The Last of Us Part 2 Reaches Uncanny Valley In This Comparison of Real-Life Character Model

The Last of Us Part 2 was finally revealed with a proper gameplay footage at Sony's E3 2018 press conference.

[chrisx]

the magic of the naughty gods at work.

[pcz]

Uncanny valley is not good. It means almost right but something is missing and therefore unsettling.

The characters still look like hollow, soulless puppets mimicking humans.

You can disagree, but in the future when they do actually make a life-like simulation of a human, you will see how fake these characters look.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

pcz - Uncanny valley is not a flattering term, you are correct. But 'soulless puppets mimicking humans'? Bit harsh mate.

How about you admire the effort ND puts into their games, there's not many out there that do it better.

imadood - Who's meat is worth ducking in the gaming industry? SSM? ND? KojPro? GG? Insomniac? CDPR?

Give credit where credit is due, you'll feel a lot better.

[notachance]

pretty sure when the article said "REACHES uncanny valley" they focused on the almost right part, but nvm that let's open our dictionary and because the meaning included "something missing" part and this article is totally not about graphical fidelity let's focus on the something missing part.

[salmonade]

When Ellie smiles it looks real and comfortable ASF

[purpleblau]

The amount of dislikes tells me that the majority of people didn't understand what Uncanny valley is and what you just explained. True, it might take a PS6 to finally reach that quality.

[KickSpinFilter]

It’s still off putting but this is probably the best version of an animation almost avoiding Uncanny Valley. Author seems to think UV is something a dev wants to achieve. It is not, one wants to avoid it.

[Christopher]

Uncanny valley is good, actually, as it measures reality. Reaching it is bad, but measuring in comparison to it is absolutely good. It's a necessary measurement for gaming in general. They want people to know these are video game characters, not actual humans. The whole point of uncanny valley is to show when you go too far.

The author should have said 'approaches' uncanny valley, but even that is incorrect as it's extremely obvious that these are CGI. The realistic element of environment and textures isn't close to reality yet.

[Cobra951]

You're describing the phenomenon quite well. But it doesn't have to happen, and I don't know that it happens here, in this game. The headline is misleading, because the story only details the work done. There is no negative judgment expressed or implied.

Edit: There seems to be a misunderstanding about "uncanny valley", which is always a negative judgment. Realism or near-realism doesn't have to go there. It needs to feel weird, provoke some anxiety--you know, it must feel uncanny. Otherwise, the term doesn't apply.

[DialgaMarine]

Ok? Standards are constantly changing, but for the current standards, these are excellent.

[rainslacker]

The term uncanny valley is usually misused in such a way, as it does mean that something is offthat breaks the realism.

I do not agree that these models and how they're used make them seem like soulless puppets.

Looking at them, I wouldn't say they avoid the uncanny valley, but they're about as good as it gets for modern gaming hardware.

[Relientk77]

Naughty Dog are game wizards. It's insane

[NotanotherReboot]

Too bad about their politics...

[BiggerBoss]

@frinker

Their politics?

If a lesbian couple makes you THAT uncomfortable bro, then you need to get a grip on reality.

[pcz]

People said the same when LA Noir came out, now it looks pretty laughable.

Last of us is no different. In 10 years time you will realise what I said was true, because by then there will be games that are far more realistic.

If you actually scrutinize the characters, they are robotic because the animation doesn't have the seamless fluidity of movement that humans have. We don't ever stop moving or jar in a fraction of a second from one stance to the next, we are in perpetual, movement. The game doesn't capture a living breathing being in a moment in time, it's merely a collection of polygons moving from animation A to B with a very obvious cue.

There are lots of other details that last of us simply doesn't capture in order to claim it's like real. It's not, it's very un real, that's why it falls into the uncanny valley.

Also the characters never seem to actually make eye contact, it's like they are all staring right through eachother into space... no human connection, so again, destroys the illusion and reveals
the holloww, soulless puppetry of it all.

Of course it's great what ND achieved, but come on, it's not like it could be confused with actual life ha

[Zeke68]

Do you always live in the future? Most of us live in the present and are happy we get great games like this one. Stop the downplaying of the great work Naughty Dog did up to this day. If you just want to troll this thread you better leave it alltogether.
Ofc everything is better looking in the future but this is very impressive considering its PS4 PRO footage. Don't forget that in your reasoning. 😉

[dreue]

Sorry but you are very wrong..... Even now the last of us looks great.... Of courae if you compare to games in 20 years from now.... But dude give props where it is deserved..... Also lets talk about Crack shit no? That looks good right? Come on

[Snakeking33]

Man know body is trying to read that book you type

[RedDevils]

Go home Mcfly.

