[PS3] The Last of Us

[Darkdrium777]

Naughty Dog. Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLGxubfC1Ik&hd=1).

Given what I know of them from Uncharted, this has enormous potential.
It's obviously using the same technology, so graphics are already kick ass. They're pretty good at making fun stories (If a little trope-ish but then there are none nowadays that aren't) and gameplay, so I really want to see where they go with this new game.
I like the movie I am Legend (And yes, I know it had nothing to do with the book which I didn't read) despite the critics of the readers and this seems set in a similar ambiance. Nothing revolutionary therefore but still interesting to me.

Anyone else on-board?

I really need to get Uncharted 3 someday. Hey look it's December!

[onlykpop]

Wow...

Thanks for posting that video cause you just helped me realize how good that game actually is lol.

[mdhay]

You should try and find the book, it's brilliant, don't let Hollywood mould your perceptions about it though.

[Darkdrium777]

So apparently this has been in development for two years already. (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/the-last-of-us-has-been-in-development-for-two-years/)

I guess Sony can keep some secrets. Just not about their hardware lawl

Like the article (and comments) notes I hope they'll handle the character interactions well if we have to play both of them (Which I think is a strong possibility given the premise...) No multiplayer so it's all local. Well at least so far as the infos go.

[blackwiggle]

The cityscape lots very much like the ones from Enslaved -odyssey to the west.

[DreamyElf]

This has to be my most anticipated game now.
I saw the trailer two days ago and I was blown away!

I recently watched the tv series Walking Dead so I'd say that it reminded me of that. Also it reminded me of Silent Hill (in an interview on Ps blog, the creators said that they are focusing on emotional bond and the story between father and daughter) and of course the end is very like playing Enslaved.
Add to the mix that it has an Ellen Page (my fav actress) character and i couldn't be more happier! :g

Also judging from the fact that Naughty Dog are the best at taking ideas from other top AAA games and blending them perfectly, I'm 100% positive this will be EPIC and not another typical 'zombie game'. 8)

[amplificated]

Surprised nobody has mentioned I Am Legend's look and survival style thematic. Change the lead characters a little and alter the mutant looks and it's a near perfect match. Looks interesting, nonetheless.

[UB3R~JKP]

I'm throwing my money at the screen but nothing's happening!

[Darkdrium777]

Add to the mix that it has an Ellen PageApparently it's not Ellen Page. Yah, it fooled plenty of people. It says who it is in the second post I made in this thread.

Surprised nobody has mentioned I Am Legend's look and survival style thematic.Take me off your ignore list! :lol

[Temet]

Surprised nobody has mentioned I Am Legend's look and survival style thematic.

Because I read the book first :g

@Darkdrium : you should have a look at the book. I think it's the only book in my whole life I read from beginning to the end in a row ;)
(that would I explain why I was close to shoot myself when I saw the movie :D )

[amplificated]

Take me off your ignore list! :lol

Woops, only glanced through the first post and didn't see it! :redface:
I really should have been more thorough before commenting :P

As for the book, I've heard it's good (and a lot better than IAL), but I've never gotten around to it... not a big reader, even though I like books :(

[Darkdrium777]

Lol well I hope you all watched the video, because Viacom copyright claimed it off of Youtube (http://i.imgur.com/AtTw1.jpg).
Somehow they think that they have full rights to this trailer because it aired on the Spike VGAs, even though it's a game developed by Sony (Naughty Dog), the trailer was made by Sony, and the game is owned by Sony.

SOPA and Protect-IP are totally good ideas when companies act like that, right? If you are in the United States, please write to your representatives and oppose this bullshit!

In other news, a small PSBlog interview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3C8ip3nPDY).

[Archon]

No worries, it's uploaded on Gametrailers (http://www.gametrailers.com/video/vga-2011-the-last-of/724687). Though now that I've seen it, I have to say...

NO THANK YOU!

I remember during the turn of the millennium when zombie games were an original concept. Resident Evil and Silent Hill had refined survival horror on 3D platforms after kids rolled dice and plotted their own pen-and-paper dungeon romps. Games like They Hunger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Hunger) and Crimsonland (http://www.10tons.com/Game/crimsonland.html) took standard game concepts and put a frantic action spin on survival games and horror concepts. There was a spat of generic zombie games that tried to copy They Hunger around 2003 that all failed except Left 4 Dead, which was released years later to much success. Along with the Dawn of the Dead movie remake, the genre had been updated for a new generation and could hold its head high.

But now? Not so much. I Am Legend, Crysis 2, Dead Island, Cawwadooty Zombies, and even my beloved Red Dead Redemption succumbed to the mass-marketing of horror tropes. Boot up XBLA or PSN and look at all the stupid cel-shaded cutesy "Zombie Apocalypse," "Dead Nation," or "Kill Some Zombies Again" as if you haven't played this game ten years ago, when it was fresh, more entertaining, and designed well. Horde/wave gameplay dates back to Smash TV, Starcraft, hell there are abandonware games from the 80s that did it. But I guess people forgot games are only worth playing when they challenge the player and force them to overcome odds or offer fresh experiences. Bram Stoker turned the world on its head when he wrote Dracula; Hammer productions challenged how people believed in monsters once we could see such monsters plaguing society; even Stephen King and plenty of horror screen writers progressed past notions of society against one monster by placing the monster among society, as one of its citizens.

