The Last of Us: Scenes from the game we can’t wait to see in the series

news culture The Last of Us: Scenes from the game we can’t wait to see in the series

What’s the difference between a series and a video game?

Before discussing the key scenes, it’s important to know what will be the plot of this new HBO signed production. For those who have already experienced the game, there won’t be any major surprises regarding the scenario. It will always be Joel and Ellie’s perilous journey to America, in a ruined neighborhood. Encountered characters, specific places and scenes will not change. However, the creators of the series, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckman (who’s behind the game), explained that this would be the definitive version of what fans experienced from the game. Last of us will add scenes, dialogue, and intrigue that will not be published. It was these additions that went unrevealed during the game’s production. A pointless decision, especially for a narrative-first video game adaptation. Last of Us players will see not only duplicates of the game with characters with different appearances, but also new stories they know very well.. Thus, regarding the cult scene, players may have the chance to appreciate it from a surprising new angle.

Introduction – Joel and Sarah

The Last of Us has perhaps one of the best intro scenes in video games. As a reminder, players don’t play Joel or Ellie, but Joel’s daughter Sarah. The game opens with Joel’s daughter giving him a gift for his birthday: a watch which we will see again throughout the adventure. The specificity of this scene lies in the fact that it takes place both before and during the epidemic ravages. From the gentle everyday life of a loving family, to extreme violence, these introductions literally descend into hell. Fear gradually sets in, in the house of Joel and his daughter, until the whole town is on fire and bloodshed. The innocence that Sarah’s character embodies contrasts with the violence around her. His death is just a taste of the despair humanity will face. this intro goes on 15 minutes and succeeds brilliantly in immersing its players in the game’s universe. The immersion is such that the emotion conveyed makes it possible to feel the pain of Joel that will follow him throughout his life. Be it the staging and the music, everything has been brilliantly thought out to integrate the player into this lawless universe. The power of immersion also lies in the fact that this is a video game. Granted, the introduction is full of cutscenes, but even having to move Sarah’s character and try to get out of this hell adds an effective dimension of immersion. It’s quite legitimate, then, to wonder whether this scene in the series would have the same impact. Either way, we’ll just have to wait for its release on January 15th to find out for sure.

Sam and Henry

Ellie and Joel meet during their perilous journey through the ravaged lands of the United States. Sam and Henry are then part of a happy meeting that gives hope to Ellie and Joel, making them naively think that, perhaps, the world is not as cruel as it seems. Sam and Henry are two brothers trying to survive by traveling through the ruins of this vast land. Ellie and Joel give them trust and a bond is created, especially between Sam and Ellie, who also steals a toy robot to please him. It’s not hard to appreciate these two characters for their strong bond of brotherhood. Like a mirror of the two main characters, this is a duo just trying to survive in a world where chaos and violence reign. Alas, the latter did not escape cruelty : Sam has been infected and shot, his brother in front of this terrible scene directly killed himself. The tragic endings of these two characters are just as important to Ellie and Joel as they are to the players. To see how this scene would be adapted in the series, but there’s no doubt that is at least as heartbreaking as it is, subject to an unchanged scenario.

Ellie kills David

During the winter, Joel is badly injured, which leaves Ellie completely independent. He must survive on his own while looking for something to heal Joel. It is in this unfortunate context that she encounters a group of men led by someone named David. As opposed to the kind-hearted individuals who could help Ellie, they were ruthless cannibals. After a grueling confrontation, a young girl named Ellie manages to overpower David, allowing all of her violence towards this tormentor to explode, in blood and fire. It was then that Joel, who had been following Ellie, found her and hugged her to comfort her. A clear parallel is made with the intro scene at Sarah’s death.. She held Ellie and called her (in VO) “baby” like she did with her daughter during the introduction. This interaction strengthens the relationship between Joel and Ellie, making it much stronger than just a father-daughter relationship. A moment of affection and sweetness that clearly signifies a recent murder.

Meet the giraffe

Toward the end of Joel and Ellie’s journey, they encounter a group of giraffes. In the middle of spring, the two saw this majestic being. Although it may seem insignificant, the presence of a giraffe is a symbol of hope in this broken world. They were able to survive in this extremely dangerous environment, which gives hope that the same can be done for humans who struggle every day to stay alive. Facing Joel and Ellie daily in horror, the giraffe embodies an ounce of the sweetness and innocence that comes at the end of this perilous journey. These wild animals also denote nature reclaiming its rights in a ruined civilization. This theme of nature is ubiquitous in the game, but it remains to be seen if it will be well represented in the series.

Joel’s decision

The end of Ellie and Joel’s journey finally ended after facing many dangers that almost took their lives. An arrival that may seem comforting, but turns out to be very different. Ellie is humanity’s only hope thanks to her invulnerability, and that’s what Les Lucioles wants to exploit to try to end the evil that has been eating away at the world for years. An intervention that would result in Ellie’s murder. The sacrifice for humanity that Les Lucioles is ready to make. It’s just that Joel doesn’t think so and prefers to save her even if it means losing humanity’s only hope. Therefore, the player is led to kill the Fireflies members who get in his way and the hapless surgeon who will operate on Ellie. Joel’s moral ambiguity is present throughout the adventure, but this scene is the highlight.. While this decision is upsetting, players can relate to a father who refused to lose his son a second time. The bond between Joel and Ellie had become so strong that it was impossible for her to break free from it. He then took her with him, hugged him, and fell on Marlene who was trying to reason with him. Without hesitation, he shot himself in the head and continued on his way. The fact that players have absolutely no choice, and have to go along with Joel’s selfish decisions is heartbreaking. To see how the series is going to pen up this incredible choice.