I played through The Last of Us and the ending left me a bit confused.
Did Joel lie to Ellie about the Fireflies after he saved her?
I listened to some of the Doctor's recordings and he says something along the lines of 'there have been similar cases to Ellie but no vaccine could be found'. To make a potential vaccine they would to have killed Ellie, so i'm guessing Joel didn't want to take the risk of Ellie losing her life for no reason and saved her. He did mention to her in the car that the Fireflies were no longer looking for a vaccine, which I think is the lie, right?
If Joel did lie to Ellie, why did he lie to her?
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2 Answers
Yes, Joel lies to Ellie. This is made clear by the flashbacks that you see while he is telling her the story when she wakes up in the car.
He says that the Fireflies have found many people who are immune to the fungus and that they have stopped looking for a cure. This is clearly not true as he had to forcefully extract Ellie from the operating room before the medical team could kill her to extract the cure from her.
The fact that this is a lie is also underlined by the flashback involving Marlene: She tried to stop Joel in the parking lot when he was carrying Ellie to the car to get away with her. Joel had to shoot her to be able to leave with Ellie.
This is mostly speculation on my part based on the events of the game, but I think there are two reasons why Joel lies to Ellie.
Ellie is determined to finish her 'mission'.
Over the course of the game there are several dialogues showing that Ellie wants to finish her mission. When they find the giraffes at the bus stop, Joel tells Ellie that she does not need to go through with all of this but she insists on going on:
After all we've been through. Everything that I've done. It can't be for nothing. Look, I know you mean well … but there's no half-way with this.
Also at the final dialogue when Ellie tells Joel about her friend Riley who was bitten and died it becomes clear that she feels guilty for surviving while other people have had to die. It seems she wants to remedy this guilt by doing good and saving the lives of others.
Joel does not want to lose Ellie
Even though Joel always tries to pretend that Ellie is just annoying him, there are hints early on that Ellie reminds him of his daughter, Sarah, who died at the beginning of the outbreak. The first subtle hint is given in a cutscene shortly before they arrive at the Capitol building. Joel and Ellie have a short conversation about the beauty of the view from a rooftop, at the end of which Joel looks absently at the watch Sarah gave him.
Towards the end of the game it becomes clear that they have bonded. The conversational tone between them changes remarkably over the course of the game. This can be seen by a conversation that takes place relatively early in the game shortly after Tess has died and Joel and Ellie have escaped the soldiers:
Joel: And lastly, you do what I say, when I say it. We clear?
Ellie: Sure.
Joel: Repeat it.
Ellie: What you say, goes. sighs
Joel: sighs Good.
Ellie clearly shows that she is attached to Joel when he is about to leave her with Tommy. She gets very worked up about this on the ranch she fled to:
Admit that you wanted to get rid of me the whole time!
Joel is trying to justify his decision rationally but Ellie does not want to hear it:
Everyone I have cared about has either died or left me. Everyone — fucking except for you! So don't tell me I would be safer with somebody else, because the truth is I would just be more scared.
In the end, Joel goes with her even though he pretends he only does it to not upset Tommy's wife who did not want Tommy leaving the family to help Ellie.
Joel's growing affection to her is expressed subtly over the course of the game and climaxes for the first time when he finds her hacking on David in the burning restaurant. He hugs and comforts her and she accepts the comforting. This is also the first time I consciously saw him calling her 'baby girl'. Note that the only other person he has called 'baby' so far was his daughter Sarah.
Ellie is hacking on David's head with a switchblade.
Joel: Ellie! Stop. Stop. grabs her and pulls her off David
Ellie: not realizing who is coming No! Don't fucking touch me!
Joel: holds her It's okay. It's me. It's me. It's me. Look, look. turns her head to face him It's me.
Ellie: sobbing He tried to…
Joel: hugs her tight, comforts her Oh, baby girl… It's okay. It's okay. It's okay now.
The second time he calls her 'baby girl' is when he is carrying unconscious Ellie out of the operating room before the doctors can kill her:
Come on, baby girl. I got you. I got you.
Once he is out of there, he even shoots Marlene who begs for her life to keep Ellie safe:
You'd just come after her.
All of this suggests that he is by the end deeply attached to Ellie and very afraid of losing her.
Conclusion
The conclusion of these two reasons is that Joel has no other choice but to lie to Ellie. If he had told her the truth she probably would have gone back to the Fireflies to finish her mission and die so they could extract the cure from her.
Even if Joel had managed to prevent her from leaving she would have despised him for taking away her chance to redeem her guilt. This would have made it very difficult to maintain a healthy relationship with her.
It is left unclear whether Ellie actually believes the lie. The game ends on a very doubting looking Ellie suggesting that she knows she is being lied to. My interpretation is that she knows but also sees that Joel is very attached to her and understands why he lies. Maybe his words in their final conversation also moved her to let go of her initial mission to help find the cure.
Joel: I struggled for a long time with survivin'. And you— No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.
Ellie's well being gives Joel's life meaning and purpose, something to fight for; Ellie is his 'raison d'etre' if you will.
Drawing Joel From The Last Of Us
ChrisChris
Yes, Joel lied to Ellie about the Fireflies. The motivation of the lie isn't clearly stated and up to speculation.
One could argue that he either saw Ellie as his daughter and did not want to lose her again no matter the consequence or he did not accept the sacrifice of a child as a valid approach to cure humanity.
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protected by Wrigglenite♦Jun 4 at 20:26
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The Last of Us | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Naughty Dog |
Publisher(s) | Sony Computer Entertainment |
Director(s) | |
Designer(s) | Jacob Minkoff |
Programmer(s) |
|
Artist(s) | |
Writer(s) | Neil Druckmann |
Composer(s) | Gustavo Santaolalla |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 |
Release | June 14, 2013 |
Genre(s) | Action-adventure, survival horror |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
The Last of Us is an action-adventuresurvival horrorvideo game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for the PlayStation 3 worldwide on June 14, 2013. Players control Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States. The Last of Us is played from a third-person perspective. Players use firearms and improvised weapons, and can use stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus. In the online multiplayer mode, up to eight players engage in cooperative and competitive gameplay.
Development of The Last of Us began in 2009, soon after the release of Naughty Dog's previous game, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. For the first time in the company's history, Naughty Dog split into two teams; while one team developed Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, the other half developed The Last of Us. The relationship between Joel and Ellie became the central focus of the game, with all other elements developed around it. Actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson portrayed Joel and Ellie respectively through voice and motion capture, and assisted creative director Neil Druckmann with the development of the characters and story. The original score was composed and performed by Gustavo Santaolalla.
Following its announcement in December 2011, The Last of Us was widely anticipated. Upon release, it received critical acclaim, with praise directed at its narrative, gameplay, visual and sound design, characterization, and depiction of female characters. The Last of Us became one of the best-selling games on the PlayStation 3, as well as one of the best-selling video games of all time. It sold over 1.3 million units in its first week. As of May 2019 it had sold 8,150,000 copies on the PS3[1] and 11,780,000 on the PS4 with its remastered version.[2]won year-end accolades, including multiple Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications, critics, and game award ceremonies, making it one of the most awarded games in history, and is considered one of the greatest video games ever made.
After the game's release, Naughty Dog released several downloadable content additions. The Last of Us: Left Behind adds a single-player campaign following Ellie and her best friend Riley. An enhanced edition of the original game, The Last of Us Remastered, was released for the PlayStation 4 in July 2014.[a] A sequel, The Last of Us Part II, was announced in December 2016.
