‘The Last of Us’ Gets Positive Reviews From Gaming Critics

The Last of Us, the latest post-apocalyptic game put out by Naughty Dog, has critics across the board enthusiastically singing its praises.

Twenty years prior to where the game begins, a fungal infection wipes out a large fraction of the world’s population; those who are infected turn into savage monsters. Joel, the protagonist, works at a quarantine zone in Boston smuggling whatever he can for anything useful. The epic trek that frames the game involves Joel bringing a 14-year-old girl, Ellie, to a West Coast-based resistance movement. Can they survive the treacherous cross-country trek?

Colin Moriarty of IGN gave the game a total score of 10/10. "The Last of Us seamlessly intertwines satisfying, choice-based gameplay with a stellar narrative,” Moriarty gushed. “It never slows down, it never lets up, and frankly, it never disappoints.”

“The Last of Us is violent, as displayed through every thud of a baseball bat or gurgle of a strangled enemy. Naughty Dog's most impressive feat has been creating a tense, action-filled experience that doesn't feature gratuitous violence,” noted USA Today critic Brett Molina. “Every decision is deliberate, and made solely to stay alive, whether that means fighting or escaping.”

Although the violence is an integral part of the game, which impresses with its complexities, Joystiq game critic, Richard Mitchell was also impressed with the human element in The Last of Us. “The relationship that grows between Ellie and Joel as they fight to protect one another is the most genuine I've ever seen, brought to life by superb writing and excellent performances,” Mitchell wrote. “It's more than a father-daughter archetype, more than an easy ploy to tug at the heartstrings.”

Slightly less effusive in their praise was Forbes’ Carol Pinchefsky, who stopped short of calling The Last of Us a work of greatness. “Of course I recommend The Last of Us, Naughty Dog’s action-adventure. It’s an extremely good game, set in the bones of our dead world,” Pinchefsky wrote, before adding, “Sadly, given how much I cherish ND’s previous series, Uncharted, it is not a great game.” But, she still gave it a solid score of 8/10.

The Last of Us, rated M (Mature), is set for release on Jun 14.

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