The Last of Us

[Chamcham]

That's another side of the ending. Even if she did call Joel out on his bullshit, would she try to run back to the Fireflies? I'd like to agree with you, but Ellie may not have the same bleak outlook on humanity as Joel does, though that is arguable considering that she's seen the worst of it (Hunters, Cannibalism).

There's also the consideration of what would happen to the Fireflies now that their leader, Marlene, is dead and that they lost their only hope, Ellie.

[Yorke]

I just don't know what resources the Fireflies would've had that nobody else would.

What's to say that Tommy didn't have someone who could help out with creating a vaccine? Did they need to do invasive surgery to get the cure? It just kinda...struck me as odd that the only way they could find out anything about the virus was killing her. Uh, blood test? I just kinda found it odd how they would just outright kill Ellie to do the research when she was (supposedly) the only person immune. I mean it had been 20 years...what was the rush at that point?

[Chamcham]

I think the point was that she wasn't immune, it's just the mutated form of cordyceps that infected her. They wanted to remove this cordyceps from her body to discover what it is about it that doesn't turn her into a mindless, flesh craving zombie, but since the cordyceps wraps itself around the host's brain, taking it out would kill her. I doubt a simple blood test would reveal anything.

[Yorke]

That's kinda true that she wasn't immune, but I still think that there would've been time to look at other options. I guess my point was that "hey let's kill this chick" wouldn't have been my first thought. I mean they literally prepped her for surgery the instant they got there.

I have to admit that I was confused as shit when Marlene showed back up at the end, especially since she said that she couldn't make the trip. I was like, uh why send this dude all across the country by himself with Ellie (I know that reads funny) when clearly she didn't make the trip alone.

[Chamcham]

I think it has to do with timing and the fact they already prepared a group of Fireflies outside to escort her. Marlene herself couldn't make the trip at first because she was pretty badly injured. Also considering that Joel's trip took him about a year, that's more than enough time for her to get better, gather a large troop of Fireflies and probably take a more efficient mode of transport across the country. She was also trying to gather all the remaining Fireflies in one spot to better manage them, I'd wager.

I'd also think it has to do with getting Ellie outside without the military noticing. Since they were hunting down Fireflies, it would be pretty hard for their leader, who is no doubt marked and kept under tight survey, could get Ellie out in those circumstances. Which is why she first approached a smuggler.

Upon seeing a mutated strain of the cordyceps that does NOT turn the otherwise normal host into a brainless, human eating zombie, I'd think the first thing in anybody's mind is to study that cordyceps.

[Bodycount]

Just bought this game.
Wtf spoilers

[Yorke]

You will be very happy you bought it, skip 0 cutscenes.

[Chamcham]

Don't worry. All this is just an elaborate hoax we set up just to screw with you. None of all that happened above really happened.

The real ending is everybody dies. Earth, now rid of its human cancer, elopes with childhood friend Uranus to Cassiopeiae. Unfortunately, due to Cassiopeiae's multiple stars, Earth is now no longer fertile and unable to support life. Earth and Uranus see the end of days together, but alone, never fitting in with the other stars of the system.

[Ploid]

The Science Behind "The Last of Us"

This was linked by Kotaku. It goes into depth of the science behind the cordyceps fungi, the different species in the genus, as well as the steps Naughty Dog took to combine the effects of different cordyceps species in an effort to differentiate TLoU from typical zombie games.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/ove ... ast-of-us/

Pop culture is again in the quickly decaying grasp of a shambling horde. For how many times zombies have appeared, they rarely have a real scientific reason to. Sometimes it’s a supernatural cause as in Dawn of the Dead. Other times it’s a generic “zombie virus” as in The Walking Dead (though at least we know how a “walker” bite works). In all the attempts to make the dead live again, science usually takes a back seat to the gore—at least until the latest popular iteration of zombies. The Last of Us—a new videogame touted as a masterpiece—has the most scientific explanation for zombies yet, because it uses zombies that actually exist.

[Yorke]

tbh, I was less nervous sneaking around with clickers near me than people. Sound detection is clutch and those things are way better at it than people are.

[Bodycount]

I don't even own a console tbh

[Mrdude]

I don't even own a console tbh

[Ploid]

I own all three and don't play them anymore. It's happening, I'm getting old, and I would rather play stupid random stuff on PC in which I really don't do anything other than run around while watching a movie, or read.

[Ploid]

http://youtu.be/xKzVwbs-lsg

Everything The Last of Us Gets Right ( Matt Lees-Video Gamer)

He did one on Bioshock Infinite but it was about what it got wrong.

His ending talk is pretty good. He also think Ellie knew Joel was lying but she was ok with it because she finally have someone that care about her. He needs her and she needs him.

[Ploid]

Last of Us Sales exceeds 3.4 million. You bet your dog that there will be another game in this universe.

Fastest Selling New Software Title in the History of PlayStation(R)3, and Fastest Selling PlayStation(R)3 Title of 2013

TOKYO, July 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that the global sales of The Last of Us(TM) exceeded 3.4 million units(*1) as of July 3rd. This remarkable sales figure was achieved in less than 3 weeks since the global launch on June 14(th) . The PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(R)) exclusive title -- released to universal critical acclaim -- has surpassed all sales expectations to become the fastest-selling PS3 title of 2013(*2) .

The Last of Us delivers an evocative journey of survival in a world radically transformed, twenty years after a virulent pandemic of the cordyceps fungus has ravaged the human population. The rich story provides a realistic experience that explores the depths of humanity through main characters Joel and Ellie. Their journey is rife with emotionally charged moments as the narrative centers on themes of survival, loyalty, love and redemption.

"These sales figures are a testament to the blockbuster quality of The Last of Us," said Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. "The teams at Naughty Dog are true visionaries and their storytelling capabilities are second to none, this title is an undisputed demonstration of that. SCE continues to be committed to delivering unique gameplay experiences that redefine the interactive entertainment industry and The Last of Us is a perfect example."


*1 Including both Blu-ray(TM) disc sell-in number and download version
*2 As of July 3(rd)

Ashley Johnson, the voice/motion actress for Ellie.


Bring on that Last of Us movie.

[Yorke]

What an awesome gif.

[Ploid]

Played the game and gave up at the first section with the clickers in that leaning building. I suck. I kited that whole room of zombies for 10 minutes trying to survive somehow.

[Yorke]

I just got your PSN message, classy.

It's really not hard, you can basically walk really close to them without them hearing you if you move slowly...tossing bricks and bottles helps also.

[Ploid]

lol I was paranoid or something. I was quiet as I could be. There was one zombie making a lap around the room and always stopped by the desk I was at. So I made up in my mind that I would try to grab him, hoping the clicker stayed put. The clicker and the zombie just started running after me and I was moving slow the whole time. Maybe they weren't but it was the first time the clicker moved, so I panicked an ran away ran away ran away (Monty Python popped in my mind right there).

[Ploid]

Naughty Dog released a Last of Us alternate ending picture.