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[leng jai]

I think this is the first time my overwhelming thoughts during play have been how much the technical limitations have marred the game's accomplishments. There are so many instances where it would have been incredibly immersive had the framerate not plummeted, had you not seen those obscene jaggies in the distance or had Ellie not started dry humping a clicker without repercussions. It's a shame because I feel like Naughty Dog nailed so many other aspects where hardware limitations weren't as prevalent.

Even disregarding the shortcomings of the AI you can envision how much were impressive this game could have been on PC/PS4 simply by looking at the cutscenes. The bad AI pretty much killed my motivation for stealth. It feels pointless sneaking around undetected when Ellie runs around psychotically half the time or starts hiding behind a wall in plain view of an oblivious enemy.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

I think this is the first time my overwhelming thoughts during play have been how much the technical limitations have marred the game's accomplishments. There are so many instances where the would have been incredibly immersive had the framerate not plummeted, had you not seen those obscene jaggies in the distance or had Ellie not started dry humping a clicker without repercussions. It's a shame because I feel like Naughty Dog nailed so many other aspects where hardware limitations weren't as prevalent.

Even disregarding the shortcomings of the AI you can envision how much were impressive this game could have been on PC/PS4 simply by looking at the cutscenes. The bad AI pretty much killed my motivation for stealth. It feels pointless sneaking around undetected when Ellie runs around psychotically half the time or starts hiding behind a wall in plain view of an oblivious enemy.

Fair summary of how I feel too.

 

[HigXx]

The Hunting Rifle is absolutely fantastic in multiplayer, playing Survivor with it is brilliant

 

[StuBurns]

It's better than nothing. Quite literally, in this case.

It's like how at the end of movies, they'll just flash paragraphs of text at you to explain what happens to the characters. Why am I reading when the whole point of a film is that it's comprised of motion pictures and sound?

I don't see how it's functionally any better at all. If there is only one option, and it amounts to press something to continue, it's literally no more advanced than resuming a paused film. Video games are about player expression, there is no expression at all in what you're talking about.

The only thing you gain from the MGS3 thing is allowing the game to look stupid, and making the animations canned instead of mo-capped, so, worse.

 

[Sickbean]

There is a part early on where Ellie (very early game spoiler)

Spoiler

somehow reminds Joel of his daughter

. He looks at his watch, pauses, then looks back at Ellie.

It's a very subtle and well handled bit of subtext - I've not seen a game do anything like it until now. For this at least Naughty Dog deserve a lot of credit.

 

[DatDude]

There is a part early on where Ellie (very early game spoiler)

Spoiler

somehow reminds Joel of his daughter

. He looks at his watch, pauses, then looks back at Ellie.

It's a very subtle and well handled bit of subtext - I've not seen a game do anything like it until now. For this at least Naughty Dog deserve a lot of credit.

That's what I'm saying.

Alot of the interaction, and growth is indeed, mostly, in cut-scenes. But you can't deny the great subtle interactions as well that are scattered throughout the game.

 

[firehawk12]

I don't see how it's functionally any better at all. If there is only one option, and it amounts to press something to continue, it's literally no more advanced than resuming a paused film. Video games are about player expression, there is no expression at all in what you're talking about.

The only thing you gain from the MGS3 thing is allowing the game to look stupid, and making the animations canned instead of mo-capped, so, worse.

It's better in that it at least uses one of the tools unique to games instead of having the player just sit back and stare at the screen.

Hell, the ending of

Spoiler

Assassins Creed Brotherhood

basically did the same thing, but did it in such a way that you are left shocked at what you were - as a player - just forced to do. And then the game just ends. My jaw was still on the floor after the 50 minute

Spoiler

Ubisoft

credits finished rolling.

If all the emotional content is locked behind non-interactive sequences and the only interactivity I get as a player is murder, murder, more murder, and sometimes swimming, then what am I supposed to take away from the game as a video game? All of the ethical choices are made for me, by the game's cutscenes, so all I'm reduced to is being a person who expresses himself by finding new ways to stab men in the neck.

 

[PuppetMaster]

These people hung up on jaggies and minor frame rate issues must have been insufferable during the PS2 gen and the PS1 gen.

