the franchise The Last of Us is one of the most acclaimed in the gaming world. Developed by Naughty Doggames are known for the complexity of their characters and an engaging story, which brings many players to tears.
The first game, released in 2013 exclusively for the PlayStation 3, features the story of Joel, a hardened survivor, and Ellie, a young orphan girl immune to an infection that has devastated humanity. Together they traverse a world post pandemic filled with danger, meeting other survivors and facing moral dilemmas.
With the great success of the first game, came the second in 2020, an expansion, and even a series for streaming. With that in mind, we decided to select 10 curiosities about the franchise.
- Inspired by real events: The story of “The Last of Us” was inspired by real events, including the story of a parasitic fungus called Cordyceps, which affects insects in real life.
- Prolonged development: The development of the first game took about 7 years, with director Neil Druckmann and his team putting a lot of time and effort into creating an emotionally impactful narrative.
- Performance capture: Actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson played Joel and Ellie, respectively, and their performances were captured in motion and facial expressions to add authenticity to the characters.
- Critical hit: “The Last of Us” received universal critical acclaim, winning numerous Game of the Year awards and being praised for its storytelling, gameplay, and voice acting performances.
- “Left Behind” DLC: The game received an expansion called “Left Behind”, which explores events prior to the main story and introduces more details about Ellie’s relationship with her friend Riley.
- Film influences: Naughty Dog, the game’s developer, drew inspiration from films such as “No Country for Old Men” and “The Road” to create the dark and tense atmosphere of the game.
- References to other franchises: The game contains several references to other Naughty Dog productions, such as the appearance of the iconic Jak and Daxter symbol on a wall.
- “The Last of Us Part II”: The sequel, released in 2020, was also highly praised for its complex narrative and improved gameplay, continuing the success of the series.
- Film adaptation: A film adaptation of “The Last of Us” is in development, with actor Pedro Pascal set to play Joel.