- 1Gameplay
- 3Development
- 4Reception
- 7References
Gameplay[edit]
The Last of Us is an action-adventuresurvival horror game played from a third-person perspective.[3] The player traverses across post-apocalyptic environments such as towns, buildings, forest and sewers to advance the story. The player can use firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus. For most of the game, the player takes control of Joel, a man tasked with escorting a young girl, Ellie, across the United States; Ellie and other companions are controlled by the artificial intelligence.[4] The player also controls Ellie throughout the game's winter segment.[5]
In combat, the player can use long-range weapons, such as rifles, shotguns, and bows, and short-range weapons such as handguns and short-barreled shotguns. The player is able to scavenge limited-use melee weapons, such as pipes and baseball bats, and throw bottles and bricks to distract, stun, or attack enemies.[6] The player can upgrade weapons at workbenches using collected items. Equipment such as health kits, shivs, and Molotov cocktails can be found or crafted using collected items. Attributes such as the health meter and crafting speed can be upgraded by collecting pills and medicinal plants. Health can be recharged through the use of health kits.[7]
Listen Mode allows players to discover the position of enemies and characters by displaying their outline through walls, achieved through a heightened sense of hearing and spatial awareness.[8]
Though the player can attack enemies directly, they can also use stealth to attack undetected or sneak by them, which is especially important when dealing with certain types of infected as they can kill the player instantly if they make physical contact. 'Listen Mode' allows the player to locate enemies through a heightened sense of hearing and spatial awareness, indicated as outlines visible through walls and objects.[8] In the dynamic cover system, the player can crouch behind obstacles to gain a tactical advantage during combat.[9] The game features periods without combat, often involving conversation between the characters.[10] The player can solve simple puzzles, such as using floating pallets to move Ellie, who is unable to swim, across bodies of water, and using ladders or dumpsters to reach higher areas. Story collectibles, such as notes, maps and comics, can be scavenged and viewed in the backpack menu.[11]
The game features an artificial intelligence system by which hostile human enemies react to combat. If enemies discover the player, they may take cover or call for assistance, and can take advantage of the player when they are distracted, out of ammunition, or in a fight. Player companions, such as Ellie, can assist in combat by throwing objects at threats to stun them, announcing the location of unseen enemies, or using a knife and pistol to attack enemies.[12]
Multiplayer[edit]
The online multiplayer allows up to eight players to engage in competitive gameplay in recreations of multiple single-player settings. The game features three multiplayer game types: Supply Raid and Survivors are both team deathmatches, with the latter excluding the ability to respawn;[13] Interrogation features teams investigating the location of the enemy team's lockbox, and the first to capture such lockbox wins.[14] In every mode, players select a faction—Hunters (a group of hostile survivors) or Fireflies (a revolutionary militia group)—and keep their clan alive by collecting supplies during matches. Each match is equal to one day; by surviving twelve 'weeks', players have completed a journey and can re-select their Faction.[15] Killing enemies, reviving allies, and crafting items earn the player parts that can be converted to supplies; supplies can also be scavenged from enemies' bodies. Players are able to carry more equipment by earning points as their clan's supplies grow. Players can connect the game to their Facebook account, which alters clan members' names and faces to match the players' Facebook friends.[16] Players have the ability to customize their characters with hats, helmets, masks, and emblems.[17]
On 5 June, 2019 the developer Naughty Dog announced that the multiplayer servers of The Last of Us would be terminated on 4 September along with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.
Plot[edit]
In September 2013, an outbreak of a mutant Cordycepsfungus ravages the United States, transforming its human hosts into aggressive creatures known as the Infected. In the suburbs of Austin, Texas, Joel (Troy Baker) flees the chaos with his brother Tommy (Jeffrey Pierce) and daughter Sarah (Hana Hayes). As they flee, Sarah is shot by a soldier and dies in Joel's arms. Twenty years later, civilization has been destroyed by the infection. Survivors live in heavily policed quarantine zones, independent settlements, and nomadic groups. Joel works as a smuggler with his partner Tess (Annie Wersching) in the quarantine zone in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. They hunt down Robert (Robin Atkin Downes), a black-market dealer, to recover a stolen weapons cache. Before Tess kills him, Robert reveals that he traded the cache with the Fireflies, an extremist militia opposing the quarantine zone authorities.
The leader of the Fireflies, Marlene (Merle Dandridge), promises to double their cache in return for smuggling a teenage girl, Ellie (Ashley Johnson), to Fireflies hiding in the Massachusetts State House outside the quarantine zone. Joel, Tess, and Ellie sneak out in the night, but after an encounter with a government patrol, they discover Ellie is infected. Full infection normally occurs in under two days, but Ellie claims she was infected three weeks ago and that her immunity may lead to a cure. The trio make their way to their destination through hordes of the infected, but find that the Fireflies there have been killed. Tess reveals she has been bitten by an infected and, believing in Ellie's importance, sacrifices herself against pursuing soldiers so she and Joel can escape. Joel decides to find Tommy, a former Firefly, in the hope that he can locate the remaining Fireflies. With the help of Bill (W. Earl Brown), a smuggler and survivalist who owes Joel a favor, they acquire a working vehicle. Driving into Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Joel and Ellie are ambushed by bandits and their car is wrecked. They ally with two brothers, Henry (Brandon Scott) and Sam (Nadji Jeter). After they escape the city, Sam is bitten by an infected but hides it from the group. As his infection takes hold, Sam attacks Ellie, but Henry shoots him dead and commits suicide out of grief.
In the fall, Joel and Ellie finally find Tommy in Jackson County, Colorado, where he has assembled a fortified settlement near an abandoned hydroelectric dam with his wife Maria (Ashley Scott). Joel decides to leave Ellie with Tommy, but she overhears him and runs away, with Joel and Tommy only barely saving her from bandits. Ellie confronts Joel about Sarah, and he decides to let her stay with him. Tommy directs them to a Fireflies enclave at the fictional University of Eastern Colorado. They find the university abandoned, but learn that the remaining Fireflies have moved to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Afterward, the two are attacked by bandits and Joel is severely wounded while escaping.
During the winter, Ellie and Joel take shelter near a old mountain resort. Joel is on the brink of death and relies on Ellie to care for him. Hunting for food, Ellie encounters David (Nolan North) and James (Reuben Langdon), scavengers willing to trade medicine for food; despite initially appearing friendly and cooperative, David turns hostile after revealing the university bandits were part of his group. Ellie manages to lead David's group away from Joel, but is eventually captured; David intends to recruit her, but she refuses after learning that he and his followers are cannibals. She escapes after killing James, but David corners her in a burning restaurant. Meanwhile, Joel recovers from his wounds and sets out to find Ellie. He reaches Ellie as she kills David with a machete and breaks down crying; Joel comforts her before they flee.
In the spring, Joel and Ellie arrive in Salt Lake City. Ellie is rendered unconscious after almost drowning, before they are captured by a Firefly patrol. In the hospital, Marlene tells Joel that Ellie is being prepared for surgery: in hope of producing a vaccine for the infection, the Fireflies must remove the infected portion of Ellie's brain, which will kill her. Unwilling to let Ellie die, Joel battles his way to the operating room and carries the unconscious Ellie to the parking garage. He is confronted by Marlene, whom he shoots and kills to prevent the Fireflies from pursuing them. On the drive out of the city, Joel claims that the Fireflies had found many other immune people but were unable to create a cure, and that they have stopped trying. On the outskirts of Tommy's settlement, Ellie reveals that she was not alone when she was infected and expresses her survivor guilt. At her insistence, Joel swears his story about the Fireflies is true.[18]
Development[edit]
Bruce Straley (left) and Neil Druckmann (right) led development as game director and creative director respectively.[19]
Naughty Dog began developing The Last of Us in 2009, following the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. For the first time in the company's history, Naughty Dog split into two teams; while one team developed Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011), the other began work on The Last of Us.[20] Director Bruce Straley and creative director Neil Druckmann led the team responsible for developing The Last of Us.[19]
While at university, Druckmann had an idea to merge the gameplay of Ico (2001) in a story set during a zombie apocalypse, like that of George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968), with a lead character similar to John Hartigan from Sin City (1991–2000). The lead character, a police officer, would be tasked with protecting a young girl; however, due to the lead character's heart condition, players would often assume control of the young girl, reversing the roles. Druckmann later developed it when creating the story of The Last of Us.[21] Druckmann views The Last of Us as a coming of age story, in which Ellie adapts to survival after spending time with Joel, as well as an exploration of how willing a father is to save his child.[22]