Or they were not even born yet. Kids these days...

 

[satori]

This game is just blowing my mind right now. I just got done with Winter. Holy lee shhhiuut. If this is my last PS3 game then god Damn it's a amazing one....

 

[StuBurns]

It's better in that it at least uses one of the tools unique to games instead of having the player just sit back and stare at the screen.

Hell, the ending of

Spoiler

Assassins Creed Brotherhood

basically did the same thing, but did it in such a way that you are left shocked at what you were - as a player - just forced to do. And then the game just ends. My jaw was still on the floor after the 50 minute Ubisoft credits finished rolling.

If all the emotional content is locked behind non-interactive sequences and the only interactivity I get is a player is murder, murder, more murder, and sometimes swimming, then what am I supposed to take away from the game as a game? All of the ethical choices are made for me, by the game's cutscenes, so all I'm reduced to is being a person who expresses himself by finding new ways to stab men in the neck.

You don't even want the ethical choice, the end of MGS3, which you're referring to is not a choice. The choice to turn off a game as the only way to avoid an action isn't a choice, anymore than you could have turned TLoU off.

 

[firehawk12]

You don't even want the ethical choice, the end of MGS3, which you're referring to is not a choice. The choice to turn off a game as the only way to avoid an action isn't a choice, anymore than you could have turned TLoU off.

You're given the choice to understand that choice is a fallacy. Yeah, I'm sort of tired of that gimmick as well, but in this case, it would have at least worked inasmuch as it would have tied into Joel's

Spoiler

psychological frame of mind at the end of the game

.

 

[Sickbean]

These people hung up on jaggies and minor frame rate issues must have been insufferable during the PS2 gen and the PS1 gen.

Or they were not even born yet. Kids these days...

Exactly.

Us PAL gamers over 30 know where it's at. Never had it so good.

 

[DatDude]

It's better in that it at least uses one of the tools unique to games instead of having the player just sit back and stare at the screen.

Hell, the ending of

Spoiler

Assassins Creed Brotherhood

basically did the same thing, but did it in such a way that you are left shocked at what you were - as a player - just forced to do. And then the game just ends. My jaw was still on the floor after the 50 minute

Spoiler

Ubisoft

credits finished rolling.

If all the emotional content is locked behind non-interactive sequences and the only interactivity I get as a player is murder, murder, more murder, and sometimes swimming, then what am I supposed to take away from the game as a video game? All of the ethical choices are made for me, by the game's cutscenes, so all I'm reduced to is being a person who expresses himself by finding new ways to stab men in the neck.

How's that any different than interactively shooting a person, or having it occur in cut-scene. It's not a choice that YOU MADE yourself, but the game design choice. YOu didn't have the choice NOT to shoot X person which would've branched out a whole new narrative because of that.

 

[Evolved1]

At what percentage does the DD version become playable?

 

[wouwie]

I'm halfway through the game (50%, 10 hours) and

Spoiler

just about to cross the bridge

. Mixed feelings and emotions so far but i can't wait to continue the adventure tonight (which is a good thing). Big respect must go to Naughty Dog for creating such a long single player game. It's rare these days.

In retrospect, i should probably have gone for hard mode instead of normal mode but i'll reserve that for my second playthrough.

Sometimes, enemies appear outlined, even with listening mode turned off. I guess that is a bug. Doesn't happen a lot though and only for a brief moment.

I'll take my time with the second half of the game. Curious to see how it all unfolds and to

Spoiler

see how the different seasons are portrayed in this game

.

I do have the overall feeling that this is the PS3's swan song. It's practically bringing the console to it's knees. It would have looked insane on PS4. Can't wait to see Naughty Dog on PS4. I'd be interested in a PS4 version.

 

[DatDude]

At what percentage does the DD version become playable?

I believe it was said around 63%ish, give or take.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

These people hung up on jaggies and minor frame rate issues must have been insufferable during the PS2 gen and the PS1 gen.

Or they were not even born yet. Kids these days...

haha I see your point, but at the same time technology moves on as do expectations. I'm not mad at the game or developers, just disappointed the PS3 can't keep up with the scope and vision trying to be presented.

Which is a nice issue to have, I guess.

