The Ending
38.
After spending most of the last year travelling with Ellie in search of the Fireflies, Joel makes it to there research base on the Cordyceps pandemic (In case you weren't aware, that actually exists). Once there, Joel is informed that in order to obtain the samples needed to reverse engineer a vaccine, Ellie has to die. Joel is, of course, furious and is unwilling to accept this. This is understandable from Joel given how close he has got to Ellie throughout this journey.
39.
At first, Ellie was just a task, even a burden to Joel but the eye opening experiences of “Fall” when he learned just how much Ellie now cared for and looked up to him as quite likely her first real father figure along with the intense and dangerous experiences of “Winter” brought Joel face to face with the possibility of loosing another person he loved and card for. Both of these things he has avoid sine the start of the Cordyceps outbreak and loosing Sarah 20 years previously.
40.
Allot of people look at Joel's behaviour when Marlene told him as very “of the moment” and spurred by a rush of desperate emotion, but I think that's incorrect. Neither Joel nor Ellie are that ignorant. In the 9 months or so they were travelling together the possibility that Ellie would have to suffer or even die to get the cure would have crossed there minds. Then in the scene just after the Giraffes, that same fear that awoke him to how he feels about Ellie in Winter and engaged him to talk and deal with Ellie as the father they both now felt he was hit him again. He turned to her and said, “We don't have to do this... let's just go back to Tommy’s, forget this ever happened...”. Now, next is what could be one of the most important, yet under-discussed lines in the entire game. Ellie responds, “After everything we've through. Everything that I've done. It can't be for nothing.”. It's only for moment and it's subtle, but Joel hangs his head and sighs. That's the moment he realised that if it came to that, she would to willing to sacrifice herself. Ellie was also very distant and distracted throughout large parts of this section which tells me that this was on her mind to. I'm not saying she wasn't scared of dying and she certainly didn't want to, but willing to die to better others if that's what it took.
41.
This is the biggest difference between Joel and Ellie as Characters for me. Even from the start when Joel told Tommy to drive past the family on the side of the road, it's clear he is something of a Darwinist, survival of the fittest, do what it takes kind of man. Putting himself and those he cares about more than others. His past in that 20 year gap is also, let's say, controversial. While doing what it takes to survive, he's not only seen some of the worst of humanity, but been some of the worst of humanity, so probably has had his value for humanity compared to Ellie devalued even more, which makes it less likely for him to let that surgery go ahead as well. Ellie is the kind of person who, whilst not necessarily willing to make a sacrifice selflessly, is for more willing to look at the bigger picture. She finds the loss of someone close just as painful, but is more warded to it in her young life than Joel, and it was never the loss of child. So by growing up this world, that’s life in this world and thus she’s grown up to more used to this than Joel.
42.
That is why Joel lied to her. And it was selfish lie. He didn't do it to protect her, he was protecting himself from the consequences of taking that choice away from her. I saw a let's play (the channel is called Miskat Squad) where this girl was pissed off the Fireflies were robbing her of the choice, and I completely agree, but the moment that Joel lied to Ellie, he became guilty of the same thing. That's also why he killed Marlene because she was a loose end and link to the truth that he couldn't afford to leave alive. It also destroyed the possibility of the Fireflies coming after her as Joel said, yes, but with the damage he did he didn't need to lie to her to protect her from them. With both the surgeon and Marlene dead, it would be almost impossible for the Fireflies to set this back up and track them down, meaning they're not much of a threat unless hell bent on revenge, and I don't think they would be, they have bigger problems.
43.
I'm not in support of the Fireflies though, despite what I just said. From a practical level, I think them curing humanity just like that is way to simple, that's not how it would have worked. In the news reports heard in the opening credits, we heard the Fireflies “public charter called for the return of all branches of government”, so when you consider how difficult logistics, manufacture and communication in this new world be not to mention the hostile political situation the Fireflies are in, this cure would be used as a political tool. Even if the Fireflies have the best intentions, I just don't see how this would work. The game doesn't ponder on these details because Joel couldn't care less about them, so I'm not going to dwell on the to long, but I think it's still worth a thought.
44.
Right at the end, a couple of important things happened. Ellie lists the people she has lost and says “I'm still waiting for my turn” confirming to Joel she accepts her mortality. Joel attempts to comfort her by telling her that survival, whilst a struggle, is one that can be endured by keeping finding to fight for, worth living for. At this point, Ellie interrupts him and makes him swear he was telling the truth about the Fireflies. He swears it's true. Then there's this contemplating look on her face then finally says “OK”. I don't think this was her believing the lie, more accepting the lie. I think that on some level she knew he was lying, but by asking him to swear the that he wasn't she could see how much wanted this new life for them and how he really cared for her. She's not willing to give that up, not now, so she doesn't bite the feeding hand, lets any anger she felt about it go and is now prepared for a new life.
45.
