The Last of Us reinvigorates the survival horror genre

What’s great about The Last of Us is that even though its story and gameplay mechanics are familiar, it manages to feel refreshing and it feels like something I’ve never played before.

[majiebeast]

Shinji Mikami must be happy.

[arbitor365]

- low resources
- intense difficulty
- a dark, brutal tone

it is survival horror. plain and simple

[HammadTheBeast]

I could say the same for Dark Souls or Demons Souls. But it doesn't completely work out now.

[arbitor365]

actually, when you think about it, the "souls" games are essentially survival horror games in a fantasy setting. I have always insisted this.

there is some pretty horrific stuff in them and they are bleak as hell.

[-MD-]

Survival yes but horror? Game doesn't seem like it's going out of its way to scare you.

Creepy situations, sure, but horror? Nah. Regardless it's in my top 3 most anticipated. Anything that doesn't have regenerating health and limited ammo is much appreciated.

[yesmynameissumo]

It's what you consider to be horror. A world incased in either military "safe" zones or infected, split headed monsters, all the while not being able to trust a damn soul...that seems like survival horror to me.

[coolbeans]

If we're going to make the term "horror" that ambiguous, we may as well toss in practically every post-apocalyptic game that isn't FPS-based.

[yesmynameissumo]

What's ambiguous about anything I described?

[coolbeans]

I don't think you understood my point: I'm not calling your description vague, but instead implying that your reasoning actually makes the term "survival horror" all the more--unnecessarily--open to interpretation.

It may have those elements, like practically every 3rd-person post-apocalyptic game does, but that doesn't mean it's actually a survival horror title.

[yesmynameissumo]

A game doesn't have to have zombies or monsters or alternate demon realms to strictly be considered survival horror. Thing is, we don't get that nowadays. It's either zombies or monsters, too much action, co-op or all of the above. TLoU looks to be a genuine survival horror in that, by default, you're surviving both people and infected. Post apocalyptic has no bearing what so ever on the genre. It's the setting. Just my two cents.

[coolbeans]

"A game doesn't have to have zombies or monsters or alternate demon realms to strictly be considered survival horror."

Okay, sure. I'm certainly not speculating against that.

"Thing is, we don't get that nowadays. It's either zombies or monsters, too much action, co-op or all of the above. TLoU looks to be a genuine survival horror in that, by default, you're surviving both people and infected."

This is what essentially fuels my point made against you and others that have posted here also representing your side: a lack of genuine survival horror games is what leads to many swinging from X to Y reason in order to consider this as part of the genre, which shouldn't be happening.

"Post apocalyptic has no bearing what so ever on the genre. It's the setting."

Technically, I never said it did. The consistency of saying that term is there to point out what survival horror elements are in other post-apoc titles, yet are officially deemed "survival adventures." Given all the gameplay shown for this one, the same term should apply.

[generic-user-name]

Have you seen the fungus things, those are pretty horrific if you ask me.

That damn clicking.

[Transporter47]

This game looks amazing, after i see what The Evil Within has i want to play that game as well, looks like they are doing survival horror right again!

[pat_11_5]

The last of us for me is survival horror done in a new way. It's less about scaring you and more about tension. To me, that's still horror.

I'm posting my interview with Eric Monacelli in about a half hour. He speaks about this alot.

[DigitalRaptor]

This is exactly it. Tension permeates the atmosphere of the game world. Even though there will be parts of the game where traditional survival horror is paramount (e.g. the Boston skyscraper demo), most of the actual horror is in the tension and feelings that are transferred through player actions and the intense desperation of just needing to survive on scarce resources.

The AI is so remarkably apt, that trying to survive feels real because the people (or things) you are fighting (or avoiding) feel so damn real. The decisions the AI makes is based precisely on what decision you make if they've spotted you. It gives me the chills just watching how realistic they act, but imagine playing it.

So whilst this isn't PURE survival horror like Mikami's The Evil Inside (which is pretty bizarre, but pure fantasy horror), it retains the survival horror vibe, whilst being a survival action/adventure game at heart.

Keep us posted about the interview Pat, nice one!

[Irishguy95]

Suspense and tension are general aspects of thrillers not horrors. Horrors can utilize them too though. The difference being Horror has to be build up to scare you and not just for the sake of suspense, alot of genre's can pull suspense into it too, even drama(soaps for example)

just sayin'

[zerocrossing]

It can't be "Survival Horror" without the horror aspect, sure The Last of Us looks to be tense but there's really nothing I've heard or seen that's anymore horrific going on in it than most other post apocalyptic games.

[clintagious650]

I would say it is also horror aswell because of the infected. They are just like zombies but worse because they are actually dead but are alive in a way that they are being possessed by the fungus. Plus having runners who are basically like zombies but they can think & then you have clickers who are blind but got very sensitive ears & they can kill you with one bite. That alone is horrifying.

Shinra Tensei

[WeskerChildReborned]

Sounds good, i'm looking forward to this and Evil Within.

[FRA85]

hard for me say having not played the game but everything i've heard and read about it i think it can fit into a survival horror style of game but still very different than your silent hills and resident evils(1-3).

hope this game can live up to its hype, been looking forward to it for a while now.

[pat_11_5]

That's how I felt. It adopts familiar mechanics but somehow makes them feel fresh.