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[milkham]

Even with the story, which isn't even the best part, it is not special or transcendent (lol). It's a pretty good third person shooter (although not among the best) that leans heavily to stealth with Naughty Dog's deft touch on animation (in and out of cutscenes), visuals, and dialogue. The whole hoopla last year was just a reminder that you can't trust most people to keep their feet on the ground when it comes to hype.

what games are among the best?

 

[traveler]

It's the closest a game has come to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, of all things, since its release, other SCs included. The fact that it has probably the best narrative in all of gaming, a fantastic soundtrack, and great art design is just gravy.

I can't stand cinematic gaming and the priority shift it has brought, nor do I really enjoy Naughty Dog's other work, but the Last of Us was fantastic, nonetheless.

 

[Fisty]

I don't think there's any game that's 'transcended its genre' in my opinion, whatever that means anyway. It's a solid game. All the characters are likeable, making you really care about them, the environment and level layout is excellent, allowing for multiple ways of attacking encounters with lots of verticality, crafting weapons on the fly, searching for items etc all lead to tense moments, lots of avenues to approach things stealthily...the reason why many (including myself) think it's so special is because it does all of the above so well and with a ton of quality. That's all there is to it.

Well said, its the characters, atmosphere, and attention to detail that make the game a pleasure to play through. Loved Grounded mode, felt it completely changed the approach to combat and made it incredibly intense. There just arent very many games that do everything so well, so its hard to express that to the uninitiated lol

 

[sploatee]

perfect.

Just read the OP again. You're a joke OP.

Thanks, bud!

I don't think there's any game that's 'transcended its genre' in my opinion, whatever that means anyway. It's a solid game. All the characters are likeable, making you really care about them, the environment and level layout is excellent, allowing for multiple ways of attacking encounters with lots of verticality, crafting weapons on the fly, searching for items etc all lead to tense moments, lots of avenues to approach things stealthily...the reason why many (including myself) think it's so special is because it does all of the above so well and with a ton of quality. That's all there is to it.

What I mean by it is a game of one genre that is so well done that it appeals to people who aren't interested in that genre. I was curious as to whether it was the case here or whether it was a case of a solid / pretty good game of that genre which was elevated by what is apparently a great plot/story/characters etc.

In hindsight, it was a pretty naïve place to start a discussion. I wasn't quite expecting so much vitriol...

 

[Zen]

Even with the story, which isn't even the best part, it is not special or transcendent (lol). It's a pretty good third person shooter (although not among the best) that leans heavily to stealth with Naughty Dog's deft touch on animation (in and out of cutscenes), visuals, and dialogue. The whole hoopla last year was just a reminder that you can't trust most people to keep their feet on the ground when it comes to hype.

It is the best third person shooter out today.

 

[jon bones]

And that's the part that saddens me. TLoU has tons of potential and I would love for ND to release a sequel that addresses the first one's faults. But it is already praised to high heaven and called "perfect" by a considerable number of outlets and the general public. I'm afraid this kind of feedback, which I believe is kind of misleading, may be more of a hindrance to the overall process.

ND will learn for Uncharted 4 & their next IP. I don't think The Last of Us story needs a sequel at all.

 

[milkham]

In hindsight, it was a pretty naïve place to start a discussion. I wasn't quite expecting so much vitriol...

I think your thread title was a little baity but every current TLoU thread seems to go this way

 

[D-Stubbs]

Overall It's a really solid game but never saw what made it so special like others have. I always thought the atmosphere and look of the game was it's strongest aspect. Such a beautiful looking game. But the story for me while good seemed to really drag at times. Gameplay is fine but nothing great either. Good game but I won't claim it as one of the greatest ever.

 

[sploatee]

I think your thread title was a little baity but every current TLoU thread seems to go this way

Yup, guess you live and learn and learn to use the ignore button.

 

[TetraGenesis]

OP, I think you should just play it.

If thread has shown anything it's that there's a lot of passion for this game. Certainly enough for you to give it an actual shot.

Rent it when it comes out on PS4. No pressure. If you love it, you love it. If you don't, no great loss.

