Chapter 1: skip this shit
The Last of Us is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. 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 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 focus, 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. It was released for the PlayStation 3 in June 2013. It received acclaim for its narrative, gameplay, visuals, sound design, score, characterization, and female characters. The Last of Us became one of the best-selling video games, selling over 1.3 million units in its first week and 17 million by April 2018. The game won year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications, critics, and awards ceremonies. It has been ranked as one of the greatest video games ever made.
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. A remastered version, The Last of Us Remastered, was released for the PlayStation 4 in July 2014.[a] A remake, The Last of Us Part I, was released in September 2022 for PlayStation 5 and in March 2023 for Windows. A sequel, The Last of Us Part II, was released in 2020. Other The Last of Us media includes a comic book in 2013, a live show in 2014, a television adaptation by HBO in 2023, a tabletop game by Themeborne in 2024, and an upcoming tabletop game by CMON.
Gameplay[edit]
The Last of Us is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective.[1] The player traverses post-apocalyptic environments such as towns, buildings, forests, and sewers to advance the story. The player can use firearms, improvised weapons, hand-to-hand combat, 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.[2] The player also controls Ellie throughout the game's winter segment[3] and briefly controls Joel's daughter, Sarah, in the opening sequence.[4]
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.[5]
In combat, the player can use long-range weapons, such as a rifle, a shotgun, and a bow, and short-range weapons such as a handgun and a short-barreled shotgun. 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 by finding edible items or through the use of health kits.[7]
Though the player can attack enemies directly, they can also use stealth to attack undetected or sneak by them. "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.[5] In the dynamic cover system, the player can crouch behind obstacles to gain a tactical advantage during combat.[8] The game features periods without combat, often involving conversation between the characters.[9] 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.[10]
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.[11]
Multiplayer[edit]
The online multiplayer mode, called Factions, allows up to eight players to engage in competitive gameplay in rearranged versions 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;[12] Interrogation features teams investigating the location of the enemy team's lockbox, and the first to capture said lockbox wins.[13] 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.[14]
Players earn "parts" by marking or killing enemies, healing or reviving allies, crafting items, and unlocking the enemy lockbox. Parts can be spent mid-match on weapon upgrades and armor, and are converted to supplies at the end of the match; additional supplies can be scavenged from enemies' bodies.[14] Players also earn points as they play, which can be spent on weapons or skills to create custom loadouts.[15] Players could originally connect the game to their Facebook account, altering clan members' names and faces to match their Facebook friends.[16] Players have the ability to customize their characters with hats, helmets, masks, and emblems.[17] The multiplayer servers for the PlayStation 3 version of the game were shut down on September 3, 2019.[18]
Plot[edit]See also: Characters of The Last of Us
In 2013, an outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungus ravages the United States, transforming its human hosts into aggressive creatures. 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 decimated by the infection. Joel works as a smuggler with his partner, Tess (Annie Wersching), in a quarantine zone in 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 he traded the cache with the Fireflies, a rebel militia opposing the quarantine zone authorities. The Fireflies' leader, 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. While sneaking out at night, Joel and Tess discover Ellie is infected; she claims she is immune and may lead to a cure. At the State House, the trio discover the Fireflies have been killed and Tess reveals she has been infected. Believing in Ellie's importance, she sacrifices herself against pursuing soldiers so Joel and Ellie can escape. Joel decides to find Tommy, a former Firefly, in the hope that he can locate others.
With the help of Bill (W. Earl Brown), a smuggler and survivalist in Lincoln, Massachusetts, Joel and Ellie 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 but hides it from the group. As his infection takes hold, Sam attacks Ellie, but Henry shoots him dead before taking his own life.
In the fall, Joel and Ellie find Tommy in Jackson, Wyoming, where he has assembled a fortified settlement near a hydroelectric dam with his wife, Maria (Ashley Scott). Joel leaves Ellie with Tommy, but after she confronts him about Sarah, he lets her stay. Tommy directs them to a Firefly enclave at the University of Eastern Colorado. They find the university abandoned but learn the Fireflies have moved to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. The two are attacked by bandits and Joel is severely wounded while escaping.
During the winter, Ellie and Joel shelter in the mountains. 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. After David reveals the university bandits were part of his group, Ellie becomes hostile. She leads David's group away from Joel but is captured; David intends to recruit her into his cannibal group. Ellie 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 her just as she kills David with a machete, an act that traumatizes her, and 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 hopes 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 kills the lead surgeon. Joel carries the unconscious Ellie to the parking garage, where he is confronted by Marlene, whom he shoots dead to prevent the Fireflies from pursuing them. On the drive out of the city, when Ellie wakes up, Joel lies and tells her that the Fireflies had found other immune people but were unable to create a cure and have stopped trying. On the outskirts of Tommy's settlement, Ellie expresses her survivor guilt. At her insistence, Joel swears his story about the Fireflies is true.
