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[sploatee]

It's not a rhetorical question!

I'm in two minds over whether to buy it or not. Almost all the reviews I've read or watched focus on the story and the 'experience', but from the footage it just looks like a fairly standard third-person action game with stealth bits.

I can appreciate that the story might be this wonderful, transcendent Citizen Kane of videogames but I'm not particularly interested in yet another post-apocalyptic journey of growth and redemption. I also don't really have an appetite for a third-person shooty/stealthy game right now (I'm more excited by Diablo 3).The PS4 release schedule is so empty, though, that I'm not exactly spoiled for choice.

What do you think?

(I'm expecting the usual one word answers, but it'd be great if you could actually, you know, explain your thinking. Thanks.)

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

I thought it went on too long for its own good, struggled to balance combat encounters and simply had "okay" mechanics. If you aren't in the mood for the story or even the type of game it is (as you've eliminated interest in both the setting/synopsis as well as the exact type of game TLoU is), don't waste your time until you are.

 

[Bedlam]

You're not interested in the story (which is pretty great), you're not interesting in the gameplay (which is pretty great as well) ... don't play it. Problem solved.

Btw, if you think that this is a story about redemption and growth, then it might surprise you, OP.

 

[cpp_is_king]

Everything that makes the game good you specifically said you're not interested in. You should pass.

 

[kirblar]

Great story, great characters, great atmosphere, and it felt to me like it was the spiritual successor to Bioshock in exploring ludonarrative dissonance.

Gameplay is fun and serviceable, and again, incredibly atmospheric.

 

[Enco]

There were some boring moments for me but plenty of amazing gameplay moments too.

Sneaking around buildings and killing people in brawls is really fun.

Human enemies >>>>>>>>> zombies

Some really intense moments where you barely survive too. Gameplay is great most of the time.

 

[Neuromancer]

I'm not particularly interested in yet another post-apocalyptic journey of growth and redemption. I also don't really have an appetite for a third-person shooty/stealthy game right now

It sounds to me like you've already convinced yourself.

 

[Aβydoς]

It's great, it's just not that incredibly great.
9/10 game for me, I liked Uncharted 3 more.
Oh, the ending though is amazing. It's not a story about redemption. Like, at all. Is much more and better, it kinda arrives too late though. It seems like the usual post-apocalyptic story until the last 30 minutes of the game, which could be disappointing.

 

[Shrike_Priest]

Combat is dynamic, stealth is tense, encounters are well designed.

I had more fun with the combat than I ever did with Uncharted, and I love Uncharted.

The combat is far from Gears/Uncharted, because you are supply constrained, and until you've upgraded your character, your aim kinda sucks. You have to rely on diversion, crafting and really move around in the area to avoid detection.

Going in gung ho will get you killed.

Edit: I'd actually say TLOU's focus on traversing the environment, going from room to room/cover to cover is the one thing that really separates it from other TPS-games. In Uncharted, most cover spots are created equal and you can just blast from cover to cover. In TLOU, what might seem safe at first is suddenly a death trap and you've gotta move to avoid detection. Enemies aren't as reliable/static as MGS for instance, and can change their routes as soon as you've taken someone out or created a diversion.

 

[ZeroX03]

Amazing graphics, fantastic voice acting, good art direction, very well polished gameplay, really interesting multiplayer, etc.

If you're using special to mean 'unique', I suppose it's not. It does many things that other games already do. But if special to you means 'great if not the best at many things', then yes, it is a very special game.

I can appreciate that the story might be this wonderful, transcendent Citizen Kane of videogames but I'm not particularly interested in yet another post-apocalyptic journey of growth and redemption.

It isn't exactly this. Kind of the opposite, in a way.

 

[Linkinito]

To be honest, if you like games with a real storytelling and a very tense feeling, you'll love it. However some gameplay mechanics can be truly annoying, as the game is quite slow-paced. You might get bored.

 

[Marvel]

If you're not sure on whether or not to buy it, rent it.

 

[DOWN]

It's a great game kiddo. Not a game with one or two special parts out of several, but a package that turned out great.

 

[Superflat]

Gameplay is very good. I love the story and characters, but the gameplay was the only reason I went back and played through the campaign 5+ times.

edit:

I also don't really have an appetite for a third-person shooty/stealthy game right now (I'm more excited by Diablo 3)

What? Then just go play something else, you weirdo! Why even consider this?

I don't feel like playing MOBAs right now but I don't actively go around asking people if I should finally play League of Legends.

Get this game when you actually feel like you're open to play it. Don't force yourself.

