The last of us It follows 56-year-old Joel (Pedro Pascal), who must travel to the western United States with young Ellie (Bella Ramsey). The world as we know it has been devastated for decades after a fungal plague turned many humans into zombies in 2003. If Ellie is found to be immune to that fungus, that might seem like the key to a potential vaccine.

The stakes are high, but the story quickly fades into the background to focus on Ellie and Joel. The latter lost his daughter at the start of the zombie outbreak and is still struggling years later, and Ellie is about the same age as she was then. He is reserved and defensive, but as the series progresses, their relationship grows closer.

The last of us It is primarily a zombie story, although the series does its best to convince you that zombies are not zombies. The first scene, in which a fictional professor explains the difference between a virus and a fungus outbreak, puts an end to the “zombie fatigue” that came after eleven seasons of the hit series. walking dead.

Fortunately, the viewer deals with an army of monsters that slowly roam the world and bite those around them. Those who sting slowly turn into such a wanderer. The exception to the rule are the blind and dangerous “clickers”, which search for targets with a kind of radar. The terrifying creatures look crazy, as brightly colored fungi have grown across their skulls and almost replaced their entire head.

The clever writing and good chemistry between the two actors make the growing relationship between Joel and Ellie a joy to watch. Pascal frowns a lot and speaks little, but still manages to portray a vulnerable character. Ramsay deftly balances the border of a foul-mouthed teenager and an insecure girl. Both actors portray their characters in a more nuanced way than in the game on which everything is based. This seems obvious, but it’s clever nonetheless. Also in the game version of The last of us It, motion capture suits and professional actors, is an emotionally layered story.

The game’s story is tenaciously pursued, to the point where dialogues are often conducted between two people. It’s amazing for gamers, but it won’t easily spoil the experience for new players: the game was already written as if it were a movie or TV series, so the script is appropriate here.

There are a few moments where the game deviates from the original. Joel, for example, is looking for his brother as an extra incentive, urging him to take Ellie to her destination so he can get a car there as a reward. It makes the story less like a game. In the original game, Joel was more of a mentor, simply because he was a controllable character without much of his own urging.

There’s also one major change later in the story, that’s hard to explain without spoiling the series. Fortunately, this change also does not affect the redline, which remains largely the same as in the game. There are times when this becomes apparent The last of us game based. Joel and Ellie, for example, are always goal-oriented, just like how a game player always gets from point A to point B. There are few times to wander aimlessly, while those moments of rest can help explore the characters further.

Here and there, the two have to solve simple environmental puzzles, for example by moving boxes or searching for keys to the correct doors. While shooting, you can also hear the bad guys shouting one simple line. This is useful in the game, because players always have an idea of ​​where the enemy is. In the series, it’s a little weird. The powerful story about parenting in a time of great grief remains the same, and it’s a theme that is addressed in different creative ways in each episode. It’s well written and often looks beautiful despite the sad situation – nature has flooded the world over the years.

The last of us In the end, it is a good series that we enjoyed watching for nine episodes. Since most games-based movies and series come off poorly, this is good news. It could be another zombie story, but this time it looks a lot nicer due to the high production values. And the fact that a small, intimate storyline between two characters is key makes the final product even stronger.

It’s an excellent way for non-gamers to get the previously acclaimed game’s story in a different light. Have you already played the game? Then it’s especially nice to look at the differences. Do not expect that you will get anything fundamentally different from the game here.

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