Development[edit]Main article: Development of The Last of UsBruce StraleyNeil DruckmannStraley and Druckmann 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] Game 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.[22] Though the fungi mainly infect insects, taking control of their motor functions and forcing them to help cultivate the fungus, the game explores the concept of the fungus evolving and infecting humans,[b] as well as the direct results of an outbreak of this infection.[22]
Argentine musician Gustavo Santaolalla composed and performed the score for The Last of Us.[28]
The relationship between Joel and Ellie was the 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.[29] Baker and Johnson contributed to the development of the characters;[30] for example, Baker convinced Druckmann that Joel would care for Tess due to his loneliness,[31] and Johnson convinced Druckmann that Ellie should be stronger and more defensive.[30] Following comparisons to actor Elliot Page, Ellie's appearance was redesigned to better reflect Johnson's personality and make her younger.[32][33] The game's other characters also underwent changes. The character Tess was originally intended to be the main antagonist, but the team found it difficult to believe her motives.[34] The sexuality of the character Bill was originally left vague in the script but later altered to further reflect his homosexuality.[31]
The Last of Us features an original score composed primarily by Gustavo Santaolalla, along with compositions by Andrew Buresh, Anthony Caruso, and Jonathan Mayer.[28] 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.[3] 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".[35] 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.[36] 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.[37] The game's opening credits were produced by Sony's San Diego Studio.[38]
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."[39] The team created new engines to satisfy their needs for the game. The artificial intelligence was created to coordinate with players;[40] the addition of Ellie as artificial intelligence was a major contributor to the engine.[41] The lighting engine was also re-created to incorporate soft light, in which the sunlight seeps in through spaces and reflects off surfaces.[40] The gameplay introduced difficulty to the team, as they felt that every mechanic required thorough analysis.[31] The game's user interface design also underwent various iterations throughout development.[42]
The Last of Us was announced on December 10, 2011, at the Spike Video Game Awards,[43] alongside its debut trailer.[44] The announcement ignited widespread anticipation within the gaming industry, which journalists ascribed to Naughty Dog's reputation.[45][46] The game missed its original projected release date of May 7, 2013, and was pushed to June 14, 2013, worldwide for further polishing.[47] To promote pre-order sales, Naughty Dog collaborated with several retailers to provide special editions of the game with extra content.[48]
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;[49] the documentary was released online in February 2014.[50] 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.[51] Abandoned Territories Map Pack, released on October 15, 2013, added four new multiplayer maps, based on locations in the game's story.[52] Nightmare Bundle, released on November 5, 2013, added a collection of ten head items, nine of which are available to purchase separately.[53]
The Last of Us: Left Behind adds a single-player campaign that features two storylines—one set after the prologue of The Last of Us and one before the Winter chapter[54]—following Ellie and her friend Riley. It was released on February 14, 2014, as DLC[55] and on May 12, 2015, as a standalone expansion pack.[56] 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.[57] The Grit and Gear Bundle, which added new headgear items, masks and gestures, was released on August 5, 2014.[58] A Game of the Year Edition containing all downloadable content was released in Europe on November 11, 2014.[59]
Remaster and remake[edit]
On April 9, 2014, Sony Computer Entertainment announced The Last of Us Remastered, a remastered version of the game for the PlayStation 4.[60] It was released in July and August 2014.[a] Remastered uses the DualShock 4's touchpad to navigate inventory items, and the light bar signals health, scaling from green to orange and red when taking damage. In addition, audio recordings found in the game world can be heard through the controller's speaker; the original version forced players to remain in a menu while the recordings were played.[64] The game's Photo Mode allows players to capture images of the game by pausing gameplay and adjusting the camera freely.[65] In the menu, players have the ability to watch all cutscenes with audio commentary featuring Druckmann, Baker, and Johnson.[66] Remastered features improved graphics and rendering upgrades, including increased draw distance, a higher frame rate, and advanced audio options.[67] It includes the previously released downloadable content, including Left Behind and some multiplayer maps.[68] The development team aimed to create a "true" remaster, maintaining the "core experience".[69]
The Last of Us Part I, a remake of The Last of Us, was released for PlayStation 5 on September 2, 2022,[70] and for Windows on March 28, 2023.[71] It features revised gameplay and controls, improved performance and lighting effects, and new accessibility options. On PlayStation 5, the game supports 3D audio, as well as the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller.[70][72] Development of The Last of Us Part I was led by game director Matthew Gallant and creative director Shaun Escayg.[72] The game was completely rebuilt to take advantage of the updated PlayStation 5 hardware, requiring new art direction, animation, and character models.[73] The technological and graphical enhancements were intended to align with the vision of the original game's development team. Escayg wanted each element to make the player feel grounded and immersed in the game world.[74] Gallant collaborated with a specialized team at Descriptive Video Works to create audio descriptions for cutscenes.[75] Reactions to the remake's announcement were mixed, with some journalists and players considering it unnecessary due to the age of the original and the existence of Remastered,[76][77] as well as questioning its US$70 price point.[78][79][80] Upon release, the game received positive reviews,[81] though response to the Windows version was mixed,[81] becoming Naughty Dog's lowest-rated game.[82]
Reception[edit]Initial release[edit]ReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic95/100[83]Review scoresPublicationScoreComputer and Video Games10/10[84]Edge10/10[85]Eurogamer10/10[86]Game Informer9.5/10[87]GameSpot8/10[88]IGN10/10[89]Joystiq[90]PlayStation Official Magazine – UK10/10[91]Polygon7.5/10[92]
The Last of Us received "universal acclaim", according to review aggregator Metacritic.[83] It is the fifth-highest-rated PlayStation 3 game on Metacritic.[93] Reviewers praised the character development, story and subtext, visual and sound design, and depiction of female and LGBT characters. Colin Moriarty of IGN called The Last of Us "a masterpiece" and "PlayStation 3's best exclusive",[89] and Edge considered it "the most riveting, emotionally resonant story-driven epic" of the console generation.[85] Oli Welsh of Eurogamer wrote that it is "a beacon of hope" for the survival horror genre;[86] Andy Kelly of Computer and Video Games declared it "Naughty Dog's finest moment".[84]
Kelly of Computer and Video Games found the story memorable,[84] and IGN's Moriarty named it one of the game's standout features.[89] 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",[91] and Destructoid's Jim Sterling lauded the game's suspenseful moments.[94] Richard Mitchell of Joystiq found that the narrative improved the character relationships.[90]
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".[87] Eurogamer's Welsh wrote that the characters were developed with "real patience and skill", appreciating their emotional value,[86] and Joystiq's Mitchell found the relationship "genuine" and emotional.[90] PlayStation Official Magazine's Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters of any PlayStation 3 game,[91] while IGN's Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game.[89] Kelly of Computer and Video Games named the characters "richly painted", feeling invested in their stories.[84] 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.[92] The performances also received praise,[87][89][94] with Edge and Eurogamer's Welsh noting that the script improved as a result.[85][86]
