THE LAST OF US : Review

Naughty Dog had desires elsewhere after the Uncharted trilogy on PS3. A revival embodied by The Last of Us, an action game for the third person who will try to make us forget the endless cascades Drake building on a much darker and more mature universe. In these times when the ratio "ten suites for a new license" has never been stable, we longed to discover what the studio in Santa Monica had been well put together. After completing the game, the verdict is final and can be summed up in an avalanche of superlatives.

A GUY A GIRL

Seen from afar who did not follow, it would be easy to summarize The Last of Us to "Uncharted with zombies," the return of GST style and execution to the Naughty Dog helping. This would be a big mistake, however: the California studio obviously wanted to try something different with this production, as well as bring new things, manages to tu highs in almost everything she does.

The Last of Us, it is above all a story: Joel and Ellie. One is a very talkative and troubled past FILF. The other an orphaned teenager, but hardened and big mouth under his real arias Ellen Page. This unlikely duo together by the force of circumstances operates in a post-apocalyptic world where, once again, a large part of humanity has been decimated or reduced to a bloodthirsty beast by a mysterious virus derived from cordyceps. This coating, we have seen again and again in dozens of movies, TV shows and video games, so it could almost be a handicap if the subject had been treated lightly here. Nay!

But you talk more about the game's storyline is a tricky thing because any spoiler you could waste a lot of fun as the plot is well-crafted. Let us therefore rather the structure of adventure and perfectly mastered elements that Naughty Dog to catch the player's attention from the very first second to the last notes of music end credits. As often with the studio, we soon realize that The Last of Us is a marvel of staging and fluidity in the events. The game is divided into several major episodes in which one sees no loading time: naturally connects between all phases of the game cinematics and gorgeous (made with the game engine in boosted version). Immersion quickly becomes total.

Writing quality can make credible and dramatic characters in a world far from the usual Hollywood productions aspect of this caliber. The Last of Us does gift to anyone, whether its main protagonists are anything but smooth, and even secondary players, each playing a real role in the adventure. The story is incredibly well told and interpreted, with the engine as a permanent relationship that is both complex and modest that connects Joel and Ellie, with elements released in dribs and drabs. All this is beyond the scope of cinematics. Dialogues, small remarks are linked constantly throughout the game and show discreetly begins to bond the duo. Some passages will leave you tense, agitated, or speechless. One thing is sure, at a time when the word emotion is in many mouths when it comes to video game, The Last of Us manages to trigger a lot without necessarily seeking to make tons. Leaving nothing on the side either. Because yes, the game itself is at the height of the story it tells.


COPY NINJA

How to play The Last of Us? Like a charm. Ergonomics GST is known to all and will not pose any problem handling side. All responds perfectly with intuitive controls, a system of light coverage, and a camera that never interferes. It does not mean that we can compare the game to his cousin Uncharted as the differences are significant. Here we present a summary of what is best in many other titles in the above often. The gameplay with three heads that results is remarkably balanced and explosive as any aspect or gadget is neglected, whether action, infiltration, or survival.

Who says post-apocalyptic world says reduced to the status of scavengers where the law of the strongest prevails nine times out of ten humanity. This was true in Mad Max, Fallout, or Hokuto no Ken, and it is still valid here: despite the virus and its infected, the other survivors are ultimately what you have the most to fear. To avoid being disembowelled for a bottle of water or a good pair of shoes, it will be necessary to defend yourself with the means at hand. Joel is a robust fellow, able to defend themselves with bare basic combos and finish brutal bonus through interaction with the decor hands. But it is especially comfortable with all kinds of guns, and there's plenty to do in this game where the arsenal is both varied and rather complementary.

The enemy is far from being stupid, to play the Gears of War against a handful of mercenaries is not necessarily the best idea because the ammunition is scarce in The Last of Us The map of infiltration and the assassination silent in the back, will be yours as soon as it is possible for multiple benefits. The economy of balls of course, but also the avoidance of attention because rascals surplus will quickly surround you. To better locate their prey, Joel will "activate" a kind of scanner allowing him to see through walls. An element not very realistic in a game that is often yet, but can be disabled in the options for those who want a more hardcore experience.


MEIN CRAFT

The fights are more stressful turn when one is dealing with infected. Eaten by the virus to be unrecognizable, they are concentrated in distinct areas, dark, where there really is not good forever. There are three main types of monsters fast and aggressive runners, blind clickers but hearing fine you instantly puff carotid first contact, and the Colossi, huge monsters, powerful, and less slow they not look. Everything would be much easier if these horror creatures were not terribly complementary. Because of their blindness, clickers can be easily avoided in most cases, but runners can see them charge you screaming at the slightest eye contact, calling the killers shot all around. The clickers are also much stronger than normal and can not be killed by stealth unless you have a superintendent or a machete.

