The Last of Us PlayStation 3

Released on 14-Jun-2013

Survival and action combine for a genre-defining - and re-defining - experience in The Last of Us for PlayStation 3.

Set in an America changed forever by a infection pandemic, The Last of Us sees ruthless survivor Joel hired to take some unique cargo across the country - a 14-year-old girl named Ellie…

Key Features of The Last of Us on PlayStation 3:

• An intense character-driven narrative from legendary developers Naughty Dog
• Explore a horrific America forever changed by the pandemic
• Learn to survive together as both hunter and hunted
• Combat enemies powered by The Balance of Power AI system

The Last of Us comes from Naughty Dog, the critically-acclaimed creators of the Uncharted series. This is a tale that could not be further from the daredevil adventuring of Nathan Drake, but one that highlights the award-winning cinematic storytelling, performance capture, and high-production values that Naughty Dog have become famous for.

The Last of Us takes place in a bleak future, twenty years after a fungal infection has wiped out much of humanity, turning them in to mutated savages. Those who survived are not much better, with survivors huddled together in quarantined zones,  struggling and scavenging for the remaining food, weapons - and anything else they can get their hands on.

Joel is such a survivor, living a life of smuggling and black marketeering - and one with few morals. He's hired to transport a teenage girl named Ellie across the country, but what seems like a simple job turns into a desperate and profound journey across what remains of America.

The Last of Us presents a familiar but dangerous United States, with Joel and Ellie experiencing a stunning but brutal country as they travel. Escaping their home in Boston, you'll explore an America that has been thoroughly transformed over the last two decades. Nature has reclaimed much of the land, with overgrown plantlife further devastating the ruins of the cities you travel through.

The Last of Us offers classic survival gameplay with a sense of danger and fear that is not often seen in today's games. Playing as Joel, you'll need to learn to work together with Ellie if either of you are to survive this horrific landscape where food, ammo and other supplies are extremely limited. You'll need to scavenge for what you need, craft weapons from what you can find and compete with other survivors in a land where the true limits of humanity will be tested - and where new threats are waiting at every turn.

You'll need to combat both the infected savages and your fellow survivors. Like the best survival games, you'll need to keep your wits about you and fight smart, avoiding encounters when you can and making every bullet, every shiv and every attack count. But your enemies will be fighting smart, too. Thanks to the Balance of Power AI system, your foes will constantly adapt, changing their behaviour based on your actions, the weapon they see you carrying, or how many of them are left to fight.

Play The Last of Us Demo - included with God of War Ascension

A demo for the Last of Us will be included with God of War: Ascension, letting you play through a chapter months before its 14th June release.

To access The Last of Us demo, all you need do is put God of War Ascension into your PS3 and highlight The Last of Us option on the main menu. Then simply follow the instructions on-screen to gain access to the demo when it becomes available.

• Why Naughty Dog changed the look of Ellie in The Last of Us

  When Uncharted developer Naughty Dog first caught gamers off guard with the reveal of its post-apocalyptic action game, The Last of Us, the gameplay shown off in the first trailer showed a female character called Ellie who looked a lot like Hollywood star Ellen Page. Many assumed this meant Page would be voicing the character, when in actual fact it was voice actor Ashley Johnson, best known for voicing Gwen Tennyson on the hits kids show Ben 10.

  This week at E3, fellow Sony developer Quantic Dream unveiled its next title - Beyond: Two Souls - which really does star Ellen Page, this time as a young woman hunted by the authorities and aided by a supernatural force. So did Naughty Dog have to change its character to avoid stepping on Quantic Dream's toes?

  Apparently not, according to Bruce Straley, director of The Last of Us. He claims that Naughty Dog didn't see the resemblance, and changed Ellie's look because they wanted players to see the character, not an unrelated actress.

  "We didn? even know what was going on with that," Straley told Eurogamer when quizzed on the change. "We don? know what? going on with other games"

  "We hear what people are saying," he continued. "We just try to push for the characters that we want. And when we see the reactions we?e like, OK, we don? like that. We want our characters to stand on their own two feet."

  The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls are two of the most impressive games shown off at this year's E3 in Los Angeles. Both are PlayStation 3 exclusives and are scheduled for release in early 2013.
  

