The Last of Us is a survival horror action game set in a post-apocalyptic world. The story focuses on the two characters Joel and Ellie. The game starts twenty years after the outbreak of the Cordyceps Brain Infection (CBI), an infection spread by a mushroom that turns anyone infected into zombie-like creatures. Civilization is almost entirely destroyed, with independent groups of survivors organizing themselves into military outfits or resistance groups like the Fireflies. Joel and his friend Tess survive by smuggling goods in and out of the city. During a mission, they get into contact with a Fireflies member who offers stolen weapons back if they escort Ellie out of the city.
The player controls Joel from a third-person perspective. The gameplay combines action elements, exploration, and puzzle-solving. Gameplay is similar to the developer's previous games, but with limited ammo and health, making stealth more effective. Enemies include various types of infected and humans from military groups. There are close and long-ranged guns, melee weapons, items like Molotov cocktails, and nail bombs. Ammo is very limited and reloading speed and firing rate are slow.
More can be achieved through stealth. Joel can duck and sneak around, activate a hearing sense to see and hear silhouettes through walls based on sounds. Enemies can be taken out through strangling, quick kills with shivs, or takedowns. Certain enemies are blind and only react to sound and line of sight. The player can pick up bottles or bricks and throw them to distract enemies.
Progress through the story and environment is entirely linear, but there is focus on exploration along with small optional areas. The city is almost destroyed, but nature has taken back some parts. The characters visit Pittsburgh, Colorado, and Salt Lake City. Exploration is needed to gather items, which can be used to craft new tools and equipment.
Supply is limited, so the player must choose between offensive and defensive means. Upgrades can be made at workbenches using gears, bolts, and metals. Supplement pills collected along the way are used to improve skills like health, hearing capacity, crafting speed, and more. Abilities can also be upgraded by locating training manuals.
Multiplayer is called Factions with matches for up to eight players simultaneously. The player chooses a faction at the beginning and cannot change it until defeated or completed. The multiplayer story consists of light narrative that frames encounters as the aim is to help a clan grow and survive. Players are organized in clans, and can be populated with friends' names through Facebook connection.
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