Last of Us spoilers

[Billy Idol]

Don't expect ND to start yet another new IP. There's that documentary about this game (removed from YT by now, I think you need to buy it?) and they talk a lot about how many things they had to figure out.
They originally did not want to have infected people in the game, they should have just died - but that way the player would not have had to face the direct effects during the game. So they needed the Infected, then they had to spend a lot of time figuring out how they should look like, how they should behave.
Then there was a lot of research on how nature would take over the cities, what would happen if canals aren't drained and how it would ruin buildings and flood streets. Or research on survival, how and what to make from what components and using which tools.
In short, developing this game involved a lot of extra work, in particular the world building and finding the art direction using lots of saturated colors and beautiful environments which goes against most post-apocalyptic settings I've seen, except maybe I am Legend.

So Naughty Dog can now do Jak&Daxter, Uncharted and Last of Us games for the PS4, why would they need more? It makes every kind of sense to capitalize on this IP pool, instead of investing another 1-2 extra years on developing something new and then the "standard" time of developing a nextgen game. And from the above, the world of Last of Us has the most left to explore, compared to yet another Drake adventure...

I have the documentary as a preorder bonus...but up to now, no access when firing up PSN store...really looking forward to see it!

 

[Billy Idol]

Thanks a lot for the explanation of the facial animation system!! This sounds like a lot of handwork and that a high amount of time is needed...

 

[Sigfried1977]

What happened to all the cool behind-the-scenes footage Sony used to put on the discs? Lots of interesting stuff on the first two Uncharted discs and God of War 3. Nothing on the sequels.

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Fininshed it in 23 hours 41 minnutes ! Didn't get the Hard trophy as it turns out I didn't play the prologue on Hard when I thouht i started the game on hard ! Weird !

Also, the new game + isn't giving me the option to go Survivor !?!?! Only if I select a 'New Game' I get the option for Survivor difficulty ! Wy is that so? Why would I want o lpay again on Hard ?

Sme weird decision that to allow new game + only on a difficulty u have already beaten !

 

[Sigfried1977]

That's actually the most common way new game+ modes are being handled. Used to be like that in RE4 and Dead Space as well for example. RE5 ditched it in favor of a much more addictive system and so did the Dead Space sequels thank god. I fully agree that it's a weird design decision. I think you're supposed to earn the right to play with a powered-up characer by first clearing the difficulty mode as it was intended. Shouldn't make that much of a difference in the case of TLoU as most upgrades are fairly minor. (which only makes it weirder I guess)

 

[Billy Idol]

Yeah, this is weird?!?! I wanted to play New Game+ in hardcore...

 

[RenegadeRocks]

That's actually the most common way new game+ modes are being handled. Used to be like that in RE4 and Dead Space as well for example. RE5 ditched it in favor of a much more addictive system and so did the Dead Space sequels thank god. I fully agree that it's a weird design decision. I think you're supposed to earn the right to play with a powered-up characer by first clearing the difficulty mode as it was intended. Shouldn't make that much of a difference in the case of TLoU as most upgrades are fairly minor. (which only makes it weirder I guess)

Hmm.. Yeah I know the upgrades don't make much difference except for the crafting speed and healing speed upgrades. Bt the tutotrials you find make a huge difference. Also, the fact that tou can't level up Joel fully in one playthrough. If I start a new game on Survivor, I will start again from scratch. What about my Flamethrower that I never got to use at all !

Also, I completed the prologue on hard now, but the Trophy still didn't pop up ! Looks like people ain't gonna believe me when I say finished it on Hard + no Listen mode in my firs tlpaythrough.

Bt yes, this was Awesome ! The most ........ I don't yet have words to describe the experience. The end was fantastic ! So subtle, so mature ! Just spent the last hour tellnig the story to my wife and she too loved the end ! The smile that pooped on her face when I told her the last scene said it all.

This definitely is the game of this generation, no doubt! Subtle mature storytellnig and hardcore old school gameplay !! Best , most balanced and well made mechanics in a game after a loooong time ! It never feels that the AI is cheating or anything like that, yet you are always on your toes, always underpowered, always just barely surviving ! The game is a gamer's paradise if u turn off the Listen ability ! Best combo of story + gameplay this gen ! Beats Bioshock Infinite straight out of the water !

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I hope they'll just do something new instead. Not everything needs a sequel.