• Editor's Choice - Best of E3 2012

  
  

  

  Best of E3 2012

  Alas, there weren't any signs of the next-gen Xbox or PlayStation at this year's E3 - but fret not because there was still plenty on show to tempt us into spending yet more hours hunched in front of our tellies, causing pile-ups, roasting Redcoats and possessing, erm, murderous rodents:

  

  Watch Dogs

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  None of us were expecting it so we shouldn't have been surprised when Ubisoft's new IP duly brought the roof down at E3 with a 10-minute gameplay walkthrough of its astonishing third-person open world game. Players stalk the streets, able to manipulate and hack into all things 'connected' - from traffic lights and surveillance cameras to the personal details of city residents - with the aim of taking down the bad guys (whoever they may be...). With gorgeous graphics, incredible detailing and some genuinely original gameplay, this looks like a grown-up cyberpunk action thriller to die for.
  When's It Out? 2013

  Quick Mention: Xbox 360-exclusive Forza Horizon promises open-world racing mated to the outstanding physics and handling of the world-class racing series.

  

  Dishonored

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  This game's fresh, original setting sees you taking on the role of a betrayed assassin in a striking steampunk world. Labelling it as a 'stealth-based first-person shooter' doesn't quite cover it though because the amazing variety of tools and ways of offing the enemy is like nothing you've quite seen before. From possessing rats to stopping time and teleporting, the imaginative scope of Dishonored's gameplay means a title stinking rich with nefarious ways to murder and maim.
  When's It Out? 12th October

  Quick Mention: Go mental on a tropical island in the first-person sequel, Far Cry 3, whose trailer raised eyebrows at E3 because of its explosive, violent and explicit content. But based on the series' previous form, we know this latest entry will have the gaming chops to back up the sensationalism... fingers crossed.

  

  Assassin's Creed III

  What's It On? PC, Xbox 360 & PS3
  Out goes moody Ezio and in slips, err, moody Connor, a Native American with a mission to rip the scalps off the British army and Templars infesting the 18th Century US frontier. What this means for fans of the series is a distinct change in location and action with our killer hunting wildlife, slicing up wolves, leaping from tree to tree (as well as buildings) and clambering up cliff faces to toast enemy bases. Incredibly, the action demoed at E3 looked even more fluid than in previous franchise outings, and with its new setting, mechanics and hero, Assassin's Creed III could well be the best entry yet.
  When's It Out? October

  Quick Mention: Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last Of Us for the PS3 continues to show huge promise, boasting fantastic visuals and story-lead gameplay that features some seriously brutal action.

  Don't worry, Nintendo fans, we haven't forgotten you! We'll be focusing on the Nintendo Wii U games revealed at E3 next week.

  Published: 14/06/2012

• Naughty Dog aiming for compelling single player story in The Last of Us

  Even though the game has two lead characters, Naughty Dog has revealed that its upcoming post-apocalyptic thriller, The Last of Us, won't have a two-player co-operative mode. It will, however, have online multiplayer of some kind.

  "We are supporting multiplayer with The Last of Us," creative director Neil Druckmann told Gaming Examiner this week. "We're not ready to talk about the details of how multiplayer will be implemented, however we can say that it is not co-op within the main campaign."

  The game takes place in the aftermath of some terrible world-ending cataclysm, and finds Joel, a man laden with regret, looking after a young girl, Ellie, as society crumbles. The focus for offline play, Druckmann reveals, is to tell this story in a way that is tailored to compelling single player experience, just as they did with the Uncharted games.

  "Above all," Druckmann explained, "We're interested in telling a very tight, well-constructed, narrative-driven gaming experience that - if we do our jobs right - successfully parallels the player's feelings with our main protagonist. The Last of Us will be a game that sets the quality bar for the survival action genre and features the depth of gameplay and narrative experience Naughty Dog is known for."

  The Last of Us is a PlayStation 3 exclusive and will be released in 2013.
  

• Gamescom: Sony unveils five amazing new games

  
  

  Sony wowed the crowds at E3 in Los Angeles earlier this year, basing its big press presentation around exciting original new titles like The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls. In a sea of sequels, the PlayStation was determined to be seen as the home of fresh ideas. That's a path that Sony continued down for its showcase at the German industry fair Gamescom, using its presentation to reveal another five fantastic looking games.

  Hardcore gamers will be thrilled to learn that Killzone will be coming to the PlayStation Vita in the shape of Killzone Mercenaries. It'll be a first-person shooter, developed on the same game engine as Killzone 3, and it'll have a Dirty Dozen feel, with Earth and Helghast soldiers working together on a series of ugly, tough missions.

  Media Molecule, creator of LittleBigPlanet, also had good news for PlayStation Vita owners. Its new game, Tearaway, is a typically charming effort set in a world made of paper. You'll be able to poke your fingers "into" the world using the Vita's front and rear touchscreens and rip stuff up.

