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The Last of Us |OT| It Can’t Be For Nothing (Spoilers)

M

More_Badass

Member
The Xtortionist said:
TLOU is this generation's RE4 and that makes it a lesser game by default.

TLOU is what RE4 would be if RE4 was bitten by a visceral and cinematic AAA-infected game.

Stage 1 infection - Ridiculously slow-paced, handholding tutorials
Stage 2 infection - Arbitrary bouts of forced slow walk and frequent use of mindnumbing "puzzles" that take more time to physically solve than mentally
Stage 3 infection - Unskippable mini-cutscenes among other annoying animations (ladders, planks, etc...) and an intro that makes full replays nigh-unbearable.

I still think TLOU is a fantastic game. The combat is perhaps the most intense and nervewracking I've experienced in a TPS-style game and the game seems ungodly long, with encounters feeling varied and unpredictable. I played for 8 or 9 hours today and I can't imagine the game ending in the next few hours. The economy system is a bit slow paced but is still satisfying.

I would absolutely love to see this style of combat in a more fast-paced game like RE4, smoothly and efficiently moving me from encounter to encounter with not a second of bloat to be found anywhere.
Click to expand...
What you consider "bloat", I consider pacing. The game isn't meant to be fast paced, encounter after encounter. I like the slow build up in the beginning. The intro is awesome and something I always wanted to see in a game
 
Auto_aim1

Auto_aim1

MeisaMcCaffrey
Bucca said:
What I hate is companions scaring the ever-loving shit out of me when I'm sneaking around clickers by fucking running all over the place and blocking my path and shit.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's incredibly annoying. I think you get used to them doing stupid things eventually. It's not really a major complaint since I assume it would be difficult for the enemy AI to track three characters but it could have been handled better like letting you go alone first and opening up a way for them or something. Ellie is adorable though so I don't really mind her.
 
C

CLBridges

Member
I only got to play this for an hour or so before going to work. This game is great, that intro was pretty intense. I'm really having to adjust my play-style to slow down and have patience. I'm really loving the stealth elements and how the enemies are reacting. Hopefully the game continues to exceed my expectations.
 
breakfuss

breakfuss

Member
It's funny. This might not have been made without the proven traction of the Walking Dead/zombie craze. In some way, though, I feel the aforementioned dampens TLoU's novelty factor. I understand that speaks more to the game's timing than it does its quality, but still... Anyway, I felt the same about Uncharted. Excellent. Gorgeous. Fun. Yet, there was always this...disconnect between myself and the notion that it was a groundbreaking experience. Perhaps, unfairly, I dock Naughty Dog for what I perceive to be a lack of originality. Certainly, you can get all esoteric with this and argue that no idea is truly original...but, that's beside the point. I just feel like I've been on a similar ride before. And, that's fine, as this is obviously as good as it gets for this type of ride.

I haven't finished the game yet, so the verdict is still out for me. We'll see.
 
G

Gen X

Trust no one. Eat steaks.
Bladenic said:
4:30 hours played, only 31%. Feels good. Love the systems. The last part I just did was awesome, super fast paced and tense too.
The part when you meet Bill.
Click to expand...

I just finished that bit and my stats say 8:30 played but I know it is longer due to deaths.

I keep getting Gears1 flashbacks with this game. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing.
 
O

oni_saru

Member
Playing on normal with listen mode off. I feel so hardcore :p

The beginning
made me shed some wee bitty tears. Although I figured Joel's daughter would die, I didn't think it'd be like that. Matrixnotlikethis.gif :'(

I absolutely love Ellie. The dialogue in this game is great!!
 
A

Acorn

Member
Gen X said:
I just finished that bit and my stats say 8:30 played but I know it is longer due to deaths.

I keep getting Gears1 flashbacks with this game. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing.
Click to expand...
Heh I'm reminded of gears too. I really don't know why though, they aren't really similar.
 
M

More_Badass

Member
Any tips for the part after Lincoln (
the houses and school
)?
Is it possible to stay stealthy? It seems impossible.

But the shotgun is my new best friend.
 
M

Mupod

Member
More_Badass said:
Any tips for the part after Lincoln (
the houses and school
)?
Is it possible to stay stealthy? It seems impossible.

