What a time it is to be a The Last of Us fan. With not only The Last of Us 1 remake (which looks amazing) coming out this September 2nd, but also The Last of Us HBO show coming in 2023, Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic franchise is becoming a mainstream juggernaut at just the right time.
I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am. The Last of Us 1 is one of my favorite video games of all-time and should be considered as one of the greatest games of all-time too. Not only did Naughty Dog’s 2014 classic win 6 Game of The Year awards, but also has sold over $17M copies since its release date.
The success of this game has simply been incredible.
Nevertheless, the true heart of this game is its story, not the accolades. The story of love, redemption, honor, family, regret, and grief told through the primary protagonists of the game, Joel and Ellie, is truly a work of art.
Joel’s eventual acceptance of Ellie as his adoptive daughter, and the struggles/conflicts the pair undergoes to reach that realization, gives this game the heart and soul that so many other post-apocalyptic games do not possess.
(Sony/Naughty Dog-The Last of Us-Launch Trailer)
Yes, The Last of Us: Part II kind of took away from that wonderful story with its focus on the hard, ruthless nature of mankind, but that game should not impact one’s joy of its predecessor.
You can easily play the first game and not even think about the sequel. That’s what makes it so replayable.
And that’s why it makes sense Naughty Dog is re-releasing the game with modern graphics and gameplay, while HBO has started filming a whole series about the original story.
I have high hopes for the remake as we have already seen the incredible 2022 graphics through the trailers, while the plot/story is going to be the exact same. I don’t see why this game couldn’t be another Game of the Year contender.
As for the show, I need to see more trailers and images. I have no doubt that Pedro Pascal will be a great Joel (what role isn’t Pedro Pascal great in). He even somehow sounds just like Troy Baker (Joel’s voice actor).
(HBO-The Last of Us-The Last of Us, Succession, The Idol, The White Lotus & More Coming To HBO Max Trailer)
But I’m not yet sold on Bella Ramsay as Ellie, or the rest of the cast for that matter. Yes, Belle Ramsay was great as a young Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones, but Ellie is a totally different character than Lyanna. Lyanna was headstrong, confident, and outspoken young noble woman, with no noticeable worries or fears.
Ellie is also headstrong, confident, and outspoken, but she has so much more nuances through her fears and hopes that the Lyanna Mormont role never had.
Can Ramsey be a great Ellie? Yes, absolutely. Do we need to see more of her in the role? Yes, absolutely. In fact, we need to see more from everyone in the cast (except for Pedro Pascal) to see if they’ll be great for the roles they play.
Nevertheless, this casting uncertainty does not diminish my excitement for the Last of Us franchises whatsoever. I can’t wait to play The Last of Us remake September 2nd, then watch The Last of Us HBO series sometime in 2023.
Like I said, The Last of Us franchise is on the rise at just the right time.
Images Source: Featured Image; (Sony/Naughty Dog) (The Last of Us Part I – Launch Trailer | PS5 Games – YouTube)
In Text Image 1: (Sony/Naughty Dog) (The Last of Us Part I – Launch Trailer | PS5 Games – YouTube)
In Text Image 2: (Sony/Naughty Dog) (The Last of Us, Succession, The Idol, The White Lotus & More Coming To HBO Max – YouTube)