A major motif of the game is that 'life goes on';[23] this is presented in a scene in which Joel and Ellie discover a herd of giraffes, which concept artist John Sweeney explained was designed to 'reignite [Ellie's] lust for life', after her suffering following her encounter with David.[24] The Infected, a core concept of the game, were inspired by a segment of the BBC nature documentary Planet Earth (2006), which featured the Cordyceps fungi.[25] Though the fungi mainly infect insects, taking control of their motor functions and forcing them to help cultivate the fungus,[26] the game explores the concept of the fungus evolving and infecting humans, and the direct results of an outbreak of this infection.[25]
Argentinian musician Gustavo Santaolalla composed and performed the score for The Last of Us.[27]
The relationship between Joel and Ellie was the central focus of the game; all other elements were developed around it. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson were cast as Joel and Ellie, respectively, and provided voice and motion capture performances.[28] Baker and Johnson contributed to the development of the characters;[29] for example, Baker convinced Druckmann that Joel would care for Tess due to his loneliness,[30] and Johnson convinced Druckmann that Ellie should be stronger and more defensive.[29] Ellie's physical appearance was also redesigned throughout development to make her look more similar to Johnson.[31] The game's other characters also underwent changes. The character Tess was originally intended to be the main antagonist of The Last of Us, but the team found it difficult to believe her motives.[32] The sexuality of the character Bill was originally left vague in the script, but later altered to further reflect his homosexuality.[30]
The Last of Us game designer Ricky Cambier cited the video games Ico and Resident Evil 4 as influences on the game design. He said the emotional weight of the relationship needed to be balanced with the tension of the world's issues, stating that they 'wanted to take the character building and interaction' of Ico and 'blend it with the tension and action of Resident Evil 4.'[33]
The Last of Us features an original score composed primarily by Gustavo Santaolalla, along with compositions by Andrew Buresh, Anthony Caruso, and Jonathan Mayer.[27] Known for his minimalist compositions, Santaolalla was contacted early in development. He used various instruments to compose the score, including some that he was unfamiliar with, giving a sense of danger and innocence.[5] This minimalist approach was also taken with the game's sound and art design. The sound of the Infected was one of the first tasks during development; the team experimented with the sound in order to achieve the best work possible. To achieve the sound of the Clicker, they hired voice actress Misty Lee, who provided a sound that audio lead Phillip Kovats described as originating in the 'back of the throat'.[34] The art department took various pieces of work as inspiration, such as Robert Polidori's photographs following Hurricane Katrina, which were used as a reference point when designing the flooded areas of Pittsburgh.[35] The art department were forced to negotiate for things that they wished to include, due to the strong differing opinions of the team during development. Ultimately, the team settled on a balance between simplicity and detail; while Straley and Druckmann preferred the former, the art team preferred the latter.[36] The game's opening credits were produced by Sony's San Diego Studio.[37]
The team created new engines to satisfy their needs for the game. The artificial intelligence was created to coordinate with players;[38] the addition of Ellie as artificial intelligence was a major contributor to the engine.[39] The lighting engine was also re-created to incorporate soft light, in which the sunlight seeps in through spaces and reflects off surfaces.[38] The gameplay introduced difficulty to the team, as they felt that every mechanic required thorough analysis.[30] The game's user interface design also underwent various iterations throughout development.[40]
The Last of Us was announced on December 10, 2011, at the Spike Video Game Awards,[41] alongside its debut trailer[42] and an official press release acknowledging some of the game's features.[4] The announcement ignited widespread anticipation within the gaming industry, which journalists owed to Naughty Dog's reputation.[43][44][45] The game missed its original projected release date of May 7, 2013, and was pushed to June 14, 2013 worldwide for further polishing.[46] To promote pre-order sales, Naughty Dog collaborated with several retailers to provide special editions of the game with extra content.[47]
Additional content[edit]
Downloadable content (DLC) for the game was released following its launch. The game's Season Pass includes access to all DLC, as well as some additional abilities, and the documentary Grounded: Making The Last of Us;[48] the documentary was released online in February 2014.[49] Two DLC packs were included with some of the game's special editions and were available upon release. The Sights and Sounds Pack included the soundtrack, a dynamic theme for the PlayStation 3 home screen, and two avatars. The Survival Pack featured bonus skins for the player following the completion of the campaign, and in-game money, as well as bonus experience points and early access to customizable items for the game's multiplayer.[50]Abandoned Territories Map Pack, released on October 15, 2013, added four new multiplayer maps, based on locations in the game's story.[51]Nightmare Bundle, released on November 5, 2013, added a collection of ten head items, nine of which are available to purchase separately.[52]
The Last of Us: Left Behind adds a single-player campaign which serves as a prequel to the main storyline, featuring Ellie and her friend Riley. It was released on February 14, 2014 as DLC[53] and on May 12, 2015 as a standalone expansion pack.[54] A third bundle was released on May 6, 2014, featuring five separate DLC: Grounded added a new difficulty to the main game and Left Behind; Reclaimed Territories Map Pack added new multiplayer maps; Professional Survival Skills Bundle and Situational Survival Skills Bundle added eight new multiplayer skills; and Survivalist Weapon Bundle added four new weapons.[55] The Grit and Gear Bundle, which added new headgear items, masks and gestures, was released on August 5, 2014.[56] A Game of the Year Edition containing all downloadable content was released in Europe on November 11, 2014.[57]
The Last of Us Remastered[edit]
On April 9, 2014, Sony announced The Last of Us Remastered, an enhanced version of the game for the PlayStation 4. It was released on July 29, 2014 in North America.[58][a]Remastered features improved graphics and rendering upgrades, including increased draw distance, an upgraded combat mechanic, and higher frame rate.[62] Other enhancements include advanced audio options, an audio commentary, and a Photo Mode. It includes the previously released downloadable content, including Left Behind and some multiplayer maps.[63] The development team aimed to create a 'true' remaster, maintaining the 'core experience'[64] and major story and gameplay elements.[65]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Reception | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Last of Us received critical acclaim.[76]Review aggregator website Metacritic calculated an average score of 95 out of 100, indicating 'universal acclaim', based on 98 reviews.[66] It is the fifth-highest rated PlayStation 3 game on Metacritic.[b] Reviewers praised the character development, story and subtext, visual and sound design, and depiction of female and LGBT characters. The game is considered one of the most significant titles of the seventh generation of video games,[78] and has been included among the greatest video games of all time.[79] Colin Moriarty of IGN called The Last of Us 'a masterpiece' and 'PlayStation 3's best exclusive',[72] and Edge considered it 'the most riveting, emotionally resonant story-driven epic' of the console generation.[68] Oli Welsh of Eurogamer wrote that it is 'a beacon of hope' for the survival horror genre;[69] Andy Kelly of Computer and Video Games declared it 'Naughty Dog's finest moment'.[67]
Kelly of Computer and Video Games found the story memorable,[67] and IGN's Moriarty named it one of the game's standout features.[72]PlayStation Official Magazine's David Meikleham wrote that the pacing contributed to the improvement of the story, stating that there is 'a real sense of time elapsed and journey traveled along every step of the way',[74] and Destructoid's Jim Sterling lauded the game's suspenseful moments.[80] Richard Mitchell of Joystiq found that the narrative improved the character relationships.[73]
The characters—particularly the relationship between Joel and Ellie—received acclaim. Matt Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the relationship felt identifiable, naming it 'poignant' and 'well-drawn'.[70]Eurogamer's Welsh wrote that the characters were developed with 'real patience and skill', appreciating their emotional value,[69] and Joystiq's Mitchell found the relationship 'genuine' and emotional.[73]PlayStation Official Magazine's Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters of any PlayStation 3 game,[74] while IGN's Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game.[72] Kelly of Computer and Video Games named the characters 'richly painted', feeling invested in their stories.[67] Philip Kollar of Polygon felt that Ellie was believable, making it easier to develop a connection to her, and that the relationship between the characters was assisted by the game's optional conversations.[75] The character performances also received praise,[70][72][80] with Edge and Eurogamer's Welsh noting that the script improved as a result.[68][69]
Many reviewers found the game's combat a refreshing difference from other games. Game Informer's Helgeson appreciated the vulnerability during fights,[70] while Kelly of Computer and Video Games enjoyed the variety in approaching the combat.[67] IGN's Moriarty felt that the crafting system assisted the combat, and that the latter contributed to the narrative's emotional value, adding that enemies feel 'human'.[72] Joystiq's Mitchell reiterated similar comments, stating that the combat 'piles death upon death on Joel's hands'.[73] Welsh of Eurogamer found the suspenseful and threatening encounters added positively to the gameplay.[69] Tom Mc Shea of GameSpot wrote that the artificial intelligence negatively affected the combat, with enemies often ignoring players' companions.[71]Polygon's Kollar felt that the combat was unfair, especially when fighting the Infected.[75]
An artistic design of a location in the post-apocalyptic United States. Reviewers praised the design and layouts of the locations. The game's visual features, both artistic and graphic, were also well received.
