Hauntingly beautiful, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us is the ultimate test of not only survival but also the most important game that has ever been produced for the Playstation 3. That is quite the statement, yes with amazing exclusive titles such as the Uncharted series, God of War and Infamous, The Last of Us stands above them all.

The Last of Us tells the story of Joel, an ordinary man that must survive a deadly virus outbreak. The story has been told before but not this well. Joel’s story begins the night of the outbreak, his brother Tommy rushes to Joel’s house and informs him he must leave. Joel grabs his daughter and they go. It doesn’t take long for the world to go to Hell. The government has started to panic and the virus has infected many people already. You have no time to figure out what is going on and Joel’s life is forever changed in an instant.

Flash forward 20 years and Joel is a changed man. He does anything he can to survive, even killing other people. Joel is recruited by his friend Tess to transport cargo across the city. The “cargo” turns out to be in the form of a fiercely independent 14 year old girl Ellie. Ellie is might be carrying the cure for all of humanity, herself. But in order to extract the cure Joel, Tess, and Ellie must first locate the Fireflies, a group of  resistance fighters who can help. They encounter danger along the way, not only in the form of the infected but also there are many evil  people around.

The Last of Us is such an amazing piece of entertainment. Not only as a video game but as a form of storytelling. The game succeeds in all areas. The first thing that grabs your attention is how beautiful the game is. Every detail in the game is fully realized and wonderfully rendered. Look at the screenshot to the right, that is in game graphics. The cities are in ruin but the Earth has taken them back. They are overgrown with vegetation and wildlife.The game’s story takes place over a year and each season has it’s own unique look. Also, it takes place over several major cities each with there own personalities and dangers. If you are familiar with any of the cities the story takes place in you will immediately recognize landmarks.

The controls are tight as well. At first they seem a little overwhelming because there is so much you can do. But after about 20 minutes they seem like second nature. And it’s a good thing too because the gameplay is so diverse.You have to sneak around, run, shoot, throw, make weapons, make bombs, make health kits. The controls are precise and shooting is accurate.

The sound design is also top notch. Although there is not music throughout, it is well placed and hits all the right emotional core. The game is also terrifying. The infected are very scary. There are several types. The most common are referred to as runners. They are fast and attack in packs. Runners are newly infected, so they are wild and out of control. The scariest type are known as clickers. The fungus has infected them so much that they are blind. But they can kill you instantly and are incredibly difficult to kill. The noise they make will haunt your dreams.

What makes the game so unforgettable is the characters. Joel is a no nonsense tough son of a bitch. He doesn’t let anyone get close to him and keeps everyone at a distance. He is a borderline villain for the things he does until you realize the world he lives in, and you think I would probably do the same things. My favorite character and I’m sure I am not alone is Ellie. She is so real and honest I do not think there is a better written character in video games. The interaction between her and Joel is so real you swear that these are not scripted moments. I love too how she calls out where there is danger and how much she kicks ass in fights, I can’t count how many times I was about to get shot, stabbed and Ellie would shoot them before they got to me.

I loved this game. I have never felt this way playing any other game. It was heart breaking, powerful and intense. It would also have moments when I was smiling when Joel and Ellie’s relationship grows from weary strangers to two individuals who care so much for each other. You have to play this game. If you own a PS3 and do not own this game, shame on you, if you own a Xbox 360 trade it in for a PS3 and get this game and play it.

Graphics 5.0

Stunning, every detail from faces to ruined cities are amazing.

Controls 5.0

Tight and precise.

Sound 5.0

Voice work is amazing, and the soundtrack is first rate.

Fun Factor 5.0

Get this game now.