The last of us guardian review

In an absolute gut-punch denouement, Joel and Ellie reached their destination — then much blood was shed and they movingly shared their truths. The following episode contains spoilers for the The Last of Us finale.

A triumphant tale about humanity, or a zombie-lite ruining of the video game? Even in a bloated field of high quality TV, this stood out as appointment viewing. The central premise, established right from the opening shots of the scientists, is brilliant and terrifying, but the centre of the success of this series was in the casting of Pedro Pascal [Joel] and Bella Ramsay [Ellie]. Episode three barely featured the main cast and yet was perhaps the best single episode of TV any of us will see this year. Just try and avoid ageing gamers like me spoiling it for you through tear-filled eyes as we mumble something about giraffes.

The last of us guardian review

Sony, PS5 Visual and haptical enhancements along with bonus content including new modes, cut stages and audio commentary from designers make this a required experience. There was such a haunting irony in the idea of people trapped at home by a global pandemic, playing an apocalyptic video game about … a global pandemic. Well, Covid never went away, and neither did the Last of Us — in , a free upgrade allowed new PS5 owners to play a tweaked version of the PS4 original, then came the critically acclaimed TV drama series, which brought a new audience to the desperate tale of Ellie and Joel. Now we have The Last of Us Part II Remastered, an overhauled version of the excellent game, which adds a new Fidelity Mode, offering 4K resolution at 30 frames-per-second, as well as a Performance Mode, in p at 60 fps. Movement is smoother, lighting is brighter and the scenic detail, especially on foliage, just has a touch more life to it, making for an even greater sense of immersion in this muddy, ruined world. More important are the changes to the controls, with full implementation of the Dual Sense controller. The granular haptic feedback and adaptive triggers allow a palpable difference in feel between the various weapons, adding to the sheer physicality of the combat. What really lifts the game is the array of bonus content. A new mode named No Return is a rogue-like survival game in which you seek to stay alive as long as possible through multiple enemy attack waves. You get a choice of paths through the series of procedurally generated stages, each based around areas from the main game.

Please do not read unless you have seen episodes one to nine. The city has been ravaged first by the military, then by the infected, and finally by nature. Even in a bloated field of high quality TV, this stood out as appointment viewing.

This desperately moving drama set in a zombie-ravaged US is a phenomenal blend of horror and heart, with a cast that could not be more perfect. The Last of Us recap episode one — welcome to the mushroom apocalypse! That is the terrifying premise of The Last of Us, another post-apocalyptic prestige drama in a TV landscape that, for understandable reasons, is stuffed with game-over scenarios. Much has been made of its origins as a video game, in part because the source material looked as if it might offer the best chance yet of a convincing transition from console to screen. Thirty years on, the Super Mario Bros film is still cited as a cautionary tale. But The Last of Us games provide more than a stylistic blueprint.

In an absolute gut-punch denouement, Joel and Ellie reached their destination — then much blood was shed and they movingly shared their truths. The following episode contains spoilers for the The Last of Us finale. Please do not read unless you have seen episodes one to nine. There were those who shared my view and those who felt it was too obvious, too gory and just not as good as The Walking Dead. Further proof, if it were needed, that Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann knew exactly what they were doing. What an opening scene. We began with Anna Ashley Johnson , somehow managing to run through woods and fields, while in labour, to an abandoned farmhouse. As she barricaded herself in and positioned herself on the floor, the infected that had been in pursuit burst through the door. Between contractions, she managed to hold off the monster, reach for her knife and kill it.

The last of us guardian review

The Last of Us. The Crown leads in Bafta TV nominations. Published: 20 Mar

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Looking out at the skeletal remains of collapsed skyscrapers from a hotel rooftop, Ellie cracks jokes while picking her way across an open stretch of former city with Joel — amid moments of tension and horror so intense that they give you heartburn. The aggressive AI contributes to this too. Check your ammo. Published: 22 Mar First, what did he and Ellie think was going to happen? Comments … Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion. Intense …. What an opening scene. For me, the success of the narrative fundamentally lives and dies on the success of the interactive element — watching the show reduced us to passive onlookers and personally, I felt, robbed us of any ability to truly engage. Pascal is great, but Ramsey is phenomenal. Will he get back on that horse? But more often it feels intense and dramatic; immense relief descended on me every time I made it through a scene unscathed. Even in a bloated field of high quality TV, this stood out as appointment viewing. The Last of Us finale recap — what a brutal, sadistic triumph of television. And bad things will happen.

Do not read unless you have seen episodes one to four …. All was going swimmingly until they got to Kansas City, where the highways were blocked and they needed to find a detour. Of course, this being The Last of Us , nothing can go to plan.

Just as he was sharing, Ellie decided to open up, too, finally telling Joel about Riley. The Last of Us. In an absolute gut-punch denouement, Joel and Ellie reached their destination — then much blood was shed and they movingly shared their truths. A triumphant tale about humanity, or a zombie-lite ruining of the video game? As in 28 Days Later, these creatures are infected rather than undead, and although they remain consistent antagonists throughout, this game is clearly more interested in telling a story of post-apocalyptic survival than smashing rotten heads, and it's all the better for it. It's a good call, and coupled with the high-quality production, both visually and from the voice cast, makes for a compelling tale. Published: 24 Feb It burrows under the skin and refuses to leave. Published: 16 Jan It gave me nightmares, honestly. Why would anyone want to get back to it? A baby — Ellie. Tim, 49, project manager and still occasional gamer , Nottingham.