The game's visual features were commended by many reviewers. The art design was lauded as 'outstanding' by Computer and Video Games' Kelly,[67] and 'jaw-dropping' by Eurogamer's Welsh.[69] In contrast, Mc Shea of GameSpot identified the visual representation of the post-apocalyptic world was 'mundane', having been portrayed various times previously.[71] The game's graphics have been frequently named by critics as the best for a PlayStation 3 game, with Helgeson of Game Informer naming them 'unmatched in console gaming'[70] and Moriarty of IGN stating that they contribute to the realism.[72] Destructoid's Sterling wrote that game was visually impressive but that technical issues, such as some 'muddy and basic' textures found early in the game, left a negative impact on the visuals.[80]
The world and environments of the game drew acclaim from many reviewers. Kelly of Computer and Video Games stated that the environments are 'large, detailed, and littered with secrets', adding that The Last of Us 'masks' its linearity successfully.[67]Edge repeated similar remarks, writing that the level design serves the story appropriately.[68] Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the world 'effectively and gorgeously [conveys] the loneliness' of the story.[70] IGN's Moriarty appreciated the added design elements placed around the game world, such as the hidden notes and letters.[72]
Reviewers praised the use of sound in The Last of Us. Eurogamer's Welsh felt that the sound design was significantly better than in other games,[69] while Game Informer's Helgeson dubbed it 'amazing'.[70] Mc Shea of GameSpot stated that the audio added to the effect of the gameplay, particularly when hiding from enemies.[71] Kelly of Computer and Video Games found that the environmental audio positively impacted gameplay, and that Gustavo Santaolalla's score was 'sparse and delicate'.[67] Both Game Informer's Helgeson and Destructoid's Sterling called the score 'haunting',[70] with the latter finding that it complements the gameplay.[80]
The graphic depiction of violence in The Last of Us generated substantial commentary from critics. Engadget writer Ben Gilbert found the game's persistent focus on combat was 'a necessary evil to lead the game's fragile protagonist duo to safety', as opposed to being used as a method to achieve objectives.[81]Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton wrote that the violence was 'heavy, consequential and necessary', as opposed to gratuitous.[3]USGamer's Anthony John Agnello wrote that the game consistently reinforces the negativity associated with violence, intentionally making players feel uncomfortable while in violent combat. He stated that the deaths within the game were not unnecessary or unjustified, making the story more powerful.[82] Kelly of Computer and Video Games stated that, despite the 'incredibly brutal' combat, the violence never felt gratuitous.[67]Eurogamer's Welsh echoed similar remarks, stating that the violence is not 'desensitized or mindless'.[69] Matt Helgeson of Game Informer observed that the game's violence leads to players questioning the morality of their choices.[70] Joystiq's Mitchell wrote that the violence is 'designed to be uncomfortable', stating that it contributes to Joel's character.[73] Prior to the release of the game, Keith Stuart of The Guardian wrote that the acceptability of the violence would depend on its context within the game.[83]
Many critics discussed the game's depiction of female characters. Jason Killingsworth of Edge praised its lack of sexualized female characters, writing that it 'offers a refreshing antidote to the sexism and regressive gender attitudes of most blockbuster videogames'.[84]Eurogamer's Ellie Gibson praised Ellie as 'sometimes strong, sometimes vulnerable, but never a cliché'.[85] She felt that Ellie is initially established as a 'damsel in distress', but that this concept is subverted.[85] GameSpot's Carolyn Petit praised the female characters as morally conflicted and sympathetic, but wrote that gender in video games should be evaluated 'based on their actual merits, not in relation to other games'.[86] Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times acknowledged that Ellie was a likable and 'sometimes powerful' character, but argued that The Last of Us is 'actually the story of Joel', stating that it's 'another video game by men, for men and about men'.[87]The Last of Us was also praised for its depiction of LGBT characters. Sam Einhorn of GayGamer.net felt that the revelation of Bill's sexuality 'added to his character .. without really tokenizing him'.[88] American organization GLAAD named Bill one of the 'most intriguing new LGBT characters of 2013', calling him 'deeply flawed but wholly unique'.[89] A kiss between two female characters in Left Behind was met with positive reactions.[90][91]
Sales[edit]
Within seven days of its release, The Last of Us sold over 1.3 million units, becoming the biggest video game launch of 2013 at the time.[92] Three weeks after its release, the game sold over 3.4 million units, and was deemed the biggest launch of an original game since 2011's L.A. Noire[93] and the fastest-selling PlayStation 3 game of 2013 at the time.[94] The game became the best-selling digital release on PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3, though numerical sales figures were not disclosed; this record was later beaten by Grand Theft Auto V.[95]The Last of Us ultimately became the tenth best-selling game of 2013.[96] By August 2014, the game had sold eight million copies: seven million on PlayStation 3 and one million on PlayStation 4.[97] By April 2018, the game sold 17 million copies across both consoles.[98] It is the third best-selling PlayStation 3 game of all time.[97] In the United Kingdom, the game remained atop the charts for six consecutive weeks, matching records set by multi-platform titles.[c] Within 48 hours of its release, The Last of Us generated more than the £3 million earned by Man of Steel in the same period.[100] The game also topped the charts in the United States,[101] France,[102] Ireland,[103] Italy,[104] the Netherlands,[105] Sweden,[106] Finland,[106] Norway,[106] Denmark,[106] Spain,[107] and Japan.[108]
Awards[edit]
The Last of Us is one of the most awarded games of all time, winning over 240 Game of the Year awards.[109] Prior to its release, it received numerous awards for its previews at E3.[110][111][112][113][114] It was review aggregators Metacritic and GameRankings' second-highest rated for the year 2013, behind Grand Theft Auto V.[115][116] The game appeared on several year-end lists of the best games of 2013, receiving wins from the 41st Annie Awards,[117]The A.V. Club,[118] the British Academy Video Games Awards,[119]Canada.com,[120]Daily Mirror,[121]The Daily Telegraph,[122] Destructoid,[123] the 17th Annual DICE Awards,[124]The Escapist,[125]GamesRadar,[126]GameTrailers,[127] the 14th Annual Developers Choice Awards,[128]Game Revolution,[129]Giant Bomb,[130]Good Game,[131]Hardcore Gamer,[132] IGN,[133] IGN Australia,[134]International Business Times,[135]Kotaku,[136][137]National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers,[138]VG247,[139] VideoGamer.com.[140] It was also named the Best PlayStation Game by GameSpot,[141] GameTrailers,[127]Hardcore Gamer,[142] and IGN.[143] Naughty Dog won Studio of the Year and Best Developer from The Daily Telegraph,[122]Edge,[144] the Golden Joystick Awards,[145]Hardcore Gamer,[146] and the 2013 Spike VGX.[147]
Baker and Johnson received multiple nominations for their performances; Baker won awards from Hardcore Gamer[148] and the 2013 Spike VGX,[147] while Johnson won awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards,[119] DICE Awards,[124] VGX 2013,[147] and from The Daily Telegraph.[122] The game's story also received awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards,[119] the DICE Awards,[124] the Game Developers Choice Awards,[128] the Golden Joystick Awards,[145] and the Writers Guild of America Awards,[149] and from GameTrailers,[127] Giant Bomb,[150]Hardcore Gamer,[151] and IGN.[152] The sound design and music received awards at the DICE Awards,[124] the Inside Gaming Awards,[145] and from IGN.[153][154] The game's graphical and artistic design also won awards from Destructoid,[155] the DICE Awards,[124] the Golden Joystick Awards,[145] and IGN.[156][157]
The Last of Us was awarded Outstanding Innovation in Gaming at the DICE Awards,[124] and Best Third Person Shooter from GameTrailers.[127] The game received Best New IP from Hardcore Gamer,[158] Best Newcomer at the Golden Joystick Awards,[145] and Best Debut from Giant Bomb.[159] It received Best Overall Sound,[153] Best PlayStation 3 Multiplayer,[160] and Best Action-Adventure Game on PlayStation 3,[161] and overall at IGN's Best of 2013 Awards.[162] It also won Best Action-Adventure Game at the British Academy Video Games Awards,[119] and The Escapist,[163] as well as Best Action Game from Hardcore Gamer[164] and Adventure Game of the Year at the DICE Awards.[124]
Adaptations[edit]
A four-issue comic book miniseries, titled The Last of Us: American Dreams, was published by Dark Horse Comics from April to July 2013. Written by Druckmann and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks, the comics serve as a prequel to the game, chronicling the journey of a younger Ellie and Riley.[165] On July 28, 2014, the cast of the game performed a live reading of selected scenes in Santa Monica, California, with live music by Santaolalla. The performance was hosted and directed by Druckmann, with graphics by Alex Hobbs.[166]
On March 6, 2014, Sony announced that Screen Gems will distribute a film adaptation of The Last of Us, written by Druckmann and produced by Sam Raimi.[167] By January 2015, Druckmann had written the script's second draft, and performed a read-through with some actors.[168] Very little work occurred following this, as Druckmann stated in April 2016 that the film had entered development hell.[169] In November 2016, Raimi stated that the film was at a standstill after Sony had a disagreement with Druckmann.[170] Actress Maisie Williams expressed enthusiasm in playing Ellie, and was in talks with both Druckmann and Raimi to take the role.[171]
Sequel[edit]
In February 2014, Druckmann said Naughty Dog were considering a sequel but needed to find a story 'really worth telling, and that's not repeating itself'.[172] In September 2015, Druckmann stated that a small team had begun building prototypes, but shifted development to Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, released in May 2016.[173]
Sony announced The Last of Us Part II at the PlayStation Experience event on December 3, 2016.[174][175] The story takes place about five years after the first game; Ellie and Joel return, with players controlling Ellie.[176] Santaolalla will return to compose the music,[177] and Druckmann will return to write the story alongside Halley Gross.[178] Straley will not return as game director.[179]
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ abThe Last of Us Remastered was released on different dates, dependent on territory: July 29, 2014 in North America; July 30, 2014 in Europe, Australia and New Zealand; and August 1, 2014 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[59][60][61]
- ^The Last of Us shares its status as fifth-highest rated PlayStation 3 game on Metacritic with Red Dead Redemption (2010), Portal 2 (2011) and LittleBigPlanet (2008). The PlayStation 3 games that are rated higher than The Last of Us on Metacritic are Grand Theft Auto IV (2008), Grand Theft Auto V (2013), Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) and Batman: Arkham City (2011).[77]
- ^Other games that remained atop the UK charts for six consecutive weeks include FIFA 12 (2011) and Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012).[99]
Footnotes[edit]
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External links[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to: The Last of Us |
- Official website
- The Last of Us on IMDb
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Last_of_Us&oldid=904930114'
Lastofus_joel.jpg | |
First Appearance | The Last of Us |
Sex | Male |
Nationality | American |
Allies | Ellie |
Voice Actor(s) | Troy Baker (US) |
Joel is the main protagonist in The Last of Us. A man in his late 40s from Texas. Hardened by the atrocities and devastation left by the fungal infection, Joel works as a black market dealer within the quarantine zone, selling drugs and weapons of sorts.
