With the hype of HBO the last of us Adapted at an all-time high, it’s fair to say that Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic survival-horror franchise is about to become more popular than ever. However, for some reason, this popularity shows itself in one of the strangest ways imaginable. as exit after the exit Bending over backwards to tell everyone with a screen that this is the best video game story ever made, maybe it’s time to examine why that is.
Now, if it only came from depositions that tangentially or sparingly cover video game related topics, this might be more understandable. After all, if you were to google which game has the best storyline ever, the last of us It is very likely to appear again and again in lists that you will find yourself browsing.
It is also completely natural. just to be clear, the last of us There’s a great story and incredibly nuanced characters struggling to survive in a desperate and horrible world. Furthermore, if you think it’s the best game of all time or contains the best narrative in gaming history, you’re not making a ridiculous statement by any stretch of the imagination.
However, it’s oddly dismissive and a bit worrying to see some of the biggest names in the industry hint at this the last of us revolutionized storytelling for the medium in a way no other game has done before or since. Presumably these opinions come from people who have played a lot of games and seen the breadth and depth of diverse stories that the medium can boast.
So why are those people, lifelong gamers with an intense passion for the medium, acting like the last of us Blow the doors off the games? There is no doubt that these writers were playing Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Solid metal gear, just to name a few. The reason I want to point out such examples first is that they are all pre-dated the last of us In a good 10-15 years.
However, even if we don’t go back that far, other fantastic games like Mass Effect 2, Bioshock, Half-Life 2And a whole bunch of other games have demonstrated great storytelling and wonderfully layered characters in a way that the last of us Not necessarily improved. Also, again, these examples came out years before Naughty Dog’s apocalyptic survival game. So what gives?
Now, again, lest I be a feather and a feather, let me be unequivocal. the last of us It’s a great game, and its sequel is also exceptionally well made. Still, acting like they’re the Everest of the medium in terms of gameplay or storytelling does a huge disservice to gaming as a whole.
Ultimately, then, what accounts for this strange well-known gap? Well, there are several explanations. The first one that comes to mind is this the last of us Very adaptable in a way that few other games do. The narrative is simple, and the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world full of monsters. With the success of programs like the walking Dead And its spin-off Total Party, it’s pretty clear that this format works for TV.
Still, to go back a bit, there was already a movie that actually told this whole story very well. Children of Adam is a 2006 sci-fi drama starring Clive Owen as a man tasked with transporting a young girl, immune to worldly suffering, across a dangerous landscape filled with dangerous bands of mercenaries and lawless outlaws… sound familiar?
Now, that doesn’t mean that just because a certain trope is well-worn, it’s an inherently bad thing. Stories have been repeating themselves for thousands of years, and there is nothing wrong with that. For example, another notable example that checks many of the boxes for this type of story is the 2017 film X-Men, Logan. Once again, we have a world-weary middle-aged man forced to try to get a special young lady to safety with high stakes and impossible odds standing in his way.
We could go on like this all day, but the point is that these stories have been told before, and they will be told again. “Well, Mike, you’re an insufferable lump,” I hear you say. “What do you think is the best gaming story ever?” Well, first of all, I have to say, I don’t like your tone, but if you put me in my shoes, I’d probably go for something like what’s left of edith finch or going home.
Both are games that really did very fresh, new and creative things with the gaming medium and stories in general. Furthermore, both were examples of stories that were actually essential to the game’s strengths, as the sense of immersion they offer and the things possible due to their creative design are truly eye-opening for what the gaming medium is. Able.
Regarding HBO the last of us, let me be lucid again. I’ve been lucky enough to see a few episodes in advance, and it’s pretty obvious that this will be one of the biggest shows of 2023. Pedro Pascal, Bela Ramsay and many of the supporting cast that surround them on their journey. They’re all fantastic, and the story goes in different directions a few times along the way that are just surprising enough to keep even the most ardent superfan from getting bored with the adaptation.
And yet, in the process the last of us May be an emotionally engaging and highly effective story, it’s not going to redefine storytelling. What it might do, though, is finally break the curse of bad, barely watchable, or somewhat competent as the best actors can hope for when something they love is finally adapted for TV or movies. And if there is one distinction that the show will almost certainly win, it is this one.