 

[TEH-CJ]

Yes it is.

 

[Banana Aeon]

The gameplay fits the atmosphere, tone, and story to a tee. Every encounter is as tense as the last one.

So yes. The gameplay, IMO, was the best part about the game.

 

[cfresh]

The only way to find out is to play it. Wait for it to get cheaper if you're worried about not liking it.

 

[brickarts295]

The graphics really stand out for a last gen game. Clickers, Runners and Bloaters were petty ingenious and intimidating at times.Some scenarios were great and unforgettable.

Spoiler

(Hotel basement is one of them.)

And the Multiplayer was a breath of fresh air when it came to competitive multiplayer. Yeah I think that was really special, even more special because of the fact that it ended the PS3 era with a bang. Now imagine if ND were to make TLOU 2 and manage to pull off another U2.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

It's not a game I would want to play twice.

And I think a little 14 year old cursing like a storm and killing grown men and mutated humans is a bit ridiculous, but whatever.

Fun game though.

 

[Kenshin001]

Should I have the vanilla ice cream?

I'm not really in the mood for anything sweet or cold or tasting like vanilla but there are so few desserts on the menu. Please help me GAF.

 

[King Beyond the wall]

Has some of the best and freshest gameplay I've seen in a while. The stealth, ammo management and crafting are all really cool, plus all the gameplay scenarios are all fun. The story, characters, and voice acting are truly special though and these are what make the game incredible. Still, I think you would have fun with the gameplay alone.

 

[MNC]

It appealed to me on a gameplay, graphics and musical standpoint. It also managed to get me nearly bawling within the first 10 minutes. Stellar performances all around and I say it deserves all the praise.

 

[MrCookiepants]

Story, graphics, sound design, music, gameplay. All top of its class.

 

[Superflat]

Should I have the vanilla ice cream?

I'm not really in the mood for anything sweet or cold or tasting like vanilla but there are so few desserts on the menu. Please help me GAF.

The vanilla is why I enjoyed it tho

 

[blankempathy]

People keep saying that the encounters/stealth etc are tense. When there is a check point every 10-30 seconds any form of tension is gone personally for me. There are even check points during large enemy encounters where you must pass sections full of enemies. Its not a personal knock against tlou. I feel the same way against any game with check points everywhere.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

just watch it on youtube like some of our fellow enthusiasts suggested in another tlou thread.

 

[fedexpeon]

The story/character is like 80% of the game's score.
A lot of people are double dipping just to see the game's narrative in 1080p.
So, is the game special? I would say yes, just for the Winter chapter alone.
Sogood.gif

 

[ZeroX03]

People keep saying that the encounters/stealth etc are tense. When theres a check point every 10-30 seconds any for of tension is gone personally for me. There are even check points during large enemy encounters where you must pass sections full of enemies.

Sounds like Grounded is the difficulty for you.

 

[Ratrat]

Graphics, performances are top notch. The environments, art and atmosphere are all great.
Its incredibly polished and a cohesive experience.


BUT I am of the opinion that the gameplay is very by the numbers and just serviceable. Its similar to Spec Ops: The Line in that way where you should play it for its narrative, which is really good. Its better than the Uncharted games at least.

 

[Denton]

The game is well worth buying, but that said, I am glad I did not buy it on PS3 and had friend loan it to me instead. I will get the remastered edition next year along with PS4 to experience it again.

But no, there is nothing special about this game apart from story and characters. It is a solid survival-based action game - well done, but nothing groundbreaking.
But the characters/story/atmosphere is really great and makes it worth experiencing.

 

[jesu]

It's a good game but just temper your expectations with the story.
It's ok, but not the masterpiece some people would lead you to believe.

 

[I Wanna Be The Guy]

I actually really enjoyed the gameplay and was genuinely surprised just how good it was. Even without such a good story I think I would have loved the game just for the gameplay. Definitely the best game Naughty Dog have made gameplay wise since Crash Team Racing.

People say good things about the multiplayer too but I've still never tried it. I really should try it one day.

 

[IonicSnake]

I actually loved the gameplay in The Last of Us. I wish more survival games played like that.

 

[SRTtoZ]

No, it won all those awards by mistake.

In all seriousness though, its a fantastic game from all angles. I love the gameplay, the story, the characters, the world, the acting, animations, the list goes on.