According to Game Informer (Issue 227, March 2012), a traumatic event occurs within the quarantine zone that involves Ellie, Joel's companion. Joel makes a promise to a friend that he will take care of her. They become fugitives, travel out of military quarantine zones and across the US, having to deal with both dodging the military and surviving The Infected and scavengers, as they continue to travel west through the United States.
According to Naughty Dog, Joel's character is heavily influenced by Rooster Cogburn from True Grit. He is portrayed as a 'violent character that has gone someplace dark. He is essentially dead inside.' Teamed up with Ellie, 'He gets a chance at redemption when they are introduced to this child, this person who still has some innocence left.'
Comments
The two lead characters of The Last of Us, Ellie (left) and Joel (right) in a promotional image for the game.
The Last of Us, an action-adventuresurvival horror video game developed by Naughty Dog, deals with the relationship between an older man, Joel, and a teenaged girl, Ellie. Joel is tasked with escorting Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States in an attempt to create a potential cure against an infection to which Ellie is immune. The relationship between the two characters became the basis of the game's development.
Joel is the primary playable character of the game, though players assume control of Ellie for a short portion. Throughout their journey, Joel and Ellie meet various characters: Tess, a survivor who is closely acquainted with Joel, Marlene, leader of the militia group the Fireflies; Bill, a survivor who fortified his own town; Henry and Sam, brothers from Pittsburgh; Joel's brother Tommy and his wife Maria who have built their own settlement; and David, the leader of a group of cannibals. In addition, Joel's daughter Sarah appears in the game's prologue, and Ellie's friend Riley Abel is featured in the downloadable content pack The Last of Us: Left Behind.
Autocad 2007 free download. Jan 29, 2014 - To install the AutoCAD Offline Help to your computer or to a local network location, select from the list of languages below. Autodesk provides students, educators, and institutions free access to AutoCAD software. Choose your version. You cannot download the product on this device, but you can email yourself the link to download it later on your PC or Mac.
A team at Naughty Dog designed the character appearances, and creative director Neil Druckmann was the main writer of their personalities and mannerisms. The actors were given considerable license to improvise the lines and influence character personality, simultaneously performing the motion capture work for their characters. Various characters were influenced by the story progression, ultimately becoming completely different from the initial vision. The relationship of the characters received praise from several gaming publications, and the acting has resulted in multiple awards, including two BAFTAs and a DICE Award.
- 2Lead characters
- 3Secondary characters
Creation and conception[edit]
Neil Druckmann worked as the creative director on The Last of Us, writing the game's story and developing the characters.
The relationship between the characters of Joel and Ellie, portrayed by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, respectively, was the central focus of the game's development. Creative director Neil Druckmann wrote the game's script, particularly focusing on the characters.[1] Though the development team quickly felt that Johnson fit the role of Ellie, they spent more time selecting the actor of Joel, as the chemistry between the two characters was imperative to the game. After Baker and Johnson played alongside each other, the team realized that the former perfectly fit the role of Joel, despite the actor's young age. Baker and Johnson contributed greatly to the development of the characters.[2] For example, Baker convinced Druckmann that Joel would care for Tess due to his loneliness,[3] and Johnson convinced Druckmann to re-write the character of Ellie in a stronger and more defensive manner.[2] Some of the dialogue between the duo was improvised by the actors; Druckmann attributed this to the fact that the script included an unnecessary number of lines during gameplay sections, and he allowed the actors to choose what they felt was necessary.[4] From the beginning of development, the team intended for The Last of Us to feature dual protagonists with strong individual story arcs.[5] The character interactions were inspired by the relationship between Nathan Drake and Tenzin in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009), in turn inspired by the video game Ico (2001). The game's protagonists represent the two eras that are shown in the game; Joel represents the world before the outbreak, having spent most of his life during this period, while Ellie represents the world after the outbreak, as she was born in the post-apocalyptic world. While the former is emotionally damaged due to the loss that he has experienced, the latter maintains an optimistic view of life, having become familiar to the damaged world;[6] spending time with each other saw these qualities overlapping, with Joel become more lively, and Ellie learning more survival skills.[5]
The character's performances were mostly recorded using motion capture technology; approximately 85% of the game's animations were recorded using motion capture, with remaining audio elements recorded later in a studio.[7]The development team felt that the post-apocalyptic world and the survival horror genre gave them the opportunity to better develop the characters. Taking inspiration from their work on the Uncharted games, the team used their knowledge of paralleling characters with the conflict in both gameplay and stories when developing The Last of Us. They also took inspiration from the books The Road (2006) and City of Thieves (2008), and the film No Country for Old Men (2007),[5] noting that they all include memorable characters and using this as a point of inspiration.[8] '[W]e can make you as a player feel more of what it's truly like to exist inside of a world where every bullet counts and each step you take is a conscious choice that's going to make or break your existence,' said Straley.[5] The team also felt that the 'pressures of the world' allowed them to better develop their characters. They felt that the pressure forced the characters to make interesting decisions, allowing better development.[5]
Lead characters[edit]
Joel[edit]
Veteran voice actor Troy Baker portrayed Joel in The Last of Us. The development team attributed Baker's voice and movement to their choice of casting him in the role.[1]
Joel (Troy Baker) is the protagonist of The Last of Us. Originally from Texas, Joel was a single father in his late 20s when the initial Cordyceps outbreak occurred. Fleeing with his brother Tommy and his twelve-year-old daughter Sarah, they got involved in a firefight with a soldier, and Sarah was mortally wounded and died in his arms, leaving him traumatized. In the 20 years that follow, Joel did whatever he had to do to survive.[9][10] In the time spent in the brutal post-apocalyptic world, still bitter from his daughter's death, Joel became a hardened survivor, physically and mentally tough. He has a brutal fighting style and is capable of taking on and defeating much younger men in hand-to-hand combat.
Twenty years after Sarah's death, Joel works as a smuggler in the Boston quarantine zone with his friend and partner Tess. While out searching for a former accomplice who stole some of their merchandise, Joel and Tess are tasked by Marlene, an acquaintance and leader of a rebel militia called the Fireflies, to smuggle Ellie to a rendezvous point at the Massachusetts State House. Making their way there, Joel discovers that Ellie is immune to the infection. Upon their arrival, Tess reveals that she has sustained a bite on the journey, and insists Joel finds Tommy, a former Firefly, in order to continue the mission. Joel is initially surly and short towards Ellie, though he begins to warm up to her as their journey continues. This is compounded when Joel, having initially asked Tommy to carry on in his place after meeting up with him at his settlement in Jackson County, Colorado, changes his mind and carries on as planned. Their bond deepens when Ellie nearly loses Joel to a severe injury, and when he comes to her aid after she is nearly killed by a band of cannibals. Ultimately, Joel shows his devotion to Ellie when he chooses to rescue her from the doctors who plan to remove and examine her brain, as opposed to allowing her to die. To ensure they are not pursued, Joel kills Marlene. Driving away, Ellie wakes up, after which Joel tells her the doctors gave up on discovering a cure. Ellie later confronts him about the events, and Joel swears to her that he was telling the truth.