Many reviewers found the game's combat a refreshing difference from other games. Game Informer's Helgeson appreciated the vulnerability during fights,[87] while Kelly of Computer and Video Games enjoyed the variety in approaching the combat.[84] 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".[89] Joystiq's Mitchell reiterated similar comments, stating that the combat "piles death upon death on Joel's hands".[90] Welsh of Eurogamer found the suspenseful and threatening encounters added positively to the gameplay.[86] Tom Mc Shea of GameSpot wrote that the artificial intelligence negatively affected the combat, with enemies often ignoring players' companions.[88] Polygon's Kollar also felt that the combat was unfair, especially when fighting the infected, and noted some inconsistencies in the game's artificial intelligence that "shatters the atmosphere" of the characters.[92]
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,[84] and "jaw-dropping" by Eurogamer's Welsh.[86] In contrast, Mc Shea of GameSpot identified the visual representation of the post-apocalyptic world was "mundane", having been portrayed various times previously.[88] 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"[87] and Moriarty of IGN stating that they contribute to the realism.[89] Destructoid's Sterling wrote that the 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.[94]
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.[84] Edge repeated similar remarks, writing that the level design serves the story appropriately.[85] Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the world "effectively and gorgeously [conveys] the loneliness" of the story.[87] IGN's Moriarty appreciated the added design elements placed around the game world, such as the hidden notes and letters.[89] The plausibility of the infection was commended by Scientific American's Kyle Hill.[95]
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,[86] while Game Informer's Helgeson dubbed it "amazing".[87] Mc Shea of GameSpot stated that the audio added to the effect of the gameplay, particularly when hiding from enemies.[88] Kelly of Computer and Video Games found that the environmental audio positively impacted gameplay, and that Gustavo Santaolalla's score was "sparse and delicate".[84] Both Game Informer's Helgeson and Destructoid's Sterling called the score "haunting",[87] with the latter finding that it complements the gameplay.[94]
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.[96] Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton wrote that the violence was "heavy, consequential and necessary", as opposed to gratuitous.[1] 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.[97] Kelly of Computer and Video Games stated that, despite the "incredibly brutal" combat, the violence never felt gratuitous.[84] Eurogamer's Welsh echoed similar remarks, stating that the violence is not "desensitized or mindless".[86] Matt Helgeson of Game Informer observed that the game's violence leads to players questioning the morality of their choices.[87] Joystiq's Mitchell wrote that the violence is "designed to be uncomfortable", stating that it contributes to Joel's character.[90] 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.[98]
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".[99] Eurogamer's Ellie Gibson praised Ellie as "sometimes strong, sometimes vulnerable, but never a cliché".[100] She felt that Ellie is initially established as a "damsel in distress", but that this concept is subverted.[100] 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".[101] Chris Suellentrop of The New York Times acknowledged that Ellie is a likable and "sometimes powerful" character, but argued that The Last of Us is "actually the story of Joel", stating that it is "another video game by men, for men and about men".[102] 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".[103] American organization GLAAD named Bill one of the "most intriguing new LGBT characters of 2013", calling him "deeply flawed but wholly unique".[104] A kiss between two female characters in Left Behind was met with positive reactions.[105][106]
Remastered[edit]ReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacritic95/100[107]Review scoresPublicationScoreGame Informer10/10[108]IGN10/10[109]Polygon8/10[110]VideoGamer.com10/10[111]The Escapist[112]The Telegraph9/10[113]
Like the original version, The Last of Us Remastered received "universal acclaim" according to Metacritic.[107] It is the third-highest-rated PlayStation 4 game on Metacritic, tied with Persona 5 Royal and behind Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2.[114]
The game's enhanced graphics received positive reactions. Colin Moriarty of IGN felt that the graphical fidelity of Remastered was an improvement over The Last of Us, despite the latter being "the most beautiful game [he'd] seen on any console".[109] GamesRadar's David Houghton echoed this statement, calling the visuals "jaw-dropping".[115] VideoGamer.com reiterated the graphical improvement over the original game, particularly praising the increased draw distance and improved lighting technology.[111] Liam Martin of Digital Spy also felt that the lighting system improves the gameplay and makes the game "feel even more dangerous".[116] Game Informer's Tim Turi stated that the game is "even more breathtaking" than The Last of Us.[108] Matt Swider of TechRadar appreciated the minor detail changes and the technical improvements.[117] The Independent's Jack Fleming felt that the original game's visual flaws were enhanced in Remastered but greatly complimented the updated graphics regardless.[118]
Many reviewers considered the technical enhancements, such as the increased frame rate, a welcome advancement from the original game. Turi of Game Informer felt that the frame rate "dramatically elevate[s]" the game above the original.[108] Jim Sterling of The Escapist complimented the upgraded frame rate, commenting that the original frame rate is a "noticeably inferior experience".[112] IGN's Moriarty stated that, though the change was initially "jarring", he appreciated it through further gameplay.[89] Tom Hoggins of the Telegraph echoed these statements, feeling as though the increased frame rate heightened the intensity of the gameplay.[113] Philip Kollar of Polygon appreciated the game's improved textures and loading times.[110]
The addition of Photo Mode was well received. TechRadar's Swider named the mode as a standout feature,[119] while IGN's Moriarty complimented the availability to capture "gorgeous" images using the feature.[109] The adjustment of the controls received praise, with Moriarty of IGN particularly approving of the DualShock 4's triggers.[109] Swider of TechRadar felt that the additional controls result in a better functioning game,[117] while Digital Spy's Martin felt that it improves the game's combat, commenting that it "increase[s] this sense of immersion".[116] Reviewers also appreciated the inclusion of the DLC and the audio commentary.[109][120][110][113][119][121] These features led The Escapist's Sterling to dub Remastered as "the definitive version of the game".[112]
Accolades[edit]Main article: List of accolades received by The Last of UsSome developers at Naughty Dog accepting Game of the Year at the Game Developers Choice Awards
Prior to its release, The Last of Us received numerous awards for its previews at E3.[122][123][124][125][126] It was review aggregators Metacritic and GameRankings' second-highest rated for the year 2013, behind Grand Theft Auto V.[127][128] The game appeared on several year-end lists of the best games of 2013, receiving wins at the 41st Annie Awards,[129] 10th British Academy Video Games Awards,[130] 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards,[131] and 14th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards,[132] and from outlets such as The A.V. Club,[133] Canada.com,[134] The Daily Telegraph,[135] Destructoid,[136] The Escapist,[137] GamesRadar,[138] GameTrailers,[139] GameRevolution,[140] Giant Bomb,[141] Good Game,[142] Hardcore Gamer,[143] IGN,[144] IGN Australia,[145] International Business Times,[146] Kotaku,[147] VG247,[148] and VideoGamer.com.[149] It was also named the Best PlayStation Game by GameSpot,[150] GameTrailers,[139] Hardcore Gamer,[151] and IGN.[152] Naughty Dog won Studio of the Year and Best Developer from The Daily Telegraph,[135] Edge,[153] the Golden Joystick Awards,[154] Hardcore Gamer,[155] and the 2013 Spike VGX.[156]
