The Last Of Us Episode 1 Review - 9 Ups & 1 Down

Bringing the desolating world of The Last of Us to life is decidedly not cheap. The rumored cost per episode ranges between $10 and $15 million - an eye-watering figure for any television production.

Fortunately for audiences, HBO appear to have put every penny of that whopping budget to phenomenal use and then some. The resplendent sets are brought to life with sensational precision down to the last minute detail, with the FEDRA checkpoints, Joel's suburban residence and the collapsed city buildings appearing exactly as they do within the video games.

This writer will give further attention to the awe-inspiring depiction of Outbreak Day further down this list, but for now, special mention must be given to HBO's fearsome portrayal of the infected. The spores protruding from the mouths of the mindless antagonists are a horrifyingly inspired new visual of note, while their feral, animalistic movements as they pursue our protagonists are as nightmarishly convincing as they are abjectly terrifying.

There were other little detail oriented touches, such as the watch Sarah gifted to her father, Ellie's switchblade or Joel's iconic in-game revolver, that highlighted just how much of a loving ode to the original HBO's offering aspires to be. With regard to the show's aesthetic, there was quite simply nothing to find fault with in the first episode.

An apocalyptic visual feast.