For all of Rockstar Games' technical showboating and RAGE-engine implemented carnage, The Last of Us is a work of the finest gaming art. A thought-piece, tying in developer Naughty Dog's refined gunplay they mastered through the Uncharted series, with a story that's equal parts harrowing and depressing, yet peppered with small amounts of hope to get you through. It's a story of love forgotten and fostered once again, but never in any traditional sense. On the face of it, Last of Us appears to be a zombie-survival game, telling the tale of a father Joel detached from his family, being forced to take care of the much younger Ellie, a girl who has been raised after 'The Incident' happened, and knows nothing of the world beforehand. Her comments on peoples' fascination with the most ridiculous of fashions and obsessions feeds perfectly into a world where everything has been taken away, and the only thing left to value is that of loyalty and friendship. The estranged father Joel has a truly magnificent arc through the game, ending in what has become to be known as one of the greatest endings of any entertainment medium, of all time. That notwithstanding, the journey to reach such a monumentally life-defining ending is also filled with so many peaks and troughs, should two people who have recently been through the game start conversing, it's an endless list of discussion points that all need to be examined for future titles. Lead writer Neil Druckmann, who also worked on the outstanding Uncharted 2, has penned a script that has single-handedly proven games can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest films, books, and other emotionally-provoking media. There really aren't enough ways to express what a phenomenal achievement Last of Us is, both from a graphical standpoint whereby character emotions are so incredibly lifelike you feel complete attachment to them, to the world around you that is as much your enemy as it's inhabitants. Said enemies range from infected creatures warped from the fallout of the incident itself, to other survivors who appear to be doing anything to get by, your interactions with which are a perfect balance of what you expect to happen, and what actually plays out. Needless to say this is a game that can only be experienced fully by playing through it alone, preferably in as few sittings as possible, as something such as a Youtube 'Let's Play' video, or any clip of the closing segments of the game, does not do justice to what sections the game actively wants you to control, and the emotions you will only feel through doing so. The Last of Us is What Culture's Game of the Year, and we implore you to seek it out, and play through it. So after all that, any titles you wished were on here, or anything you disagree with? Please feel free to throw any and all suggestions in the pot down in the comments, and let's end this year with a celebratory bang.