But the shotgun is my new best friend.
Click to expand...

I was unable to stealth most of that and gave up trying outside of picking runners off occasionally. But your NPC ally is extremely good at murdering zombies and ammo isn't tight in that section.
 
N

nib95

Banned
jett said:
For the last couple of months I've attempted to be on complete media blackout for The Last Of Us, and I have mostly achieved my goal, thank God. I've had it since Tuesday, just finished it. Took my time with it, played it mostly at nighttime. I explored, scavenged and absorbed the world Druckmann and Stapley have created as much as I could. This game is really something special. You know, I could write about how marvelous the level design, or how the combat mechanics and gunplay feel are pitch point perfect, or how every corner of the game is jam-packed with unique detailing. Or the emotionally affecting and draining story, how the characters will stick with you, how you'll actually feel for these people. But there's not much point in describing any of this, really. Fact of the matter is TLoU is simply one of the best games of this generation, and it's everything I could've hoped for from the Straley/Druckmann duo. ND should be proud of what they have accomplished, and Sony should give these two free reign. Neil Druckmann has got to be the best writer currently working in this industry.
Click to expand...

Jett gushing. Is this real life? Get Amir0x speaking a similar tune and some GAF historic boundary somewhere has been broken.
 
T

The Xtortionist

Member
More_Badass said:
What you consider "bloat", I consider pacing. The game isn't meant to be fast paced, encounter after encounter. I like the slow build up in the beginning. The intro is awesome and something I always wanted to see in a game
Click to expand...

It's just going to be total hell on replays. So much unskippable stuff that amounts to nothing.

TLOU has good pacing if any deviation in intensity is considered good pacing, but on a ten scale, the game constantly alternates between a 1 or 2 and a 9 or 10. To me, it feels like playing "red light, green light". Very jarring.

The distinction between combat and exploration/navigation might be contributing to that. In RE4 for example, pacing is handled entirely through the varying intensity of combat. RE4 never says "you've had enough combat, now you're going to do something else for a while". To be clear, I think the combat in TLOU is fucking amazing and nervewracking and intense. I just wish the non-combat stuff could be cut down on and allow the game to be paced in more interesting ways. Alternating between combat/navigation isn't a skillful method of pacing imo. And the non-combat stuff just isn't that engaging to me. Movement is too slow when Joel doesn't have his fast spring and the puzzles are tedious and easy.

Probably in the minority on this but I'll accept that.
 
T

toastyToast

Member
Listen would feel a lot less like cheat mode without the silhouettes. Knowing that there's something moving around in a particular direction would be helpful enough. It'd be nice for people not playing in 5.1 too
 
D

Desty

Banned
The amount of environment content in this game is crazy. It must have taken the artists forever to make all these rooms, objects, and buildings.
 
K

KINGofCRA5H

Member
toastyToast said:
Listen mode would feel a lot less like cheat mode without the silhouette. Knowing that there's something moving around in a particular direction would be helpful enough. It'd be nice for people not playing in 5.1 too
Click to expand...

Good point. It's one thing to hear an enemy and decipher it's general direction, it's something else to SEE where the enemy is entirely.
 
D

DatDude

Banned
The Xtortionist said:
It's just going to be total hell on replays. So much unskippable stuff that amounts to nothing.

TLOU has good pacing if any deviation in intensity is considered good pacing, but on a ten scale, the game constantly alternates between a 1 or 2 and a 9 or 10. To me, it feels like playing "red light, green light". Very jarring.

The distinction between combat and exploration/navigation might be contributing to that. In RE4 for example, pacing is handled entirely through the varying intensity of combat. RE4 never says "you've had enough combat, now you're going to do something else for a while". To be clear, I think the combat in TLOU is fucking amazing and nervewracking and intense. I just wish the non-combat stuff could be cut down on and allow the game to be paced in more interesting ways. Alternating between combat/navigation isn't a skillful method of pacing imo. And the non-combat stuff just isn't that engaging to me.

Probably in the minority on this but I'll accept that.
Click to expand...