Whilst I do see the wrong in what Joel did, I can also understand it and sympathise, but that's not really the point. The game doesn't spell out whether he's right or wrong, it's just expressing how he feels. This isn't an RPG or a choice based narrative like a Telltale game or Life is Strange. I’ve see allot if people complain that Joel's actions at the end should have been a player choice, but they'd be wrong because it's not that kind of game and I believe it wouldn't have had the same impact. It’s fine to not agree or sympathise with Joel or Ellie at points as your observing the story and progressing through it and it’s very difficult to provoke emotional conflict within the player when they have too much control over the actions, and that’s why this works.
Gameplay
46.
This was supposed to be a story and character analysis for the most part, but it wouldn’t be right to not talk about this at least a little. A good thing as well because honestly, there isn’t a whole lot to say. It’s not a particularly unique or complicated game in terms of gameplay mechanic, it just does what it does well with high production value.
47.
At it’s core, The Last of Us is a linear third person shooter with a strong emphasis on stealth and some light survival and exploration elements. All these elements are we balanced with each other buy giving the player enough choice in each section to reach their goal in number of ways depending of circumstance and play style.
48.
The shooting mechanics are easy to use, weighty and with a unique, indigenous feel for each weapon. Melee combat is simplistic, but satisfying and includes a breakable weapons that aren’t annoying because they’re an enhancement to the hand to hand rather that something you rely on for the whole game (Yeah, looking at YOU Zelda: Breath of the Wild!).
49.
Stealth feels dynamic because of the various ways the enemies in the game react, especially the infected runners and clickers. Runners can see and the can move fast, but take less damage than clickers and can be taken out with your fists. Clickers “see” using sound and if alerted, it’s a one hit kill if they get to you, so use stealth tactics whenever possible. Allot the boaters you engage as bosses. They take a beating, attack at range and deadly up close. Avoid them if you can, but big weapons, molotov cocktails and nail bombs will get the job done.
50.
The human enemies are OK to fight with, but are only varied by the weapons they carry and certain very enjoyable set prices the game has to offer and, at times, armour, but the level layout helps make engagements enjoyable enough. The AI is not that sophisticated, but it’s adequate and does offer enough sentient behaviour, opposing tactics and challenge to suit in this game. These sections I’d say weren’t quite as much fun as battling infected, but still very good.
51.
Resource management and exploration are critical as you use supply’s, scrap and what I think is medicine you find in the world for crafting items and upgrading weapons and skills. Again, it’s pretty light mechanics, but smart as crafting items use common ingredients and you only find so much medicine and scrap, so your choices really matter in the crafting. There’s also a limit to the ammo capacity, so you need to use your weapons wisely as well.
52.
Allot of these games that focus mostly on single player have tacked on multiplayer modes that feel half assed and just not worth it (Dragonage Inquisition multiplayer anyone? What, wanna do something more fun like carve yourself a new, wider path for your bladder to empty? Can’t say I blame you.). The Last of Us actually had a fun and fresh idea that involved linking your Facebook account to import “survivors” from your real life friends list if you wanted the allying yourself to either bandits or the Fireflies to then go out and compete against other players for your clans survival. The crafting, focused hearing mechanics and of course combat were taken from the main game and implemented well in a very tactically focused team deathmatch. Yeas, it wasn’t as extensive as other more multiplayer-centric games, but for a side dish it was a very welcome and surprisingly substantial part of the meal.
Conclusion:
53.
As gamers, or even just as people, we love to root for the underdog. We want our David’s to succeed over our Goliaths. Whilst The Last of Us is undeniably a Goliath rather than a David being published by Sony and developed by the already very much accomplished Naughty Dog, it still managed to gather allot of that same sort of support from people as if it were a David. I believe this is because the creative vision, the writing, the story and characters are always the more humble elements of even the biggest, blockbusting projects in entertainment media and it’s these elements that The Last of Us does well. That’s why the game has got the acclaim that it has, the heart of a David in the body of a Goliath. Being in the body of a Goliath didn’t exactly hurt the game either. Having the big budget resources with some best talent money can buy to make this game was critical to bring this vision to life. To make this happen, every role from the most humble and basic to the most complex and innovative had to work together.
54.
To me, this was an engrossing, memorable event in the history of gaming and important one to show the world that this type of entertainment needs to be taken seriously and respected. There are still to many people that see gaming as a low brow waste of time, not something suitable for respectable society. Whether that was ever true is open to debate, but it certainly isn’t the case now and The Last of Us dealt a bigger blow to that delusion than any game I recall. Naughty Dog didn’t ask to be that to us, they just wanted to make a great game, but they did embrace that responsibility and handled it so.
55.
This has meant so much to so many and I for one, learned how important it is to embrace hope even when life is at it’s worst and life is only worth who you choose to share it with. We live in a vain, materialistic world and ironically it’s a video game, a impractical indulgence that can only find a home in that world is what helped me see more clearly what is truly valuable. The Last of Us may have impacted you in a different way or even not at all, but whatever the case that experience belongs to you, so treasure it.
56.
If you made it all the way through this then you have my thanks. Other than that, there isn’t much left to say apart from GIVE US A RELEASE DATE FOR THE LAST OF US PART 2 GODDAMMIT!
Please share your own thoughts, feelings and experience of The Last of Us in the responses.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks again for writing up such a wonderful analysis and adding more value here.