 

[Evolved1]

I believe it was said around 63%ish, give or take.

Thanks man... sooo close!

 

[firehawk12]

How's that any different than interactively shooting a person, or having it occur in cut-scene. It's not a choice that YOU MADE yourself, but the game design choice. YOu didn't have the choice NOT to shoot X person which would've branched out a whole new narrative because of that.

I'll refer to my post above.

And anyway, I think it's a bigger problem of "to murder" being the only verb that is available in video games. But that's not really The Last of Us' fault. They couldn't figure out how to, say, design an interactive way of having

Spoiler

Joel comfort Ellie after she bashes that cannibal's head in

, so they just have to put it in a video instead and then

Spoiler

jump forward in time in order to handwave the trauma away

.

 

[Sickbean]

For me this is how it boils down -

Is there a lot of exposition delivered via cut scene?

Yes.

Do I want to skip them like I want to in so many other games?

No.


At what it does, The Last of Us is peerless.

 

[derExperte]

These people hung up on jaggies and minor frame rate issues must have been insufferable during the PS2 gen and the PS1 gen.

The 3dfx Voodoo ruined the PS1 for me. I got used to Last's issues but it could be so much better visually, especially the outdoors if I compare them to Alan Wake PC. Give me a remake for PS4 in five years and I'll be there.

 

[firehawk12]

For me this is how it boils down -

Is there a lot of exposition delivered via cut scene?

Yes.

Do I want to skip them like I want to in so many other games?

No.


At what it does, The Last of Us is peerless.

I look at it this way. Someone took the Uncharted games and edited them into a three film trilogy. If you can get the same experience of the games from just watching those films, was there anything about the games that was necessarily special or interesting?

I will say, The Last of Us excels at tension, mostly because the consequences of breaking stealth are horrendous - and in that regard, it leverages the advantages of the medium to provide an experience that I can't get watching a horror film. It just doesn't do that with the other emotions it tries to evoke though.

 

[Deleted member 57681]

You know what's not right?

Spoiler

Left.

 

[Inversive]

Cool, retards have hacked the mp it seems and are able to join a game and be invisible and not appear on the scoreboard and don't set off bombs etc.

The person who wasn't in the game but in the lobby afterwards was hybridfighter66(6), can i get this piece of shit banned or not? he left immediately too.

 

[YoungHav]

Does anyone have a link to the full opening title theme music (The Last of Us)? Every version of the song I find is a different instrument, rather than the sick gloomy desperate guitar version of the title screen.

 

[Evolved1]

Cool, retards have hacked the mp it seems and are able to join a game and be invisible and not appear on the scoreboard and don't set off bombs etc.

The person who wasn't in the game but in the lobby afterwards was hybridfighter66(6), can i get this piece of shit banned or not? he left immediately too.

People who hack/glitch competitive MP are some of the sorriest sacks of shit...

 

[Clear]

obscene jaggies in the distance

Obscene? Seriously?

/facepalm

 

[SSReborn]

Wow this game is literally sold out everywhere. Had to get a digital copy beat it had a great time. My friends are actually having trouble snagging a copy of their own.

 

[leng jai]

Obscene? Seriously?

/facepalm

So you agree with the rest of the post? It depends on the geometry and lighting but there are instances where they're pretty obscene. It's not that often though.

 

[Gen X]

Just under 16hrs and i literally have made it up to the very beginning of Fall. I haven't even taken one step.

Anyone have any idea how many collectables there are in total? I currently have 74 so just wondering if I am on track.

I think this is the first time my overwhelming thoughts during play have been how much the technical limitations have marred the game's accomplishments. There are so many instances where it would have been incredibly immersive had the framerate not plummeted, had you not seen those obscene jaggies in the distance or had Ellie not started dry humping a clicker without repercussions.

I just finished the very last part of Summer and saw the jaggies as I was taking my sweet time going all stealth and all that went through my mind was 'It's a shame that people pick at things like this instead of focusing on the games strengths' but then I can accept that some people come from PC gaming and others might've played games that weren't pushing the hardware so allowed for more AA.