I think that bloating could be cut by alot if there was like a navigation compass arrow or something (ala bioshock). I also think if that tip thing could come up any time we want, instead of popping up when were idle for to long in 1 area.

Most of that bloating would be cut in half if I actually knew wtf I had to do. To many times, especially in the hotel, where I had to find which way to go. The level design gets very confusing sometimes since it's very samey looking.
 
D

Dresden

Member
toastyToast said:
Listen would feel a lot less like cheat mode without the silhouettes. Knowing that there's something moving around in a particular direction would be helpful enough. It'd be nice for people not playing in 5.1 too
Click to expand...

Yeah. Just seeing ripples echo across the wall or something would have been nice.
 
webkatt

webkatt

Member
am i the only one who goes out of the way to murder everyone 100% i'll sneak but i won't leave anyone alive, infected or not
 
M

Mupod

Member
webkatt said:
am i the only one who goes out of the way to murder everyone 100% i'll sneak but i won't leave anyone alive, infected or not
Click to expand...

of course. There might be stuff to scavenge and I'd rather do that in as relaxed a manner as possible.

There were a few occasions where that wasn't feasible, though. Ideally I stealth kill everyone without being detected but that's getting harder and harder.
 
W

White Man

Member
cacophony said:
some sections of this are annoying because I have no idea where to go in a room full of clickers. i suck so bad at it on normal
Click to expand...

+1 It's neat at first, but it can quickly turn into trial and error gameplay. It's not all that bad since reloads are quick.

Pretty much loving the game so far. Reminds me of golden age survival horror.
 
E

Eusis

Member
Papercuts said:
This feels more like half life 2 than RE4 to me. Frankly I don't see RE4 at all here, and it's one of my favorite games.

That's fine to me, though.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I definitely got that HL2 vibe, and I think RE4's a bit stronger on the explorative angle whereas this is very much more that sort of progression you'd see in Half Life, Uncharted, most modern linear games really that aren't cleanly divided into stages or open world.

Anyways, probably going to just dump it down to Easy, I was afraid it'd be due to bullet sponge enemies, but instead it's because I'm terrible at the stealth or at least find it too nerve wrecking. Damn, they really don't want you to just swing in wildly.
 
N

nib95

Banned
So let me get this straight....people are comparing this game to HL2 and RE4? Holy shit. Talk about being compared to titans.

I haven't started the game yet. Been a bit busy with work and still mulling over whether to buy a new TV first before starting the game or not lol.
 
graywolf323

graywolf323

Member
DatDude said:
I think that bloating could be cut by alot if there was like a navigation compass arrow or something (ala bioshock). I also think if that tip thing could come up any time we want, instead of popping up when were idle for to long in 1 area.

Most of that bloating would be cut in half if I actually knew wtf I had to do. To many times, especially in the hotel, where I had to find which way to go. The level design gets very confusing sometimes since it's very samey looking.
Click to expand...

yeah I sorta agree with this, I'm still early on (18% complete) and I've gotten a bit lost at times
 
L

LuuKyK

Member
Oh my god. This fucking game. Its scary as hell. I swear to god... I am taking my sweet time in these encouters but at least I died only once. This is one of those games where you can breath easily only after you completely clear a room or escape these fuckers. Its amazing so far for me.
 
F

FairXchange

Member
The MP is seriously awesome. I've gotten pretty decent at it, or I was just hammering noobs. Either way, nothing beats being in a fire fighting, ducking away for a ev seconds to craft a molotov, throwing it at said enemy then following up with a few shots from the weighty revolver. Amazing mechanics in this game.
 
E

Eusis

Member
nib95 said:
So let me get this straight....people are comparing this game to HL2 and RE4? Holy shit. Talk about being compared to titans.
Click to expand...
Well, for what it's worth I'm not actually the biggest HL2 fan, so to me it's less "WOW THIS GAME'S BLOWING ME AWAY AS MUCH AS HL2" (wait a second that technically counts) so much as "huh, I'm getting the same sort of vibe and feel I got from games like HL2." I certainly didn't need to be as cautious here as either of those two though.
 
N

Net_Wrecker

Member
The Xtortionist said:
It's just going to be total hell on replays. So much unskippable stuff that amounts to nothing.