 

[Spine_Ripper]

It's still 20 days til the new version comes out and we're already doing this shit. The thing about TLoU's gameplay is this: there is actually a wrong way to play the game. It can be an intense experience, one that few games can ever meet. Get yourself into a situation where there's 4 guys in one room, and all you have is one bullet and you can spot a glass bottle halfway across the room. The chances of living are so fucking slim, but goddamn it you're going to try it anyways. So you grab the first guy. Normally you would just choke him to death to get him out of the way. But you can't afford to do it because of your resources. So you use him as a shield...but who do you shoot first? You don't have too much time to think about it, the guy you're holding is trying to break free and you still need to line up the shoot. Better hope he doesn't fuck up your aiming in the process.

Okay, you got the headshot. Now you have to kill the guy you're holding while the other two are starting to fire at you. Do you run behind cover or make a dash for the bottle? Let's play it safe and get to cover. One guy is standing back, but still aiming at you, the other guy is behind cover just in case. Now's a good time to get that bottle- and you just got shot and one more hit is death. Now the 2nd guy who was hiding is now RUSHING AT YOU. You could craft a health kit, but you don't have time for that shit. So you haul ass for the bottle, pick it up, and chuck it at the guy who was rushing and use him as a shield. You line up the head shot and think you have this in the bag...AND YOU HAVE NO FUCKING AMMO AND THE 1ST GUY KNOWS AND IS CHARGING AT YOU. You quickly melee the guy you're holding and HOLY SHIT HE HAD AN AXE, so you pick it up and bam, you killed the last guy.

That is just one room in like 15 seconds. People, please don't play on anything less than hard. Please.

 

[Cave Johnson]

Play it Hard Mode. You'll get the most out of it. My friend played at Normal difficulties but he was very surprised to hear the things that happened in my scenario since he opted for an all-out stealth approach.

This is one of the first games I let my character death carry on my playthrough compared to the save/load approach if things go awry. I've experienced what it's like to have a full gear arsenal, wasting said arsenal and one with bare enough resources. It forces you to find the depth within those mechanics and that's what I really want in games. I was pretty miffed about the Survivor difficulty being unlocked because I would've prefered to played it in the highest difficulty for the first time. But the new "grounded" difficulty from the full remaster is what will make me replay it again.

Oh, and the multiplayer. Aside from KZ2 and Bad Company 2, I've never played a multiplayer on consoles that held me that long!

 

[Cthulhu_Steev]

It's not a rhetorical question!

I'm in two minds over whether to buy it or not. Almost all the reviews I've read or watched focus on the story and the 'experience', but from the footage it just looks like a fairly standard third-person action game with stealth bits.

I can appreciate that the story might be this wonderful, transcendent Citizen Kane of videogames but I'm not particularly interested in yet another post-apocalyptic journey of growth and redemption. I also don't really have an appetite for a third-person shooty/stealthy game right now (I'm more excited by Diablo 3).The PS4 release schedule is so empty, though, that I'm not exactly spoiled for choice.

What do you think?

(I'm expecting the usual one word answers, but it'd be great if you could actually, you know, explain your thinking. Thanks.)

If you really meant that 'Thanks' you'd buy my product.

Also, yes. The gameplay is great, the backdrop is beautiful, and it's the characters that carry the game. The story is the worst bit.

 

[Superflat]

People keep saying that the encounters/stealth etc are tense. When theres a check point every 10-30 seconds any for of tension is gone personally for me. There are even check points during large enemy encounters where you must pass sections full of enemies.

10-13 seconds is a ridiculous over-exaggeration. Combat checkpoints are decent lengths apart. You can game it by dashing to a checkpoint maybe, but that only works when you know exactly where to go; if it's your first time playing, it's not going to go that way.

 

[ForsakenLotus]

The easiest way to know whether or not you might like it outside of its story is if you have enjoyed the more "traditional" survival/horror games. Resident Evil 4 and the first Dead Space are decent markers. If you haven't liked games similar to those it is unlikely you will like TLOU.

But if you haven't played any games similar to them...

In my opinion TLOU has great gameplay. It boils down to two basic encounter types: human and infected. When facing humans, it's not terribly unlike a more slowly paced third person shooter. Some of the key differences are your aim is unsteady, you have limited supplies and the enemies are pretty good about trying to flank you or use a melee enemy to draw you out. It's pretty intense, and my favorite aspect is being able to stealth after combat has begun - if you are able to slink away the enemies might still think you are in your original spot and you can maneuver around for a stealth kill.

Stealth is, for the most part, fairly realistic. It has a mechanic wherein you "listen" and is shown visually as a sort of x-ray vision ala Batman's Detective Vision. I honestly believe the game is better with this turned off, but it is there if you want it. It works well and isn't so exploitable that the game is a cakewalk. You can also use bricks or bottles found in the environment to distract enemies (and also as a temporary weapon). Overall I think the stealth works well, although do be warned that there aren't many sections that you can completely stealth past.