I really got attached to both characters and would love another game with a great story but I don't know if it would work. A lot of what worked for me was genuinely being surprised, nay shocked, at story developments. Sam and Henry's deaths stung. I was shocked that they seemingly killed Joel. Society's lack of morality, lack of truth, you'd always be expecting the worst and I don't think it'd surprise, and therefore work, second time around.

But this is Naughty Dog. They can write and tell a great story with great characters. And I don't think they are a company who would do would a sequel for the sake of just doing a sequel.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Hmm.. Yeah I know the upgrades don't make much difference except for the crafting speed and healing speed upgrades.

I found that clip size, re-load speed and fire rate made a huge difference - particularly on the shotgun and the handguns. Upgrading the range of the bow also made distanced head-shots of clickers much easier.

I'm really looking forward to replaying and since there no other compelling games imminent, I may actually do it.

 

[RenegadeRocks]

I found that clip size, re-load speed and fire rate made a huge difference - particularly on the shotgun and the handguns. Upgrading the range of the bow also made distanced head-shots of clickers much easier.

I'm really looking forward to replaying and since there no other compelling games imminent, I may actually do it.

Yeah now that I think of it, my upgraded bow was very efficient ! Yes, upgrades do amle a difference, New Game + could be fun ,But I wanna play on Survivor !

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Yeah now that I think of it, my upgraded bow was very efficient ! Yes, upgrades do amle a difference, New Game + could be fun ,But I wanna play on Survivor !

I'll try on Hard next but I think Survivor would make me frustrated I'm old with poor reflexes and hand/eye coordination!

I notice a few people avoided listen mode. It's actually of limited use as it only shows mobs who are making a noise. Granted most infected do, but humans - unless they are talking with each or muttering "I'm gonna find you", don't. Once the hunt of combat begins, they creep about as quietly as you do.

The Ellie/David hunt in the diner was epic for this although David seemed to constantly walk over broken crockery

 

[patsu]

I really got attached to both characters and would love another game with a great story but I don't know if it would work. A lot of what worked for me was genuinely being surprised, nay shocked, at story developments. Sam and Henry's deaths stung. I was shocked that they seemingly killed Joel. Society's lack of morality, lack of truth, you'd always be expecting the worst and I don't think it'd surprise, and therefore work, second time around.

But this is Naughty Dog. They can write and tell a great story with great characters. And I don't think they are a company who would do would a sequel for the sake of just doing a sequel.

I don't mind if they make a different game to show other types of gameplay (other way of life) in the same universe. e.g. If it's a leading scientist's view, your goal would be to develop and deploy experimental technologies to defeat the fungi (mother nature vs technology vs douchbags).

In that game, Ellie and/or Joel can make a brief appearance, but I prefer them to not influence the story too much. Ellie should really be camping somewhere else, living a suitably happy childhood, shooting at Thumper and Bambi. It would be what I want for her.

EDIT: If they turn the next game into a time travel or alien story, I'm going to push my big screen TV in the office out the window.

 

[2real4tv]

Just got to the part with Henri and Sam

 

[patsu]

Just got to the part with Henri and Sam

In a horror movie/game, I always assume every side character I meet will die. I was a little surprised that Bill survived.

Henry reminds me of the blacksmith in GoW3. Very impressed by the look.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Just got to the part with Henri and Sam

I would have been so pissed if somebody had spoiled the story for me before I experienced it. Why would you do this to yourself by being here?

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I don't mind if they make a different game to show other types of gameplay (other way of life) in the same universe. e.g. If it's a leading scientist's view, your goal would be to develop and deploy experimental technologies to defeat the fungi (mother nature vs technology vs douchbags).

In that game, Ellie and/or Joel can make a brief appearance, but I prefer them to not influence the story too much. Ellie should really be camping somewhere else, living a suitably happy childhood, shooting at Thumper and Bambi. It would be what I want for her.

The universe is definitely big enough to support more stories, but unless they can come with as as compelling characters as Ellie and Joel, it runs the risk of being a pale imitation/sequel. I definitely have an appetite for more, but worry about being disappointed.

EDIT: If they turn the next game into a time travel or alien story, I'm going to push my big screen TV in the office out the window.

LOL. Amen.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

In the documentary, they did talk about how this shows Ellie growing up to be an action hero of sorts...

 

[AlNom]

Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom? ;P

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Well I'd say Winter was as close to Tomb Raider as possible...

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Well I'd say Winter was as close to Tomb Raider as possible...

Yup. And not necessarily a bad thing, I loved Tomb Raider. But ND must have been gutted when that game launched and it's overall premise closely resembled their third act of the game.