 

[Darknight]

I don't think there's any game that's 'transcended its genre' in my opinion, whatever that means anyway. It's a solid game. All the characters are likeable, making you really care about them, the environment and level layout is excellent, allowing for multiple ways of attacking encounters with lots of verticality, crafting weapons on the fly, searching for items etc all lead to tense moments, lots of avenues to approach things stealthily...the reason why many (including myself) think it's so special is because it does all of the above so well and with a ton of quality. That's all there is to it.

I feel this post alone could answer the question the OP has.

 

[babyghost853]

I guess my point is whether the gameplay is that good that it transcends the genre. There's been some pretty good explanations of why and why not, I think. Enough for me to chew on (in between all of the craziness).

Rubbish, you've made up your mind a long time ago, so don't waste your time trying to get others to convince you to buy the game. As many others have said, "don't buy it, it's not for you". Gameplay is gameplay, you either like it or you don't, it's not some philosophical transcendent malarkey that is made up in the minds of those that want to feel superior to others, in an effort to justify the which games they buy. I'll say it again, don't buy it, someone with your mindset will never enjoy it. Leave it for people like me who don't care about transcendent gameplay, and just want to have fun playing a great game, it's for us.

I could have just said this, but I don't think that's what the op wants.

I don't think there's any game that's 'transcended its genre' in my opinion, whatever that means anyway. It's a solid game. All the characters are likeable, making you really care about them, the environment and level layout is excellent, allowing for multiple ways of attacking encounters with lots of verticality, crafting weapons on the fly, searching for items etc all lead to tense moments, lots of avenues to approach things stealthily...the reason why many (including myself) think it's so special is because it does all of the above so well and with a ton of quality. That's all there is to it.

 

[TitusGroan]

I think your thread title was a little baity but every current TLoU thread seems to go this way

Which I really don't understand. It's not as if people don't regularly offer criticism of other GOTG contenders, but there's never this much vitriol on both sides. There's a Galaxy thread still going where people have said why they either think the Galaxy games are absolutely stellar, or why they they prefer other entries in the 3D Mario series, and for the most part everyone's fine with disagreeing. If you say you don't think Galaxy is GOTG, or you prefer Mario 64 or Sunshine or 3D World, everyone's fine with it. Same applies for other notable games like Bioshock, Minecraft, etc etc. People like or don't like those games, offer their reasons why, and people disagree and debate without letting things get mental.

TLOU though, there's this nasty tendency on both sides to bring out the claws and draw lines in the sand, even though it's a game same as any other. The OP asked a genuine question about whether TLOU is good enough that its gameplay can appeal to those not normally into that style of game (the same way God Of War appeals to people who don't necessarily play character action games, or Skyrim appears to people who don't normally play WRPGs), and people have absolutely torn into her for even raising it as a point of discussion. There's this weird insecurity among hardcore TLOU fans to take any criticism or even potential criticism as a call to arms, and a perverse glee from many critics in trying to throw the game under the bus for every perceivable flaw.

For many people here, it's clear TLOU is game of the generation. For others, it's a competent enough third-person shooter that doesn't quite do it for them in the gameplay or story department. It would be nice if we could discuss these things without people throwing out accusations of trolling at the slightest provocation.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

For me it's not just the story but the world building. I think ND did a great job making you feel like you're on a seamless journey from one area to the next, in particular the

Spoiler

country suburbs/school

area. Also the one city where you can see the steeple to the building you're supposed to get to. It reminded me of the original half life in this way, despite TLoU clearly not having a 100 percent interconnected map. Basically, that whole "journey" feeling and connecting with Joel and Ellie through their interactions during the quiet moments when you're just exploring the world.

I thought the stealth was just ok, but thought the gruesome melee encounters and the dynamic animations made it feel much more Visceral and connected me with the world more. In some ways I feel like the game could have been a walking simulator with the dialogue and story and been just as compelling. Though

Spoiler

playing as Ellie did add this vulnerability that would not have been felt without the combat, so I think in this situation the gameplay served the story well, especially during the winter/cannibal segment

.

 

[timetokill]

OP, I'd say if presentation value is your top concern when playing a game, then you will probably like TLOU. It's obviously the focus of the product, so you'll get good VA, good graphics, good music. Even if the story is whatever, it looks and sounds good so for a lot of people that is enough.

