So far I’ve only done a handful of Gaming With Heather posts, and I hadn’t finished a game featured in one until I started The Last of Us. I’m sure you’re wondering when I featured The Last of Us as my game of the week, but it’s this week! Now I’ll admit I had a rough start with this game considering I purchased it back when it released in June. For one the introduction rips your heart out so quick that you’re left wondering why the hell you’re playing it. Like, let’s have a little warning next time you decide to ruin my afternoon, Naughty Dog! However, it would seem that the cosmic gaming universe had aligned to allow me the time I needed to properly start and finish this game. I realize I am a few months late on this, but I still felt that I needed to step up on my soapbox and talk about The Last of Us.

Let me start off by addressing why it took me so long to play a game I purchased in June. In last week’s post I mentioned that I am a busy gamer and some nights I only have an hour or two to dedicate to actual game time. With that said, The Last of Us is not a game you can pick up for an hour or two. Throughout the entire game I felt like I was never at a good place to stop. Sure, you can technically save at any point, but it felt like turning off a movie that just started. It pains me to play games like this but not have the time to dedicate. Not to mention that a game like this loses a lot of the experience when cut down to short sessions. I just couldn’t commit the time I thought The Last of Us deserved yet. So for the next several months I heard all about how amazing it was and about all the emotions to be experienced. I clearly wasn’t ready for that kind of emotional investment so it just had to wait until I had the time.

Having since found the time to complete this game I wish I had played it the week it came out. Seeing how it is September, I’ve heard things like it being the best game of this generation and that the game disc literally shits gold. Needless to say, it didn’t live up to the expectations I had built over the last few months. What could though? Now before you close your browser and send me hate mail, let me say that The Last of Us is an amazing game! I can easily say it is one of the best games we’ve had offered up to us in a market that is saturated with rehashed garbage like Call of Duty. Being the critical asshole that I am, I just couldn’t help but have a few complaints.

I view video games as an ever-evolving art form and I truly believe we shouldn’t get too comfortable and start freely throwing out perfect reviews. The truth is The Last of Us wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty damn good. I’ll at least level with you all on that. I would truly describe The Last of Us as an immersive and interactive movie in a sense. I absolutely love this kind of direction in video games. The Last of Us is a perfect example of that, which leads me to my biggest complaint. This game was just too good to overlook the unbelievably stupid A.I. There is nothing worse than being ripped back to reality, especially in a game such as this, by your terrible A.I. partner getting in your way. It stuck out like a sore thumb in an otherwise excellent video game experience. The remainder I fear would give too much away as far as story and game detail. I could harp on this all day, but you at least get the point.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Last of Us but I didn’t have the experience I was quite expecting. Particular parts of the game were phenomenal, while some were lacking. The game did an incredible attempt at making you live the story but at times screwed that up with the more than stupid A.I. Naughty Dog did manage to make my emotionally detached heart feel for the characters. All I can and will say is Winter and that is when I truly felt intensity in The Last of Us. I definitely think this a game that everyone should experience if not try.

Discuss:

What were your spoiler free thoughts on The Last of Us and do you believe poor A.I. can make or break a game?