Anyone remotely interested in video games will be familiar with “The Last of Us,” an action-adventure survival series that is more than just a game, it is a life experience.
The story follows two people, Joel and Ellie, in a post-apocalyptic world where a disease has turned much of the human population into a new variation of zombies.
Joel, who has become a hardened fighter after years of battling for his life, bumps into Ellie when asked to deliver some cargo which turns out to be the young girl. From there begins their amazing journey, full of unexpected twists and turns.
As time goes by, players of the game witness the characters warming to each other as it becomes less of an adventure and more of an emotional experience. Joel softens to Ellie, while she hardens up to the harsh world, learning to use a gun and how to fight the “Clickers” (the zombies).
The game is extremely realistic, with stunning but also haunting landscapes peppered with run-down houses, abandoned cars, and overgrown vegetation. The climax to the game is both shocking and breathtaking, the story so rich and beautiful it reads like a novel.
“The Last of Us” is available for PlayStation 4.