Baker and Johnson received multiple nominations for their performances; Baker won awards from Hardcore Gamer[157] and the 2013 Spike VGX,[156] while Johnson won awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards,[130] D.I.C.E. Awards,[131] VGX 2013,[156] and from The Daily Telegraph.[135] The game's story also received awards at the British Academy Video Games Awards,[130] the D.I.C.E. Awards,[131] the Game Developers Choice Awards,[132] the Golden Joystick Awards,[154] and the Writers Guild of America Awards,[158] and from GameTrailers,[139] Giant Bomb,[159] Hardcore Gamer,[160] and IGN.[161] The sound design and music received awards at the D.I.C.E. Awards,[131] the Inside Gaming Awards,[154] and from IGN.[162][163] The game's graphical and artistic design also won awards from Destructoid,[164] the D.I.C.E. Awards,[131] the Golden Joystick Awards,[154] and IGN.[165][166]
The Last of Us was awarded Outstanding Innovation in Gaming at the D.I.C.E. Awards,[131] and Best Third Person Shooter from GameTrailers.[139] The game received Best New IP from Hardcore Gamer,[167] Best Newcomer at the Golden Joystick Awards,[154] and Best Debut from Giant Bomb.[168] It received Best Overall Sound,[162] Best PlayStation 3 Multiplayer,[169] and Best Action-Adventure Game on PlayStation 3[170] and overall at IGN's Best of 2013 Awards.[171] It also won Best Action-Adventure Game at the British Academy Video Games Awards,[130] and The Escapist,[172] as well as Best Action Game from Hardcore Gamer[173] and Adventure Game of the Year at the D.I.C.E. Awards.[131] The game was nominated for Best Remaster at The Game Awards 2014,[174] and received an honorable mention for Best Technology at the 15th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards.[175] The game was named among the best games of the 2010s by The Hollywood Reporter,[176] Mashable,[177] Metacritic,[178] and VG247.[179]
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.[180] 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[181] and the fastest-selling PlayStation 3 game of 2013 at the time.[182] The game became the best-selling digital release on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 3; this record was later beaten by Grand Theft Auto V.[183] The Last of Us ultimately became the tenth-best-selling game of 2013.[184] In the United Kingdom, the game remained atop the charts for six consecutive weeks, matching records set by multi-platform games.[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.[186] The game also topped the charts in the United States,[187] France,[188] Ireland,[189] Italy,[190] the Netherlands,[191] Sweden,[192] Finland,[192] Norway,[192] Denmark,[192] Spain,[193] and Japan.[194]
The Last of Us is one of the best-selling PlayStation 3 games, and Remastered is among the best-selling PlayStation 4 games.[195] By August 2014, the game had sold eight million copies: seven million on PlayStation 3 and one million on PlayStation 4.[196] By April 2018, the game sold 17 million copies across both consoles.[197] According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, the game had sold over 20 million units by October 2019.[198]
Legacy[edit]
Critics concurred that The Last of Us was among the best games of the seventh generation of video game consoles[199] and a great closing title before the eighth generation.[200][201][202] It is often regarded among the greatest video games ever made.[203] Several critics recognized it as a landmark title for the industry, citing its blending of a nuanced narrative and effective gameplay;[204][205][206] the developers of God of War (2018) and A Plague Tale: Innocence (2019) named it an inspiration for its focus on characters.[207][208] The Last of Us was added to the World Video Game Hall of Fame at the Strong National Museum of Play in May 2023.[209] The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival, released by Virtual Global Games for Nintendo Switch in June 2023, was labeled a "clone" and "rip-off" of The Last of Us by journalists due to its similar concept, characters, and music;[210][211] its trailers were removed from YouTube after a copyright claim from Sony, and the game was removed from the Nintendo eShop in August.[212][213]
Franchise[edit]Main article: The Last of Us (franchise)
The Last of Us spawned a media franchise. A four-issue comic book miniseries, 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.[214] The game's cast performed a live reading of selected scenes in Santa Monica, California, in July 2014, with live music by Santaolalla.[215]
A sequel, The Last of Us Part II, was released for PlayStation 4 in June 2020.[216] Two tabletop games are in development: The Last of Us: Escape the Dark by Themeborne, due in 2024;[217][218] and The Last of Us: The Board Game by CMON, focusing on exploration, narrative, and survival elements.[219]
Two film adaptations of The Last of Us were attempted: a feature film written by Druckmann and produced by Sam Raimi entered development hell,[220] and an animated short film adaptation by Oddfellows was canceled by Sony.[221] Druckmann and Craig Mazin created a television adaptation of the game starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, which debuted on HBO and HBO Max in January 2023.[222]
FilmingMusicDesign and post-productionReleaseToggle Release subsectionBroadcast and home mediaPromotionReceptionToggle Reception subsectionCritical responseRatingsAwards and nominationsNotesReferencesExternal linksThe Last of Us (TV series)56 languagesArticleTalkReadEditView historyToolsAppearance hideTextSmallStandardLargeWidthStandardWideColor (beta)AutomaticLightDarkFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSorry to interrupt, but our fundraiser won't last longThis Sunday, we ask you to join the 2% of readers who give. If everyone reading this right now gave just ₹ 25, we'd hit our goal in a couple of hours. ₹ 25 is all we ask.Give ₹ 25 Maybe later 8 September: Wikipedia still won't be sold.We're sorry we've asked you a few times recently, but it's Sunday, 8 September, and our fundraiser doesn't last long. Wikipedia is free and doesn't rely on ads. If everyone reading this gave ₹ 25, we'd reach our goal in a few hours. Just 2% of our readers donate, so if Wikipedia has given you ₹ 25 worth of knowledge, kindly donate today. Any contribution helps, whether it's ₹ 25 or ₹ 1,000.Give ₹ 25 Give a different amountMaybe later I already donatedClose The Last of UsGenrePost-apocalypticDramaThrillerCreated byCraig MazinNeil DruckmannBased onThe Last of Us
by Naughty Dog[a]ShowrunnersCraig MazinNeil DruckmannWritten byCraig MazinNeil DruckmannStarringPedro PascalBella RamseyTheme music composerGustavo SantaolallaComposersGustavo SantaolallaDavid FlemingCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo. of seasons1No. of episodes9ProductionExecutive producersCraig MazinNeil DruckmannCarolyn StraussRose LamEvan WellsCarter SwanAsad QizilbashJacqueline LeskoCecil O'ConnorProducersGreg SpenceCecil O'ConnorProduction locationCanadaCinematographyKsenia SeredaEben BolterChristine A. MaierNadim CarlsenCatherine GoldschmidtEditorsTimothy A. GoodMark HartzellEmily MendezCindy MolloRunning time43–81 minutesProduction companiesThe Mighty MintWord GamesPlayStation ProductionsNaughty DogSony Pictures Television StudiosOriginal releaseNetworkHBOReleaseJanuary 15, 2023 –
present
The Last of Us is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. Based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the series is set twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection, which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures and causes the collapse of society. The first season, based on the 2013 game, follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler tasked with escorting the immune teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States. The second season is expected to adapt the 2020 sequel, partly following Abby (Kaitlyn Dever).
Guest stars include Nico Parker as Joel's daughter Sarah, Merle Dandridge as resistance leader Marlene, Anna Torv as Joel's partner Tess, Gabriel Luna as Joel's brother Tommy, Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard as brothers Henry and Sam, and Melanie Lynskey and Jeffrey Pierce as resistance leader Kathleen and her second-in-command Perry. The second season is set to introduce Isabela Merced as Ellie's romantic interest Dina and Young Mazino as Dina's ex Jesse.
