Moore, Bo; Schubak, Adam (March 21, 2019). "The 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time". Popular Mechanics. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021 . Retrieved July 15, 2021.

a b c d Sterling, Jim (June 5, 2013). "Review: The Last of Us". Destructoid. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015 . Retrieved March 1, 2015. The Winners of The Escapist Awards and Game of the Year Nominees". The Escapist. January 1, 2014. p.6. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015 . Retrieved January 17, 2014. Robinson, Martin (November 4, 2013). "Eurogamer's Games of the Generation: The top 50". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013 . Retrieved February 13, 2015. The Last of Us Part II is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective featuring elements of the survival horror genre. [1] [2] The player traverses post-apocalyptic environments such as buildings and forests to advance the story. The player can use firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus. [3] Control intermittently switches between Ellie and Abby; [1] the player also briefly controls Joel in the opening sequence. [4] The nimble nature of the player character introduces platforming elements, allowing the player to jump and climb to traverse environments and gain advantages during combat. [5] The player can break glass objects such as windows to access certain areas or obtain supplies. [6] Some areas are navigated by horse or boat. [3] [7] Many reviewers considered the technical enhancements, such as the increased frame rate, a welcome advancement from the original game. Turi of Game Informer felt that the frame rate "dramatically elevate[s]" the game above the original. [108] Jim Sterling of The Escapist complimented the upgraded frame rate, commenting that the original frame rate is a "noticeably inferior experience". [112] IGN 's Moriarty stated that, though the change was initially "jarring", he appreciated it through further gameplay. [89] Tom Hoggins of the Telegraph echoed these statements, feeling as though the increased frame rate heightened the intensity of the gameplay. [113] Philip Kollar of Polygon appreciated the game's improved textures and loading times. [110]Schreier, Jason (March 12, 2020). "As Naughty Dog Crunches On The Last Of Us II, Developers Wonder How Much Longer This Approach Can Last". Kotaku. G/O Media. Archived from the original on March 12, 2020 . Retrieved March 13, 2020. Makuch, Eddie (June 5, 2013). "The Last of Us multiplayer detailed". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013 . Retrieved March 3, 2015. Moriarty, Colin (August 28, 2013). "This Is The Last of Us' New Multiplayer Mode". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015 . Retrieved March 3, 2015. The Last of Us - #3 Top Games of a Generation". IGN. Ziff Davis. June 4, 2014. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014 . Retrieved February 13, 2015. In 2013, an outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungus ravages the United States, transforming its human hosts into aggressive creatures. In the suburbs of Austin, Texas, Joel ( Troy Baker) flees the chaos with his brother, Tommy ( Jeffrey Pierce), and daughter, Sarah ( Hana Hayes). As they flee, Sarah is shot by a soldier and dies in Joel's arms.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dornbush, Jonathon (June 12, 2020). "The Last of Us Part 2 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020 . Retrieved July 8, 2020. Helgeson, Matt (June 3, 2013). "Naughty Dog Breaks Down The Last of Us Multiplayer". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013 . Retrieved February 7, 2022. During the winter, Ellie and Joel shelter in the mountains. Joel is on the brink of death and relies on Ellie to care for him. Hunting for food, Ellie encounters David ( Nolan North) and James ( Reuben Langdon), scavengers willing to trade medicine for food. After David reveals the university bandits were part of his group, Ellie becomes hostile. She leads David's group away from Joel but is captured; David intends to recruit her into his cannibal group. Ellie escapes after killing James, but David corners her in a burning restaurant. Meanwhile, Joel recovers from his wounds and sets out to find Ellie. He reaches her just as she kills David with a machete, an act that traumatizes her, and Joel comforts her before they flee. a b "Best Overall Sound - IGN's Best of 2013". IGN. December 18, 2013. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015 . Retrieved December 25, 2013. Game of the year 2013". GamesRadar. Future plc. January 21, 2014. Archived from the original on March 21, 2015 . Retrieved January 16, 2015.The graphic depiction of violence in The Last of Us generated substantial commentary from critics. Engadget writer Ben Gilbert found the game's persistent focus on combat was "a necessary evil to lead the game's fragile protagonist duo to safety", as opposed to being used as a method to achieve objectives. [96] Kotaku 's Kirk Hamilton wrote that the violence was "heavy, consequential and necessary", as opposed to gratuitous. [1] USgamer 's Anthony John Agnello wrote that the game consistently reinforces the negativity associated with violence, intentionally making players feel uncomfortable while in violent combat. He stated that the deaths within the game were not unnecessary or unjustified, making the story more powerful. [97] Kelly of Computer and Video Games stated that, despite the "incredibly brutal" combat, the violence never felt gratuitous. [84] Eurogamer 's Welsh echoed similar remarks, stating that the violence is not "desensitized or mindless". [86] Matt Helgeson of Game Informer observed that the game's violence leads to players questioning the morality of their choices. [87] Joystiq 's Mitchell wrote that the violence is "designed to be uncomfortable", stating that it contributes to Joel's character. [90] Prior to the release of the game, Keith Stuart of The Guardian wrote that the acceptability of the violence would depend on its context within the game. [98] Main article: List of accolades received by The Last of Us Some developers at Naughty Dog accepting Game of the Year at the Game Developers Choice Awards Parijat, Shubhankar (April 11, 2019). "God of War Director Talks About The Last of Us Influences". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020 . Retrieved August 2, 2023.

a b "The Last of Us Part I". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023 . Retrieved November 1, 2023. The characters—particularly the relationship between Joel and Ellie—received acclaim. Matt Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the relationship felt identifiable, naming it "poignant" and "well drawn". [87] Eurogamer 's Welsh wrote that the characters were developed with "real patience and skill", appreciating their emotional value, [86] and Joystiq 's Mitchell found the relationship "genuine" and emotional. [90] PlayStation Official Magazine 's Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters of any PlayStation 3 game, [91] while IGN 's Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game. [89] Kelly of Computer and Video Games named the characters "richly painted", feeling invested in their stories. [84] Philip Kollar of Polygon felt that Ellie was believable, making it easier to develop a connection to her, and that the relationship between the characters was assisted by the game's optional conversations. [92] The performances also received praise, [87] [89] [94] with Edge and Eurogamer 's Welsh noting that the script improved as a result. [85] [86] a b c d e MacLeod, Riley (June 22, 2020). "The Last Of Us Part 2: The Kotaku Review". Kotaku. G/O Media. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020 . Retrieved July 8, 2020. Farokhmanesh, Megan (June 23, 2013). "Naughty Dog discusses sound and music in The Last of Us". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015 . Retrieved January 20, 2015. a b c Kollar, Philip (June 5, 2013). "The Last of Us review: dead inside". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015 . Retrieved January 26, 2015.Gameplay [ edit ] In a change from its predecessor, The Last of Us Part II allows the player to crawl in a prone position to evade enemies. Like the original version, The Last of Us Remastered received "universal acclaim" according to Metacritic. [107] It is the third-highest-rated PlayStation 4 game on Metacritic, tied with Persona 5 Royal and behind Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2. [114] Nichols, Scott (January 23, 2013). " 'The Last of Us' Special Editions coming to Europe, North America". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015 . Retrieved April 15, 2015. Yin-Poole, Wesley (January 2, 2013). "Developers' Most Anticipated Games of 2013". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015 . Retrieved January 25, 2015.