I guess we all forgot about that. I guess all we need is a begrudging dad and his adolescent daughter and some overgrowth on our Camries and mutated cannibals running around and a trite string section accompanying our quest to collect herbs and rags and find our wife? Sure, she's alive, or dead, or we think she's dead but she's still alive so okay let's go look. Take your COD zombie mode and your impossible modern Mad Max scenario and your Zombieland flicks and enjoy; shovel them down your gullet and pretend you're satisfied. Know, however, that should such a scenario befall us, it wouldn't be a week before we all end up like the group brave enough to venture from that haven of a grocery store in The Mist (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0884328/). Except that was based on a Stephen King novel, so of course it turned out well.

[infoxicated]

Erm... right.

I certainly won't take the fact that it's a well visited genre as enough reason to deny Naughty Dog - one of the most accomplished first party PS3 developers - the chance to have their take on it.

They've bought enough goodwill from me with Resistance: Fall of Man and with how consistently good the Ratchet & Clank games have been over the years.

Probably the first game of 2012 I'm looking forward to, although considering all the games I was looking forward to in 2011 turned out to be, in the main, rubbish, I reserve the right to be disappointed. ;)

[Archon]

I play less and less singleplayer, story-driven games nowadays. I always heard older students telling me, "Once you read so many books, it's as if you've read them all." This has sadly begun affecting me. RDR was the only game in the past two years whose story affected me, and it was mainly due to RDR being incredibly faithful to so many classic western movies.

I still need to play the Uncharted games, but I passed on Resistance because I did not care for the shooting. I couldn't tell you about the story. I didn't play many of the R&C games either because after awhile they all felt like the same game. I get that Naughty Dog is accomplished; still, I don't see how they're offering anything new with this game. Everything is looking the same, be it movies, novels, games, or music. I read a review of game reviewing at Insomniac who suggested a 3 tier rating system. 1 is not worth playing, 3 is worth playing, 2 is decent but has been done before and better. Everything keeps ending up a 2 by my scale. Be it games, movies, or music, the only 3s I manage to find have been older products; a band's earlier albums I skipped or a developer's first few games. Believe me, I would prefer The Last of Us to be amazing. The world can only benefit from more great [art/games]. I simply doubt it will turn out that way.

[UB3R~JKP]

This is probably my 2nd most anticipated game of 2012, SSX takes that. :D

[Darkdrium777]

I do not think this is a game that focuses on the horror aspect, I think this is a game that focuses on the characters and how they survive. Naughty Dog says this game will be story driven and not action driven. In that sense I believe it is quite different than all the recent zombie games you've listed Archon. Much like the movie I am Legend was not horror, this doesn't seem to be horror. At least from this trailer and my impressions of it.
Another small thing, the zombies are based on this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8).

They've bought enough goodwill from me with Resistance: Fall of Man and with how consistently good the Ratchet & Clank games have been over the years.RFoM and R&C are by Insomniac, not Naughty Dog. I can see why there would be confusion as both studios are friends and share stuff around, plus the games they make are of similar quality.

[infoxicated]

Hmmm... I knew that - not entirely sure how I got those two confused! :dizzy

Possibly because I knew they share game engine code base - Jack & Daxter and Rachet & Clank were essentially the same engine with a different skin.

Now that I've realised which of them it is, I'm looking forward to it even more, seing as Resistance went off the boil for me after the first one, but Uncharted has got better. :D

[Archon]

USA Today article: (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/story/2011-12-12/last-of-us-naughty-dog/51851164/1?csp=34life&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=110941)

"We're trying to move the medium of video games into an area elevated in the same manner of respect of film," Balestra says. "We want to redefine what our medium is even called. 'Video game' is not an accurate name anymore. It is not necessarily a game with rules and a winner and a loser. It's an experience."

Full Neogaf post found here (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=33417986&postcount=1).

Guess I can steer clear of this game and developer all together. I won't inundate you guys with my opinions on why this approach will fail, has already failed, and damages video games in the long run.

[amplificated]

I generally agree with your points, Archon. As far as games these days go though, it looks about as interesting as it gets :P

I hate how games are now interactive movies or full of anti-game content that continually attempts to justify the "game's" existence, sometimes as "art" (what a joke)... it's never worked for me. Not only that, but companies are copying successful models like CoD which offer absolutely nothing of actual value - it's all nonsense and terrible gameplay with a hefty price tag attached to the supposed aesthetic.

TLoU unfortunately seems to be heading in the same direction. I really can't see these two characters "surviving", they're going to be playing a narrative note for note.

And getting a little off topic...
It's why I pretty much only play multiplayer games these days. WipEout is the only real game I come back to to play single player (speed lap, etc.), and such skill based games are very, very rare these days.
Even series' that used to be good have imploded into themselves; e.g. Crysis and Devil May Cry, of which the latest and incoming releases have annihilated all sense on misguided fundamental conceptions. Crysis 2 is now a corridor shooter and "dMc" is a D- or C-grade movie. Who the hell asked for that!?