The first season was filmed in Alberta from July 2021 to June 2022, while the second season was filmed in British Columbia from February to August 2024. It is the first HBO series based on a video game, and is a joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, the Mighty Mint, and Word Games. Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the games, assisted Mazin with scriptwriting for the first season's nine episodes, joined by Halley Gross, who co-wrote the second game, and Bo Shim for the second season's seven episodes. The score was composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed for the games, and David Fleming.
The Last of Us premiered on January 15, 2023. It received acclaim from critics, who praised the performances, writing, production design, and score; several called it the best adaptation of a video game. It won several awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations. Across linear channels and HBO Max, the series premiere was watched by 4.7 million viewers on the first day—the second-biggest for HBO since 2010—and almost 40 million within two months; by May, the series averaged almost 32 million viewers per episode. The second season is set to premiere in 2025.
Cast and characters[edit]For a more comprehensive list, see Characters of The Last of Us (TV series).Main[edit]Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey portray the lead characters, Joel and Ellie.[5][6]Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller, a hardened middle-aged survivor who is tormented by the trauma of his past.[5][7] Joel is tasked with smuggling a young girl, Ellie, out of a quarantine zone and across the United States.[5] Joel is portrayed as more physically vulnerable in the series compared to the game—he is hard of hearing in one ear and his knees ache when he stands.[8]Bella Ramsey as Ellie, a 14-year-old girl who displays much defiance and anger but has a private need for kinship and belonging.[6] She is strong-willed but has not lost her playfulness, bonding easily with children, and has a fondness for puns.[9][10][11] She is immune to the Cordyceps infection and may be the key to creating a vaccine.[6]Guest[edit]Nico Parker as Sarah, Joel's 14-year-old daughter.[12][13] She cares for her father, playfully teasing him over his behavior and attitude.[14]John Hannah as Dr. Newman, an epidemiologist who issues a warning about the threat of fungi during a talk show in 1968.[15]Merle Dandridge as Marlene, the head of the Fireflies, a resistance movement hoping to gain freedom from the military. Dandridge reprises her role from the video games.[16]Christopher Heyerdahl as Dr. Schoenheist, an epidemiologist on the 1968 talk show who is skeptical of Newman's warning.[17]Brendan Fletcher as Robert, a thug and black market arms dealer in the Boston Quarantine Zone.[18] Robert fears Joel's retribution against his actions.[19]Anna Torv as Tess, a hardened survivor and Joel's partner.[20] Tess is respected in the Boston Quarantine Zone, largely out of fear. She is protective of Ellie during their escort mission.[21]Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Joel's younger brother and who maintains idealism in hoping for a better world.[22] A former Firefly, Tommy gave up on their cause and runs a commune with his wife.[23]Christine Hakim as Ratna Pertiwi, a mycology professor who advises the Indonesian government to bomb Jakarta to slow the spread of the infection,[24] for which she feels hopeless.[25][26]Nick Offerman as Bill, a misanthropic survivalist.[27] Bill's paranoia and distrust of the government left him prepared for the pandemic, protected in an underground bunker.[28]Murray Bartlett as Frank, a survivalist living in an isolated town with Bill.[29] Frank is friendlier and more trusting than Bill, forming a close bond with Tess and Joel.[30]Lamar Johnson as Henry Burrell, who is hiding from a revolutionary movement in Kansas City.[31] Henry is hurt by his own actions but ultimately does them to protect his younger brother Sam.[32]Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen Coghlan, the leader of a revolutionary movement in Kansas City.[33] Kathleen is soft-spoken and outwardly sweet but an intelligent and often ruthless leader.[34][35]Keivonn Montreal Woodard as Sam, a deaf, artistic eight-year-old child who is hiding with his brother Henry.[31][36][37] Sam was diagnosed with leukemia at a young age.[38]Jeffrey Pierce as Perry, a revolutionary rebel in a quarantine zone and former military member, who is Kathleen's second-in-command.[29][39][40] Pierce portrayed Tommy in the video games.[29]John Getz as Eldelstein, a Kansas City doctor who protects Henry and Sam from Kathleen and the rebels.[41][42]Rutina Wesley as Maria, a co-leader of the survivors in Jackson and Tommy's pregnant wife.[43][44] Formerly an assistant district attorney, Maria is calm and merciful in her decisions.[45][43]Graham Greene as Marlon, a Native American hunter who has lived with his wife Florence in the wilderness of Wyoming since before the pandemic.[31][46] Marlon is resourceful and untrusting of strangers.[46]Elaine Miles as Florence, who lives with her husband Marlon.[31] Florence is calm and humorous. Unlike Marlon, she did not want to isolate in the wilderness.[46]Storm Reid as Riley Abel, an orphaned girl who is Ellie's best friend at military school in post-apocalyptic Boston.[47][48] Riley ran away from military school to join the Fireflies, considering the former to be fascists.[49]Scott Shepherd as David, a preacher who leads a struggling community.[50] David is calm and acts as a caring leader,[51] but is manipulative and abusive.[52] He claims to have found God after the outbreak and views the virus as a form of divine justice.[52]Troy Baker as James, David's aide.[53] James lacks faith in David but wants to be considered his equal, feeling threatened when Ellie's capabilities threaten to usurp his position.[50] Baker previously portrayed Joel in the video games.[54]Ashley Johnson as Anna, Ellie's mother.[55] Anna is resourceful, killing an infected while giving birth. She is close with Marlene; upon giving birth to Ellie, she tasks Marlene with caring for Ellie after she becomes infected.[55] Johnson previously portrayed Ellie in the video games.[54]Season 2[edit]Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, a soldier who seeks vengeance for a loved one and subsequently has her worldview challenged.[56]Young Mazino as Jesse, an important member of his community whose selflessness sometimes comes at a cost.[57]Isabela Merced as Dina, Ellie's romantic interest and Jesse's ex. She is a freewheeling spirit with a loyalty towards Ellie, which is challenged by the world's brutality.[58]Danny Ramirez as Manny, a loyal soldier who fears failing his friends. He maintains a jovial attitude despite the pain of his past.[59]Ariela Barer as Mel, a doctor committed to her role while struggling with the realities of war.[59]Tati Gabrielle as Nora, a military medic who has difficulty accepting her past behavior.[59]Spencer Lord as Owen, a gentle person whose physical strength forces him to fight enemies he does not hate.[59]Catherine O'Hara in an undisclosed guest role[60]Jeffrey Wright as Isaac Dixon, the leader of a militia who faces an ongoing war in their pursuit for liberty. Wright reprises his role from the video game.[61]Episodes[edit]Season 1 (2023)[edit]Main article: The Last of Us season 1No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)1"When You're Lost in the Darkness"Craig MazinCraig Mazin & Neil DruckmannJanuary 15, 20230.588[62]2"Infected"Neil DruckmannCraig MazinJanuary 22, 20230.633[63]3"Long, Long Time"Peter HoarCraig MazinJanuary 29, 20230.747[64]4"Please Hold to My Hand"Jeremy WebbCraig MazinFebruary 5, 20230.991[65]5"Endure and Survive"Jeremy WebbCraig MazinFebruary 12, 2023[b]0.382[67]6"Kin"Jasmila ŽbanićCraig MazinFebruary 19, 20230.841[68]7"Left Behind"Liza JohnsonNeil DruckmannFebruary 26, 20231.083[69]8"When We Are in Need"Ali AbbasiCraig MazinMarch 5, 20231.039[70]9"Look for the Light"Ali AbbasiCraig Mazin & Neil DruckmannMarch 12, 20231.040[71]Season 2[edit]Main article: The Last of Us season 2Production[edit]Development[edit]The Last of Us was created by Craig Mazin (left) and Neil Druckmann (right). Druckmann wrote and co-directed the video game.[72]
