The Last of Us (PS3)

[Candyman5]

Now I just got to decide wether to go ahead and trade in my PS3 or wait for beyond two souls...

[Skyboxer]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

For me (Like I stated earlier) I'm not trading in any more systems UNLESS I have 2 of them like I do the 360.

This PS3 will have a lot of play time left on it due to the games I've yet played that I grabbed off of PSN (and those I've yet to get) plus the games not out yet.

Once I do "retire" it, it will be someones Bluray player in the house.

[Skyboxer]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

BTW the new PS3 slims with the sliding top ... pretty slick.
I like.

I'm heading to GS this evening to get a STEAM card and probably 3-4 used games for my PS3. there are a couple I nver played but wanted to.

Ok.. back on topic..

[Armor and Sword]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

I have so many games still to play on my PS3 plus I can play The Show 12 and 13 for years.

The only thing that will have a chance to make me go next gen next year is The Show 14. But I have a feeling next gen will happen for me late 2014 for Christmas when they will have a price drop IMO.

Anyway I just started my second play through on hard this time. I am still blown away at the brilliance of this game.

[BlueNGold]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

After a 6 hour long session to finish the game out from the 70% mark, I'm finally done (took me about 16 and a half hours).

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I don't even know where to start. Really, what can I say that hasn't been said yet?

All I know is that this game lived up to my expectations (and the hype) and far and away exceeded both as well.

This is why someone plays video games. The experience of going through this game was nothing short of amazing. Remember that old topic about video games not being art? Play this game, experience this story and try to say that again.

I thought Bioshock Infinite was an incredible story but I honestly think The Last of Us just set the bar for anything before and after it. There's just so many great moments and characters, and you know there's something special here when it brings out the kind of emotion it does throughout the course of the game. Hell, even the first 20 minutes into the game it hits you square in the heart and it just keeps going from there.

I think it's safe for me to say this is probably the greatest game I've ever played.

[sportsdude]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

I can only play this game for like an hour and a half at a time. I'm such a wuss. Also, I've died like 578 times on normal, and I'm only 60% done with the game.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

I can only play this game for like an hour and a half at a time. I'm such a wuss. Also, I've died like 578 times on normal, and I'm only 60% done with the game.

I died a lot during my first go-round too, so don't feel bad. Now, on my third pass on Hard+, I've only died like 10 times and I'm over half way through. A few things I've learned:

1. If you use it, Listen Mode is invaluable for tracking enemy patterns and to know when to go all in for the kill.

2. For stealth kills, go real gingerly on R3 as you approach the enemy from the crouch.

3. If only 2-3 human enemies are left in a particular zone but you're still feeling unconfident about getting through the level unscathed, look for the enemy without the firearm and do your damnedest to take him hostage. Present his whiny "please spare me" *** to his crew and you'll have a good shot at killing at least one of them before taking out the hostage.

4. If you get spotted and there's more than two enemies, run. This will make the AI change their tracking patterns and eventually, they won't know where you are (giving you a chance to come up with a new plan of attack).

5. Bottles and bricks are excellent at drawing multiple enemies into an area. This will allow you to either slip away unnoticed or cluster them up for a nice nail-bomb/molotov kill.

6. If you're being tracked, laying down a nail-bomb is an excellent way to give you some more space. Defend your area.

7. Use your arrows wisely. You'll need them in larger areas where blowing your cover is a bad idea.

8. When stealth killing, drag the body to a safe place to finish them off. Human AI enemies notice dead comrads.

9. When behind cover (unnoticed), don't stay in one spot too long. The AI is designed to look for you in places convenient for hiding. Create your gameplan quickly. The two E3 2012 demos demonstrate this very well, by the way. Look at how quickly the player is making his decisions.

10. Don't waste bullets on individual runners or humans without firearms when they're the only enemies left. Use your hands.

This game is too good to let yourself lose the immersion by dying so much.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

By the way, this game still gives me chills (the good kind). Even on the third try. So many scenes just really get me.

I especially love the opening sequence of Pittsburgh. That

Spoiler

Hank Williams song

reverberating in the background as I'm making guys beg for their lives makes Bioshock's use of

Spoiler

God Only Knows by the Beach Boys

(which I thought was brilliant at the time) feel like a G-rated school girl fest.

[BlueNGold]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

You know when after you see a really good movie, you keep playing some of the scenes out in your head? That's what I've been doing with this game. So many just genuinely great moments.

Usually with story-driven games like this, after I beat it I don't tend to go back through it all a second time because it just isn't as exciting or special to me as the first time you run through the game, not knowing what's going to happen. With this game though, I'm definitely feeling that urge to go back and experience it all a second time.

And since I didn't touch on it in my last post, I want to post some thoughts about how the final act turned out.

Spoiler

I really loved the way Joel's character evolved up to that point in the game. You go back to when David is with Ellie just after you both fight off all those infected and he refers to Joel as a "crazy man" or something along those lines. Then when you finally reach the point where you get to Ellie on the operating table at the hospital and one of the nurses shouts out to Joel, "You're an animal!" (not sure if this was the same for everyone or not), it really put into perspective that maybe Joel wasn't a hero or even an anti-hero and that really, up to that point, he had kind of gone off the deep end to a degree. He nearly lost his mind almost as much as any of the infected did.

Actually, it's funny if you think about it....while Ellie was immune and she was the "cure", you could say that she did actually infect Joel, just in a completely different way. And really more so mentally and emotionally than physically, like all of the infected throughout the game and in it's universe.

The fact that Joel chose to save Ellie rather than mankind is a touching thing and something I think any parent or guardian would do, but the way he ends up going about it almost counteracts that with all the murdering and then of course, the lying that was necessary to do that.

What really sent it all home for me was when you're given control of Ellie for that final time and you see Joel from a completely different perspective. I don't know who else felt this way or if many did at all, but to me he just seems off at that point, through the eyes of Ellie. That to me was a pretty powerful moment, if it was actually meant to be viewed that way.

I have to say I wasn't expecting the ending to not have much of an impact on the outcome of what was going on throughout the game's world, but it just goes to show you how well crafted the story and characters are and how emotionally invested you become in it all that despite that, the ending still has as much of an impact as it would have if it was a more cut and dry "save the world/the world ends" scenario.

BTW, if I ever have a daughter, I'm naming her Ellie.

[sportsdude]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

I died a lot during my first go-round too, so don't feel bad. Now, on my third pass on Hard+, I've only died like 10 times and I'm over half way through. A few things I've learned:

*helpful tips n stuff*

This game is too good to let yourself lose the immersion by dying so much.

Don't worry, I haven't lost immersion at all. I would think that's hard for anybody to do in this game. No no, my deaths simply make me question my gaming skill.

[Jr.]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

Finished in a shade under 20 hours, and what a ride. Just an all-around amazing experience.

As for the ending:

Spoiler

I don't get much into deep analysis of entertainment, but I agree with BlueNGold. The last few hours of the game showed that Joel had no regard for anyone in order to keep Ellie with him. He became the rageful being everyone was trying to avoid, though he did have a very different motivation. I'm always most fascinated with the human element of post-apocalyptic games/movies/books and I think Naughty Dog nailed it with this one.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

Finally picking this up after work today. Can't wait to get started!

[J-Clutch1]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

Finally picking this up after work today. Can't wait to get started!

Please tell us your impressions!

[Rawdeal28]

forgot to post my completion results lol

Sent from my LG-MS770 using Tapatalk 2

[BlueNGold]

Re: The Last of Us (PS3)

Finally picking this up after work today. Can't wait to get started!

Good luck trying to put it down.