If you're looking for top-tier gameplay then the list of other games to play is long indeed. That's not to say the functionality of TLOU is bad. Naughty Dog did make use the same basic game framework for an entire generation. Of course it's usable. But I would say it's a far cry from inventive, exciting, or story-enhancing. It's just there and doesn't cause much of a fuss (besides terrible immersion-breaking issues like Ellie not being noticed by enemies, etc.)

 

[TitusGroan]

I don't think there's any game that's 'transcended its genre' in my opinion, whatever that means anyway. It's a solid game. All the characters are likeable, making you really care about them, the environment and level layout is excellent, allowing for multiple ways of attacking encounters with lots of verticality, crafting weapons on the fly, searching for items etc all lead to tense moments, lots of avenues to approach things stealthily...the reason why many (including myself) think it's so special is because it does all of the above so well and with a ton of quality. That's all there is to it.

I think this is balderdash. There have been plenty of games in otherwise niche genres that have, whether through some measure of quality or hype, managed to appeal to gamers normally outside that demographic. Hence, 'transcending the genre' ie, appealing to people who would otherwise have no interest. Most Gaffers would agree that character action games are a pretty niche genre these days, but God Of War is one of Sony's biggest franchises, and has managed to transcend the niche appeal of the genre. RTS games tend to appeal to a select audience, but Star Craft is a mega-franchise that sells like absolute crack. Economic simulators are about as niche and specialised as you can get, but EVE Online has carved out a devoted fanbase focusing on just that (Along with space ships).

The OP is asking if the gameplay to TLOU has enough meat that to it that it would appeal to someone otherwise not too fussed about TPS games, an understandable question given the amount of praise the game has been given on all fronts. Ideally, users would be trying to ask her question by weighing up the merits of the gameplay, potential or known flaws, and leaving it to her to decide whether the game is worth it or not. It is not a bizarre question she is asking, and it's not fair that she's now being subjected to countless claims of trolling simply because she asked about one specific game. No-one gets this amount of shit in any other thread asking about the appeal of a certain game after it's released.

 

[timetokill]

No-one gets this amount of shit in any other thread asking about the appeal of a certain game after it's released.

Yup, sad but true. I know I have this type of question on mind all the time when I see a widely-praised game in a genre I'm not usually too high on.

 

[1st Course]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/05/the-last-of-us-review



http://www.gameinformer.com/games/t...-us-review-naughty-dogs-grim-masterpiece.aspx



http://www.gaming-age.com/2013/06/the-last-of-us-review-for-ps3/



http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/05/the-last-of-us-review/



http://www.edge-online.com/review/the-last-of-us-review/



http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-05-the-last-of-us-review



http://www.destructoid.com/review-the-last-of-us-255287.phtml



http://www.giantbomb.com/reviews/the-last-of-us-review/1900-580/

I had a bunch of other reviews in this post that heap praise onto the gameplay, but it turns out that the forum does have a character limit. But every major site praised its gameplay.

 

[milkham]

There's this weird insecurity among hardcore TLOU fans to take any criticism or even potential criticism as a call to arms, and a perverse glee from many critics in trying to throw the game under the bus for every perceivable flaw.

I really loved this game, I do get kind of peeved when people say "average at best" and then not follow up with any game that was better or "average" like the TLoU because if there are games better than this, or even as good as this, I want to be playing. I think everyone is more amped up over this because its still relatively fresh and the re-release is part of the Console Wars™. I'm not saying everyone involved is a console warrior but for sure they are sprinkled in there feeding the flames.

 

[Morfeo]

It's the closest a game has come to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, of all things, since its release, other SCs included. The fact that it has probably the best narrative in all of gaming, a fantastic soundtrack, and great art design is just gravy.

I can't stand cinematic gaming and the priority shift it has brought, nor do I really enjoy Naughty Dog's other work, but the Last of Us was fantastic, nonetheless.

Ive never read this description before, would you care to elaborate a little bit? Chaos Theory is one of the best games ever imo, so it definitely makes me much more interested. The reason I didnt not buy into the hype, is that I think the Uncharted-games (which got equally hyped) are pretty mediocre, but this description definitely picks my interest.

 

[WrenchNinja]

You're acting as if the only way for Naughty Dog to implement AI for Ellie is in a half-hearted way that doesn't work, when other games have already shown it's possible to have separate NPCs who actually form part of the gameplay interaction: Ico, Resident Evil 4 and Bioshock Infinite are the ones off the top of my head, and I'm sure there are others.

