Tech Analysis: The Last of Us

Has the first "next-gen" quality experience arrived on a current-gen console? Digital Foundry on The Last of Us

[Walker]

Best Looking Game Ever !

[MidnytRain]

It might've been had it been in 1080p. I don't know if it's just my TV, but on my 1080p screen the aliasing can get pretty bad at times. Other than that, it's a gorgeous game.

[Walker]

Turn down your tv's sharpness

[MidnytRain]

I toned down my sharpness and it made a big difference. Thanks!

[starchild]

Yeah, best looking game I have played on a console.

[Grave]

I agree. It is a sight to behold. It doesn't look like inFamous SS granted, but ya it's one of the sharpest games on a console. Some of the cutscenes look almost like live-capture.

[TechnicianTed]

It's a gorgeous looking game, the level design is outstanding. I've been taking my time going through the game, just soaking up the atmosphere and not rushing through.

I loved the Uncharted series but I think The Last of Us is on a totally different level.

[jokia005]

The best game of this gen!!!

[plaZeHD]

Best animations and enemy AI EVER. It even exceeds PC games by a mile.

[inmusicutrust]

Yea I love the cover system its so simple and effective. And the way if you are in cover with ellie or tess they kind of stack up and huddle together. Just such good little details.

[Human Analog]

I agree 100%, and love the game. But they still have the creepy eyeball reflections from Uncharted.

[inmusicutrust]

A lot of textures in their games tends to look glossy. Hardly noticable unless you're looking for it.

[Human Analog]

I know.... It is not a complaint. I just remember when Uncharted 2 came out. This place (N4G) blew up over the eye reflections. I was just trying to joke about how petty it was. I guess it was a bit obscure.

[zeddy]

cant wait to see what naughty dog do on the ps4, whether its uncharted or something else. its worth getting a ps4 just for to see what they do.

[chcolatesnw]

amen to that.
naughty dog has given me the best gaming experiences i've had to date with uncharted 2/3 and last of us. uc1 was meh for me

[devwan]

There's a wonderful technique for removing jaggies around the characters vs the backdrop. It's not simply anti-aliasing, it has an eerie little light/shimmer to it, no idea how they did it but it's super effective, especially around Joel's hair. A little thing to some maybe, but it's these things that stand out for me.

There's still the occasional pop-up and rare flicker of objects (sometimes when looking through doorways), but it's incredibly beautiful to look at and has you wondering just how they managed it on a system with such aging specs... all more weight against the silly arguments of PC gamers saying next gen consoles are only equivalent to current mid-range gaming PCs - direct comparisons like that are flawed due to the overheads of PC OS demands and non-standard hardware across systems.

Of course where the game really stands out is the acting/storytelling/believable characters and relationships. Better than many highly rated films/tv series.

[Elated_Blackman]

i completely hated the ending. but the rest of the game was amazing. i love the way it taught me to fear the clickers and encounters with other humans. but i have multiple issues with the ending and im disappointing that naughty dog went that route.

[Montrealien]

I can't wait to play this game!