Warning slight spoilers ahead.
The Last of Us has been all the rage since its release in 2023, with season two coming out earlier this year, and a third season close on the horizon. However, there are many viewers completely new to the fandom who are unaware of the game that changed the industry and inspired the HBO series in the first place.
 The Last of Us was released on June 14, 2013, and quickly became one of the most loved story games of all time. Naughty Dog, now owned by Sony, took game design to a whole new level (especially the remake in 2022), bringing a cinematic approach to both visuals and storytelling. According to Polygon, The Last of Us saw the studio pivot from blockbuster action into a genre that dominated the early 2000s — the dystopia — and in the process brought the quality of prestige TV drama to video games. The game was so perfectly timed to the moment, its reach has become inescapable ever since.” (Cameron Kunzelman).Â
For those unfamiliar, the game centers on two characters: Joel Miller, a burly, troubled man, and Ellie Williams, a 14-year-old girl who has grown up in an apocalyptic world. Joel witnessed the first breakout of the “cordyceps” in 2013 and lost his daughter tragically, which players see at the beginning of the game. The cordyceps is a fungus that takes over the host’s body, causing them to become infected and aggressive. Players soon discover that Ellie Williams is immune to the infection, thus beginning the story’s main adventure and connecting Ellie and Joel for the first time.Â
The game took a unique scientific approach when it came to the idea of a flesh-eating disease and drew upon scientific data, according to the Yale School of Medicine, “Cordyceps, or Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, is indeed a real fungus that parasitizes the brains of insects like ants or spiders. Fortunately for humankind, while mind-controlling fungal infections make for great television, there is no need to begin doomsday prepping.” (Isabella Backman). Â
But what makes the story so appealing to game audiences is the rich interwoven relationships and histories of the characters, as well as the main storyline with all its heart-wrenching twists and turns. At the time of creation, Naughty Dog needed a new franchise after the success of Uncharted (also turned into a film, starring Tom Holland in 2022). So, they turned The Last of Us into a passion project, not expecting it to become as large and loved as it did.Â
Everyone involved in the project put a great deal of effort and care into it. Especially the actors who committed fully to their roles, building off of their scene partners, all while wearing ridiculous-looking motion capture suits. Oftentimes, actors who bring game characters to life do not get enough credit for their work and talent. However, as an actor myself, I truly appreciate their dedication and skill. And in some ways, it would be harder to act in their situation, because everything you do is imagined, and all your actions are simply mirroring what might be there on a stage or film set. The lead actress, Ashley Johnson, won a BAFTA for her performance as Ellie Williams and has also acted in The Last of Us Part 2, which was released in mid-2020.Â
Since the game’s graphics have been updated recently, it transcends even more boundaries, blurring the lines of what can be considered film and media. Whether you are a tried and true gamer or simply want to experience the world of The Last of Us from a different perspective, I would highly recommend playing it (although beware of gore and jump scares). This game was the one that made me interested in many others, while also making me appreciate the work that goes into creating a gaming project for people to immerse themselves in. I am glad that I decided to test it out, despite being terrified of zombies, because it introduced me to a whole new world.