If Naughty Dog didn't want protecting Ellie to be a core part of the gameplay, then they shouldn't have spent so much of their time hammering that theme in the cutscenes. If they did want to tell that story, then they should have found a way to integrate it into the gameplay. That's what great developers do, after all.

Dude have you even played the games you're talking about

 

[Fudgepuppy]

I thought the best part about TLoU was the pacing, the atmosphere and the gameplay. I really loved how dynamic the stealth-sections were. Going from stealth to attacking could be so incredibly rewarding and - dare I say it - cinematic. Just a very pleasant gaming-experience with a good story to top it off.

 

[Owzers]

I think it was a great "experience/journey" but i got tired of the combat death rooms halfway through. I want to rent the ps4 version to play the dlc and toy around with multiplayer, but i don't want to replay the game again. I was awful at the last section at the very end too, i kept getting turned around.

 

[sploatee]

Rubbish, you've made up your mind a long time ago, so don't waste your time trying to get others to convince you to buy the game.

it's not some philosophical transcendent malarkey that is made up in the minds of those that want to feel superior to others, in an effort to justify the which games they buy.

someone with your mindset will never enjoy it.

Leave it for people like me who don't care about transcendent gameplay, and just want to have fun playing a great game, it's for us.

I don't know what I've done to make you so angry, but carry on.

 

[Salex_]

I really loved this game, I do get kind of peeved when people say "average at best" and then not follow up with any game that was better or "average" like the TLoU because if there are games better than this, or even as good as this, I want to be playing. I think everyone is more amped up over this because its still relatively fresh and the re-release is part of the Console Wars™. I'm not saying everyone involved is a console warrior but for sure they are sprinkled in there feeding the flames.

I'm still waiting for a couple of people to explain why the gameplay was bad/poor/mediocre. The people I quoted never responded to me lol.

I really want to understand their point of view after hearing the amount of praise the multiplayer gets. The gameplay has to be great to get the amount of the positive feedback it's gotten and I hear the community still active.

Crikey. You know me so well! TLOU MASTER RACE I BOW BENEATH THEE

Your first post and the following posts makes it clear that you already made up your mind about the game. You're ignoring informative posts that actually explains what the game does well in besides the story. And this post right here....am I on Gamefaqs?

EDIT: No, I haven't read 100% of your posts in this thread. The one's I read weren't responding to the posts that actually answers your initial question.

 

[DevilFox]

I think this is balderdash. There have been plenty of games in otherwise niche genres that have, whether through some measure of quality or hype, managed to appeal to gamers normally outside that demographic. Hence, 'transcending the genre' ie, appealing to people who would otherwise have no interest. Most Gaffers would agree that character action games are a pretty niche genre these days, but God Of War is one of Sony's biggest franchises, and has managed to transcend the niche appeal of the genre. RTS games tend to appeal to a select audience, but Star Craft is a mega-franchise that sells like absolute crack. Economic simulators are about as niche and specialised as you can get, but EVE Online has carved out a devoted fanbase focusing on just that (Along with space ships).

The OP is asking if the gameplay to TLOU has enough meat that to it that it would appeal to someone otherwise not too fussed about TPS games, an understandable question given the amount of praise the game has been given on all fronts. Ideally, users would be trying to ask her question by weighing up the merits of the gameplay, potential or known flaws, and leaving it to her to decide whether the game is worth it or not. It is not a bizarre question she is asking, and it's not fair that she's now being subjected to countless claims of trolling simply because she asked about one specific game. No-one gets this amount of shit in any other thread asking about the appeal of a certain game after it's released.