The amount of detail in this game is astounding. Even my gf said 'read the sign next to the port-a-loos' and there was a big list of rules about cleaing up after yourself, no shaving hair, empty the sewage etc.

Each to their own, it's not a dig at you I just accept I am playing on 7yo hardware.

 

[ced]

Sometimes, enemies appear outlined, even with listening mode turned off. I guess that is a bug. Doesn't happen a lot though and only for a brief moment.

I'm seeing this too when things get chaotic, it's happened twice in about 4 hours of play.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Damn I wish that I could afford this game, want it so bad!

 

[Cartman86]

So you agree with the rest of the post? It depends on the geometry and lighting but there are instances where they're pretty obscene. It's not that often though.

I loved this game a lot, but yeah Uncharted and this game to me are the games I point to when I think of shimmering jaggies in the distance.

 

[Sickbean]

I'm seeing this too when things get chaotic, it's happened twice in about 4 hours of play.

It's when they've been pointed out to you by Ellie or other friendly NPCs.

 

[EatChildren]

Game's IQ is average-to-terrible, in my opinion. Or really great, but only indoors. Like I said earlier in the thread, this game is begging for a PS4 up-port, if just to clean up the IQ. The texture filtering is dreadful, leading to some seriously gross muddy textures on distant objects, the lighting model falls weirdly on the dense flora and occasionally looks flat lit, and the typical console resolution hurts any vista with a lot of stuff going on (grass, trees, props, etc).

The art is fucking amazing and really held back by the poor texture filtering, low resolution, and occasionally dull lighting engine. Would very, very happily double dip on a 1080p 60fps PS4 version (when the day comes that I get a PS4), to make that art really shine.

 

[leng jai]

Just under 16hrs and i literally have made it up to the very beginning of Fall. I haven't even taken one step.

Anyone have any idea how many collectables there are in total? I currently have 74 so just wondering if I am on track.



I just finished the very last part of Summer and saw the jaggies as I was taking my sweet time going all stealth and all that went through my mind was 'It's a shame that people pick at things like this instead of focusing on the games strengths' but then I can accept that some people come from PC gaming and others might've played games that weren't pushing the hardware so allowed for more AA.

The amount of detail in this game is astounding. Even my gf said 'read the sign next to the port-a-loos' and there was a big list of rules about cleaing up after yourself, no shaving hair, empty the sewage etc.

Each to their own, it's not a dig at you I just accept I am playing on 7yo hardware.

I'm still thoroughly enjoying the game but that doesn't stop me from commenting on the aspects I think could have made the game a lot better. It's not even debatable the game would be far better if it had better IQ and a constant framerate (not even talking about 60fps). Of course it's playable but people saying they don't even notice it just need to shown how different the experience would be without the lag and poor IQ.

I loved this game a lot, but yeah Uncharted and this game to me are the games I point to when I think of shimmering jaggies in the distance.

It looks pretty identical to UC3 in that regard. Looks like ND didn't bother to do anything about it.

Game's IQ is average-to-terrible, in my opinion. Or really great, but only indoors. Like I said earlier in the thread, this game is begging for a PS4 up-port, if just to clean up the IQ. The texture filtering is dreadful, leading to some seriously gross muddy textures on distant objects, the lighting model falls weirdly on the dense flora and occasionally looks flat lit, and the typical console resolution hurts any vista with a lot of stuff going on (grass, trees, props, etc).

The art is fucking amazing and really held back by the poor texture filtering, low resolution, and occasionally dull lighting engine. Would very, very happily double dip on a 1080p 60fps PS4 version (when the day comes that I get a PS4), to make that art really shine.

I'm baffled that there seems to be no AF in this game at all.

 

[ced]

It's when they've been pointed out to you by Ellie or other friendly NPCs.

That makes sense, it almost seemed like it was happening when I was low on health and things were getting crazy.

 

[Y2Kev]

I look at it this way. Someone took the Uncharted games and edited them into a three film trilogy. If you can get the same experience of the games from just watching those films, was there anything about the games that was necessarily special...

But I like playing those games. I think playing enhances the relationships as I understand them between the characters and gives additional context to the art, atmosphere, and music. And then there's that I think they're fun. I don't accept the premise.