  Sony Japan is also getting in on the action, showcasing two quirky new titles. Puppeteer tells the story of a boy who is turned into a puppet, has his head chopped off and must then retrieve his noggin. Rain, on the other hand, finds you controlling an invisible boy who can only be seen by the shapes he leaves in a world of perpetual downpour.

  PlayStation Move got some love as well, with horror game Until Dawn. Modelled on the classic slasher movies, you can control seven characters trying to last the night in a remote location as an unknown lunatic bumps you off, one at a time. You'll use the Move wand as a torch as you explore the gloomy, gory world.

  Rumours abound that new next generation consoles will be announced soon, but when you consider the already announced Vita exclusive Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, as well as guaranteed blockbusters The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls, and it looks like the current PlayStation platforms have got a long way to go before they run out of juice.
  

• The Last of Us release date announced, multiplayer confirmed

  The Last of Us, the post-apocalyptic action adventure from Uncharted developer Naughty Dog, will be released next May exclusively for PlayStation 3. The news came during the Spike TV Video Game Awards.

  The Last of Us follows two characters, Joel and Ellie, as they struggle to survive after the Earth is decimated by a plague. Joel is a middle-aged man with a troubled past, Ellie is a young girl he takes under his wing. Fresh footage from the game was also shown, showcasing more brutal combat, exploration and both Joel and Ellie on horseback. Will this be how players get around the ruined cities of the future?

  It's also been revealed that the game will feature a multiplayer component, much like Naughty Dog's Uncharted series. Word of online play slipped out after US stores leaked their pre-order bonuses, including multiplayer character skins and bonus XP. Naughty Dog's community manager Arne Meyer confirmed the rumour on the official PlayStation blog. "Multiplayer, wha?" he posted. "We're not quite ready to talk about it yet, but stay tuned as we'll be revealing more details on multiplayer before The Last of Us is released."

  The Last of Us has a US release date of May 7th 2013. Hopefully the UK will get it around the same time.
  

  Published: 10/12/2012

• The Best of 2012: PlayStation 3

  
  

  Although it may have wobbled in the early running, the PlayStation 3 approaches the end of the current hardware generation as one of the strongest and most eclectic gaming systems in history. Whether reviving and refreshing its big franchises for new fans, or supporting the more artistically inclined indie end of the development spectrum, a large debt of thanks for 2012's sterling games line-up is owed to SONY. Uniquely among the big platform holders, you could easily fill a list of the PS3's top titles with SONY's own first party exclusives.

  

  Also uniquely among its peers, SONY has done a superb job of dipping into its past without exploiting fans. High definition compilations of classic PlayStation 2 series such as Ratchet & Clank worked both as loving tributes to classic gameplay of yesteryear, and as highly polished introductions for generations of new fans. At the same time, new games featuring the same characters ensured they'll endure into the next generation, with Ratchet & Clank: QForce combining the crisp and humorous platform jumping of old with a frantic tower defence strategy twist.

  Also making a comeback was the mighty Twisted Metal. SONY's ferocious vehicle combat game is a representative of a genre that has faded from popularity, but the combination of fantastic multiplayer mayhem, addictive arcade driving physics and the sheer visual punch that the PS3 delivers makes this bratty, splattery action game one of 2012's unsung gems.

  

  Twisted Metal succeeded because it brought back classic gameplay that had been forgotten, but other SONY hits this year worked because they took popular characters and concepts off into new directions. LittleBigPlanet Karting, for example, found Sackboy reinvented as a cuddly textile version of Jenson Button. The introduction of kart racing into the LittleBigPlanet world was exciting enough, but when you factor in the boundless creativity that the game offers - allowing players to use the developer's own design tools to create their own tracks and mini-games - then you've got a game that is a more than worthy addition to the LBP lineage. Even if you never create anything of your own, the fact that the community is constantly producing new, free content is enough to keep you playing for months.

  

  SONY's roster of characters got an even more unlikely make over in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. This multiplayer fighting game pitted such unlikely stablemates as Parappa the Rapper, Sackboy and Sly Cooper against the likes of Nathan Drake, God of War's Kratos and Bioshock's Big Daddy. It's an insane mash-up of the whimsical and the fearsome, yet it works beautifully. The larger arena-based battles are frantic and hilarious - perfect party game fodder - yet the systems underneath are much closer to the classic fighting game standards you'd expect to find in hardcore genre titles. With former Street Fighter spokesman Seth Killian as the lead designer, it's perhaps no surprise that All-Stars is actually a seriously good fighting game that just happens to have some silly modes for everyone to enjoy. If you haven't picked it up yet because you thought it was just for kids, correct that mistake as soon as possible!