I've see many posts explaining why it's worth it. All have been ignored.
I'm still looking for one who says it's not worth it and support this position with a solid argument. With solid argument, and I'm being good here, I accept everything different from "nope, not worth it because I say so" / "it's overrated, trust me I played it 2 hours with the cousin of my grandpa's uncle and then I watched it on YT".
So far I only read tons of bullshits and sorry if I'm being impolite but this is how things turn around way too often.
Since there's no desire for an honest debate with most people here, why insist? There are dozens of post to reply to in these pages, they could start from there.

edit: I take the chance to give you my opinion on the NPC. The only section the AI bothered me was with Billy, because it's bugged and it really happens that they get crazy and run without being noticed. But for the rest of the game everything was fine. It didn't bothered me either the fact that Ellie is invisible because she's literally attached to you 85% of the time. An option like RE4 would be terrible, it would completely broke the bond between the characters. Even the animations say something in this game: how beautiful was to see Ellie taking cover under Joel? Can you even imagine if we could hide her in a trash bin? "Wait here, I'm going to be the hero who kills everyone and everything and then I'll call you".. oh please. It's extremely important for the relationship itself that Ellie remains with us as much as possible. She has to fight with us and risk her life with us. Joel isn't an hero trying to save a useless puppet like Ashley, they make the journey together and Ellie proves to be as strong as him if not more.

 

[jroc74]

I will say this again, and this goes for any game....

Dont set unreal expectations, and you just might enjoy it. I feel ND did a good job of making the gameplay fit the theme, setting of the game. Some upgrades are necessary, other arent. And some are/arent depending on your style of play. Even the puzzles....this isnt Uncharted or Tomb Raider from years ago...its a survival, post apocalyptic game...the puzzles should be basic.Your guy isnt supposed to be a marksman, he isnt some ex Special Forces guy...he is a survivor like most every one else.

The choices you make in the game with weapons, items, exploring, upgrading might even dictate the style of gameplay for the upcoming section. Some choices even dictate where, if you can explore.

At one point all I could do was run. And I did a mix of run, stealth at one part. One part I thought I could just stealth by....nope. I had to do a mix of stealth, kill certain enemies, run at a specific spot and I had to distract 1 or 2 to a certain area.... And there is one section that will catch you totally off guard, by surprise, and you will have to rethink your gameplay style if you have been playing a certain way before.

I really dont understand the gameplay complaints.

It sounds to me like you've already convinced yourself.

Basically this.

If the OP dont have time for TPS, stealthy games right now....there's your answer....dont waste time on it.

 

[TetraGenesis]

Crikey. You know me so well! TLOU MASTER RACE I BOW BENEATH THEE

OP, I directed a very reasoned suggestion at you earlier (rent the game and find out) and many have had very reasonable and informative responses, but I see you respond mainly to the inflammatory ones. That does nothing to clear the combative atmosphere of this thread.

 

[sploatee]

I'm still waiting for a couple of people to explain why the gameplay was bad/poor/mediocre. The people I quoted never responded to me lol.

I really want to understand their point of view after hearing the amount of praise the multiplayer gets. The gameplay has to be great to get much positive feedback and I hear the community still active.

Your first post and the following posts makes it clear that you already made up your mind about the game. And this post right here....am I on Gamefaqs?

Yeah, I edited that out because it was a bit daft.

I dunno, I've never been to Gamefaqs.But I don't think the rest of the thread has exactly been exemplary of tone.

And I don't think you've actually read all of my posts in the thread.

 

[redcrayon]

I don't really get how the story is special. I mean, it's pretty good for a computer game, good character development etc, likable cast (nice if you have to sit through 12 hours with them). But it's also very predictable if you've read even a handful of post-apocalypse-set novels. It doesn't come close to some of the books it takes it's story beats from.

 

[esterk]

It's a fantastic game. The combat was always really fun for me, though the stealth segments got kind of annoying. I think the games pacing is what really helps it stand out, as the action elements are pretty generic otherwise.

 

[sploatee]

OP, I directed a very reasoned suggestion at you earlier (rent the game and find out) and many have had very reasonable and informative responses, but I see you respond mainly to the inflammatory ones. That does nothing to clear the combative atmosphere of this thread.

Yeah, I think you're right. I'm not quite used to getting this much flak all in one go, it's kind of distracting.

 

[TitusGroan]

I've see many post explaining why it's worth it. All have been ignored.
I'm still looking for one who says it's not worth it and support this position with a solid argument. With solid argument, and I'm being good here, I accept everything different from "nope, not worth it because I say so" / "it's overrated, trust me I played it 2 hours with the cousin of my grandpa's uncle and then I watched it on YT".
So far I only read tons of bullshits and sorry if I'm being impolite but this is how things turn around way too often.
Since there's no desire for an honest debate with most people here, why insist? There are dozens of post to reply to in these pages, they could start from there.

