The Last of Us

['stone hammer]

Thought it deserved a thread of its own. Just finished the first episode and as an avid fan of the games (I even beat the game on Grounded, top that hammers92 :lol: ) it was everything I could hope for and more. I'd be very interested to know what those who haven't played the game thought of it.

Hopefully this'll be one to add to Bendy's thread

[S-H]

Can't bloody wait to watch this!!

[neathiron]

My youngest son loved the game on the PS4, did watch him play it sometimes. From what I've seen of the trailer on TV I think I'll give it a watch. Looks like Sky Atlantic have produced another gem again.

[simonpaulthomas]

I think I’m going to wait until there’s a few more episodes out so I can binge a couple at a time, but I’m quietly excited for it. The first LoU is my favourite game of all time, so no pressure!

[hammers92]

(I even beat the game on Grounded, top that hammers92 :lol: )

You and I should be friends.

Think I will wait until all the episodes are out. It’s going to really annoy me not being able to watch the next episode immediately I think.

[prophet:marginal]

I think I’m going to wait until there’s a few more episodes out so I can binge a couple at a time, but I’m quietly excited for it. The first LoU is my favourite game of all time, so no pressure!

I think the second game is better.

[smuts]

Never played the game but know it well.

Brilliant first episode topped off by a classic song at the end.

[neathiron]

Brilliant first episode topped off by a classic song at the end.

Was just about to say exactly the same smuts, classic tune indeed. Some songs go viral after being heard on some TV shows and go on to do well when they re-enter the charts. If there's any justice, this one definitely should.

[prophet:marginal]

So, for the gamers, what are the clickers looking like?

I'd say that I actually grinned and just about tolerated my boy playing Last Of Us, as a teen, because he literally could not watch when the deformed monsters devoured the player, as they killed it.

As a game, there's very little of the more cartoonish sense of grostesque that others deal in.

How bleak is the show?

[Jonah]

So, for the gamers, what are the clickers looking like?

Not that far into the story yet Proph.

<spoiler> only seen the initial outbreak with plenty of cut scenes from the game making an appearance and then Joel meeting Ellie after after some back story and such</spoiler>

Probably too early to tell how bleak it'll be the moment but if you know the start of the game its not exactly mardi gras!

[fjthegrey]

One of the most overrated games of all time for me.

Mechanically an absolute mess. Dull, frustrating, inconsistent gameplay. And a fairly run of the mill post apocalyptic story covering nothing that hadn't been done, better, before. The story is fine but not the groundbreaking accomplishment it was lauded.

The 2nd game was night and day superior to the original.

[S-H]

Never played the game, just a fan of this genre.

[Jonah]

Yeh I don't think you have to be a fan or even a gamer to get into this - some fans in fact might compare it tooooo much to the game and go off of it.

[hammers92]

One of the most overrated games of all time for me.

Think I’m going to report you to the police for a hate crime in that comment.

[Denzil]

Played the game (twice) most recently during lockdown. The series pilot was fantastic, the casting looks to be superb and it had me glued to the TV despite knowing the storyline.

As someone who has played the game, episode one is effectively a dramatisation of the start of the game itself, almost play-by-play. I love the authenticity but having played it relatively recently, I knew what was about to happen throughout which did remove an element of suspense.

Can't wait for episode 2.

[prophet:marginal]

One of the most overrated games of all time for me.

Mechanically an absolute mess. Dull, frustrating, inconsistent gameplay. And a fairly run of the mill post apocalyptic story covering nothing that hadn't been done, better, before. The story is fine but not the groundbreaking accomplishment it was lauded.

The 2nd game was night and day superior to the original.

First para needs some work, but I'll allow the last one.

Interested, mind, why you investigated the 2nd, if you thought the 1st was quite that bad?

[fjthegrey]

Interested, mind, why you investigated the 2nd, if you thought the 1st was quite that bad?

People I trusted, and who despite enjoying the first one had the same complaints about it's wanky mechanics as I did, said that nearly every element of gameplay had been vastly overhauled and improved in the second helping.

And they were right.

Think I’m going to report you to the police for a hate crime in that comment.

You need to have higher standards about how games handle Mr 92. It's a sluggish, unresponsive, clunky experience when stripped down the how it plays. And the crafting is b*llocks as well.

[Up the Junction]

One of the most overrated games of all time for me.

I packed it in halfway through.

There's also a dedicated forum where you can discuss this kind of thing: viewforum.php?f=13

[Cuenca 'ammer]

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radi ... -this-year

The Last of Us is violent and maudlin. It depicts a world in which people are doing what they can to survive, with varying degrees of horror; at times, encountering the quick-moving, fungus-dangling infected doesn’t even seem like the worst thing that could happen. Later in the series, in one terrifying episode, men, not monsters, prove themselves capable of inflicting cruelties that go far beyond the distressing onslaught of zombie attacks.

Pascal is great, but Ramsey is phenomenal. She is funny, sullen and sharp, retaining a slightly awkward teenage physicality. Her performance is so authentic and believable that it doesn’t feel like a performance at all. Watching the pair’s relationship develop and deepen is desperately moving. The fact that it manages to resist a sentimental approach and yet still finds such soul is a real achievement.

There is more to it than Joel and Ellie, though, and it has enough confidence to leave them behind for large stretches of some episodes. In the third, which is almost film-length, we barely see the two leads at all. Instead, it focuses on a survivalist called Bill (Nick Offerman, playing a sort of Ron Swanson with a PhD in poetry) and his new relationship with an artist called Frank (The White Lotus’s Murray Bartlett). It is a gorgeous detour into the wider world; as many critics have said already, it might be one of the finest episodes of TV you will see this year.

['stone hammer]

Had the night to really digest it and thought of a few points (SPOILERS FOR 1ST EPISODE)

Firstly the score transfers from the game to TV magnificently, apparently the main theme is performed on a ronroco guitar (of which I know nothing about) and really shone in the quieter moments.
A couple of nice things for the gamers too, who were starved of any background information when it comes to Joel. Seeing the combat veteran bumper sticker and a more developed brotherly relationship with Tommy were interesting. In the game Tommy is with Joel in Texas helping with Sarah, time jumps forward, and he isn't mentioned again for a long period.

Back to the show, I thought there were two major moments, one which they nailed, and one which was good but could've been much better:
The first being Sarah's death, I thought it was harrowing in the game but f*** me, seeing it brought to life was something else. Some top drawer acting from Pedro Pascal and Nico Parker.
Second was Ellie being immune, which I thought was overshadowed by Joel's flashback (something that wasn't in the game and I thought was a great addition). I found myself still reeling from both Joel's flashback and his killing of what was, at the very least, someone he liked. Also Ellie's smirk while he's destroying the guy's face was slightly disturbing. The Mrs said that maybe she was just grateful of Joel's protection, but it looked more sinister.

Overall, judging by that as a first episode, we should be in for a great series. The shot of the two tall buildings with one leaning on the other means we're in for a treat next week.