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Bane was just a big Titan guy

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Mr Freeze was good

Another note:-

Nail bombs are brilliant

Going to do a big write up tomorrow. Yet to play online, will be interesting to see how that goes. Feel free to join me when I go on.

Think I might splash out on Left Behind. Is it available anywhere other than the PS Store?

Can't wait for that write up

I'll try to go through as many aspects as I can while keeping it vaguely chronological.

The prologue was a perfect way to set the scene. Having a small glimpse of the normal world and seeing Joel being a responsible father to Sarah, only to have it quickly taken away was a brief and brilliant start with a powerful punch, doing well to establish what followed. I liked Joel instantly; the introduction, along with references throughout, gives you a good picture of his transformation from normal Texas dad with a great voice to gruff, worn-out survivor.

Into the ruined, possibly Fallout-inspired world. A nice early moment was walking through the ramshackle quarantine zone marketplace with Tess, which was the height of civilization for the first three quarters of the game. The crumbling skyscrapers, highways and neighborhoods being taken back by nature were spectacular, but my favourite places were the ones later in the game which added variety. At the dam, traversing the river banks and forest tracks on horseback with the sun glistening through the trees, then heading into winter, with snow for miles around, looking out over the lake. The game didn't feel linear, which I put down to the details that could be found in every fairly large location, and the journey across America with no end point in sight.

I struggled with the combat at first. After playing GTA V with its sharp lock-on I found myself wasting my limited ammo, meaning I had to resort to the brutal hand-to-hand combat. If you've seen Drive there are a few scenes which might come to mind while playing The Last of Us. Heads beings smashed against walls, bones being obliterated with crowbars. There's always a desperation about it, be it your opponents gasping for breath as you silently strangle them or having your face torn off by a bloater. Brilliantly powerful, and a side. Was glad to have Tess and Bill with me at times. My aim and tactics improved, and along with acquiring more powerful weapons, I felt more comfortable by the end. Smartly placed nailbombs, well aimed molotovs and bursts from the flamethrower made light work of the infected.

Back to the story, and my initial impressions of Ellie were as positive as they were of Joel. I loved how their initial scepticism of each other gradually changed into a blossoming friendship. Her youthful observations of the world were always great to hear, as were her comments on escaping danger. Puzzles, especially the water-based ones, were reminiscent of Ico, with Joel having to find raft-shaped solutions to Ellie's inability to swim. Her increasing capabilities in battle, from throwing bricks and bottles to being useful with a pistol, showed how she adapted well to situations she faced. The cutscenes and optional conversations were perfect throughout, one of my favourites being when Henry opts to escape with Sam rather than help Joel, Ellie jumping back down: "We stick together."

As we got closer to the Fireflies, the emotion ramped up. I was a bit of a wreck in the scene where Joel was impaled and Ellie led him out of the university, his insistence on trying to walk was touching and I took a deep breath when a hunter raised his weapon, only for Ellie to fire a bullet into his stomach just in time (there was a touch of bleak humour here, Ellie telling Joel he's going to sing for her if they get to safety). This set up one of the most amazing parts of the game, becoming Ellie for the first time as she takes on an increased responsibility in the snow. Hunting the deer, the initial standoff with David and James and killing off infected showed her immense bravery. Joel being killed was never an enjoyable sight but it was even more distressing when a clicker grabbed hold of Ellie, showing she was still vulnerable. David delivering the news that of the "crazy man travelling with a little girl" was a hell of a bombshell and fighting through his men, that intense section in the burning restaurant, and in particular David's death were unbelievable moments. Joel taking no prisoners in this section ("That's alright. I believe him." ) was a powerful way to show his horrible, ruthless side while also showing his determination and compassion. Both parts of his personality are entirely understandable and I was glad to see him comfort Ellie.

The giraffes. Just thought I'd mention that. What a stunning moment. That was amazing. There were a few moments in the final third of the game where I felt that there would be a calm before the storm, which brings us to the ending. I thought the Fireflies might turn out to be sinister, but I suppose that's only accurate to an extent. I was expecting a big ending with an obvious, massive impact either way (either humanity or the infected being wiped out). It was more subtle than that, but Joel's decision was a monumental one. With the possibility of immunising, and saving, the whole human race on the line, he chose to let Ellie live. Carrying her out of the hospital was (along with some of the stealth mechanics) something which reminded me of the orphanage scene in Hitman: Absolution. The music in that scene, as with numerous occasions throughout the game, was poignant and epic, and mirrored the introduction where Joel tried to carry Sarah to safety. The obvious difference being that he wasn't going to let himself lose Ellie. I could watch the last scene forever, I think Ellie knew Joel was lying, but it shows how strong their bond is, as well as how attached I became to the two, as I felt that if I had a choice, that was the option I would have chosen.

The best thing I can say about The Last of Us is that the story and characters are the best I've ever experienced in a game. Right now, in my head, they're real. Those things actually happened and it's unclear what will happen in the future in the wake of the final events. Sequel?

Beautiful

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best game I have played and Im glad that after 6 months of me and kent begging constantly.. Andrei has seen the lite

I love the ending. The fact the story isn't over means it's been literally all I've been thinking about since I completed the game. Joel sticking to his lie is heartbreaking and beautiful, it makes you realise what could have been, that he doesn't want Ellie to feel guilty and he would do anything for her but wouldn't let her go through with the operation. Imagine if Ellie had a say in the decision. That would've been ridiculously emotional, but I think leaving it as a hypothetical scenario is a smart idea. More will happen, they help each other to survive.

In the hospital I was so caught up in the moment, I wanted to get Ellie out of there. After killing all of the soldiers I went into the operating room and barely hesitated shooting all of the surgeons with El Diablo. Those shots were loud. Carrying Ellie out was nerve-wracking, didn't stop running, nearly ran into soldiers once. Was worried when Marlene said Joel knows what he should do and it wasn't revealed if he was alone in the car or not, relieved when Ellie was there. They're still together at the end.

Hi Andrei

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Tu Meke and Tess

I'd hit that tbh.

John that was a magnificent review of the game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV8sY2Xv3Os

Think I might play through it again on Survivor mode. I played it on hard first, probably explained why i dies so many times.

My friend has borrowed me this game for about half a year now, I really need to give it back

John are you gonna play it again

I went for normal first time. Will probably stay on normal on my next playthrough, then move up the difficulties.

I'd go hard, it's easier with the upgrades anyway

I've seen playthroughs on youtube (had to catch up as I stopped midway for about 2 months), the main differences seems to be the availability of supplies, and the number of zombies and stuff.

so not the actual gameplay