A film adaptation of Naughty Dog's 2013 video game The Last of Us was announced in 2014, to be written by original writer and creative director Neil Druckmann;[73] it entered development hell by 2016,[74] and the rights had relinquished by 2019,[75] when Druckmann met Craig Mazin.[75] They agreed The Last of Us required a television series' length and pacing.[76] HBO announced the series was in planning stages in March 2020, written by Mazin and Druckmann, also serving as executive producers with Carolyn Strauss and Evan Wells.[72] It is PlayStation Productions's first show,[72][77] announced as a joint production with Sony Pictures Television and Naughty Dog.[78] HBO greenlit the series in November, adding executive producers Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan and production company Word Games,[78] followed by production company the Mighty Mint in January 2021[79] and executive producer Rose Lam in February.[22] Produced by Greg Spence and Cecil O'Connor,[80] the first season's ten-episode count was reduced to nine during production.[81][82]
On January 27, 2023, less than two weeks after the premiere, HBO renewed the series for a second season.[83] While the first season covers the events of the first game and its downloadable expansion The Last of Us: Left Behind (2014),[84] the second is set to immediately cover the sequel, The Last of Us Part II (2020), to avoid filler.[85] Part II is expected to span multiple seasons; Mazin confirmed plans for a "significantly larger" third season if the second is successful, and suspected the story may require a fourth.[86] The series' narrative is not set to overtake the games.[86] Jacqueline Lesko was named an executive producer in March 2023,[87] and O'Connor by February 2024.[60] In January 2024, Kate Herron, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Mark Mylod, and Stephen Williams were announced as directors for the second season alongside Druckmann, Hoar, and Mazin.[88] In June, Mazin and Druckmann revealed the season would consist of seven episodes.[86]
The Last of Us is believed to be the largest television production in Canadian history,[89][90][91] generating CA$182 million for Alberta and creating 1,490 jobs.[92] According to Canadian artists union IATSE 212, the production led to a 30 percent increase in union membership and employment.[93] The first season's budget of over CA$100 million—more than $10 million per episode[91][94]—exceeded that of each of Game of Thrones's first five seasons.[8] The budget is set to increase for the second season.[95]
Casting[edit]Pedro Pascal and Gabriel Luna filming the first season in Canmore in November 2021Bella Ramsey filming the second season in Downtown Vancouver in August 2024
Casting took place virtually through Zoom due to the pandemic.[96] Casting director Victoria Thomas wanted to honor the game without being limited by it.[97] On February 10, 2021, Pascal and Ramsey were cast as Joel and Ellie.[5][6] The producers sought actors who could embody Joel and Ellie individually and imitate their relationship.[98]: 14:42 Though both were featured on HBO's Game of Thrones, Pascal and Ramsey had not met before the filming of The Last of Us began but found they had instant chemistry, which developed over production.[99]
Mazin and Thomas sought high-profile guest stars; Thomas said many of the actors "don't usually do one-episode guest spots".[100] Guest roles were announced throughout 2021: Luna in April,[101] Dandridge in May,[16] Parker in June,[12] Pierce, Bartlett, and Torv in July,[29][20] and Offerman in December.[27] This was followed by Reid in January 2022,[47] Baker and Ashley Johnson in June,[54] Lamar Johnson, Woodard, Greene, and Miles in August[31] Lynskey in September,[33] Shepherd in December,[102] and Wesley in January 2023.[44]
Casting for the second season was put on hold in May 2023 due to the Writers Guild of America strike; actors had been auditioning with scenes from The Last of Us Part II due to an absence of scripts.[103] The production team wanted to start the second season's casting with Abby.[95][104] Dever, Mazino, and Merced's casting was announced in January 2024,[56][57][58] followed by O'Hara's in February,[60] Ramirez, Barer, Gabrielle, and Lord's in March,[59] and Wright's in May.[61]
Writing[edit]Halley Gross, who co-wrote The Last of Us Part II, joined the writers' room for the second season.[4]
A post-apocalyptic drama and thriller,[105][106][107] the series is written by Mazin and Druckmann;[72] Mazin wrote all first-season episodes except the premiere and finale, which he co-wrote with Druckmann, and the seventh episode, written by Druckmann.[108] A writers' room was established for the second season,[109] with Mazin and Druckmann joined by Halley Gross, who co-wrote Part II with Druckmann, and Bo Shim, a new writer.[4] Druckmann was convinced Mazin was the ideal creative partner for the series after witnessing his passion for the game's story.[85] The writers avoided making "a zombie show",[110] acknowledging the infected creatures were a vessel through which characters are pressured to make interesting decisions and reveal their true selves.[96] Content cut from the game was added to the show.[111] Druckmann said some scripts borrow dialogue directly from the game, while others deviate; some of the game's action-heavy sequences were changed to focus on character drama at the encouragement of HBO.[112] Mazin compared the process to adapting a novel, with identical emotional beats despite different narrative events.[113]
Druckmann felt the most important element of adapting the game was to "keep the soul", particularly character relationships, whereas gameplay and action sequences were of minimal importance.[114] He was open to changing aspects of the games but wanted a strong reason,[115] ensuring he and Mazin considered impacts on later narrative events.[84] The game's outbreak takes place in 2013 with its post-apocalyptic narrative in 2033; this was changed to 2003 and 2023 as the writers felt the events taking place simultaneously with broadcast was more interesting and did not fundamentally change the story.[116][117] They added the outbreak's origins to ground the narrative; following COVID-19, they recognized audiences are more knowledgeable about viral pandemics.[110] The writers removed spores—the vector through which infection is spread in the games—and replaced it with tendrils forming a unified network, inspired by the idea of mycelium.[110] The writers found the series an opportunity to delve into backstories of characters who the game otherwise ignored, wanting to better understand their motivations.[118]
