I was recently sent this trailer for a game which had somehow managed to slip under my radar… ‘The Last of Us’ is a new PS3 exclusive game from Naughty Dog, the folk behind the brilliant ‘Uncharted’ series.
The Last Of Us is a set 20 years after an apocalyptic pandemic virus has decimated the human population. Survivors have to fight and kill to get and keep hold of food, weapons and whatever they can get their hands on. The storyline follows the ruthless, and morally dubious, black marketer Joel – a survivor, living in one of the few remaining (and oppressive) quarantine zones. Joel is asked to look after the fourteen year old Ellie by a dying friend and smuggle her to the safety of another Quarantine Zone. Not an easy task as the duo trek though a destroyed USA, meeting unique groups of survivors, each with their own way of dealing with the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic world…
Like ‘Uncharted’, The Last Of Us is a third-person action-adventure, backed up with an intense character-driven narrative, focused on the bond that forms between Joel and Ellie as they fight to survive in the harsh wilderness.
In terms of technology, Naughty Dog’s award-winning cinematic storytelling, performance capture, and high-production values are all in there as you’d expect. There is also the the ‘Balance of Power’ AI system which the press release says “continuously adapts to whether Joel or the enemies gain the upper hand. Quickly maneuver to survive encounters as enemies will change their behavior based on what weapon they see Joel holding, how many of them are left alive, and whether the player has managed to surprise them.” Sounds intriguing, and I’m looking forward to seeing how well it works.
As a big fan of the Uncharted series, and having just finished the phenomenal Walking Dead game, i’m rather into my survival games at the moment, so to have one made by Naughty Dog is really something to look forward to!
The Last Of Us should be released worldwide 7th May 2013.