  

  SONY continued to innovate in other areas as well. The PlayStation Move controller found its perfect realisation in Book of Spells, the first in a planned series of Wonderbook augmented reality experiences. Produced in conjunction with JK Rowling, it sees players using an actual book which is transformed on-screen into a dusty old tome from the Hogwarts library. Casting spells and interacting with this magical world is genuinely spellbinding.

  

  Just as magical, in a more abstract way, was the critically acclaimed Journey. Created by esoteric designer Jenova Chen, this thought-provoking experience sets you down in a strange desert with only a distant mountain peak to guide you. As you wander, solving puzzles and navigating the ruins of a lost civilisation, you'll gain the power to float and fly, as well as meeting other players who can collaborate with you to find more secrets. Absolutely gorgeous to look at, and inviting all kinds of gentle emotional responses, it's a true work of art.

  Even far away from the arty indie scene, the PS3 had a cracking year. Fans of Assassin's Creed III, for example, were treated to exclusive bonus missions on SONY's console that wove legendary traitor Benedict Arnold into the game's Revolutionary War narrative.

  

  And, remarkably, 2013 looks like it will be even better. Intelligent blockbusters such as The Last of Us and Beyond: Two Souls will be available exclusively on the PS3, along with a new God of War and a new Sly Cooper adventure, and that's all before the summer arrives. The news may be full of rumours and guesswork about the next hardware generation, but there's plenty to be excited about on the consoles we do have!
  

  Published: 20/12/2012

• New Year Revolutions: The Top Games We're Looking Forward To In 2013

  
  

  

  Even though the excess of New Year is still fresh in our aching heads, this week sees the release of the first must-have blockbuster of 2013. Capcom's revamped and rebooted Devil May Cry has wowed critics and won over fans with its slick combat and slinky visuals, but that's just the start of what promises to be a spectacular year in gaming. Here are five games that we can't wait to play in the months ahead.
  

  

  Crysis 3

  Out: February 22nd
  Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

  Why So Excited?: Because the Crysis series has always been the benchmark for the modern shooter in terms of lush visuals, and developer Crytek is promising to pull out all the stops for this trilogy-closing entry. You'll take control of nano-suited anti-hero Prophet as he returns to a New York enclosed in biodomes which have allowed tropical jungles to sprout on the familiar streets of the Big Apple.

  Using your high tech bow, and the various cool abilities that your armour provides, you'll sneak and slay your way through stunning open environments. Quite apart from the in-game thrills on offer, when most of the big shooters cluster around the pre-Christmas rush there's also something rather fantastic about a AAA shooter bold enough to stake its claim in the quieter early months of the year, where nothing can distract us from its groovy gameplay.
  

  

  Tomb Raider

  Out: March 5th
  Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

  Why So Excited?: You really have to ask? It's the return of Lara Croft, arguably the greatest modern video game character, absent from our joypads for far too long, and often stuck in average or poor quality sequels before that. After inheriting the series from defunct UK studio Core Design, developer Crystal Dynamics finally gets to divert from a 1990s template and reboot Tomb Raider in its own style.

  The result is an action adventure that has more in common with the cinematic rush of Uncharted than the block-shoving puzzles and somersaulting tiger-shooting of old. There'll be multiplayer for the first time in a Tomb Raider game, and there's also the story to consider – one that's written by Rhianna Pratchett, and follows a much younger Lara as she learns to become the confident hero we already know, having been stranded on an island controlled by brutal pirates. Action and drama, with a gaming icon? What's not to love?
  

  

  Bioshock Infinite

  Out: March 26th
  Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

  Why So Excited?: Because how often do you see a sequel so gleefully tear up everything from its predecessors? Bioshock Infinite may share the name of the 2007 smash hit, but virtually everything else is different. The gloomy and desolate undersea city of Rapture is replaced with Columbia, a steampunk city in the clouds. Dark is replaced with light. Water replaced with air.

  Can a game still be claustrophobic and scary in such bright, open environments? If anyone can pull it off, it's Ken Levine, the Bioshock creator who returns to the series after sitting out Bioshock 2. And it's not as if he hasn't had the time to perfect the game – Infinite's release date has slipped back more than once, but rather than a sign of trouble, it shows that Levine won't let this complex moral fable go until it's just right, even to the point of removing features – such as multiplayer – which weren't working to his required standard. When so many games tend to favour a kitchen sink approach, that sort of polish and focus demands to be rewarded.
  