If you don't think they're fun games, why play them? You can certainly watch better movies. It's not hard to find the film equivalent of Sahara.

Am I missing a very specific criticism about something? It can't be just that the games are being evaluated solely as films.

 

[HigXx]

Is there a multiplayer thread yet?

 

[Gen X]

The art is fucking amazing and really held back by the poor texture filtering, low resolution, and occasionally dull lighting engine. Would very, very happily double dip on a 1080p 60fps PS4 version (when the day comes that I get a PS4), to make that art really shine.

Despite what I said above, I would still double dip. Can't begin to imagine what the sequel would be like but we know one will be released in 2-3 years.

 

[Dragon1893]

I love that Joel makes comments about the notes he reads. There were so many games prior to this one where I would read something important to the plot on a note and think "man, the character should've reacted to that, it's crucial to what's happening in the game right now".

They really pushed the engine too far in the first few areas of the Fall chapters, really takes its toll on the frame-rate, first time it truly bothered me.

Started the Winter chapter, had to force myself to put the control down.

 

[Auto_aim1]

Game's IQ is average-to-terrible, in my opinion. Or really great, but only indoors. Like I said earlier in the thread, this game is begging for a PS4 up-port, if just to clean up the IQ. The texture filtering is dreadful, leading to some seriously gross muddy textures on distant objects, the lighting model falls weirdly on the dense flora and occasionally looks flat lit, and the typical console resolution hurts any vista with a lot of stuff going on (grass, trees, props, etc).

The art is fucking amazing and really held back by the poor texture filtering, low resolution, and occasionally dull lighting engine. Would very, very happily double dip on a 1080p 60fps PS4 version (when the day comes that I get a PS4), to make that art really shine.

Yeah, poor texture filtering was the first thing I noticed along with jaggies. A PS4 port should help fix those things nicely. The game looks gorgeous otherwise, though.

 

[EatChildren]

I'm baffled that there seems to be no AF in this game at all.

Pushing the PS3 too hard, I guess. TLoU on average seems to have lower geometric detail and texture resolution on individual objects and surfaces than Uncharted 2 and 3. That's not to say it looks bad or has shit textures, but the more restrictive game design of the Uncharted series was probably a natural boon to pushing the IQ to breaking point. Open up the game design a bit more, throw in more NPCs with more complex behaviour, bigger environments, and you're going to have to dial back something.

The resolution is really just a downside of being a console game. Texture filtering and the occasionally flat lighting, especially given the framerate, seem to have taken the biggest hits.

Despite what I said above, I would still double dip. Can't begin to imagine what the sequel would be like but we know one will be released in 2-3 years.

Agreed.

 

[CoolZombie]

Just this minute finished it. Wow, incredible.

From start to finish the game was amazing, and the storyline and voice acting were so well done. So cool to have a game this late in the generation that is still raising the bar.

Congrats Naughty Dog.

 

[Zemm]

Playing on survivor and I struggle to put it down, the combat scenarios are utterly fantastic on this difficulty. The museum and the book store in particular were amazing.

Please Naughty Dog, give us a challenge mode, like the Batman Arkham games had. Just use the same settings (book store, museum and so on) and give us some different goals because it would work so damn well.

 

[Inversive]

Is there a multiplayer thread yet?

There needs to be one

 

[Alcoholikaust]

finished new game plus on survivor. bravo ND.

 

[firehawk12]

But I like playing those games. I think playing enhances the relationships as I understand them between the characters and gives additional context to the art, atmosphere, and music. And then there's that I think they're fun. I don't accept the premise.

If you don't think they're fun games, why play them? You can certainly watch better movies. It's not hard to find the film equivalent of Sahara.

Am I missing a very specific criticism about something? It can't be just that the games are being evaluated solely as films.

I was just replying to a post about the nature of games, essentially. The biggest emotional moments of the game are in the cutscenes, and I'm just disappointed that the designers couldn't come up with something more interesting to develop the relationship between Joel and Ellie, considering that they were referencing Ico prior to the game's release.

 

[Auto_aim1]

finished new game plus on survivor. bravo ND.

What changes did you notice on survivor mode? Less ammo?

 

[GeoramA]

2 hours in...thinking about calling off work :lol