First and foremost, rest assured that this list will contain no spoilers forThe Last of UsPart II. For gamers who haven’tplayedThe Last of Us Part Iin a while, it’s highly advisable to at least brush up on the events and world of the game before diving into the sequel, as many elements from that game weigh heavily onThe Last of Us Part II.
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This list will breakdown the top ten most important things that gamers need to remember from the original game, covering everything from combat tactics to critical story plot points.
10Joel’s Tragic Story
Joel is a highly complex and damaged personwho has experienced incomprehensible loss since the start of the first game. After the death of his daughter, Joel descends into a dark state for years, caring little for human life besides a few important people like his brother Tommy.
Forming a bond with Ellie in the first game is what helps him change and ultimately heal his pain. When Ellie’s life is put at risk, Joel will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and protect who he sees as a surrogate-daughter.
9Ellie’s Evolution
Ellie is selfless, loyal, and has a fierce personality. She is incredibly special, as her body is immune to the parasitic fungus that has reduced the world to chaos.
After losing the young woman she loves, Ellie eventually meets Joel and she sets out to complete what she sees as her destiny, allowing scientists to run tests on her and hopefully be able to create a cure for the parasite from her blood and bring hope to a world devoid of it.
8Joel’s Impossible Decision
At the end ofThe Last of Us Part I, Joel learns that doctors will potentially be able to make a cure from Ellie’s blood. The problem is that Ellie will die during surgery. With no certainty that the doctors will even be successful, Joel makes a very hard decision and chooses to not let Ellie die.
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This results in Joel having to kill dozens of innocent people. To make matters worse, Joel knew Ellie was okay with dying if necessary for the cure and he selfishly defies those wishes. In the game’s final moments, Joel lies to Ellie about what happened and she simply believes that the cure was a failure.
7The Harsh World
After the collapse of society in America from the parasitic fungus, the country began its slow descent into anarchy and chaos. Most of humanity is divided into small factions that fight for survival against each other and the infected that haveoverrun cities and most of the entire country.
Mother nature is retaking the land mankind took from it, with once sprawling metropolises now reduced to overgrown ghost towns where only ruin remains.
6The Deadly Infected
Similar tovarious zombie apocalypse films, TV series, and games, the parasitic fungus inThe Last of Usfranchise turns normal humans into monstrous, crazed, violent animals that will savagely attack any living creature it comes across.
The infected can mutate into special-infected with enhanced traits like natural body armor and being able to emit clouds of toxins. One major advantage humans have against the infected is that most types are blind, allowing players to outmatch them even with unfavorable numbers.
5The Fireflies
The Fireflies in the first game are a large, organized, and well-armed group of survivors who have fought back against military oppression and are trying to return America to a semblance of its former self. To that end, the Fireflies have been trying to develop a cure for the infection that has brought the world to its knees.
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They are the group that Joel prevents from killing Ellie and their role inThe Last of Us Part IIis key.
4The Cure
Over the course ofThe Last of Us Part I, players learn that Ellie is not the first person the Fireflies have attempted to use for a cure and that there are also other groups out there attempting to do the same thing.
This is an important story element heading intoThe Last of Us Part II, as it clues players into the fact that finding a cure is of significant importance to at least some groups, and many people are willing to fight for the hope of a brighter future.
3Punishing Combat
In case you’ve forgotten, the combat in this game is intense, brutal, and quite challenging if you aren’t in the right mindset. This is no run-and-gun zombie shooter. It’s a game that prides itself on the technical aspects of its gameplay, demanding that players use a combination of stealth, agility, and brute-force as you fight for your survival.
Ammunition for your guns is scarce, so conservation is key by making frequent use of your bow, melee weapons, and sneaking up behind enemies for an instant takedown.
2Looting Is Everything
Exploring resources and items is one of the main features ofThe Last of Usfranchise. No player should head into either game thinking you’ll be able to sprint to the ending. Unless you’re playing on the easiest difficulty, taking the time to loot and explore is how you find what you need to survive in the games.
Besides a source of finding things like ammunition and health, looting allows players to gather collectibles that let them further explore the lore of the games. Unfortunately,cosmetics like costumesaren’t something you can find in loot.
1Humans Are Monsters
Similar toThe Walking Dead, one of the core ideas inThe Last of Usgames is to fight the “dead” and fear the living. Humans are just as deadly and horrifying as the literal monsters that hunt what remains of mankind.
BothThe Last of Usgames are filled withdark, sadistic characterswho won’t hesitate to steal, torture, and kill. It’s a nightmarish world out there and if players aren’t careful, they may lose themselves to violence and becomes the very monster they wish to destroy.
