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Excited for The Last of Us Part 2? Here are the original's best moments
2013 was a long time ago, but many of TLOU's best bits still hold up today
So it’s not long now until The Last of Us Part II finally arrives on PS4 and we can finally see this compelling story continue where it left off. When The Last of Us originally came out in 2013 on PS3, players everywhere were completely floored by its fascinating, emotionally engaging story within a picturesque post-pandemic world, multi-dimensional characters and a brutal combat system. It set a whole new benchmark for storytelling within a video game. Ever since the announcement back in late 2016, our anticipation levels have been through the roof, to say the least.
So as we finally gear up for The Last of Us Part II, let’s take a trip down memory lane and take a look back at the best bits of its glorious predecessor that made it a true masterpiece and left a lasting impact…
If you're hoping to enjoy The Last of Us for yourself, stop reading now - spoilers are ahead.
The Outbreak
Clickers are just the worst
© Sony Interactive Entertainment
The first moments of the game really set the tone as we see the first moments of the outbreak as we say goodbye to civilisation and humanity as we know it.
We are first introduced to Joel and Sarah in some quiet father-daughter moments until this all gets disrupted when an outbreak erupts. This leads to an intense scene of Joel, Sarah and Joel’s brother Tommy trying to escape as chaos ensues around them. This leads to a moment of utter heartbreak as Sarah ends up getting killed and dying in Joel’s arms, which very beautifully sets up his arc for the rest of the game and sets the scene for his relationship with Ellie.
The Restaurant Showdown
This fight in the tail end of the game is a big one
© Sony Interactive Entertainment
In this world, people surely aren’t all they seem to be, and that is definitely the case when we meet the seemingly innocent David who becomes an ally for a short while.
During a very bleak winter, Ellie is trapped inside a burning restaurant after being relentlessly hunted down by David’s men – after he realises that both she and Joel were responsible for the massacre of his men at the University. The segment then culminates in an epic showdown in the restaurant in which Ellie and David play a very sinister game of hide and seek, where Ellie is left to defend herself whilst trying to take out David. Ellie then proceeds to butcher David with a machete, a harrowing moment for both Ellie and us controlling her. This leads into a moment of poignancy between her and Joel.
The Giraffes
Every TLOU fan will tell you about these giraffes, but you have to see it
© Sony Interactive Entertainment
In one of the later moments in the game, as we are continuing to follow Joel and Ellie through their cross country journey through Salt Lake City, we are treated to something truly beautiful.
This is easily one of the most memorable moments in the game, a few stolen seconds of tranquillity from none other than some giraffes, which could possibly be read as a symbol of hope. The reason why this particular scene is so effective and powerful is because of the sheer beauty of finding something majestic and delightful in such a broken and dystopian society, showing that not all is lost and that there is still hope.
Joel Murders the Doctors
During the final act of the game, there was absolutely no shortage of tension or intensity, as the race to get to Ellie really starts to heat up. Joel shoots his way through several Fireflies in the hospital to save Ellie after finding out that engineering a vaccine would result in her losing her life.
This, as you can imagine, does not go down particularly well with Joel, who has become very attached to Ellie, with the pair forming a father-daughter relationship throughout the course of the game. The thought of her dying infuriates him to the core, as he refuses to let history repeat itself after what happened with Sarah. The player then gets the choice as to whether to kill or spare the doctors in a powerful moment, adding yet another layer of intensity to this whole sequence.
Ellie and Riley
Ellie coming to terms with being queer is an exciting part of Left Behind
© Sony Interactive Entertainment
Left Behind is the prequel DLC which is an exploration of Ellie’s life before the events of The Last of Us. In this story campaign, we are introduced to Ellie’s friend Riley as they venture through an abandoned shopping mall, getting up to the typical shenanigans you would expect young girls to get up to in this situation.
What sort of activities? Think trying on masks, brick-throwing, water gun fights and telling a seemingly never-ending set of jokes. Then things get really intense as we get more of a deeper insight into Ellie and Riley’s friendship as it is revealed that Riley left Ellie and joined the Fireflies, and then we are treated to a sweet and romantic moment between the pair. But we all know that tragedy is lurking around the corner and you know this doesn’t end very well. The pair gets bitten by a bunch of clickers and it is revealed during the final scene in The Last of Us that, Riley was one of the first to die while Ellie was revealed to be immune and the key to saving mankind.
The Ending
No picture of the ending here, you should see it for yourself
© Sony Interactive Entertainment
After the wild ride of The Last of Us, it delivered an ending everyone thought would be left ambiguous but nicely sows the seeds for the upcoming sequel. In fact, it may be one of the most powerful endings in video game history.
After the whole showdown with the Fireflies back at the hospital, it' s revealed that Joe has lied to her about the events, telling her that the fireflies had already stopped looking for a cure and that there was no use for her. The ending was very polarising in so many ways and makes a lot of people question the morality of Joel’s decisions and actions, and has therefore generated some interesting conversations. It is interesting to see the consequences and repercussions that this has on the future instalment of the game.
Because, Ellie knows he's lying to her right? Surely.