When designing Joel's physical appearance, the team tried to make him look 'flexible enough' to allow for him to appear as both a 'ruthless operator in the underground of a quarantined city' as well as a 'caring father figure to Ellie'.[11] His appearance was aimed to evoke 'rural Americana', referencing values of self-reliance and ingenuity when facing hardship and deprivation.[11] When writing the character of Joel, Druckmann initially took inspiration from Josh Brolin's portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men (2007), which he saw as 'very quiet, very cool under pressure'. However, Baker's interpretation of Joel as a more emotional person evolved the character in a different way.[12] Ultimately, the narrative became an exploration of how willing a father is to save a child; initially, Joel is willing to sacrifice himself, before evolving where he is willing to sacrifice his friends, until finally feeling that he would sacrifice all of humanity in order to save Ellie.[5]
Druckmann felt that players, specifically parents, would be able to relate to Joel's character and his bonding with Ellie.[13] Baker believes that Joel discovers morality throughout the game's narrative, working out the difference between loss and sacrifice, and his true personality begins to show.[14] Druckmann became intrigued by players who discussed Joel's morality, distinguishing him as a hero or villain; Druckmann felt that Joel was only 'a complex person who's made good and bad decisions', but allowed it to be open to interpretation.[15] When auditioning for the role, Baker read a phrase on the character sheet that stated Joel had 'few moral lines left to cross', which became the 'anchor point' to the character for him.[1] Baker found great difficulty in filming the game's prologue, which features scenes with Joel and his daughter Sarah, portrayed by Hana Hayes. Upon later viewing of the first day of footage from the scene, Druckmann felt that it could still be improved. When filming the scene again, Druckmann explained to Baker how to perform it, and felt that it was the best take upon doing so. Though Baker initially found the take too 'mechanical', he retroactively realized that he had been previously trying to impress audiences by his acting, and that it was 'not what the scene needed'.[1]
Ellie[edit]
Ashley Johnson was excited to portray Ellie in The Last of Us, as she felt that video games rarely feature such strong female characters.[1]
Ellie (Ashley Johnson) is a fourteen-year-old orphan and the other main playable character in the game, and one of the few characters to have never known life before the infection. Much of her backstory is revealed in the additional content The Last of Us: Left Behind and the comic book miniseries The Last of Us: American Dreams.[16][17]
After surviving a bite from the Infected, Ellie is tasked to Joel to be escorted to the Fireflies. Initially annoyed by Joel's surliness, Ellie starts to feel a strong attachment to him. After experiencing a traumatizing encounter in the Winter, in which Ellie is nearly raped and murdered by a band of cannibals, she becomes withdrawn and introverted. When Joel finally gets her to the Fireflies, it is discovered that she has a mutant strain of the Cordyceps fungus growing on her brain, which may be used to create a vaccine; in order to extract the fungi, an operation on Ellie's brain is required, that will likely kill her. While she is being prepared for surgery, Joel makes his way to the operating room and carries her to safety. When Ellie awakens from unconsciousness, Joel lies by telling her that the Fireflies found many other subjects, and had stopped looking for a cure. Ellie later confronts him about it, demanding to know the truth. When he reassures her that he is telling the truth, she replies with 'Okay'.[18]
The team felt that the establishing the physical appearance of Ellie was 'critical'; they felt that she needed to appear young enough to make her relationship with Joel believable, but old enough to be credible as a resourceful teenager capable of surviving.[19] When questioned about the inspiration for Ellie as a gameplay feature, Druckmann recalled when he and Straley were brainstorming ideas for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and created a mute character who would summon the player to follow them, creating a 'beautiful' relationship through gameplay alone. Though this concept was never included in the final game, the idea was raised when the team were discussing a new project, ultimately inspiring Ellie.[5] Following the release of Left Behind, in which Ellie is seen kissing her friend Riley, Druckmann has confirmed that she is gay.[20]
Secondary characters[edit]
Marlene[edit]
Joel From The Last Of Us Look Alike
Marlene (Merle Dandridge) is the leader of the Fireflies, a militia movement hoping to wrest control of the Quarantine Zones from the military. She was tasked by Ellie's mother, a close friend of hers, to look out for her daughter, but Ellie only met her after her infection. After being wounded in Boston, she offers to sell Joel and Tess the merchandise Robert stole from them and sold to her in return for smuggling Ellie out of the Quarantine Zone. Joel meets Marlene again at the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City, where scientists are running tests on Ellie. Marlene reveals that they will operate on Ellie, which will result in her death; Joel disagrees with the operation and fights back. After Joel rescues Ellie, Marlene tries to stop him from leaving, insisting that taking Ellie will merely delay her death until a more gruesome one occurs, and Ellie's return to her would help to create a cure against the infection. Joel disregards her and instead shoots her in the stomach. She begs for her life, but Joel executes her with a shot to the head, ensuring that no-one is left to come after them.
The team aimed for Marlene's physical design to make her look 'capable and in control', while conveying compassion, to result in players believing that she does care for Ellie.[21] Dandridge found the character of Marlene to be complex, believing that she 'wants to do the best thing for the greater good', but events in her life have resulted in a confused moral standing.[22] Though she personally believed that Marlene is a fundamentally 'good' person, Dandridge felt that the ambiguous morality of the characters is a significant contributor to the interest in their humanity.[22] Dandridge also appreciated the use of motion capture, comparing it to theater productions.[23]
Tess[edit]
Annie Wersching, who portrayed Tess, was impressed by the game's inclusion of unique female characters.[13]
Tess (Annie Wersching) is Joel's smuggling partner and friend. After chasing down and killing Robert, a former accomplice who stole their merchandise, Tess and Joel are offered their merchandise back from Robert's buyer Marlene if they agree to help smuggle Ellie to the State Capitol building outside of the Quarantine Zone with Joel. She and Joel successfully make it to the Capitol building, only to discover upon arrival that the people they are meant to rendezvous with are all dead. When Joel protests that they must return, Tess insists that she cannot go any further and reveals she was bitten on the journey. As soldiers arrive at the building, Tess orders Joel, as a last obligation to her, to find Tommy and get Ellie to the Fireflies, before sending them off while she covers them. Tess is then killed in the subsequent gunfight, ensuring she never turns.
When designing the physical appearance of Tess, the team aimed to make her look 'tough and capable', striving to add an element of strength in order to show that she might be more ruthless than Joel.[24] Tess was originally intended to be featured as the main antagonist of The Last of Us, pursuing Joel for a year before a final confrontation in which she is killed by Ellie. However, the team found it difficult to believe that Tess would dispute with Joel and pursue him for a year; this was solved by majorly altering the story.[25] Wersching was impressed by the script, and Druckmann's ability to write unique female characters.[13] When writing the game's female characters, particularly Tess and Ellie, Druckmann avoided external influences, such as the media's portrayal of women, as he wished to write his own story.[13]
Tommy[edit]
Tommy (Jeffrey Pierce) is Joel's brother. At the initial outbreak, he picked Joel and Sarah up in his car to take them to safety. When the car is hit by a truck, he defends Joel as he carries Sarah, whose leg is badly hurt. After Sarah's death, Joel and Tommy initially survive together, but differing outlooks and Joel's hardened ways led to their estrangement, and Tommy left to join the Fireflies. After becoming disillusioned, he subsequently left them as well, and built a settlement around a working power plant in Wyoming with his wife, Maria. Many years later, Joel arrives at Tommy's settlement, and the brothers are reunited. Tommy initially refuses to take Ellie off Joel's hands, but upon seeing their close bond and realizing that Joel doesn't trust himself to protect Ellie, he agrees to take her to Marlene himself. However, Ellie confronts Joel about Sarah and, after having a change of heart, Joel and Ellie continue their journey after Tommy promises them sanctuary should they need it.
The development team aimed for Tommy's physical appearance to resemble Joel 'in stature and rugged toughness', but also to express his compassionate approach to the world.[26] While Tommy shares Joel's 'gritty masculinity', he also has a gentleness which Joel lacks.[26] Pierce originally auditioned for the role of Joel, which was later given to Troy Baker. When the team was required to cast an actor for the role of Tommy, they immediately contacted Pierce, as they were impressed by his audition. Baker felt that the chemistry between him and Pierce assisted in the realistic relationship between Joel and Tommy.[27]
Bill[edit]
Bill (W. Earl Brown) is a survivor who lives just outside Boston, and is a business partner of Joel and Tess. A paranoid, aggressive and distrustful man in his late forties, Bill lives alone in a heavily fortified town, laden with booby traps that include some captured Infected. During the game, Joel finds Bill in the hope that he will pay off a debt by fixing up a car for them to drive to Tommy's, but Bill insists that the only working car battery is in the unexplored part of town. After fighting their way to the local high school, Bill discovers the battery he was going to use is missing. They escape the swarms of infected surrounding the school, and find themselves in an abandoned house, where Bill discovers his partner, Frank, has committed suicide by hanging there, and it is revealed that the two had had a falling out and Frank had been planning to escape in Bill's car. After getting the car started, Joel drops Bill off, and expresses sympathy for what happened between him and Frank. Bill merely responds by ensuring that their debt is settled and then ordering Joel to leave the town.