  

  The Last of Us

  Out: May 17th
  Platforms: PlayStation 3

  Why So Excited?: It's Naughty Dog, one of a handful of big studios that effortlessly combine compelling core gameplay, brilliantly realised characters and staggering cinematic sweep. What happens when a developer with that pedigree tackles the survival horror genre? That's what we can't wait to find out. The Last of Us was sprung on the gaming public just over a year ago, and it immediately became a “must see” title.

  Set after a virulent plague wipes out most of humanity, it follows a grizzled survivor called Joel and Ellie, a young girl who he has taken under his wing, as they struggle to stay alive in the ruins of modern society, where brutal gangs and bloodthirsty maniacs lurk in the rubble. Unapologetically violent and with a gruelling storyline that explores the characters as much as the haunting landscape, The Last of Us brings us one step closer to gaming that packs as much punch as a big-name movie.
  

  

  Grand Theft Auto V

  Out: Spring
  Platforms: PlayStation 3

  Why So Excited?: If you have to ask, you must have been on Mars for the last decade. A new Grand Theft Auto game is a guaranteed event, not least because Rockstar doesn't turn these sequels out unless there's a good reason to do so. No annual updates for this series, so the news that players will be returning to the hot sticky streets of Los Santos for the first time since 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is enough to put us on the edge of our seat.

  Ever the tease, Rockstar has released only a few trailers and handfuls of screenshots, but it's enough to whet the whistle. With stunning graphics, bringing the city to life in never-before-seen detail, the big selling point is that this time around we'll be controlling three characters as they navigate the underbelly of modern urban life. Swapping between them at will, and combining their skills for missions, this could well be the evolutionary kick in the pants that the free-roaming crime genre needs. Would you expect anything else from the maestros that created the genre in the first place?
  

  Published: 17/01/2013

• The Last of Us: Ellie Edition exclusive to GAME

  If you're frothing with excitement at the prospect of Naughty Dog's upcoming survival horror adventure The Last of Us - and if you're not, what's wrong with you? - you'll want to sink your teeth into this special edition, exclusive to GAME in the UK. Dubbed the Ellie Edition, named after the young girl whose journey players will share through a virus-ravaged world, it contains a veritable buffet of cool extras.

  Inside the box you'll find a mini artbook giving an insight into the evolution of the game's visual style; the first issue of American Dreams, a Dark Horse prequel comic with variant cover; a collectible screen print effect poster of Ellie and an Ellie-themed DualShock 3 Skin for your controller.

  There are also digital trinkets unlocked with the Ellie Edition. The Survival Pack DLC offers bonus XP, in-game currency, a boosted melee attack and customisable character skins for the game's multiplayer modes. You'll also unlock exclusive Joel and Ellie skins when you complete the single player story. The Sights and Sounds DLC pack is also included, offering the game's soundtrack by Oscar-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla, a dynamic wallpaper for your PS3 and PSN Avatars.

  And that's still not all! You'll also receive a bonus code to download an Ellie skin for use in LittleBigPlanet. It's a generous spread, and only makes the wait for the PlayStation 3 exclusive's launch on May 7th feel even longer.
  

  Published: 23/01/2013

• God of War: Ascension offers early access to The Last of Us demo

  There's an additional treat in store for anyone who picks up SONY's upcoming mythical slay-a-thon, God of War: Ascension: early exclusive access to the playable demo for SONY's upcoming apocalyptic survive-a-thon, The Last of Us.

  You won't need to do anything else - just buy God of War. When the Last of Us demo is available, you'll be able to launch it from the main menu. So simple, even a meerkat can do it. SONY has yet to decide whether this demo will be offered for download to everyone, so there's a chance this will be your only shot at playing Naughty Dog's tantalising adventure before it comes out.

  God of War: Ascension is a prequel to the incredibly popular and insanely gory series of legendary brawlers, following man-shaped frown-muscle Kratos as he carves his way through more gods, monsters and hapless humans thrust into his path with only a sword and shield to protect them from his whirling blades.

  The Last of Us is an epic post-apocalyptic adventure set in the aftermath of a mysterious fungal virus that brings civilisation to its knees. You'll follow Joel, a gruff drifter, and Ellie, the young girl he protects, as they journey through the ruins of America. Don't forget - the special Ellie Edition is exclusive to GAME and comes with loads of extras.