And I have seen many posts say why they think the game isn't quite as good as others make out, and you are yourself ignoring those posts now in your argument.

You are being incredibly disingenuous when saying most people here don't want an honest debate, and veering dangerously close to writing off anyone who disagrees with your opinion as wrong in some way. That is the kind of mindset I am talking about. Plenty of people have posted their thoughts on the game, whether positive or negative, and made their points. Engage with those posts or not, but don't ignore them, then act as if they don't exist. Writing off posts as 'bullshits' offers nothing constructive, and simply endorses the same vitriolic attitude that has taken over this thread.

 

[sploatee]

And I have seen many posts say why they think the game isn't quite as good as others make out, and you are yourself ignoring those posts now in your argument.

You are being incredibly disingenuous when saying most people here don't want an honest debate, and veering dangerously close to writing off anyone who disagrees with your opinion as wrong in some way. That is the kind of mindset I am talking about. Plenty of people have posted their thoughts on the game, whether positive or negative, and made their points. Engage with those posts or not, but don't ignore them, then act as if they don't exist. Writing off posts as 'bullshits' offers nothing constructive, and simply endorses the same vitriolic attitude that has taken over this thread.

Thanks and thanks for being nice in your previous post!

Yeah, I've not exactly helped either by responding to the people trying to bait me or flame up the discussion. I guess people might've thought I was trying to start a massive argument and then when it did, I just went wading in. Ah well. Lessons learned. Hopefully the thread'll be closed soon or die out.

 

[milkham]

I won't rehash everything that's been said sploatee, but I think you should play it.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

See above. Do I need to justify it to you? Do I need to prove that I'm not a troll? It's getting so boring. Do you just love arguing all of the time...?

I am not trying to be confrontational so excuse me if it came across that way. However, the thread title is a question, and the opening line of the OP is that it is not a rhetorical one. So either you have found an answer amongst this 700+ post thread, countless reviews, etc or not. Was all I was asking.

Because if you still don't have an answer I am afraid we are all wasting our time here.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

The only special thing about The Last of Us is the graphical performance it attains on caveman hardware.

The gameplay, story, and everything else is pretty trite. The voice acting is done fairly well for the most part, I'll give it that.

Browse my post history if you want more of my opinion on it. I don't want to retype why I think it's a b-rate zombie movie checking off politically correct brownie point boxes for the millionth time.

 

[dragonlife]

The best things about The Last of Us were the graphics it pulled off on PS3, the voice acting, and the effect it has on basically everyone that plays it.

Story, characters, and gameplay were not-so-great for me. Game was decent but it didn't really pull me in.

 

[sploatee]

I am not trying to be confrontational so excuse me if it came across that way. However, the thread title is a question, and the opening line of the OP is that it is not a rhetorical one. So either you have found an answer amongst this 700+ post thread, countless reviews, etc or not. Was all I was asking.

Because if you still don't have an answer I am afraid we are all wasting our time here.

Sorry. I was being a bit defensive myself.

Yes, I'm just too curious not to now. I certainly want to see why it causes so much passion amongst people - it's pretty obvious it's affected a lot of people in a really emotional way, which is probably why some of the responses were pretty emotional too.

 

[lukeskymac]

TLOU though, there's this nasty tendency on both sides to bring out the claws and draw lines in the sand, even though it's a game same as any other. There's this weird insecurity among hardcore TLOU fans to take any criticism or even potential criticism as a call to arms, and a perverse glee from many critics in trying to throw the game under the bus for every perceivable flaw.

That's funny, considering your previous posts in this thread (and your ignorance of how the game works demonstrated in them).

 

[sploatee]

I won't rehash everything that's been said sploatee, but I think you should play it.

Thanks, yes I think I am going to.

Sorry if I've not responded to some really well-thought out answers to my question. I got kind of sidetracked

 

[lukeskymac]

I think it's a b-rate zombie movie checking off politically correct brownie point boxes for the millionth time.

Yeah, I'll pass on wasting my time reading your post history alright.

 

[jon bones]

I think it's a b-rate zombie movie checking off politically correct brownie point boxes for the millionth time.

oh man, this thread is incredible

 

[farmerboy]

ND will learn for Uncharted 4 & their next IP. I don't think The Last of Us story needs a sequel at all.