[Darkdrium777]

Guess I can steer clear of this game and developer all together. I won't inundate you guys with my opinions on why this approach will fail, has already failed, and damages video games in the long run.I used to be as cynical as this, but then I realized that it made me very miserable as I could not enjoy a single thing ever. (And I also took an arrow in the knee, but that's besides the point.)

I'd understand perhaps a bit if it was coming from a developer like Activision, but Naughty Dog has so far the evidence stacked against you I'm afraid to say.

[Archon]

I don't know what evidence could be stacked against my opinion considering I watched the trailer and read the linked articles and the premise did not grab me. They showed me their product and mission, and I rejected it. I also played the Uncharted demo and thought the shooting was boring. I'm not motivated to play a ten hour game, no matter how climactic the story, if the game portion is dull. This is why I mentioned Red Dead Redemption. The game sold me first; the plot was a bonus. Even David Jaffe commented that Uncharted 3 took flak because it tried to be an interactive movie before it tried to be a game.


(And I also took an arrow in the knee, but that's besides the point.)

There are forums where you can be banned for comments like this. :g

[Darkdrium777]

Perhaps you don't like how Uncharted is an action driven game before a game driven game (Like what WipEout is), but it doesn't mean that Uncharted fails at being a good game. I'd argue that Uncharted is one of the most well crafted action driven franchise I've ever played, thus it's a good game to those who like that kind of things.
As for David Jaffe's comment about Uncharted 3, well I haven't played that yet so I can't say anything about what it is. What I can say is that I doubt stuff like Twisted Metal and Kinetica (Even though it's a game I like) had much substance in the story department. Therefore they are more games than movies, if you will. I think he has a different idea of what a video-game should be, and while I can respect his work it doesn't make Naughty Dog wrong in their ambitions to try and make something different.
In closing I think saying that Naughty Dog will inevitably fail in making the game they want to make is a bit harsh. There doesn't seem to be any indications in their history that this will be the case.

Yes I know he made God of War

And I hope I worded that right o.O'

[Archon]

Best case scenario, The Last of Us is a game I can enjoy. I also plan on giving Uncharted a fair chance starting with the first game. Still, I hate how companies feel they need to reinvent the medium rather than study the history of games to learn why games of each generation succeeded. If they want to elevate game design to the point where their product can no longer be called a video game, they can no longer call themselves game developers. They would become "experience developers." There is certainly a market for such things; you like their direction and with 3D technology burgeoning, non-gamers want the type of experiences gamers have been enjoying for years. We want the action, the visceral rush, the strategy, and the assault of sound and colors. Some people aren't willing to put up with the challenge or the trial and error or memorizing controller layouts. I understand this, but like I said, if Naughty Dog wants to move away from calling their products "games," they are no longer "game" developers.

My major problem is streamlining. I played the demo of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and was bored out of my mind. I basically held forward and pressed X whenever I came to a ledge. I didn't have to time anything. At the ledge, my character would stop. There was even a "timed" section where parts of the airplane I was climbing around were blowing off and the game said "Hurry up before it blows!" I messed up on one wing twice and nothing happened. Combat was also a joke. Now, imagine Prince of Persia if you couldn't run off ledges; your character just slid to a halt and said "WWhhhOOOaaaWhhhooOOaa!" flailing his arms. You'd be playing a jumping simulator. That doesn't sound at all fun.

I understand video games are a new medium and they are changing every few years with the release of more powerful technology and consoles. More casual non-gamers are being pulled in by the undeniably good graphics and want our experiences. That doesn't mean every developer should change their approach (and of course this discussion and those articles do not imply this). There are reasons, however, why creators migrate toward specific mediums. Hideo Kojima makes games and made Metal Gear Solid a game, not a movie. Similarly, people write scripts to be made into movies instead of only writing their story as a novel. Naughty Dog's approach is blatantly saying they aren't making TLoU as a game, which means their mission conflicts with the medium's goal (to after all be a game). So worst case scenario, we get a dull interactive simulation of a character's life which isn't that interesting to experience first hand or relate to because the story has been told in one way or another and the experiences have been offered better by a strict movie, or a strict game, or a strict novel.

When people run out of ideas, they seek to create hybrids of whatever interactions or styles they like. We saw roleplaying elements (really just stat accumulation and outfit customization) bleeding into other games and after awhile people got sick of it and realized it was a cheap way to add depth to games. I fear making games more like interactive digital movies cheapens the experience, because rather than feeling excited when you're jumping out a plane in Just Cause 2 thinking, "Holy crap this is just like a James Bond movie!" we'll be thinking, "Why do I have to aim at these bad guys? Just let me hit a button and shoot them all in a row so I can see what happens to my character next." The concept of the medium as a game will become tedious. The entire interaction will become tedious. There's a reason people still play MGS and Zelda and fondly remember text-adventures, games that offered stories unavailable in real life being applied through contests of reaction, exploration, and accuracy. The game is the entire point.

The Game (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119174/) is also now available on Netflix.