  Both games are exclusive to PlayStation 3. God of War: Ascension carves its way onto shelves on 15th March. The Last of Us follows on 7th May.
  

  Published: 28/01/2013

• The Last of Us - Preview

  
  

  

  Naughty Dog, the developer behind the rip-roaring Uncharted series and a team that's become synonymous with the PlayStation brand, has elicited many emotions from its players in the past. With Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, it charmed us, and with Nathan Drake's adventures it excited us and, if you've a certain investment in Uncharted's well-realised cast of characters, warmed us and touched us.

  The Last of Us, the all-new game that's coming to PlayStation 3 this summer, does something a little different. It sets out to scare us, and a chance to play through an early level reveals that it's horrifically effective in doing so. This is no longer the matinee adventure of Uncharted, and it's several hundred miles away from the Saturday morning whimsy of Naughty Dog's earlier games. This is a gritty, murky tale set across a post-apocalyptic America that's portrayed with a chilling touch of authenticity.

  True Horror

  The premise is simple, and a little too believable. An infection based on the real-life fungus cordyceps - otherwise known as the zombie fungus - has wiped out much of the population, turning them into savage and monstrous husks. They're only half as savage as many of the survivors, though, and it's up to you as one of them to travel across the country with some precious cargo in tow.

  

  That cargo's the teenage Ellie, and in the relationship between her and the player character Joel there are signs of the game's heritage. Like Uncharted there's a human core to The Last of Us, and it's played out convincingly through some stellar writing, affecting incidental moments and strong motion capture. It's interactive cinema at its most powerful, and certainly at its most visually impressive.

  Just as convincing are the encounters between Joel and the infected, and it's this part of the game that was the focus of the first section Naughty Dog allowed anyone to play. You're escaping Boston with Ellie and your partner Tess in tow, working your way through destroyed office blocks as you step away from the relative safety of the quarantine zone.

  Uncharted Territory

  There are touches of Uncharted in the way that Joel bounds across the scenery, and in the way he hulks behind cover, but in every other way The Last of Us is very much its own game. Descending into the depths of the ruined city, it takes on the gnawing tension of a true horror game, and strings that feeling out across its encounters.

  

  The infected are a gruesome and powerful bunch, and getting too close can send Joel down in a grimly observed death scene that makes for truly unpleasant viewing. And so slow and steady stealth is the best recourse, the player left to pick their way through cover and dart through the shadows in an attempt to avoid detection.

  The encounters, when they do come, are as savage as so much else in The Last of Us's world. Joel can craft shivs and other makeshift weapons from items left discarded around the scenery, although resources are scarce and make such devices a precious commodity. It's essential to fight smart, to make every single bullet count and to isolate enemies so as to make the most of your deliberately limited toolset.

  Over the course of 20 minutes of play The Last of Us reveals itself to be almost unbearably tense, delivering the kind of real horror that many feel has been lost to video games since Resident Evil went wayward. But it's just part of the emotional palette of the game, says Naughty Dog, suggesting it'll be painting with other shades of dark as well as throwing in some much-needed light. If they're delivered with the kind of conviction seen in this early look, expect The Last of Us to be something very special indeed.

  Published: 14/02/2013

• The Last of Us slips into June

  The Last of Us, the incredibly promising survival horror adventure from Uncharted creator Naughty Dog, has slipped backwards from its planned release on 7th May. Don't panic too much, however. This isn't like Grand Theft Auto V retreating to September. The Last of Us will now launch worldwide on 14th June, just over a month later than expected.

  "In many ways it may be Naughty Dog's most ambitious project to date - a brand new universe and cast of characters, brand new tech, brand new genre, and not to mention it's easily the longest campaign Naughty Dog has ever made," creative director Neil Druckmann posted on the PlayStation Blog.

  "As we entered the final phase of development for The Last of Us, we came to realise just how massive Joel and Ellie's journey is. But instead of cutting corners or compromising our vision, we came to the tough decision that the game deserved a few extra weeks to ensure every detail of The Last of Us was up to Naughty Dog's internal high standards."

  The Last of Us takes place years after a terrifying fungal plague has decimated civilisation, and follows a grizzled survivor called Joel as he takes a young girl, Ellie, under his wing. Expect gruelling survival challenges, nail-biting stealth and bloody, brutal combat.

  The UK Ellie Special Edition will be available exclusively from GAME, and comes with a host of downloadable extras and bonuses for the game's online multiplayer.