Whilst I don't think we necessarily need a sequel (though I would gladly welcome it) we definitely need another game in that world. ND built a really rich world and it deserves more of it's story told.

OT, to me the game was really special because it's characters were grounded and believable. I've often found myself wondering about Joel and his motivations like he was a real person. Also, the richness of the world really bought it home and I've spent considerable thought on how I would react to those same situations. "Would I be able to save my family?" Very powerful seeing as I have two daughters.

Any game that gets you thinking about it when you're not playing is special in my book.

 

[3rdamention]

I guess my point is whether the gameplay is that good that it transcends the genre. There's been some pretty good explanations of why and why not, I think. Enough for me to chew on (in between all of the craziness).

Well, you did have Snake's post of excerpts from a bunch of reviews, that all detailed the gameplay. You have many gaffers who have explained the gameplay. Transcends the genre? I guess from all the reviews posted, the user impressions, and if you would play it yourself, that is something you could decide. "Transcending the genre" is something you will have to decide on your own.


I am just confused why you are still questioning the gameplay after all the impressions and reviews posted in this thread. At this point, you should have a good idea if you want to play the game or not. You are going to have to try it out if you are truly curious about the game. However, from what I am understanding from this thread, since the gameplay and story do not interest you (despite having not played it), at least on paper, and if these impressions and reviews do not interest you, the game will not interest you.


You dont have to like The Last of Us, you don't have to play it if it doesn't interest you. There are other games out there that just may be in your interests.

 

[raphanum]

If you're from Australia and want a PS3 copy, I'll send you my copy for free. I don't want it since I'll be getting the PS4 rerelease.

 

[Omnii-chan]

It was a good story, but I enjoyed actually playing the game more. Hard and up is where the real fun comes, because you need to be conservative and a true survivalist. In fights you either died, or if you won; you felt lucky or truly on-top of the situation. It was thrilling.

Edit - will Europe get the uncensored violence version for the PS4 re-release?

If not, I'm importing from US, the single player had that violence in it anyway. Stupid to take it out of just the multiplayer.

 

[Guevara]

TLOU was a fine cover-based shooter from a generation that gave us dozens of fine cover-based shooters. Naughty Dog alone gave us 4 story-focused cover-based shooters this gen. When people praise the story I always think *for a videogame: "The characters were so good *for a videogame", "I really cared about the story *for a videogame", etc.

But what really bothers me is the gameplay, which was streamlined and generic, and the AI, which despite all the promises was no better than your average shooter this gen. I'm just exhausted by 'pop out from cover, shoot bad guys 5 times in the chest (or once in the head)' mechanics. I'm exhausted by the easteregg hunt of finding meaningless shit in the world and "crafting" single-use items. It's really no better than finding crates of grenades and ammo. I'm tired of being told how this time the AI is going to work together to hunt you down, and other lies.

A lot of people clearly view TLOU as the ne plus ultra of videogames, which bums me out because games could be so much more than just another refined shooter with fancy graphics.

 

[lukeskymac]

TLOU was a fine cover-based shooter from a generation that gave us dozens of fine cover-based shooters. Naughty Dog alone gave us 4 story-focused cover-based shooters this gen. When people praise the story I always think *for a videogame: "The characters were so good *for a videogame", "I really cared about the story *for a videogame", etc.

But what really bothers me is the gameplay, which was streamlined and generic, and the AI, which despite all the promises was no better than your average shooter this gen. I'm just exhausted by 'pop out from cover, shoot bad guys 5 times in the chest (or once in the head)' mechanics. I'm exhausted by the easteregg hunt of finding meaningless shit in the world and "crafting" single-use items. It's really no better than finding crates of grenades and ammo. I'm tired of being told how this time the AI is going to work together to hunt you down, and other lies.

A lot of people clearly view TLOU as the ne plus ultra of videogames, which bums me out because games could be so much more than just another refined shooter with fancy graphics.

So much wrong in a single post

 

[RoboPlato]

I'm always surprised when I see people refer to TLoU as a shooter. I'd fire a handful of shots every now and then but it's far from what I generally think of in terms of TPS combat design and pacing.