I constantly find that trying something new, when you already have opinions and reviews about it in your head, can dramatically change the way you perceive and, possibly, enjoy it.
I obtained and played Naughty Dog's The Last of Us on PS3, because I had heard and read that it was, potentially, the 'Best Game Ever'. There's nothing new there, it's natural to try something because of good reviews.
But if you try something with good reviews, its reviews aren't usually as dramatic and huge as 'Best Ever'. You'll read a book or see a film because you heard good things about it; but because it's apparently the 'Best Ever'? That's a whole different kettle of shish kebabs.
As a result, I started playing The Last of Us and went into it, looking for reasons why it had earned its title; instead of purely playing it and living it as any other game.
I found good things, I found new things, and I found why people may think it's the best game ever.
But I do not agree.
I'll explain why later. Start on the positives and keep a hold on the tension.
So, Step One: Game Synopsis. I always like making this short and vague; saves me some work and might interest readers enough to give it a go.
(And, in this case, see if you agree with me or the world. When I put it like that, I'm not too confident, but like I said, we'll get to that bit.)
The Last Of Us: An Unfortunate Father's Tale.
After a bit of relationship-establishment, the game starts with father Joel, his daughter Sarah and Joel's brother Tommy, fleeing their home city after a brain infection hits.
This little sequence ends when Tommy and Joel plus Sarah are separated. The father-daughter-combo get cut off by soldiers dealing with the situation, and Sarah is shot.
As Spoilers and Plot Points go, it's a pretty dark one. Books, films and games mostly avoid the idea of child-death. The Last Of Us blasts that one out of the way less than twenty minutes in.
Anyway, this easily sets up Joel as this damaged, brooding character who does what needs to be done to survive as the world changes for the worst around him.
Out there, the world is separated into the infected, the survivors, the military, the Fireflies (AKA the rebellion) and the Hunters (AKA the murderously desperate).
All of these are met and dealt with in their own way, when Joel is given the task of escorting a young girl - see where this is going? - to a safe zone because she's survived being bitten and shows a potential for a cure. This little Humanity Beacon is named Ellie; and Ellie is obviously there to put the whole Joel-Lost-His-Daughter shebang to the test.
Yes, they develop an attachment.
Yes, there's tension and heartbreak.
No, there's no twist like she's actually Sarah and back from the dead. This isn't a B-movie.
There's your little snippet of this walking Game Award.
So why exactly is it so highly acclaimed?
Well, it's got fantastic graphics, great voice acting, strong (as possible) realism, immersive-ness and capacity for addictiveness. For a good game is like a good book; you just can't leave it alone for long.
(That does also describe a strong itch, among other things, but never mind.)
In all the technical criteria (visuals and audio etc.) of Gaming 101, The Last Of Us has pretty much covered all bases and passed every class.
But you might overlook all these things, like most similar situations. Who watches a film and looks behind the actors to look at the CGI? It's not the technical stuff we're after, it's the plot and character-relations within.
As you will easily imagine, the huge main point of The Last Of Us is the emotional turmoil. Joel's history colliding with Ellie's rebellious-teenager-nature does lead to many arguments between the two and even more stirring scenes for the player to watch and, for some, weep over.
So it's not just a zombie-survival game; it's the emotive journey of two conflicting characters.
And THAT is why I disagree with The Last Of Us being the potential 'Best Game Ever'.
A zombie game, avoiding gore but more concerning the development of entirely different characters = where have we seen that before?
Oh yeah.
EVERYWHERE.
Shaun of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Resident Evil, ZombieLand, Left 4 Dead, 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, Call of Duty Zombies (at a push, I'll grant you), Dead Island, The Evil Dead - the list is pretty extraordinary; just type in 'Zombie Films' and 'Zombie Games' into Google and you'll see.
The Last Of Us has a central idea, plotline, setting and character-relation-system that has been seen too many times before. It is nothing new, it's just another zombie-survival game to throw on a rather ridiculously big pile.
If you think I'm over-reacting, add in another zombie expert and you've basically got a 28 Days Later game. In honesty, I enjoyed 28 Days more as well.
TANGENT
All this actually brings me onto a secondary point. This shall be a post-within-a-post. But I'd like to discuss the views of the game-review-industry; particularly the ones concerned with giving The Last Of Us the 'Best Game' potential.
I feel like the actual best games are rather neglected or ignored by games like The Last Of Us, the ones all about zombies, or guns, or killing, or war. (The endless line of Call of Duties, for instance)
It feels like no-one gives two monkey balls about plot anymore, and they really should.
Video Games have developed SO MUCH since they started out a few decades ago, and as time has passed and technology has improved, the physical stuff that made up the games itself improved dramatically.
It's all come a long way from massive pixels and 2D platformers. But new games do seem to be reaching a limit for how advanced they can look and sound. Technology can really only get them so far, awards-wise, and eventually, all games will look as equally high-tech.
So as we approach that day of Visual-Equality, games now only have plotlines to really stand out and differ from the rest. But modern games and reviewers seem to be ignoring this.
Today, it's all STILL war, revenge, survival, racing or some awful mix of everything.
Take GTA for example. It's been years since the bird's-eye-view-cam; and have the storylines changed from all the misdeeds and revenge?
NO!
TANGENT SOMEWHAT FINISHED
So now I return to The Last Of Us, and that little tangent explains why I disagree that it could be the 'Best Game Ever'. It's got all the technical bases covered and done, but plotline and basic originality is nowhere to be found.
And at this developed stage of video game history, that is no longer a feature you can just ignore.
*
So, what is my 'Best Game Ever'?
Those that know me will probably think I'm about to say BioShock Infinite.
(Which, as I read recently on another blog, is known as "BioShock Infinite, the best game ever oh wait The Last Of Us is out.")
Now, granted, I do dearly love BioShock Infinite, as well as the other two, and they all come close to the 'Best Game Ever' mark in my head.
But my 'Best Game Ever' award goes to LittleBigPlanet.
That game led me to get a PS3 which effectively started my career as a 'Hardcore Gamer'.
Its creativity and capacity to create has inspired many stories I have written in the past, as well as making my favourite ever personal character creation.
And it is like no other game, ever.
Sorry Infinite. But you didn't make me a gamer. LittleBigPlanet did.
And as for you, The Last Of Us?
You are just another, glorified zombie game. I eagerly await the next big game event which steals your title.
Peace out!
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