The Last of Us

I started playing the Last of Us during Christmas break when many people started uploading their list for top favourite games of the decade and most of them mentioned the Last of Us as their favourite.  While I had played the game a few years ago, I quit after a couple hours because I wasn’t very good at the game.  I’ve never been good at shooting or stealth games, and this game required both skills.  Yet a funny thing happened over the years; I started playing the Uncharted series (a game series from Naughty Dog the same developer of the Last of Us).  Uncharted also required shooting and stealth however after failing at the game many times, I decided to change my mentality.  Rather than shooting and running my way through a level (as I usually would do and fail), I decided to play the game more as it was meant to be played; by hiding, covering, and moving strategically.  This is how I was then able to progress in the game and was able to enjoy the game mechanics and style of play.  I then went on to play and enjoy all the other Uncharted games.

Once I beat those games, I then felt comfortable returning to the Last of Us; and after hearing all the positive reviews on the game I also felt it was necessary to experience what the hype was all about.  Besides my initial apprehension in failing in the game because of my low shooting skills, I also felt intimidated by reviews that claimed it was best enjoyed in a harder difficulty setting.  This meant enemies were harder, weapons and ammunition were scarce, and you could die more easily.  Meanwhile I’m a casual gamer and always play on the easiest settings.  But despite this, I still decided to play the game on easy settings and I really enjoyed it this way.  So my recommendation for any other gamer is don’t feel ashamed to play it on the settings you feel most comfortable with because it’s still enjoyable.

A funny thing happened as I progressed through the game; I started to feel as if I were playing a Batman Arkham game or Zelda game.  I would enter a room, look at the position of the enemies, devise a strategy to beat them, and then use my tools or weapons to defeat them.  Yes this was possible because I was playing on easy settings (over powered), but this is how I was most successful.  I then came to realize that the brilliance in the Last of Us wasn’t just the story or graphics, it was the game mechanics that Naughty Dog, Rocksteady Studios (Batman Arkham games) and Nintendo with Breath of the Wild had created that take gaming to the next level.  The fun isn’t in difficulty settings, but in figuring out how to tackle a situation or problem with the tools or weapons you have.  It’s a mix of puzzle, strategy, combat, skill and story.  It’s the combination of all these principles when gaming is at its finest.  And because the Last of Us features all these principles, is why I think it's a great game; though I still prefer the Uncharted series.

Naughty Dog:

www.naughtydog.com

The Last of Us Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_of_Us