Bill's appearance was designed to reflect practicality, as opposed to self-expression; most of his clothing and gear can also be used as a survival tool.[28] Bill is revealed to be homosexual at one point in the game. Druckmann initially left this vague in the script, but was inspired at the script read-through to alter a few lines to further reflect Bill's sexuality.[3] To make Bill interesting, Druckmann explored the concept of contradictory statements; while Bill states that becoming attached to people will lower chances of survival, it is revealed that he had a partner that he really cared for. Bill's role in the game was also to voice Joel's concerns about escorting Ellie, as Joel doesn't voice them. '[T]he reason to have Bill there is that Bill can actually say that to Joel, and warn Joel about that stuff,' Druckmann said.[29] Sam Einhorn of GayGamer.net felt that the revelation of Bill's sexuality 'added to his character .. without really tokenizing him'.[30] American organization GLAAD named Bill one of the 'most intriguing new LGBT characters of 2013', calling him 'deeply flawed but wholly unique'.[31]
Henry and Sam[edit]
Henry (Brandon Scott) and Sam (Nadji Jeter) are two brothers that Ellie and Joel encounter while trying to escape from a group of hunters in Pittsburgh. Henry is 25 years old, while Sam is thirteen. Joel and Henry initially think each other are hostile, until they see Sam and Ellie, respectively. Like Joel, Henry is an experienced survivor, and the two decide to team up, since both pairs are looking for the Fireflies. They work together to overpower the bandits guarding the exit to the Quarantine Zone, and escape to an abandoned radio tower in the Suburbs. There, Joel and Henry bond over their mutual love of motorbikes, but Sam becomes morose and introverted, particularly after a conversation with Ellie over death and the Infected. The next day, it emerges that Sam was bitten while escaping the Suburbs, and he attacks Ellie, forcing Henry to kill him. Overcome with grief and guilt at his brother's death, Henry commits suicide with his gun.
Both the physical appearance and behavior of Henry and Sam were designed to reflect that of Joel and Ellie; the backpack and jeans worn by both duos reflect the physical resemblance, while the behavioral resemblance was in that they are both forced to make tough decisions over time.[32] After Brandon Scott was chosen to portray Henry, the team only showed him some artistic sketches of the game, avoiding specific details about the story. Scott enjoyed portraying the character, particularly due to the fact that he was allowed to introduce elements of his own personality. 'You don't have to plan [the little nuances] .. because you get to just be the character,' Scott said.[33] He also felt that recording the voice and actions simultaneously was 'exciting' and helpful.[33] The team felt that Henry's actions are dedicated to protecting Sam, and that Scott introduced that dedication to the character. Druckmann stated that Henry and Sam's relationship mirrored that of Joel and Ellie's. Ellie was seen by the team as a mentor to Sam. Johnson felt that Sam was 'genuinely scared', admiring this significant difference from the game's other characters.[27]
David[edit]
Veteran voice actor Nolan North was cast as David in The Last of Us. North also portrayed protagonist Nathan Drake in Naughty Dog's Uncharted series.[1]
David (Nolan North) is the leader of a group of cannibals that Ellie runs into at the Lakeside Resort where she is sheltering Joel while he recovers from a grievous wound. Initially, Ellie runs into him and a fellow hunter after killing a deer, and he offers to trade the deer for some penicillin for Joel. After he and Ellie are forced to fend off a swarm of infected, David reveals that he is actually the leader of the gang of hunters that Ellie and Joel had killed previously at the University of Eastern Colorado, when Joel was injured. He allows Ellie to get away, but later tracks her down and kidnaps her, taking her to his base in the town. There, Ellie discovers that David's gang are cannibals. She resists their attempts, manages to kill his assistant and flees into the town, while David and his gang stalk her. David eventually corners her in a restaurant, and stalks her for several minutes, as it burns down. Eventually, he manages to pin her down and tries to strangle her, but she catches hold of his machete and swings it, knocking him off her, and brutally hacks him to death, before Joel arrives and pulls her off.
David's physical posture and gestures were specifically designed to suggest a warm and caring nature, making players believe his acceptance to welcome Ellie to his community.[34] Veteran voice actor Nolan North, who portrays protagonist Nathan Drake in Naughty Dog's Uncharted series, was chosen to play the role of David. When approached by Druckmann about the role, North immediately accepted the part, appreciating its diversity from his previous acting roles. When portraying David, North was required to change his voice to fit the role. The first voice he proposed to Druckmann was ultimately chosen for the game; he describes it as 'very quiet .. and the voice can break a little'.[1] To portray the character, North approached his personality from multiple perspectives, viewing David as a 'survivor'. North empathized with David, stating that most of David's actions were understandable when considering the apocalyptic situation. He felt that David was initially attempting to protect Ellie, who was viewed as a 'glimmer of hope'.[35] Prior to the writing of the script, David was referred to as the 'cannibal king', and it was known that Ellie would encounter an enemy that would change her. When North was cast, the team found it interesting to make David charismatic, and infatuated with Ellie.[27]
Riley[edit]
Riley Abel[36] (Yaani King) is Ellie's best friend. Appearing in the Left Behind additional content, Ellie and Riley became friends at the military boarding school where Ellie was sent when she turned thirteen, where at some point Riley left to join the Fireflies. At the start of Left Behind, she returns after a long absence, and ambushes Ellie in her room. The two go to their old hangout in an abandoned shopping mall, where they fight over Riley's revelation that she will soon be posted to another city. Ellie eventually supports her decision, but as the two dance together before parting, Ellie becomes tearful, and begs Riley not to leave. Without hesitation, Riley rips her dog tags off, deciding to choose Ellie instead of the Fireflies. Moved, Ellie impulsively kisses her, which she returns. Overjoyed, Riley and Ellie are pondering how to proceed when they are attacked by infected. Both sustain bites, and decide to embrace in their final hours together. Riley turns, while Ellie does not.
King prepared for the role of Riley by studying the single-player campaign of The Last of Us, as well as the comic book The Last of Us: American Dreams (2013). She stated that Riley has 'an extremely strong personality, very driven, very confident for a 16-year-old'.[37] King felt that Riley and Ellie have a really close friendship, requiring each other to survive. She noted that they care about each other, and that they can both rely on their relationship.[38] She also saw Riley as Ellie's mentor, helping her discover new perspectives in the world.[37]
Sarah[edit]
Sarah (Hana Hayes) is Joel's twelve-year-old daughter, whom he had when he was in his late teens, and the game's first playable character. The posters and photos on her wall suggest that she was a keen soccer player. At the start of the game, she gives her father a new watch for his birthday. In the early hours of the next day, she is awoken by a commotion and the sound of Tommy phoning Joel. Later, Joel bursts into his office, pulls a revolver out of his desk drawer and shoots their neighbor. Sarah leaves with Tommy and Joel, but her leg is hurt in a crash, forcing Joel to carry her. On the outskirts of their hometown, they come across a soldier, who follows his orders and shoots at them. Sarah is fatally wounded by bullets and dies in Joel's arms.