[Razzer]

"Last of us is no different. In 10 years time you will realise what I said was true, because by then there will be games that are far more realistic. "

That is true for EVERY game. You are just now coming to this realization?

[Mulando]

yeah, uncanny means that it doesn't look good at all because of to much realism but something is missing so your brain tells you all the time something is not right. (luxury-problems ;) )

Just look at all those realistic looking games from the past. Today they just look outdated, while other games, that are less realistic looking aged very well.

[KickSpinFilter]

Your definition of UC is right on
You win comments award!!
GOW 3 I always use as an example
Aphrodite scene to be peticular

[-Foxtrot]

I wonder why they didn't use the Shannon Woodward if she's voicing and I'm guessing acting as her, they could easily make her look younger in the game.

[Rimeskeem]

Jesus

[UltraNova]

Imagine how tloU 3 will look on ps5 and a new engine will look! Damn!

[Rimeskeem]

They will use game models to develop new humans LMAO

[UltraNova]

Why do you laugh? I can totally see that in the far future. See Westworld...

[Crazyglues]

I'm still trying to imagine how good it's going to look on my PS4 and now you want me to think about PS5... - Ok, you happy, I have official blown my mind ...LoL

[VenomUK]

The character faces in the E3 trailer have gone beyond the uncanny valley. It’s what helps the emotions come across so well.

[ArchangelMike]

That's actually quite awesome. She's a cheeky little minx isn't she? I wonder if how 'DIna' will compare.

[NecrumOddBoy]

I think Jessie in Detroit nailed it down.

[UCForce]

The character model in The Last of Us Part 2 is just the next level.

[SuperSonic91]

True next generation graphics.

[russo121]

No resolution, no fps, no powaofthacloud can achieve this greatness!

[InKnight7s]

CLOUD POWAAAAAAAA-----> Vegeta BS.

[The 10th Rider]

Does the writer of the article realize that "uncanny valley" is a negative term? It's not used to say something looks really good, it's used to say something looks similar to real life humans, but subtle differences elicit a negative, unsettling, feeling.

Things don't even need to appear like real life to hit the uncanny valley, and things can look very realistic without falling into the uncanny valley. For instance, with the new Warner Bros. movie "Mowgli", some people say the animals faces hit the uncanny valley because they use a blend of motion capture/human faces and animal faces. I personally didn't have a problem with it, but others expressed the sentiment that it was creepy or offputting because of the mesh between looking human and looking un-human.

With The Last of Us 2, and most of their recent work, Naughty Dog has been able to put forth incredibly detailed human models while *avoiding* the uncanny valley, which is an impressive feat. I think their animations and attention to realistic detail is just so unmatched in the industry that they're able to put forth close to photorealistic games while staying away from that unnatural feeling that the uncanny valley refers to.

Edit: Lol @ the disagrees. I'm saying Naughty Dog's work looks great, but criticizing the author of this article for using a term he doesn't understand. A quick Google search will show that it's a poor use of the term "uncanny valley".

[Rip-Ridah]

I think the disagrees may be misunderstanding the term as well. I feel what you mean and I wholeheartedly agree with you The 10th Rider.

[Bathyj]

You are technically correct.

The best kind of correct.

[BeardedPriest]

It is funny how the title confused me so much, thanks for reassuring me that I am not crazy.

[n1kki6]

Yeah.i just wrote the same tg hjng before seeing your comment. Obviously the author doesnt know what uncanny valley is or he is insulting the game.

[Vanfernal]

I get where you're coming from. It makes it sound like the uncanny valley is something you strive to reach. When in reality the uncanny valley is something you "fall" into. You want to be in either side of the uncanny valley, not actually IN IT. So saying that Naughty Dog reached the uncanny valley is like "They f*cked up and got unsettling character's as a result"

[rainslacker]

What it comes down to is making sure that the animations and lighting aren't off putting, and everything blends well together.

Another term that's often used is that animation is exaggeration. If you watch close, you'll see that despite the natural movements, some things are still.exaggerated. If an animator can get the real and the exaggeration synced up to feel real, then they avoid the uncanny valley....at least on that particular aspect.

[The 10th Rider]

Yeah, oftentimes in games with custom characters I go right for exaggerated eyes, mouth, nose, etc . . . because it often looks better than an awkward, poorly animated "realistic" looking custom character. Obviously that's not the case for all games, but I've found it to work for most games I've played.

[XxSPIDEYxX]

Sony Studios are literally competing against themselves, and the results are soo beautiful.

[Bathyj]

No one's competing with Naughty Dog except maybe Pixar or Dreamworks.

[AmUnRa]

no, look at Guerrilla (Horizon zero dawn) and Santa Monica (God of War) they are up there with Naughty Dog..