This is where the inventory management in combat makes sense because, as in the old Resident Evil, The Last of Us forces the player to continuously manage its arsenal to increase his chances of survival. Except here, take a look in his inventory does not pause the game ... And this is a crafting system that offers us the title with tons of wastes and other pieces of scrap metal pick in every nook sets for tinkering useful things. Care Kit, blades, smoke bombs, homemade grenades, etc.. There is a little bit of everything, and gear good fortune will save the ass repeatedly. In return, it will take time to prepare because you do not run from one area to another shrinking violet in The Last of Us Getting facing an infected or bandits by visiting herd of that there are more than two bullets in the magazine or the care package is not ready equivalent to certain death. The gameplay requires you to make regular, orderly, what you need, but also to dig around for raw materials. This also makes the less linear progression.

Note that this philosophy is also reflected in the management of arms: Joel may only select a handful of guns using the directional pad. Falling face five enemy soldiers at all and with a total of 9 mm in which there are only three bullets and a gun with two cartridges is the kind of situation that occurs regularly in the game however Joel gain skills that the help in the adventure because in addition to the crafting system and the improvement of firearms, The Last of Us is also proposing to boost its hero through pills to pick up. Points, ability to use the Superintendent to avoid instant death (such as knives Resident Evil Rebirth), speed to care for and make first aid kits ... You must choose because the pills are rare and quite expensive these skills, but the game is worth the candle while providing some customization in the way of playing.

The gameplay is thus obtained based on several strings whose cooperation is also part. If artificial intelligence is the most brilliant time - enemies do not just wait and you arrive regularly in the back - it was a bit more difficult when it comes to fit your allies. You may notice that the soldiers are a bit cross-eyed monsters screw Ellie screws or other partners who will lend a helping hand during the adventure, and focus a lot on the player. Nothing dramatic, but seeing an enemy remain inactive while the girl passes under his nose is a bit unfortunate. By cons, Ellie is really useful in combat and not only to play extras. A good point. If an ally gets caught, what happens anyway, it will quickly go under penalty save game over but the timer is relatively generous.


PLAYSTATION PLUS

With these basics mastered, whether pure gameplay or story, The Last of Us already has a lot of advantages to seduce. But more importantly it has that little hard to define thing that separates great games titles stage of each generation, those we remember 10 years later. This involves managing the pace of the adventure that offers a big fifteen hours that you do not absolutely see happen with a right amount of difficulty. For survival horror aspect, subtle but more convincing than in the last two Resident Evil together. The variety of situations that rarely repeat with the rich gameplay, guaranteeing each approach several times and areas rather large game when there's action. Through regular integration of strong characters that bring new elements to the story, while influencing the evolution of the duo Joel Ellie. Finally, the game marks the accuracy of tone contrasts with the deliberately grotesque appearance of Uncharted. We do find some epic passages but overall everything is much more determined, nothing is overplayed, and the tone is decidedly mature fly.

Specification 2013 requires, The Last of Us also features a multiplayer mode line is of the order of detail compared to the monument that represents the story mode, but still worth taking. Both game modes are simple and play up to four against four. The Supply Raid is to recover as many objects on the battlefield to use with craft with 20 "life" shared by the whole team. As for Survivors mode, it is a team deathmatch to the best of seven innings. Classes of fighters to choose from, customization, skill slots ... Nothing memorable or very unusual here, but effective gameplay guarantee some good shooting to those who want to extend a little fun once the main game loop. As you might imagine, the DLC will also enrich a little thing with season pass and the whole shebang.


PERFECT CELL

It has already been said, The Last of Us is very strong in its implementation, but it goes far beyond the simple stage or cinematic staging. The game is also a marvel of 3D, pushing further the limits of the PlayStation 3 was thought for a long time with. The work on the textures, animations, facial expressions, the variety of environments and fluidity of this little world commands respect. In fact, it relegates HD lambda productions antiques row. The engine is both beautiful, smooth and clean, with image processing that we do not think one day see this generation of consoles. The effects of light, shadows, changes atmospheres, underwater passages, pyrotechnic effects or insignificant details as everyday objects found in the ruins everything, absolutely everything is neat.

A degree of finish that is found equally in the sound aspect of the game linings are well above the norm, yet unobtrusive music with high penetrating power, and perfect in addition to constantly adapt to sounds your environment. It is ultimately not surprised when the end credits of the game had a good quarter of an hour with hundreds of people to thank. A technical observation as close to perfection necessarily requires a lot of arms, but also talent, sleepless nights and sweat. All this was worth it: the technique has rarely served as immersion in a video game.