  Published: 14/02/2013

• The Last of Us has "best multiplayer ever"

  If you've been playing games for any amount of time, you soon get used to the wild boasts made by various developers and publishers as their games near release. Few are as bold as Nate Wells, lead artist on Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic survival thriller The Last of Us, however.

  He took to Twitter to declare that “I REALLY can't prepare you for the best MP ever conceived...” This is especially interesting as while Sony and Naughty Dog have shown off plenty from the game's single player campaign, the multiplayer aspect is still fairly mysterious. The studio surprised us all by introducing some great multiplayer and co-op modes into Uncharted, so it may be that these are not idle boasts.

  The game promises to be a gruelling adventure set after a strange fungal virus has decimated mankind and turned survivors against each other. You'll play as Joel, a man haunted by the loss of his family, as he takes a young girl, Ellie, under his wing.

  The Last of Us is due in just under a month, on June 14th, and Sony is clearly pretty happy with the result. The publisher quietly registered internet domains for The Last of Us 2 and The Last of Us 3 this week.
  

  Published: 17/05/2013

• The Last of US DLC and Season Pass detailed

  SONY's nail biting survival thriller The Last of Us is out in just a couple of weeks, and we've finally learned what extra bits we'll be able to download for the game.

  Three major DLC updates are planned. Two will add more maps and other stuff to the game's still-mysterious multiplayer modes. Those more interested in the single player game will get a dedicated story-based download which adds another chapter to the story of Joel and Ellie as they try to stay alive in a world destroyed by a ferocious fungal parasite.

  If you opt to buy the game's season pass, you'll save 30% on the price of all the DLC, and will also get some additional perks. You'll be faster at reloading the 9mm pistol, crafting items and healing. You'll also get a capacity upgrade for your rifle, and an exclusive feature length documentary, called Grounded, which takes you behind the scenes at developer Naughty Dog during the making of the game.

  The Last of Us is a PlayStation 3 exclusive and goes on sale worldwide on June 14th.

  Published: 29/05/2013

• Demo reveals ambitious multiplayer mode for The Last of Us

  PlayStation 3 survival horror The Last of Us is one of the most anticipated games of 2013, but developer Naughty Dog has so far been playing its cards close to its chest when discussing the game's multiplayer mode.

  However, buried within the code of the survival horror's recent demo - available to those who bought God of War: Ascension - were a number of details that have now been excavated.

  It's an ambitious mode that takes a clan-focused approach to multiplayer, giving you a number of non-player characters to fight alongside against waves of the game's fungal foes. Your job is to both train and protect them, while collecting items to convert into supplies. Keep your cabal alive long enough and you can send them on missions to increase their stats, thus improving their chances of survival.

  It takes place in the same harsh, unforgiving universe as the single-player game, meaning you have more to worry about than just enemy attacks. It's possible to die from infection or starvation, for example, though each character can learn new skills, from crafting weapons to more green-fingered pursuits - like growing plants that offer healing benefits.

  Those concerned about distinguishing their clan from other players' needn't worry: the character customisation feature promises a range of over 150 hats to wear.

  You don't have to wait long if you want to dress to suppress. The Last of Us launches exclusively for PlayStation 3 on June 14th.

  Published: 03/06/2013

• 10/10: The Last of Us slays the critics

  When a review embargo ends nine days before a game launches, you know its publisher is confident, and SONY had every right to be with Naughty Dog's survival epic The Last of Us. The game has attracted top marks from over 25 websites and magazines, earning a rare 10/10 from Edge magazine, only the 15th in the publication's history.

  The word 'masterpiece' has featured often in the appraisals, and reviewers have universally celebrated the quality of the game's storytelling, voice acting and atmosphere. The game currently sits on a spectacular 96 per cent average on review aggregator Metacritic - making it the highest-rated game of 2013 so far.

  Eurogamer calls it "a surpassingly confident and handsome survival thriller", making note of its "wonderful, elegant and sad" soundtrack, by Oscar winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla.

  "The action moves through a stunning sequence of locations and gameplay variations with a momentum that is unhurried but immense. It's breathtakingly confident game-making," continues the review. "The Last of Us is Hollywood stuff, of course, but the good kind of Hollywood: big-hearted, humane, with just a shade of grey."

  It also promises an ending "you won't forget in a hurry", and after a hefty 15-20 hour story, there's still plenty to get your teeth into, with an extensive clan-based multiplayer mode the site calls "a strong offering".

