The Last Of Us is ‘not a zombie game’ – Naughty Dog

Naughty Dog explain how The Last Of Us is a love story, not a zombie game – and insist that they’re not even going for horror...

[TrevorPhillips]

I want this game!

Naughty Dog are by far my favourite game company! :D

[buddymagoo]

How can people disagree, they are the most acclaimed studio in recent years. Again with the Sony hate??

[OC_MurphysLaw]

@buddymangoo... I don't think that is Sony hate, I just think that is other people saying they have other developers that are their favorite over Naughty Dog. Bioware comes to mind for me.

[AntoineDcoolette]

If Jesus said it, then I believe it.

[_Aarix_]

Don't be quick to assume Sony hate especially when 95% of it are Sony fans.

[Biggest]

What does that even mean, _Aarix_?

[_Aarix_]

I meant 95% of people here love Sony and naughty dog. Here, on N4g. I meant dont assume the disagrees from naughty dog are because they hate the studio..thats all

[sikbeta]

Game will be awesome, people who whine about "teh zombiez" is the same that pay 10 bucks to get teh zombiez in their CODs, lol stop b***ing for a moment...

[Shane Kim]

Agreeing with sikbeta.

[crxss]

@_Aarix_ "I meant dont assume the disagrees from naughty dog are because they hate the studio" ND hates themselves? lol you're 0-2 man and you're out of bubbles.

anyways I guess they're not technically "zombies"... but if you make them act like em and look like them then people are going to call them zombies rather than "pollen infected people".

[SSKILLZ]

It's the 12 year old Xbox cod players bro

[Veneno]

@ crXss

You are totally right. they're zombies. It's a cop-out that many filmakers and game-makers use as an excuse to kill humans. we feel bad about killing normal humans, but we don't feel bad about killing infected humans that don't look human at all.

Very few works of fiction are bold enough to get gritty and tell a real story of man vs. man. Fist of the Northstar and the recent film "The Road" come to mind and are similar to Last of US in its post-apocalyptic survival concept.

But then again, this is Naughty Dog, masters of games and story-telling. I'm really hype for this game but not gonna lie, I think they are too scared to get real dark and gritty and go to those dark places of humanity that we are really scared of. Heavy Rain I feel made a great effort into this darker place. ND can really learn from Quantic Dream in this area.

[rezzah]

Sony hate or not it is their opinions, no matter how dumb it may seem to you.

[Kurt Russell]

I disagreed because they're not my favourite. They're great - but I have another favourite. That's how I can disagree.

[Ares84HU]

When an artist has to explain their work, there is something wrong.

I am a big ND fan ever since the first Crash Bandicoot. ND is known to make colorful fun and happy games. This new game is so not their style, it's like Polyphony Digital started making a fighting game. From the trailer they showed it looks to be a survival horror game and reminds me of I Am Legend. In all honesty I'm really not happy with this game and I'm suure that this game is the reason behind Uncharted 3's short lenght. I just hope that after this ND will return to what they are known for. There are enough depressed monster games out there. This is not what I expected from them and it is not in a direction I would like them to go.

[-Superman-]

Well those are not zombies.
Those are Infected. Infected can infect human, can kill it and runs fast. Smart.

Zombies are very slow, they cant infect human, very stupid and moves masses. So this game seems to be more like 28 days later and i am legend, than some dead rising game.

Infected >>> Zombies

Glad ND makes Story game.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

@Superman... Ummm, there are different takes on Zombies out there. Not all consider them slow moving for the record. Have you not played Left 4 Dead? Those zombies are fast as hell. Also, zombie lore as it stands is that yes... if you get bit by a zombie, the infection will eventually kill you and take over your body turning you into a zombie. It's how the zombie plaque spreads...its highly infectious.

[irepbtown]

Definition of Zombie;

A soulless corpse.

Infected;

The colonization of a host organism by parasite species.

[Brownghost]

There kinda the same, They both move fast, They infect people, There both mindless. The trailer made them look like mindless animals and most movies and games give them the ability to infect people

[creatchee]

Are people really arguing about the difference between zombies and infected?

Here's a scenario:

It's the end of the world and you and your friend (let's call him Clay) are scavenging for supplies at a long-abandoned hardware store. As you exit the store with armfuls of lumber and household supplies, a group of fast-moving and somewhat humanoid creatures approach from the parking lot.