The team felt that Sarah's physical appearance should feel authentic, displaying her relationship with Joel, while simultaneously establishing her as a distinct character. They aimed to establish the character as 'a down-to-earth girl who shares many qualities with Ellie'.[39] On the relationship between Joel and Sarah, Hayes felt that they are 'more like best friends than father and daughter', citing their playfulness and humor with each other.[40] Hayes felt intimidated during her audition, due to her inexperience with video game performances. She found it difficult to perform lines in the recording studio, preferring to perform them with the body movements; she believed that the latter felt more natural.[40] To perform Sarah's death, Hayes forced herself to remember and experience previous moments in her life, such as her grandfather's death.[1]
Other characters[edit]
Character | Actor | Details |
---|---|---|
Robert | Robin Atkin Downes | Robert is an arms dealer, who was supposed to sell weapons to Joel and Tess. When he instead sells the guns to the Fireflies, Joel and Tess infiltrate his warehouse, ultimately finding him and executing him.[41] |
Maria | Ashley Scott | Maria is Tommy's wife, and Joel's sister-in-law. Maria and her father ran a settlement in Jackson County shortly after the outbreak of the infection. When Joel and Ellie visit the settlement, Maria opposes Joel's suggestion for Tommy to escort Ellie to the Fireflies, as she is scared that he would come to danger. Ultimately, Joel continues on his journey with Ellie, and Tommy returns to the settlement with Maria.[42] The team aimed for Maria's clothing and demeanor to reflect her 'strong and fiercely capable nature'.[43] Scott originally auditioned for the role of Tess; when the team required an actor for Maria, they immediately contacted Scott.[27] |
James | Reuben Langdon | James is David's assistant. He was hunting with David upon their encounter with Ellie, during which he was ordered to gather some supplies from their base. When he returns, he discovers Ellie holding David at gunpoint, but is ordered to avoid conflict; Ellie ultimately leaves. When David later captures Ellie, he and James prepare to kill her, restraining her against a table. When Ellie informs them of her infection, James' grip loosens, and Ellie takes advantage of this by stabbing him with a knife, killing him.[44] Druckmann felt that Langdon added a dynamic between James and David, in which there is conflict between the two characters, but they still respect each other.[27] |
Frank | N/A | Frank is Bill's ex-partner. A letter that Frank wrote before killing himself reveals that Bill's growing paranoia and set-in-his-ways attitude had led to the end of their relationship, and Frank had been intending to take the usable battery, fix up a car and escape Bill's town for good.[45] |
Ish | N/A | Ish is an unseen survivor. Through a series of letters, notes and diary entries found over the course of the sewer mission in the Suburbs, it is revealed that Ish, a fisherman by profession, had set up shelter in a sewer just after beaching his boat, and later accepted some travelers who had children with them to join him.[46] Over some time, the sewers had turned into a thriving commune, but it came to an end when, after someone accidentally left a door to the outside open, a swarm of infected attacked and killed many of the inhabitants. A final note from Ish in one of the nearby houses reveals that he had made it out alive with a few people.[47] Kotaku called the story of Ish 'the hardest lesson' learned in The Last of Us: Ish is a better person than Joel, but his kindness got other people killed.[48] |
Reception[edit]
The characters received acclaim. Eurogamer's Welsh found that the characters were developed with 'real patience and skill', appreciating their emotional value,[49] and Joystiq's Mitchell found the relationships 'genuine' and emotional.[50] Kelly of Computer and Video Games found the characters 'richly painted', feeling invested in their stories.[51]GameSpot's Carolyn Petit felt that the game's sense of humanity is positively reflected through the characters.[52] Tom Hoggins of The Daily Telegraph called the characters 'complex' and 'flawed', stating that they help the game maintain 'its own identity'.[53]
The character performances also received praise, with Edge noting that the script improved as a result.[54]Eurogamer's Oli Welsh repeated similar remarks, naming the performances 'sympathetic and understated'.[49]IGN's Colin Moriarty called the voice acting 'consistently superb',[55] and Matt Helgeson of Game Informer felt that the actors realistically 'convey the heavy emotional toll placed on each character'.[56] Jim Sterling of Destructoid felt that the voice acting is 'impeccably performed', resulting in 'genuine and credible' characters.[57]Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton remarked that the actors 'have an uncommon chemistry and fearlessly tackle their roles', praising their delivery of the emotional material.[58] Some of the actors were awarded for their performances; Troy Baker won awards from Hardcore Gamer[59] and the Spike VGX 2013, while Ashley Johnson received two BAFTAs[60][61] and a DICE Award,[62] as well as awards from the Spike VGX and The Daily Telegraph.[63]
Many critics discussed the game's depiction of female characters. Jason Killingsworth of Edge praised its lack of sexualized female characters, writing that it 'offers a refreshing antidote to the sexism and regressive gender attitudes of most blockbuster videogames'.[64] Eurogamer's Ellie Gibson praised Ellie as 'sometimes strong, sometimes vulnerable, but never a cliché'.[65] She felt that Ellie is initially established as a 'damsel in distress', but that this concept is subverted.[65] GameSpot's Carolyn Petit praised the female characters as morally conflicted and sympathetic, but wrote that gender in video games should be evaluated 'based on their actual merits, not in relation to other games'.[66] Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times acknowledged that Ellie was a likable and 'sometimes powerful' character, but argued that The Last of Us is 'actually the story of Joel', stating that it's 'another video game by men, for men and about men'.[67]The Last of Us was also praised for its depiction of LGBT characters. A kiss between two female characters in Left Behind was met with positive reactions.[68][69]
References[edit]
Bibliography
- Druckmann, Neil; Straley, Bruce (June 2013), The Art of The Last of Us, United States of America: Dark Horse Comics
Notes
- ^ abcdefghNaughty Dog and Area 5 (2013). Grounded: Making The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ abRobertson, Andy (May 31, 2013). 'The Last of Us: interview with Neil Druckmann and Ashley Johnson'. The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on June 1, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
- ^ abSmith, Edward (June 5, 2013). 'The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann and Less Being More'. International Business Times. IBT Media. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- ^'The Last of Us – The Best Film Of The Year (That Wasn't Actually A Film)'. Empire. Bauer Media Group. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ abcdefgTakahashi, Dean (August 5, 2013). 'The definitive interview with the creators of Sony's blockbuster The Last of Us (part 1)'. GamesBeat. VentureBeat. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^'The Last of Us: An Interview with Naughty Dog'. The Digital Fix. Poisonous Monkey Ltd. May 29, 2013. Archived from the original on June 14, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^Hanson, Ben (February 20, 2012). 'Capturing Joel And Ellie For The Last Of Us'. Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
- ^Turi, Tim (February 10, 2012). 'Strife Breeds Strife: Inspiration For The Last Of Us'. Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: Power Plant.
Tommy: 'Repay you?' / Joel: 'For all those goddamn years I took care of us.' / Tommy: 'Took care? That's what you call it? I got nothing but nightmares from those years.' / Joel: 'You survived because of me.' / Tommy: 'It wasn't worth it.
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: Ambush Hideout.
Ellie: 'How did you know?' / Joel: 'Know what?' / Ellie: 'About the ambush.' / Joel: 'I've been on both sides.' / Ellie: 'So, ah, you kill a lot of innocent people? / Joel sighs. / Ellie: 'I'll take that as a yes.' / Joel: 'Take it however you want.
- ^ abDruckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 10
- ^Staff (June 18, 2013). 'The Last Of Us: the definitive postmortem – spoilers be damned – Page 2 of 3'. Edge. Future plc. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
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- ^Naughty Dog and Area 5 (September 9, 2013). The Last of Us Development Series Episode 5: Joel and Ellie. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^Takahashi, Dean (August 6, 2013). 'The definitive interview with the creators of Sony's blockbuster The Last of Us (part two)'. GamesBeat. VentureBeat. Archived from the original on March 1, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^Naughty Dog (February 14, 2014). The Last of Us: Left Behind. PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment.
- ^Druckmann, Neil, Hicks, Faith Erin (w), Hicks, Faith Erin (a), Rosenberg, Rachelle (col), Robins, Clem (let), Edidin, Rachel, Wright, Brendan (ed). The Last of Us: American Dreams #1: 10 (April 3, 2013), Dark Horse Comics
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. PlayStation 3. Sony Computer Entertainment.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 19
- ^Mattos, Sal (February 21, 2014). 'Is Ellie Gay? Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann Weights In on The Last of Us: Left Behind'. GayGamer.net. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 47
- ^ abMulrooney, Marty (August 21, 2013). 'INTERVIEW – In Conversation With Merle Dandridge (Marlene, The Last of Us)'. Alternative Magazine Online. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^Crookes, David (July 30, 2014). 'The Last of Us Remastered: Once stilted and melodramatic, Hollywood is giving acting in video games a makeover'. The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Archived from the original on August 1, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 44
- ^Helgeson, Matt (August 2013). Stead, Chris (ed.). 'Afterword: The Last of Us'. Game Informer. CBS Interactive (45): 32–33.
- ^ abDruckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 90
- ^ abcdeDruckmann, Neil; Baker, Troy; Johnson, Ashley (2014). The Last of Us Commentary. Naughty Dog. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 61
- ^Petit, Carolyn (August 6, 2013). 'Bonds Forged in Difficult Times: The Making of The Last of Us'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^Einhorn, Sam (September 3, 2013). 'The Last of Us Has a Gay Character. Really!'. GayGamer.net. Archived from the original on September 9, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
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- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 86
- ^ abPatillo, Gabe; Rauter, Tim; Hall, Tim (July 11, 2013). 'Episode 43: O Henry!'. Married to the Games (Podcast). Event occurs at 32:50. Archived from the original on September 7, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 105
- ^Miller, Greg (June 21, 2013). 'An Uncharted Twist (The Last of Us Spoilers)'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^Reeves, Ben (July 19, 2013). 'How The Last Of Us Comic Changed The Game's Ending'. Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on July 23, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
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- ^Naughty Dog (January 22, 2014). The Last of Us: Left Behind Cinematic Interview. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 23, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 33
- ^ abOliver, Matt (June 26, 2013). 'Joel's Daughter Speaks Up: An Interview With The Last of Us' Hana Hayes'. Pixelvolt. Archived from the original on August 14, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: The Quarantine Zone.
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: Tommy's Dam.
- ^Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 95
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: Lakeside Resort.
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: Bill's Town.
Frank (Note from Frank): 'Bill .. I hated your guts. I grew tired of this shitty town and your set-in-your-ways attitude .. And that stupid battery you kept moaning about – I got it. But I guess you were right. Trying to leave this town will kill me.'
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: The Suburbs.
Ish (Trading Note): 'Yesterday I met with some people .. They had kids with them .. I'm going to search for them. See if they want to join me in here.'
- ^Naughty Dog (June 14, 2013). The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Level/area: The Suburbs.
Ish (Survivors Note): 'One of us forgot to close a door and a horde of those monsters entered our camp. We shut them in there and wrote a warning on the outside. Susan and a couple of the kids are with me.'
- ^Hurley, Leon (August 4, 2014). 'The Sins of Ish: The Last Of Us' Hardest Lesson'. Kotaku. Future plc. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
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- ^Sterling, Jim (June 5, 2013). 'Review: The Last of Us'. Destructoid. Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
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External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_The_Last_of_Us_characters&oldid=904291472'