TLOU has good pacing if any deviation in intensity is considered good pacing, but on a ten scale, the game constantly alternates between a 1 or 2 and a 9 or 10. To me, it feels like playing "red light, green light". Very jarring.

The distinction between combat and exploration/navigation might be contributing to that. In RE4 for example, pacing is handled entirely through the varying intensity of combat. RE4 never says "you've had enough combat, now you're going to do something else for a while". To be clear, I think the combat in TLOU is fucking amazing and nervewracking and intense. I just wish the non-combat stuff could be cut down on and allow the game to be paced in more interesting ways. Alternating between combat/navigation isn't a skillful method of pacing imo. And the non-combat stuff just isn't that engaging to me. Movement is too slow when Joel doesn't have his fast spring and the puzzles are tedious and easy.

Probably in the minority on this but I'll accept that.
Click to expand...

If that's the minority opinion, I'm there as well. "Combat section" ---> "exploration section" over and over is one kind of pacing, but it's not what I would call the best kind of pacing. It's why I feel these linear action/adventure games should rely less on combat arenas, and more on simply diversifying combat encounters. I'd much rather fight 10 enemies spread throughout an area + exploration + item management + upgrades vs. 10 enemies in one big room with everything else thrown in as bookends to the combat scenario.

But I'm still very early in TLOU, so I won't call this game out one way or another until I'm finished.
 
P

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
Dresden said:
So do you ever get an improved shiv or shiv upgrade later on that doesn't break in one hit?
Click to expand...

The shiv upgrades are only clicker specific. First one lets you use it to get one off you, the second upgrade makes it so the shiv doesn't break during the clicker defense.
 
S

Salsa

Member
razgriz417 said:
What's your price point?

http://www.frys.com/product/7190612?site=sa:adpages page:P1_FRI date:061213
http://www.frys.com/product/7348174?site=sa:adpages page:P11_SAT date:061513


This game is great, anyone else looking around in all directions and kinda walking backwards and to the side everytime you enter a new area? I feel so paranoid playing this haha
Click to expand...

im hoping for cheaper down the line, I literally just want it for this game and maybe 2 more. I can wait, but the reception makes it hard!
 
R

Ranger X

Member
Wow. Just tried the game tonight. Amazing.
Nothing short of what I expected. Beautiful, plays well, looks incredible.
Its also one of the best freaking intro I've ever seen in a videogame.

Naughty Gods.
 
B

Baloonatic

Member
Game crashed and I lost about 7 hours of play :( I just looked up a video walkthrough to see how close I was to the end and I was less than 30 minutes away. Reeeeaaaally sucks.
 
B

bassman2112

Member
I have just arrived in Lincoln, and I did not want to put the game down. I have died a lot, but I still want to get better and get through the sections as "perfectly" as I can (though there was one section where I just couldn't, so I had to deal with losing some health and a bunch of bullets). I can't wait to see where the story goes. I was blown away by the intro, and as a resident of Boston, enjoyed seeing some familiar sights haha (I live about a 10 minute walk away from the Capital building they visit)
 
Hawk269

Hawk269

Member
The only thing I find a bit annoying early on is that enemies do not drop their guns. Which is really weird. They are firing on you, but yet you kill them and all the guns disappear. It seems like a way to balance the ammo, but kind of jarring that this happens.

I got hit with the save bug and lost 4 hours of game-play. Definitely frustrating. My game save was so jacked up that if I load a save it starts me at a certain checkpoint. I then quit and reload and it loads me to another checkpoint. Tried a 3rd time and loads me back the original checkpoint. This is loading the same save too. On all 3 occasions, my ammo count is different too. It is like it got corrupted or something.

BTW....loving Multiplayer. It does look a little shitty and some serious texture LOD issues, but the gameplay and how they set it all up is really fun, which I am surprised at. I went complete blackout with this game and did not even know it had a MP mode.
 
H

hawkshockey11

Banned
Just finished. I am at awe that experiences like this exist. Never would have thought when I started gaming on a n64 that this is what games could be. And they should be.

The reviews were spot on and the people overtly complaining are yelling at clouds. Its not perfect, but probably one of the few that have approached perfection.

Game of the generation right here.
 
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