You: "OMG Clay run! Zombies!"

Clay: (Looks at incoming horde) "There not zombies, they're infected!"

You: "What the hell is the difference?"

Clay: "Well you see a zomb-"

Aaaaaaaaaand you're both overwhelmed and/or eaten alive.

tl;dr who gives a crap?

[-Alpha]

It really doesn't matter what you think they are (I absolutely define them as zombies)

What Naughty Dog is trying to get away from is the connotation of what a zombie game implies. We associate zombies and zombie scenarios a very certain way, and Naughty Dog isn't going for that kind of "zombie game"

It is a game in which there are "zombies", but that does not mean Naughty Dog is limiting themselves to what is already commonly associated with zombie games.

This is also what people mean when they say "It's just another zombie game". They are assuming that the game revolves around the generic "run from zombies, shoot them" mentality, but ND makes it clear that the focus is entirely different

[-Superman-]

Zombies = Slow, stupid and cant infect humans.

Infected = Runs fast, can infect human, smarter than zombie(like in trailer).

Vampires = Needs blood, kills humans, CAN infect humans, movement speed can be fast too.

Mutants = Ye, like flower head, but also Mutants has powers. There are no mutants, without any powers. Like Xmens are called mutants.

[Ducky]

I don't know man... the zombies in Thriller could do choreographed dancing. That's a sign of intelligence.

... they had some quick moves as well.

[YoungKingDoran]

why dont zombies eat each other

[Silver_Faux]

Maybe if zombies and vampires were real mate your argument would hold up, otherwise theyre all open to interpretation. Just look at twilight, i never knew vampires could be soft cocks but hey there it is.

[cjflora]

I can see your arguement, except for the can't infect humans part. I don't know that I've ever run into zombie lores where the zombies can't infect humans.

Read the Zombie Survival Guide. It's a good book, and sets "rules" on what qualifies as a "classic" zombie. The book mentions that zombies are slow and stupid, which is cool that it sets those rules, but as nvm1987 points out it's all fake and open to vary.

In my mind a zombie's and "infected" are the same thing, just different takes on them.

I just read The Strain, which is about vampires, but unlike any vampire I've come across before. These things have parasitic worms in them, and have stingers that shoot out of their mouth to suck the blood of their victims. As long as you have the basic concepts there, a vampire, zombie, werewolf or any other creature lore can vary.

[Spitfire_Riggz]

A love story? heh. So much for a good horror game

[jessupj]

My thought exactly.

I said to myself, "Finally!!! another zombie horror game, but it's actully going to be done right and will be super awesome because it's done by ND."

And now I read "Not a zombie horror game, is a love story instead..... I'm very disappointed.

I don't want another Uncharted with a different story, I want a completely new game with new gameplay and new concepts.

A horror game by ND would have been epic

[Shang-Long]

Insisting that “we’re not going for horror,” Druckmann said the game is instead a sort of love story – “not a romantic love story,” but “a love story about a father-daughter-like relationship.”

Don't be quick to judge. They aren't going for horror, doesn't mean it won't be

[StraightPath]

Wonder what kind of game it is. Survival horror? Or uncharted type of game linear and scripted but with a mature focus?

Some familiarity with Left for dead and dead island but ultimately those two games are over the top and just aim for pure fun.

This could be another cinematic experience from naughty dog. Cant wait.

[Ashby_JC]

Id be interested in a Co Op type od survaval game with the same level of look and feel of Uncharted.

Lots of playable characters. That can die and effect the outcome etc. Some open world elements.

Based on the trailer It screams survival horror...as the dudes or infected looked pretty SCARY and they looked to e trying to survive.

[andibandit]

what you mean what kind of game it is?
they already said "A love story".
think "beauty and the beast".

[showtimefolks]

I am fine either way here is my thing:

people act like we have had too many zombie games but you go ahead and name me a zombie game which was a 95/100 all of them are good not great. I am glad that ND are saying its not another zombie game but if ND do a zombie game they will do it right.

dead rising is good at best
dead island while fun is a mid 7
and what else? download able titles? COD zombie modes?

go ahead and name a AAA zombie game where the story actually made sense? the best zombie game is LFD and that doesn't even have a story.

