Review: Last of Us Part I explained to parents

Last of Us Part I Featured Ecran Partage
Last of Us Part I Featured Ecran Partage

What parents need to know

The Last Of Us Part I takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Following an epidemic, a part of humanity that has been infected has turned into monsters thirsty for human flesh. The remaining humans fight for their survival, sometimes against the infected and often against each other. Joel takes Ellie under his wing, whom he must protect from the Fireflies. These are a group that tries to capture Ellie for reasons that will be revealed throughout the story.

Last of Us Part I Boxart Shared ScreenRelease date:
Playstation 3: June 14, 2013
Playstation 4: July 29, 2014
Playstation 5: September 2, 2022

Developed by: Naughty Dog
Published by:Sony Interactive Entertainment
Available on: Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation 5

Type of game: Action – Adventure
Average time of one game: 1 hour

Estimate of the total duration of the game:
15 hours of gameplay to complete the story.
30 hours of gameplay to complete everything.

Themes: Revenge, survival, horror, fights, adventure, history

Business model: Just need to buy the game once.

Number of players:
1 player

Available in physical (blu-ray) or digital (download on Playstation Store) format

The publisher provided the game for its review. It does not influence our opinion.
Age3+7+12+16+18+
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IntermediateCroix-2-01-Ecran-PartageCroix-2-01-Ecran-PartageCroix-2-01-Ecran-PartageCroix-2-01-Ecran-PartageCrochet-2-01-Ecran-Partage
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Requires moving, aiming and shooting in a 3-dimensional environment.
Difficulty
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Several levels of possible difficulty (ranging from Story to Realistic mode). It’s an undercover game, the fights can’t be won without tactics and you’ll have to look for equipment to recharge your life and weapons.

Violence, fear, nudity?
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The game is not recommended at least 18 years and plunges you into an agonizing post-apocalyptic world.

It includes scenes of violent fighting with firearms, knives, a bow, explosive arrows, grenades, smoke and molotov cocktails. The murders are accompanied by screams and blood.

The enemies are very frightening and grotesque. The atmosphere of the game is very scary, it is reminiscent of a horror movie.

Level of language used
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Many swear words appear in the dialogues. There are some verbal references to sexuality (comments on adult magazine images that are not directly visible in the game).

Positive message
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During your quest, you will be led to kill infected people, but also human beings. The development of the bond of trust between Ellie and Joel is a positive element of the game.

Minimum reading level required
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The game uses a level of familiar language. However, you must have the ability to read for several years if you choose to play the English version with subtitles.

Additional costs ?
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The game has no additional cost, no micro transactions. The game doesn’t have any extensions either. However, it has a deluxe version (see below).

Minimum level of execution on the controller required
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The game requires the use of weapons and discreet movement when encountering your enemies.

The buttons to use will be reminded according to the difficulty mode chosen. However, you have to know a minimum of the controller to hope to win the fights.

Possibility to play at the easy level, but it will be necessary to apprehend the manipulation of the camera with a 3D mode.

The game requires a lot of concentration. Tension is engrossing and certain phases of games can cause jumps. We’re going to have to be cold-blooded.

Fights can be long if you don’t pay attention to how your enemies react. This can say a lot about their next actions.

Principle of the game

The Last of Us Part I is a remake of The Last of Us Remastered which was released in 2014 for the Playstation 4. The Last of Us Remastered is itself a remake of the original 2013 game. In short, The Last of Us Part I is the second remake of the game.

The Last Of Us Part I is a horror adventure game where you play as Joel, who tries to find refuge in order to protect himself from the infected, who are essentially zombies who want to eat what is in their way. The game unfolds quite linearly, the world is not open, and you have to complete the objective of each play period to be able to continue your quest.

Joel can throw picked up items on the ground in order to distract or even throw them at their opponents. He will find clues on their way to solve their quests, as well as survival equipment (food, bandages) and combat equipment (various firearms, bullets to reload them, arrows). Defence equipment is counted and it is important to stay on the lookout in places of travel in order to collect them.

On their roads, Joel and Ellie will have to kill infected people, but also humans. At times, they will also have to hide from enemies and sneak in.

Local game modes

The game doesn’t have a local game mode, just one mode where you go through the story. The game requires a certain skill in the field of video games in order to play it.

No online game modes

Careful!! Players of the Last of Us 1 on Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 could play a multiplayer mode called “Factions”.

In the Playstation 5 version, this mode is no longer available.

Editions

However, several editions have been marketed:

  • Standard with the game only
  • Deluxe that unlocks some powerful weapons in advance (weapons that will still be unlocked later in the Standard Edition). It also unlocks the speedrun mode (finish the game as quickly as possible) in advance, a mode that is still unlocked in the standard edition later.

New features

The game, we remember, is the second remake of a game previously released in 2013. Many will have already had the opportunity to play in the past. However, there are a few elements that distinguish this version from the others:

  • Better graphics: the game is more detailed, more beautiful, the brightness is better executed, the animations are more fluid, realistic.
  • Less loading time.
  • Support for Playstation 5 Dualsense controller features, including more realistic vibration and adaptive triggers.
  • Support for 3D audio: the sound emitted by headphones or TV is more immersive, it gives the impression of being at the center of the action.

There is no new game content compared to previous versions of the game (no new footage or new cutscenes).

Conclusion

The Last of Us Part I is the same gaming experience that is available on Playstation 3 and 4. If this is the first time you play this opus, the Playstation 5 version is in order. You will certainly have fun shooting down enemies. On the other hand, the gaming experience is quite similar to previous versions.

The game is very violent and raw. It is reserved for an informed public, it is not recommended for children. The immersion in the codes of the post-apocalyptic is total. The infected are quite terrifying, which can be a pleasant experience for fans of horror games and movies: you will find sequences where you must either defeat enemies by brute force, or avoid them while being silent. If you don’t like horror games and movies, The Last of Us Part 1 is not for you.

The game appears as a true complete work both in terms of emotions provided, and attachment to the characters, especially with regard to the relationship between Ellie and Joel.

More information about the game: Official page of the game on the site

About François Néron

Étudiant à la maitrise en orientation professionnelle, François a un intérêt pour tout ce qui concerne le développement de la carrière et l'emploi. Il a une passion marquée pour les jeux vidéo, mais aussi pour la psychologie qui les entoure.

View all posts by François Néron

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