10 Moments That Literally Stopped Video Games
2. The Giraffes - The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is a masterpiece of video game pacing, knowing just when to ramp up the tension and when to give players a moment to breathe.
But there's a single moment so utterly stunning in its artistry and composition that it basically stops the game - and players - cold in their tracks.
At the beginning of the final act, Ellie discovers a herd of giraffes in Salt Lake City, providing a brief moment of unmitigated joy in a game that so often focuses on the ugliest aspects of humanity.
Considering players were conditioned to be very much on their guard by this point, many surely expected Ellie to be unwittingly leading the pair into a trap.
But instead, players are free to hang out and watch the beautiful creatures for as long as they like before continuing their journey.
As a breather from the game's relentless brutality, this was very much welcome. If you stopped the game here and just imagined a tranquil future for Joel and Ellie, nobody could blame you.