ND are the best developers in gaming today #1 every other developer is after them and yes that makes me sound like a ND fanboy but they have yet to disappoint us their games and who knows their 2nd studio could be hard to work on JAK4 i wish

FatOldMan

i agree i think we just need to give it more time, we still don't know most of the stuff about this game. There are too many unknowns. This is a rated M game if i am not wrong so expect something stellar from ND.

yeh i know LFD has a story but its not told as traditional stories with cutscenes and stuff. but right now LFD is the best zombie game in the market. RDR undead is good but the repetition kind of made it dull after a while. but the ending was awesome

[Ducky]

L4D has a story.
As for an AAA zombie game, there's RedDeadRedemption's zombie DLC.
That's about it.

... but I think the main reason people are going 'ugh' is because zombies are something that have appeared a lot. The setting feels kind of stale to some.

It'd be the same feeling if ND was making a military shooter. Sure, the game could turn out great... but the initial reaction is 'why not pick something more creative'.

Personally, I'm liking their direction since I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic settings, but I can understand why some people don't share the same enthusiasm.
Perhaps some opinions will change when more details/footage is released.

[Ashby_JC]

Im a huge zombie fan and ALSO a HUGE end of the world scenario fan.

I welcome I full big budget game with these elements.

I agree that the zombie themed games we have had were GOOD...but not great.

L4D...fun and good
Dead Island .. Fun and fair/good

I welcome a serious take on the end of world theme this trailer seems to be going for. As for them saying they are NOT zombies..ok cool.

BUT they sure as hell didnt look to be regular humans.

I call BS on them saying its not HORROR. Ummmm then why have a trailer that spews scares. That thing they shot sure look like something from a horror movie to me. And they were SCARED shitless hiding behind that wall!!!

[Devinchi33]

Resident Evil 4 says hi,

But I do get what you mean. We'll just have to wait and see.

[humbleopinion]

Dude, 4 of the top gaming franchises at least include some kind of take on zombies:
- The headcrabs/zombies in Half Life
- The flood in Halo (which when thinking about it, is basically a zombie apocalypse game in galaxial proportions)
- The necromorphs in Dead Space
- All the creatures in the Resident Evil series (and at least some of these are AAA games)

And then there's L4D, Dead Rising, RDR undead nightmare. You could even play a zombie in Stubbs the zombie... This is probably the most crowded genre after the modern-shooter nowadays

Edit: and recently, also the Draugr in Skyrim, which are based on the Norse myth:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[TVippy]

Nice and important piece of info from this site. A first!

[DigitalAnalog]

REALLY? How interesting? Cordyceps mutated enemies discovered to be not.... zombies? I mean, who would've thought?

**Winces at the "Look it's just another zombie" user comments.....

[kneon]

Even if they were Zombies in the traditional sense I think the point ND is trying to make is that they are not the focus of the game.

[A-Glorious-Dawn]

I'm glad someone pointed that out

[Campy da Camper]

Very good point. I envision a game with infected but not making the whole game sprinting from point a to b. I see a little action but more depth in suvival and hiding in the shadows with some puzzle action perhaps.

[Parapraxis]

Agreed DigitalAnalog, I've been saying that all along.
It's not zombies.

Many people made that argument that if anything comes at you mindlessly in a game, they are to be considered zombies, even if they weren't traditional zombies they are still "zombies" just another type.
If that were the case playing games like Call of Duty on easy would make it a zombie game, playing Batman AC on easy would make it a zombie game, etc tec.

cool video
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[kaveti6616]

I disagree.

I still think they're zombies.

I don't care how they came to be the way they are. Just like in Dead Space, people will say, "those aren't zombies, they're reanimated by an extraterrestrial life form." And the same thing for the Flood in Halo games. They're still zombies.

A human being infected by a fungal spore, who runs at you mindlessly with the intent of killing you and/or eating you is a zombie. Deal with it.

[cjflora]

I find these newer "infected" type zombies much scarier than "classic" zombies because they have a more grounded reason for them existing. It makes it more realistic. I think of mindless, "just came from nowhere" zombies can be frightening, but a zombie who is created because of a strain of virus or even plant is scarier to me because it sounds like something that could happen in real life.

[CoLD FiRE]

@kaveti6616 Except in Halo there's the Gravemind so they're not exactly "mindless".