[Bathyj]

Hmmm, while those games are magnificent, and impressive all the more for being open world (ish for GoW) nothing is reaching Naughty Dog levels for facial animation, character animation, world interaction, the feeling of really being there in the world. Textures, lighting, story, acting. I could go on.

ND are just a different level. I'm not convinced they're even human.

[rivaldoo777]

I agree. ND is on a league of their own. Ths presence of ND inspires all Sony first party studios to reach that standard. And when they think they reached that level, ND is once again ahead of them. It is pretty crazy cuz GG, SSM , SP are all half or one generation ahead from other studios out there in terms of artistic animation and technical achievements.

[DialgaMarine]

Guerila. Santa Monica, and Sucker Punch all have excellent standards. I’d say they’re all doing doing pretty good creating the next new standard for PlayStation.

[Kabaneri]

Thats the most photorealistic toucan Ive ever seen in a game.

[Jinger]

Lol oh you!

[doggo84]

Lol!

[Bathyj]

I think lesbians don't mind that

[Relientk77]

Lol Ellie kisses birds confirmed

[MasterCornholio]

Doesn't that thing get in the way?

:P

[fluxmulder]

Not hot enough.

[Gh05t]

Really? Uncanny Valley?

Its great but it's not even close to uncanny valley level. Stop exaggerating.

We can clearly see it's not uncanny valley because uncanny valley means people would be turned off by how it looks and everyone I know wants to play this game.

[UCForce]

The thing is that the character model much more detail. Their facial expressions can feel the pain when they got shot by arrow and the enemy got confused when they spotted Ellie. Blood and gore are very detailed and realistic. Remember The Last of Us Part 2 is not over the top like others game. But it’s very realistic.

[Gh05t]

I agree it's very realistic but that's not what the term "uncanny valley" means.

Uncanny Valley is when something fake is so real that a human finds it revulsive or gets uneases around it. If people want to play this game then by definition it can't be uncanny valley.

[rainslacker]

Not really turned off. Just that something may be unsettling about it. Like just owe thing may exist which makes the subconscious feel that something is off.

It doesn't have to be a bad thing, and the uncanny valley can be avoided by skillfully making sure that the realism isn't so extensive that it puts one off. For instance, uncharted lost legacy had great character models, but they didn't always mesh with the overall look of the game. Chloe's face to use a particular example. This is a bad thing, and it comes from trying to hard to make the characters appear realistic. This trailer didn't exhibit that characteristic.

A more glaring example.would be beyond two souls. The sheik just looked out of.place to the clothes he was wearing. The face and animations were life like to even things you see today. It was unsettling.and uncomfortable and so it was a bad thing.

That's the uncanny valley.

[Muzikguy]

That’s pretty amazing what they’ve been able to do. On another note I’ve never quite got why people keep saying these girls are ugly. Cascina seems like a very interesting girl. Definitely full of personality that’s for sure

[Hardiman]

I think they are attractive as well .

[rainslacker]

I don't think either are ugly, but based on the brief talk of the one, she seems like the kind.of girl who is just going around playing with people's hearts. Apparently her and Ellie had a relationship before, but the they didn't but Ellie was pining over her. Then they kissed and Ellie was all.happy. made Ellie seem she might be a bit of a codependent and her friend being the kind of person who is kind of controlling and will say whatever she thinks people want to hear.

Of course, this was based on just a few lines of dialogue..

[Hardiman]

Damn now that's impressive! When this game rolls out I'm sure our collective minds will be blown! They are technical wizards and master storytellers, the elite!

[Papafynn]

I don't think you know what "Uncanny Valley" means. It suggests that the digital model appears almost human but something you can't quite place makes it "uncanny", weird or eerie. Think Tom Hanks in Polar Express
I don't think that is the case in this comparison

[chiefJohn117]

Those two don't like bones in their fish 😂

[AmUnRa]

Not funny, realy not funy.

[chiefJohn117]

You know you deep down you was ROFL. At least giggled, my co-worker said that to another when she was telling us about her gf. I was roflmao

[microgenius]

When it comes to graphics no one come close to Naughty God

[Signal13]

Uncanny Valley doesn’t mean what you think it means, guy.

[n1kki6]

Did they really mean uncanny valley? I think this looks too good to be uncanny valley. uncanny valley is heavy rain.

[SanFranfreako]

They are really going for the homely ladies look arn’t they...

[OffRoadKing]

Most lesbians are homely looking.

[Segata]

Unless it's porn

[Signal13]

Whatever faggot, Ellie and her biddie are both cute

[Hungryalpaca]

@signal

Does that 13 represent your age?

[BiggerBoss]

I'm guessing that you typed this from your Mom's basement? Your tendies and hot pockets will be done soon.