Filming[edit]Season 1 was filmed in Alberta from July 2021 to June 2022.[119]Season 2 filmed in British Columbia from February to August 2024.[120]
The first season filmed for 200 days, with around 18–19 days per episode, amounting to 2–3 pages of script per day.[75] Filming began in Calgary, Alberta, on July 12, 2021.[119][121] It moved to High River and Fort Macleod in July,[122][123] and Calgary in August.[124] Around CA$372,000 was spent for a four-day shoot in Downtown Edmonton in October.[125] Filming moved to Calgary in October and November,[126][127] and Canmore in November.[128] Production took place in Okotoks and Waterton Lakes National Park in February 2022,[129][130] Calgary from March to May,[131][132][133] Olds in May and June,[134] and High River in June.[135] Production concluded on June 11,[136][137] followed by additional photography in Kansas City in October.[138]
The second season was filmed in British Columbia under the working title Mega Sword.[139][140][141] Delayed by the writers' and actors' strikes,[142] production began on February 12, 2024,[120][143] with filming taking place in Kamloops, Mission, Fort Langley, and Langley.[144][145][146] Production returned to Calgary in March, including in Exshaw and along Highway 1A,[147] and moved to Britannia Beach in April, June, and July,[148][149] Downtown Eastside and Nanaimo in May,[150][151] Chinatown, Downtown Vancouver, and New Westminster in July,[152][153][154] and Gastown in August.[155] Production concluded on August 23.[156]
Music[edit]Main article: Music of The Last of Us (TV series)Gustavo Santaolalla, who worked on the video games, composed the score for the television series.[157]
Gustavo Santaolalla and David Fleming composed the score for the television series;[157][158] Santaolalla, who worked on the video games, wrote its opening theme.[159] He said Latino viewers "will recognize touches" of his music,[160] and drew on his experiences in film and television, having composed the themes and some tracks for Jane the Virgin (2014–2019) and Making a Murderer (2015–2018).[160] He primarily recrafted his previous work instead of creating new music, focusing on elements he found interesting.[161] Fleming's work was inspired by real-world sounds within a decayed civilization.[158] A 66-track soundtrack album for the series was released digitally on February 27.[161]
The first episode features the song "Never Let Me Down Again" by Depeche Mode due to its blend of upbeat sounds and dark lyrics;[162][163]: 40:25 it returned in the sixth episode, performed by Mazin's daughter Jessica, to demonstrate Ellie feeling let down by Joel.[164][165] The third episode uses "Long, Long Time" by Linda Ronstadt, which exhibits themes of unfulfilled love and how time heals wounds, echoing Bill and Frank's relationship;[166] streams increased significantly following the episode's broadcast.[167][168][169] The fourth episode's title references the lyrics of "Alone and Forsaken" by Hank Williams.[170]: 1:01 The seventh episode features "All or None" by Pearl Jam to represent Ellie's loneliness and uncomfortability,[171]: 7:28 reuses Etta James's version of "I Got You Babe" from Left Behind as its romantic lyrics hidden by joyous music mirrored Ellie and Riley's feelings,[171]: 56:28 and uses A-ha's "Take On Me" to reflect their feelings towards each other and illustrate Ellie's journey.[172]
Design and post-production[edit]Edmonton, August 2021Vancouver, August 2024Several teams worked on the series' set design to make the world look appropriately aged and damaged.[173]
Five art directors and hundreds of technicians worked on the first season,[91] and the game's artists provided feedback on costumes and sets.[96] Costume designer Cynthia Ann Summers found the series more difficult than fantasy or period pieces as the costumes had to be integral to the story without standing out.[174] Production designer John Paino referenced the game but focused on Naughty Dog's own references. He created an image collage which included a photograph of reassembled chairs, which Mazin considered the show's mandate: "the built world is unbuilt and rebuilt".[175]
Barrie and Sarah Gower, with whom Mazin had worked on Chernobyl, created the prosthetics for the infected.[176]: 0:31 [177][178] Mazin wanted the clickers to resemble the in-game design through prosthetics; he felt using visual effects would have lessened their impact.[179]: 18:24 Choreographer Terry Notary wanted the creatures' movements to imitate each other, akin to schools of fish.[180] Misty Lee and Phillip Kovats, who had worked on the games,[c] returned to voice the clickers for the series.[181]
The first season was edited by Timothy A. Good and Emily Mendez;[8] Mark Hartzell edited the second episode,[182][183] and Cindy Mollo edited the eighth.[80] Mendez worked as Good's assistant editor on the third episode,[184] then as his co-editor for the fifth, sixth, seventh, and ninth.[185]: 27:35 Good and Mendez are set to edit the second season.[186][187] Sixteen visual effects teams worked on the series,[188][189] supervised by Alex Wang.[8] The first season had over 3,000 visual effects shots;[139] most episodes had around 250.[188] The 650-person team at DNEG worked on 535 shots for the season over 18 months, primarily focusing on environmental effects; field trips were conducted to gather resources, and the team regularly referenced the video games.[190] The visual effects teams consulted with Naughty Dog's concept artists when creating the infected,[8] and used timelapse videos of Cordyceps growth as animation references.[180] Design studio Elastic created the title sequence to demonstrate the "unrelenting nature" of the fungus.[191][192]
Release[edit]Broadcast and home media[edit]
The first season premiered in the United States on January 15, 2023.[82] It was broadcast on HBO in the United States,[193] and is available to stream in 4K resolution on HBO Max.[194] The first episode received its red carpet world premiere in Westwood, Los Angeles, on January 9,[195] followed by theater screenings in Budapest and Sydney on January 11,[196][197] and New York City on January 12.[198] Behind-the-scenes videos, titled Inside the Episode, were released on HBO Max and YouTube following each episode,[199][200] and Naughty Dog released Building The Last of Us, featuring interviews with the cast and crew of the series and games.[201][202] The first season was released digitally and on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on July 17,[203] and in the United States on July 18,[204] containing behind-the-scenes featurettes including a short film about adapting the game, a conversation with microbiology and parasitology experts, and the Inside the Episode series.[205]
In December 2023, HBO announced the second season is set to premiere in 2025.[206]
Promotion[edit]To promote the show, Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Bella Ramsey, and Pedro Pascal presented Best Action Game at The Game Awards in December 2022.[207]
