10 Iconic Video Game Villains RUINED By Developers
4. Joel (+Ellie) - The Last Of Us
The entire point of The Last of Us is to demonstrate that, in the cruellest of circumstances, there are no such things as 'heroes' or 'villains', only 'survivors'. But, being the two playable protagonists of the game, it's understandable why people see Joel and Ellie as the undisputed heroes of The Last of Us.
But, ask Abby, any of the hundreds of relations to the victims they've killed or, hell, literally anyone living on the planet that has been denied a vaccine because of Joel's selfishness, and he's certainly hovering much closer to that 'villain' tag.
Regardless, Naughty Dog created such a layered, complex and genuinely enthralling character in Joel that the decision to (one last chance to avoid spoilers) kill him off barely after the title card fades out in The Last of Us 2 is still a controversial one with so many.
The dynamic between Joel and Ellie was the centrepiece of what made The Last of Us such an immersive and engaging story, and there's no denying some of that magic is missing in its sequel without it.
What's more, it opens a can of worms where Ellie suddenly finds herself portrayed as a villain on a bloody vendetta that never fully felt entirely justified.