The survivors awoke in a world of darkness. The modern marvels of man now lay decrepit with windows shattered and pavement splintered. The dilapidated buildings act as refuge from the terror of the night. Welcome to the world of Sony and Naughty Dog's upcoming survival horror video game, The Last of Us.
The post-apocalyptic game, which features a ruined United States will release worldwide on May 7 exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The official PlayStation Blog's Sid Shuman had an opportunity to test drive the new game and here is what he said about Naughty Dog's latest in his blog entry:
"The first thing I want to say is this: The Last of Us is not a shooter," Shuman explained. "Well, not exactly. Though Joel packs a pistol, you'll count yourself lucky to be holding more than 10 bullets at any one time. Most times you'll want to avoid fights by sneaking and hiding."
According to Shuman, players will experience feelings of anxiety and fear whenever they are face to face with enemy. He says that the limited supplies of ammunition create a sense of reluctance and "imbues the game with a primal, high-stakes tension that brings uncertainty to every decision" made. He says that this is one mess players won't be able to shoot their way out of.
Shuman notes that Naught Dog's legendary attention to detail is noticeable in the game as players traverse through the broken-down ruins of Boston.
"I saw constant reminders of Naughty Dog's legendary attention to detail," Shuman writes. "Step under a trickle of water and Joel will raise his hand to keep his head dry; knock an enemy near a wall and Joel will pin him there to deliver a staggering punch. The environments also bristle with detail"
In describing his experience with the survival horror game, Shuman describes a dark and unsettling world.
Shuman writes, "With Tess and Ellie taking up the rear, I quietly entered a sagging skyscraper, my exploration accompanied by the ominous groans of tortured steel and a series of unsettling chirps. That's when I spotted my first Clicker, a late-stage infected human with obscene fungal growths sprouting from its eye sockets."
"The Clicker is one of the deadliest enemies you'll face, but it's functionally blind, relying on a form of echolocation to navigate and hunt its prey. I hurled a glass bottle to distract the monster, then quietly guided Ellie and Tess further into the building, scooping up ammo and supplies along the way."
He also mentions that the game's crafting option is a necessity and not optional. Player will have to navigate the dangerous world of The Last of Us in search of spare parts to craft supplies and weapons.
"The game's crafting interface provides a wealth of information in a lightweight and accessible UI," Shuman writes. "Despite the range of options I was able to find and craft anything I needed quickly and efficiently."
He concludes by saying the game doesn't go for cheap scares and that "The Last of Us develops a deeper, more oppressive dread by surrounding you with palpable decay and loneliness." He also mentions that visually the game is superb.
You can check out Shuman's full blog entry here on the PlayStation Blog. The Last of Us is scheduled for a worldwide release on May 7, 2013 for the PlayStation 3. The game is set two decades after an outbreak kills millions of people and creates infected mutated zombie-like creatures. The survivors are housed in quarantine zones and live under martial law.
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