The Last of Us's marketing campaign utilised "breadcrumb content": small teases to maintain engagement.[208] Emily Giannusa, HBO vice president of marketing, planned promotional material to prove faithfulness to the source but discovered it was unnecessary as fans created it themselves.[208] The marketing team conducted social listening from 2020 to identify non-gaming influencers interested in the series.[209] HBO shared the first image of Pascal and Ramsey in costume in September 2021.[210] The first footage was revealed in a HBO Max trailer during the premiere of House of the Dragon in August 2022.[211][212] The first teaser trailer was released in September,[33] receiving over 17 million views in less than 24 hours[213] and over 57 million organic views in 72 hours, the most-watched promotional video in HBO's history.[208]
The first full trailer was released at CCXP in December,[102][214] marking the promotional campaign "kicking into high gear".[209] Pascal, Ramsey, Baker, and Ashley Johnson presented at The Game Awards 2022 on December 8.[207] HBO announced Baker would host a companion podcast alongside the series, featuring Mazin and Druckmann.[215] A season trailer was released after the airing of the first episode on January 15.[216] Pascal, Ramsey, Bartlett, and Offerman appeared on several talk shows to promote the series,[217][218][219][220] and Pascal and Ramsey appeared on covers of The Hollywood Reporter and Wired.[85][7] On January 27, the first episode was released for free on HBO Max in the United States, and on Sky's YouTube channel in the United Kingdom.[221][222]
HBO shared the first images of Pascal and Ramsey in the second season on May 15, 2024,[223] and the first footage from the season on August 4.[224]
Reception[edit]Critical response[edit]
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of The Last of Us has an approval rating of 96% based on 484 reviews, with an average rating of 8.75 out of 10.[225] Metacritic calculated a weighted average of 84 out of 100 based on 43 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[226] Several reviewers considered it the best adaptation of a video game;[227][228][229] GameSpot's Mark Delaney called it "the beginning of a new era" for the genre.[159] Reviewers praised the differences from the game's narrative,[159][230][231] and some believed the scenes lifted directly from the game were among the weakest and led to issues with pacing.[232][231][233] Critics overwhelmingly considered the third episode the season's best,[234][235][236] and some named it among the greatest television episodes in recent years;[229][237] The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg felt it elevated the series to a new level,[238] and Empire's John Nugent called it "one of the finest hours of television in recent memory".[239] Several critics lauded the production design for matching the game.[239][240][236]
Critics widely praised the guest performances of Nico Parker, Anna Torv, Nick Offerman, Murray Bartlett, Melanie Lynskey (top), Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Montreal Woodard, Gabriel Luna, Storm Reid, and Scott Shepherd (bottom).[d]
The cast's performances in the first season received widespread acclaim, with critics singling out Pascal and Ramsey's chemistry.[227][241][242] Some considered Pascal's performance his career-best, citing his ability to portray nuance and rare vulnerability,[234][239] and several found Ramsey gave the show's breakout performance for their balance of comedy and emotion.[229][230][243] Guest performances were highly praised,[244][236][243] including Parker for her likeability,[245] Torv for being sophisticated and heartbreaking,[246] and Lynskey for juxtaposing humanity and viciousness.[247][248] Critics enjoyed the chemistry between Pascal and Luna,[249][250] and Ramsey and Reid.[251][252] Offerman and Bartlett's performances were described by Complex's William Goodman as "career-best".[240] IGN's Simon Cardy lauded Lamar Johnson's emotional performance in his final scene,[253] and Total Film's Bradley Russell felt the naivety of Woodard's role intensified the narrative.[254] The A.V. Club's David Cote called Shepherd's performance "masterful in its wry, understated charm".[255]
Ratings[edit]
The premiere episode had 4.7 million viewers in the United States on its first night of availability, including linear viewers and streams on HBO Max, making it the second-largest debut for HBO since 2010, behind House of the Dragon.[256] The total viewing figure increased to almost 40 million within two months.[257] In Latin America, the series premiere was the biggest HBO Max debut ever.[258] The video games increased their sales following the premiere.[259][260] The second episode had 5.7 million viewers on its first night, an increase of 22 percent from the previous week, the largest second-week audience growth for an original HBO drama series in the network's history.[261] The first two episodes averaged 21.3 million viewers by January 31,[262] the first five almost 30 million by March 6,[263] and the first six 30.4 million by March 12, the highest figure for an HBO series since Game of Thrones's eighth season, surpassing House of the Dragon's ten-episode average.[264] With over three million viewers in the United Kingdom, the ninth episode became Sky's most-viewed finale for an American debut series, topping House of the Dragon's first-season finale.[265] The series broke HBO's subscription video on demand viewer ratings in Europe, and became the most-watched show on HBO Max in Europe and Latin America.[266][267] By May, the series averaged almost 32 million viewers per episode in the United States.[267]
Awards and nominations[edit]For a more comprehensive list, see List of accolades received by The Last of Us (TV series).
The Last of Us is the first live-action video game adaptation to receive major awards consideration.[268] It was nominated for 24 Primetime Emmy Awards, with a leading eight wins at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including for Offerman and Reid.[269] From major guilds, it won two awards at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (including Best Actor for Pascal)[270] and one at the Directors Guild of America Awards[271] and Writers Guild of America Awards,[272] and received two nominations at the Producers Guild of America Awards.[273] It was nominated for three Critics' Choice Television Awards,[274] three Golden Globe Awards,[275] and five TCA Awards,[276] and led the Astra Creative Arts TV Awards with six nominations.[277] In genre awards, the series was nominated for five Saturn Awards.[278] It led the MTV Movie & TV Awards with three wins, including Best Show,[279] and was nominated for six awards at the People's Choice Awards, including Show of the Year.[280] The series earned the biannual Seal of Authentic Representation from the Ruderman Family Foundation for Woodard's role as Sam.[281]
Notes[edit]^ The Last of Us was developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.[1] Neil Druckmann was the writer and creative director, serving alongside game director Bruce Straley for the first game, and co-game directors Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau for the second.[2][3] Halley Gross co-wrote the second game.[4]^ The episode was released online on HBO Max and HBO on Demand on February 10, 2023, ahead of its broadcast on television to avoid conflicting with Super Bowl LVII.[66]^ In addition to providing clicker noises, Phillip Kovats was the audio director of the first game.[181]
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