  The short wait for its launch next Friday just got even harder. PlayStation 3 owners, prepare to buckle in for what promises to be one of the most thrilling and talked-about games of the year.

  Published: 06/06/2013

• The Last of Us - Review

  
  

  

  Uncharted Territory

  Naughty Dog, the makers of the hugely popular Uncharted games, have made themselves a reputation as purveyors of the highest quality AAA action epics, with Hollywood production values, thrilling storylines and stunning visuals.

  With their new game The Last of Us, they've excelled themselves. It's a masterpiece of storytelling, engineering and gameplay with a mature attitude and serious, stripped-back style. It makes Uncharted look like child's play, and the competition look silly. Put simply, it's one of the best games of its generation.

  The Last of Us takes place after the outbreak of a fungal virus that devastates America, turning most of the population into zombie-like infected monsters. It follows survivors Joel and Ellie on an epic trek across the country to get Ellie - for reasons we'll leave secret for now - to the headquarters of the Fireflies, a resistance movement. Joel's a tough middle-aged smuggler with a troubled past, Ellie a precocious teenage girl. The way their relationship develops is what gives The Last of Us its huge emotional power, but it's far from the only reason to recommend this amazing game.

  Beautiful Destruction

  The first thing that grabs you about The Last of Us is its astonishing world. Although we've seen similar post-apocalyptic set-ups many times before - in I Am Legend, The Walking Dead or 28 Days Later, say - Naughty Dog makes this one so powerful by setting it 20 years in the future, showing a world that's already ended. People live in slums ruled by a paranoid and cruel army, while most of the country is empty, overgrown and falling apart.

  

  Starting in Boston and heading west over the course of a year - the seasons changing as you play - the game takes you through crumbling skyscrapers that are falling apart, cities empty of all life and strewn with wreckage, and wildernesses unchanged by the fall of man. It's awe-inspiring and stunningly beautiful and sad at the same time.

  Naughty Dog's artists and programmers have done amazing work, and with its incredible lighting and animation and jaw-dropping views, you'll scarcely believe The Last of Us is not playing on the next-gen PlayStation 4. The dark, haunting atmosphere is also helped by great sound and music; the music is often left off, leaving you to really feel the loneliness and tension of the survivors.

  Make no mistake, this is a much darker game than Uncharted - and much harder, too. Playing as Joel, you need to fight through or sneak past both infected and hostile humans, and the action blends third-person shooter gameplay with elements of stealth and survival horror. Given the survival theme, it makes perfect sense that ammo is limited, and you need to scavenge supplies and craft them into what you need - be that med kits or Molotov cocktails.

  And because all of this is in short supply, you often need to vary your tactics and think on your feet. This makes the action extra gripping - sometimes, when fighting infected, it's as scary as Silent Hill - but also wonderfully varied. Although you'll need to restart often, it's not a chore because you always have options, and a fight never plays the same twice.

  It's not for the faint of heart, though - this is an extremely violent game, with lots of gory executions. It can be a bit much sometimes, but the feeling of constant danger really underlines what a harsh and brutal world Joel and Ellie live in.

  

  The Heart Of The Matter

  If that sounds too bleak, what really makes The Last of Us work is the drama. The story has some unexpected twists for sure, but it's really quite simple - essentially, it's a road movie about Joel reluctantly starting to feel responsibility and affection for the girl he's been dumped with.

  It takes a while to hook you in, because writing and acting are, by video game standards, extremely understated and subtle. But in the long run that only makes the characters more real to you, and their plight more moving. Once the game hits its second half and takes you through some extraordinary situations and locations, it's hitting with more dramatic power than you've ever felt from a game. The ending is like nothing you've seen in games before, and will leave you speechless.

  Many people said Uncharted 2 was like a playable movie, and that's true - but the movie you were playing in that case was an entertaining, throwaway action romp. The Last of Us is thrilling and spectacular too, but its portrayal of desperate survivors in a world without hope is also far deeper, more moving and more thought-provoking. It's a masterpiece that you will never forget. (And it has multiplayer too!)

  GAME's Verdict:

  The Good:

  • A powerfully moving story with the best acting and writing you've ever seen in a game.
  • Tough, absorbing survival gameplay that varies and never gets old (with fun multiplayer on the side).
  • Technically and artistically stunning, The Last of Us will blow you away.

  The Bad:

  • It's a little slow to get going, and the characters take a while to get under your skin.
  • The set-up is incredibly well realised but not all that original.
  • Some people might have mixed feelings about how it ends.

  Published: 10/06/2013

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