[PS3] The Last of Us - Page 10

Tcheky Karyo

I was actually happy for Joel at the end. Losing Ellie after losing Sara too would have felt worse imo, even if it was a selfish decision. I guess that's part of what makes the story so good is how there can be varying interpretations of it. I sympathized with Joel's motivations though. I played through on survivor recently with my g/f watching and she thought that by the end I was the "bad guy". Using my flame thrower on the doctors probably didn't help D:

"You just keep finding something to fight for" was pretty much him explaining his motivation and the whole ending. And I'm sure Ellie realized something was off when she asked him at the very end, but she'd rather take the lie and live as if it were the truth. At least that's my take on it. Phenomenal story either way.

The ending made me sad but kind of satisfied, it feels like the story arch is very much closed on a bittersweet note, which bothers me a bit but I can live with that ending. On the other hand, that game did something to me which no other games have managed to do since I was a little impressionable kid. I want more of that, and so I would love a sequel.

Unfortunately, it's possible that the story is best left untouched... I have very mixed feelings - for one I'm selfish and I desperately want more of Joel and Ellie because it's the only way I can enjoy gaming again, but on the other hand it could just ruin the story (in which case I would just blow off the sequel as not canon, that's how I roll).

As much as the story feels completed, there could be room for a sequel, but given that I'm not a writer or creative in any way, I don't immediately see how they would make it interesting. I've seen some people suggest having different characters in the same world, which at least to me would completely ruin the setting. There's something about Joel and Ellie that just works. So what do you guys think? Will we see more? ;(

I think they did a pretty good job of exploring the state of the world and don't have much else to add, even if it was a different story with someone else. They introduced the infected, quarantine zones, hunters, crazy governor-esque type dude/town, the resistance fighters, looking for a cure, and humanities new/clean start with Joel's Brother's place. What new elements do you think they have yet to introduce to the Last of Us universe?

If it doesn't involve at least Ellie, I don't really care much for it. The whole Joel/Ellie relationship was 95% of what made me like the game.

I really appreciated that the ending left me feeling uncomfortable and a bit melancholy because it fit well with the tone set throughout the rest of the game. Almost nobody is purely a sinner or a saint, everyone operates with their own agendas and goals in mind, and a lot of the time they're really understandable and sympathetic. You understand why Marlene is willing to kill Ellie, she's weighing one life against the potential to ensure that humanity has at least some kind of future, but at the same time her refusal to even wake Ellie up and give her a choice or at least look her in the eye and tell her what she needs comes across as really low and cowardly. On the flipside, you've got Joel making this largely selfish decision with potentially massive and disastrous consequences, but you understand completely that after everything he's been through with Ellie, she's essentially become a second daughter to him and he won't let her come to harm for any reason.

The lie he tells her at the end is interesting, and I got the impression based on her making him swear and her long pause before saying "okay" that she knew he wasn't being honest with her but was willing to accept it, at least for the time being. I was also conflicted about the lie itself because on the one hand, hiding the fact that he killed Marlene in cold blood is a really big thing to keep from Ellie, but on the other, she had obviously been dealing with some really serious survivor's guilt/PTSD since the winter and the truth of what happened at the hospital might simply be unwise to tell her given her state of mind. Parents do lie to their kids to protect them, and often with good reason.

I don't really know how I feel about the prospect of DLC or a sequel, what Naughty Dog created here is something that's extraordinary exactly as it is. Joel and Ellie are fantastic characters and I'd love to see more of them, but their story has been told and told well. Anything added to it would have to be very carefully considered and add something meaningful.

I almost started crying at the end when he was running with Ellie in his arms, pretty much like the game began. And that music with it.. going "I've got you baby girl".. damn.