[smashcrashbash]

They have a point.If it was simply a horror game wouldn't it have been better to not show the monsters at all and just tease them? They could have easily just show people running and hiding while the monsters screech and stomp around where you couldn't see them. The monsters are probably not the main point of the game

[Series_IIa]

Ironically you've just described the thriller genre...

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I think there attempt to differentiate this game kinda falls on def ears for me. This game most certainly is going to focus on the infected and how they survive. Cutscenes may take on more of the "love relationship they described" but don't be fooled...this game will be about killing infected, escaping from the infected and solving puzzles to survive/escape/cure the infected. A game just about a love relationship between a father and daughter would sell next to nothing. A game about a love relationship between a father and daughter trying to survive in a world ravaged by a crazy infection that turns people against (aka I am Legend) could sell tons...because of the conflict the infection presents and not their love story.

[crazyclown]

well said no joke

[sjaakiejj]

If you've ever seen "The Road", you'll know how to think about this game. It's not really going to focus on the infected. Sure, you might have to kill them once in a while, but the majority of the game is going to be about survival.

[KonaBro]

call them zombies. More so mutated humans driven purely by the basest of human instincts. Like the infected in 28 Days Later, I believe that's the kind of enemies we will be dealing with here, not your typical shuffling zombie.

[admiralthrawn87]

zombies still. quit giving naughty dog the benefit of the doubt just for being naughty dog. those are zombies. whether they are the sprinting zombies or the slow walking zombies. they are zombies.

[Games4M - Rob]

What defines then as zombies rather than monsters or mutants ?

Answer - you dont know, so stop acting like you know better than they guys who are developing the game.

[admiralthrawn87]

@Games4M they can call them whatever they want in the fiction. The characteristics they show in the trailer are in line with every other zombie stereotype. Sure i can make a "zombie" movie but call them flesh eaters from another planet, they'll still classify as zombies.

@below still ignoring the fact that its more about characteristics. It doesn't matter what put them in the state they are in, the fact remains they act like zombies.

This is N4G so an enormous amount of phantom disagrees is expected. You just look over that.

[peeps]

" They are typically depicted as mindless, reanimated corpses with a hunger for human flesh"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

This is the point some are trying to get across.. a zombie is a reanimated corpse but the 'monsters' in last of us are infected from this fungus virus.

[Nitrowolf2]

Honestly I say we wait a little bit more.
People keep saying they are zombies and such from that trailer.

I'll agree with some of that, but there's a lot more to be seen really.

My theory is that these are actually a well organized and strategic new breed of whatever. The characters were both on the 4th floor of the apartment buildings, if the other two so called zombies went to eat the dead guy in the room(we don't even see that) then I don't think the two characters would have escaped if they only had 2 bullets left in their gun, which they used on the first floor halfway,meaning the other two things had to be somewhere else when the first one dies and not in the room next to them.

IDK that's just my take on the trailer. I'm thinking these guys don't infect others based on biting or simply touch, even though the thing did try to bite the guy, it could have simply gone in to kill them.

If we know anything about cordyceps it's that they'll take a hold of the body of a species and use it until it is dead.

So zombies are undead creatures, meaning they were living once, but now they are dead and somehow moving.

These guys are living creatures, but will ultimately die out by over use of the body.

that's my theory, which honestly doesn't make them zombies then.

I disagreed with you btw on the fact that you think it's because they are ND that they get the slide. people have defended whether other games have zombies or not such as Silent Hill and even to the extent of claiming that resident Evil zombies should no longer be considered zombies.

I am curious by what characteristics you speak of to. They run like zombies? They run like any other crazy animal with two legs in any game (dead space?). Tried to bite the guy? So do nercomancers in Dead Space, and I'm not100% sure cause I haven't played the game to much but bites don't get you infected.

They seem to rely soley on instinct as well considering that one had no eyes at all so it had to go based off the guy sound, which he made when he was reloading the gun.

I Am Legend monsters weren't really zombies even though they ate people and would even try to infect others. They displayed emotions, thoughts, organizations, typical stuff you would see in our human civilization. They were originally meant to be full vampires though. Like I said I would wait and see before claiming they are zombies.

Though Zombies have been evolving from your original ones. The slow, mindless, and typical zombies just aren't that scary anymore. Film makers and video game developers have all decided that it was time to amp up what a zombie does making them more faster and smart.

Honestly they are beginning to show more characteristics of a vampire rather than a zombie. Have their skin burn in sunlight and we have ourselves a vampire then.