The other type of enemy encounter are against infected. There aren't many different types (I believe four), but they are very tense encounters. Many of them (nearly all of them I think) can be stealthed past, although it is no easy feat if you are inexperienced. The infected kill you with one hit, and attack relentlessly once they spot you - and these guys can move quick!

Aside from combat there are a few puzzle sections which are very easy, but they only really serve as a minor distraction. There is a item creation system that is very basic but very cool because not only do you have to make it real time, but there are items that share the same ingredients such as a molotov cocktail and a health pack. Because items are limited, you are all but forced to decide whether you'd like an extra health pack or a molotov cocktail, and I quite enjoyed it.

Hopefully that gives you a general idea of what to expect.

 

[Doombacon]

Not really. There are only a handful of standout moments in the gameplay and the rest is quite dull. Without the story to carry it, it would likely have ended up as a 6 or 7/10 mediocre AAA game that everyone would have forgotten about after a few months.

I don't think it's worth playing if you are not in the mood for the story at all. If you are though it's one of the best of its kind.

 

[Ushojax]

Well the gameplay is pretty basic but it's tense and smooth, I definitely enjoy the combat more than the Uncharted games.

You're never going to get ambitious or complex game design in a title like this, but what's there works very well. It's cinematic without feeling like you're just watching a movie.

 

[Certinty]

No, and to me the story isn't that great either.

Though if anything the game is beautiful visually, so i'll give it that.

 

[TropicanaTwista]

It's not a rhetorical question!

I'm in two minds over whether to buy it or not. Almost all the reviews I've read or watched focus on the story and the 'experience', but from the footage it just looks like a fairly standard third-person action game with stealth bits.

I can appreciate that the story might be this wonderful, transcendent Citizen Kane of videogames but I'm not particularly interested in yet another post-apocalyptic journey of growth and redemption. I also don't really have an appetite for a third-person shooty/stealthy game right now (I'm more excited by Diablo 3).The PS4 release schedule is so empty, though, that I'm not exactly spoiled for choice.

What do you think?

(I'm expecting the usual one word answers, but it'd be great if you could actually, you know, explain your thinking. Thanks.)

Well it doesnt do anything revolutionary gameplay wise, but it doesnt need to. The gameplay is more than fine, pretty good I would say, but dont except to be blown away by it. The story and atmosphere more then make up for it though. Overall just a game you need to experience.

 

[DieH@rd]

IMO, there is no bad part in TLOU [story, gameplay, charachter progression, worldbuilding, music, performances...]. Gameplay is incredibly atmospheric, always keeping user on toes with management of resources and need to be efficient, stealthy and brutal.

Sadly I never played MP. I will fix that soon on PS4.

 

[Rehynn]

Even the story isn't that special (unless you consider the Walking Dead's story special), it's just presented in a way that has hardly ever been done in video games.

And no, as a survival horror game, I would say Zombie U is a million times more special.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Not really. There are only a handful of standout moments in the gameplay and the rest is quite dull. Without the story to carry it, it would likely have ended up as a 6 or 7/10 mediocre AAA game that everyone would have forgotten about after a few months.

I don't think it's worth playing if you are not in the mood for the story at all. If you are though it's one of the best of its kind.

That's not entirely fair. Even if the story and writing was bad as Resident Evil with voice acting like Duke Nukem Forever, the game design and graphics, which includes animation and the details, would make the game a 8/10 game.

 

[Arcatax]

I wanted it from the day the reveal trailer was released, not because I really liked the idea of.the game, but because it was a naughty dog game (Jak and daxter ftw). I found the gamely to be really compelling, there was a great atmosphere, smart Ai and just really compelling situations.

 

[blankempathy]

10-13 seconds is a ridiculous over-exaggeration. Combat checkpoints are decent lengths apart. You can game it by dashing to a checkpoint maybe, but that only works when you know exactly where to go; if it's your first time playing, it's not going to go that way.

It is an exaggeration yet its not completely off. And I hit plenty of in combat check points not trying to game the system but by merely working my way around an\ area trying to pick off enemies.

 

[TriniTrin]

In my opinion, this game's multiplayer was as close to socom as we got last gen.

 

[thetrin]

I want to enjoy the great characters and dialogue, but there's a damn zombie game in the way. I would have played it all the way through had it been a point and click or a visual novel.