The Last of Us

The Last of Us is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. Directed by Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, it places players in a United States devastated by a mutation of the Cordyceps fungus. The outbreak begins in 2013; twenty years later, hardened smuggler Joel Miller lives in Boston’s military-controlled quarantine zone.

The opening follows Joel, his brother Tommy, and Joel’s daughter Sarah during the first night of the pandemic. Sarah is killed by a soldier, an event that defines Joel’s later emotional distance. In 2033, Fireflies leader Marlene asks Joel and his partner Tess to escort fourteen-year-old Ellie Williams out of Boston. Ellie has been bitten but does not become infected, making her apparent immunity central to the Fireflies’ search for a cure.

Their journey crosses ruined cities and changing seasons. Tess reveals that she is infected and stays behind at the Massachusetts State House so Joel and Ellie can escape pursuing soldiers. They seek Bill in Lincoln, Massachusetts; travel through Pittsburgh after being ambushed by hunters; and join brothers Henry and Sam. Sam’s infection and Henry’s subsequent suicide are among the story’s defining tragedies. Joel and Ellie later encounter Tommy’s settlement in Jackson County, Wyoming, before heading to the University of Eastern Colorado, where Joel is severely wounded.

During winter, Ellie protects Joel and meets David, leader of a cannibalistic group. After David captures her, she kills him in a burning restaurant. By spring, Joel and Ellie reach the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City. Marlene explains that extracting Ellie’s infected brain tissue for study will kill her. Joel chooses to rescue Ellie, kills the surgeon preparing the operation, and escapes with her. Back near Jackson, he tells Ellie that the Fireflies had stopped looking for a cure and that other immune people existed. When Ellie asks him to swear that this is true, Joel swears.

Gameplay combines third-person shooting, stealth, crafting, exploration, and resource management. Players primarily control Joel, while Ellie assists in combat and navigation. The game uses a dynamic companion system; enemies can be infected, such as Runners, Clickers, and Bloaters, or hostile human factions. Its multiplayer mode, Factions, framed matches around survivors affiliated with the Hunters or Fireflies.

It was acclaimed and became a PlayStation 3 bestseller. Remastered launched on PlayStation 4 in 2014; Part I later followed for PlayStation 5 in 2022.