOU has the best pacing I've ever seen in a game.

But the main thing that TLOU has going for it is the story. My talking about the story will be pointless unless you've finished the game. It has a very emotional and deep story, that's all I can say.

And to the person who said this :

it's basically uncharted with less of an emphasis on cover-based shooting, tons of ladder-moving, and a quasi stealth element involving tossing bricks and then poking blind monsters with a shiv

Couldn't be further from the truth. The only thing they have similar is that they're both TPS, and are developed by the same studio.

 

[mishrashubham]

I've heard a lot about the game too. Even if gameplay might not be revolutionizing, I think the story is supposed to be the main selling point. I don't own a console (the last one I had was a NES), so I don't think I'll be owning the game anytime soon.

 

[rcgldr]

Off topic here, but ...

I'll give consoles there advantage to racing games.

As in actual realistic racing or games like Grand Theft Auto? For the PC, if you want realism and like throwing money at a game, there's iRacing. If you prefer conventionally priced racing games, there's rFactor (some of the add-on cars are considered very realistic), with rFactor 2 currently in beta, the GTR series, NFS Shift 1 and Shift 2, and classics like Nascar Racing 2003 (Papyrus), and Grand Prix Legends (Papyrus), probably one of the most difficult racing games to master.

 

[wuliheron]

Off topic here, but ...

As in actual realistic racing or games like Grand Theft Auto? For the PC, if you want realism and like throwing money at a game, there's iRacing. If you prefer conventionally priced racing games, there's rFactor (some of the add-on cars are considered very realistic), with rFactor 2 currently in beta, the GTR series, NFS Shift 1 and Shift 2, and classics like Nascar Racing 2003 (Papyrus), and Grand Prix Legends (Papyrus), probably one of the most difficult racing games to master.

The Oculus Rift is winning raves for flying, racing, and mech games and at the required steady 60fps no current console could possibly keep up with a PC version.

 

[meBigGuy]

"I've typically been emotionless throughout my life, never investing much emotionally in people, for one reason or another, but this game makes me think that this outlook might be a bit of a waste for what life can truly offer. "

Sorry for this, but read "Mindsight" by Dan Siegel. A significant component of how the brain functions neurologically is related to connection.

 

[Akaisora]

It is generic but the presentation was top notch.


As for the game technically, the AI is really bad.

As someone pointed out, the aesthetics and characterization were its selling point.

 

[Akaisora]

rcgldr check project CARS. That game has a really good physics engine and probably going to be the best car simulator.

Graphically and performance-wise, it is better than the upcoming Grand turismo 6 due to it being developed on PC - optimized for a superior platform.