[OffRoadKing]

No, I typed it from your moms basement, let that sink in little guy.

[AK91]

But they look very similar.

[Einhander1971]

The only puppets are on this forum, the facial expression and detail is above and beyond. You’d be lucky if u could render a match stick man. Take a powder and desolve and troll some where else.

[welly300]

Naughty dog gods of the gaming world. Hope its out this year...

[Braindeadninja]

Does the writer even knows the meaning of uncanny valley? Uncanny valley means models are photorealistic but still doesn't look perfect or something is missing.

[dreue]

People here down pkay the work of nd just show that you guys have no idea on how gaming development works, as well as 3d modeling and animations.... Dude show me a game vetter than this? Even from the pc? Also needs to be done not alpha bla bla

[Gh05t]

Or most of us just understand what "uncanny valley" means and are pointing out that the author is using it incorrectly and the rest of you are defending an author who clearly has no idea what it means, didnt defend the statement anywhere in the article and has a bad editor as well.

[dreue]

Ya, i understand that, but jeeezzzz i never see this stuff in other games.... Just let the devs work... And whne the game is out lets see.... Im just tired pf all the downplay to sony exclusives... That all....

[Gh05t]

"i never see this stuff in other games...."

" Im just tired pf all the downplay to sony exclusives..."

1) I said it was realistic, it will be played and enjoyed by millions, but its not Uncanny Valley.

2) Please, go visit any Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves or State of Decay 2 article and tell me you dont see people downplaying the games.

[Akarogg]

You totally misunderstood his point

[woozy]

yep we already there with 1.84tf machine and ps4 exclusives will be first to show it in real game not a tech demo, i knew that would be the case back when quantic showed sorcerrer demo, to me death stranding character model looks even better then last of us.

[Gatsu]

That is incredible...

[The_Sage]

I don't think the title is right. Uncanny valley is when something looks human but is unsettling because there's something you perceive consciously, or subconsciously that tells you it's not human. That Japanese teaching robot for example. That thing gives me the creeps.

I never got any uncanny valley feeling from The Last of Us Part 2 at all.

[thisismyaccount]

Pfui deibel hat di a hessliche nos.

[2pacalypsenow]

That girl taking up all the oxygen.

[obidanshinobi]

Really, I think the faces seem to be getting worse, looking more plastic, shiny and with less details like pores and facial hair.

[rainslacker]

Women don't usually have facial hair. And pores wouldn't be that apparent on people that don't get to bathe that much.

[Tonykid]

Uncanny Valley is not the phrase they should be using in this context.

[mogwaii]

This moron clearly doesn't know what uncanny Valley even means. What a. Shit article and a waste of Time.

[CobraKai]

Sorry Ellie, but you girlfriend’s a dog. At least she’s rendered beautifully.

[Dizzy11523]

Well, Ellie or whatever her name is, might be gay but she still has awful taste. Yuck.

[PurpHerbison]

The faces look pretty good but something is seriously off with the asian guy.

[Protagonist]

I do not think the writer understands the term uncanny valley since it is something that suggests humanoid objects which appear almost, but not exactly, like real human beings elicit uncanny, or strangely familiar, feelings of eeriness and revulsion in observers.

[Biunpe05]

"Reaches Uncanny Valley " WTF does that even mean???

[Kocurstvo]

Whats wrong with this world? Why should be a lesbian romance in this game????? What would be wrong of being there the classic heterosexual relationship? I wont buy this game just cause this cause I am not going to support such stupidity of nowadays homosexual hysteria. And of course, the significant other seems to be muslim. Shame on you Naughty Dog

[FunAndGun]

Later gator!

[sypher]

Why are they making the character models uglier than the actual people playing them? Weird decision...

[Sm3000]

Nailed the nose

[King_Lothric]

When game directors and developers can't believe your game is real, you know you are in for another masterpiece.

"is not about buying studios, is about delivering masterpieces"
- Me

[Mega_Volnutt]

They actually made her prettier in the game. Not saying she's ugly, just a curiosity.

[mastershredder]

Scanning your assets and their behaviors is real wizardry. :/

If I'll give anyone kudos at naughty dog, it'll be their environmental artists.

[rainslacker]

Scanning and capturing movement is only a coupke.steps in the overall process. They still have to put the textures on the scanned models, nd get lighting right so it looks realistic. Make sharers so the textures look good.

For capturing, there is still a lot of work that goes into fine tuning the animations so they don't appear off, because the capture tech isn't always perfect.

[2ndhandcorn]

Dude with the nose came out ok bored allready .

[BondJames]

MEH

[shauzy]

jesus, i thought the nose was big in game only

[Dixiedevil]

The uncanny valley is in her nostrils.