[radphil]

"Sure i can make a "zombie" movie but call them flesh eaters from another planet, they'll still classify as zombies. "

So aliens that eat flesh would be considered zombies? When the hell did this happen?

On topic though for all we know, it could be a mutation. People relate zombies to undead & flesh eating, yet the term is so broad that it resorts to "mindless being".

However people nearly always put that synonymous with undead.

[Parapraxis]

@admiralthrawn87 ZOMBIES ARE DEAD.

"@below still ignoring the fact that its more about characteristics. It doesn't matter what put them in the state they are in, the fact remains they act like zombies. "

So the trolls in Skyrim are ZOMBIES by your standards.
They move slowly and are dumb, thus they are zombies??? What a simple line of thought you have.

[Biggest]

Maybe admiralthrawn87 is on to something! Now that he mentioned it, I always thought that Goombas were zombie-like. There is no disputing that the Bad Dudes, Billy and Jimmy Lee, and Haggar were fighting zombies. Anyone remember that awesome game with the dragons and knee arrows? Everyone was a zombie. I get it now!

[SnotyTheRocket]

but, they're Naughty Dog....

[pr0digyZA]

I think what they are getting at, is that to naughty dog the core of the experience revolves around the love that these two characters have for one another. And how this new world puts them into various situations. The infected are therefore secondary to the core characters. So to them it is not a zombie game (meaning it's not all about the infected).

[wildcat]

*ding ding ding!

We have a winnah, folks, we have a winnah! Step right up!

well said

[Christopher]

@pr0digyZA: Actually, that's exactly the same thing zombie movies do as well. The whole point of the zombie genre is to take away everything but a few people and focus on how they handle the situation and each other when faced with pending doom. Some make the experience a more action-oriented one, but they still focus on the people and their actions with each other.

[wildcat]

@cgoodno

I take their statement as wanting to say don't just expect a post-apocalyptic "zombie" game. Sure, movies have taught us what to expect from anything with zombies in them, but it's safe to expect a videogame to offer a new take on the medium, seeing as their focus is not strictly "zombie-killing."

[Christopher]

@wildcat: Yeah, my point wasn't to say "because that also defines zombie movies, Naughty Dog's game must also be a zombie movie." Just wanted to point out that they at least share the same concept as he was explaining how they differ.

[SweatyFlorida]

@cgoodno I don't think that's gonna be the case with The Last of Us. Typical zombie games are about finding a cure, or they all set out for a refuge or a safe place. Of course you have to have a storyrevolve around the main characters, but the focus is escaping or finding a cure.

TLOU seems to be more about just surviving day to day, they've been doing this for years, chance are they have no intent of finding a cure, or even escaping. It's more like "I am Legend", where Will Smith is just surviving day to day. Meaning it's not just another zombie game.

[Christopher]

***It's more like "I am Legend", where Will Smith is just surviving day to day. Meaning it's not just another zombie game.***

Bit of a nitpick, but both in all of the movies and in the original story by Matheson, Robert Neville, the protagonist, is working on finding a cure. Also, I Am Legend didn't use zombies, the creatures, but more vampire-like and intelligent creatures, but it's still categorized under the "zombie" genre because it forces survivors in a world overrun with similar creatures.

Also, most "zombie" movies aren't about the infected either. They're about the people. The infected are just a catalyst to their human reactions and interactions.

Most "zombie" movies also aren't about a "cure" unless you're talking about the Resident Evil movies. Most "of the Living Dead" movies are about finding a place to live safely away from the zombies. Even the original, Night of the Living Dead, purposefully ended much like a short lived psychological test of sorts without any mention of a "cure" being attempted.

Again, I'm not saying this is a zombie game, but much like the mass majority of zombie media, even The Walking Dead (graphic novel and TV series), the focus is almost always on the people and how they handle and react to the zombies and with one another in a world where they never feel safe. Who will turn on who? How far will you go to save someone? How do you handle the loss of someone, especially when that loss means so much more now? And so on.

[Somebody]

Left 4 Dead :

There are zombies that spit goo at you. Zombies who climb walls and jump at you from far away. Huge zombies that can smash through walls and stampede at people. Female zombies who cry a lot. Zombies who jump onto your back and ride you around.

These are not your typical shuffling zombies and but zombies nonetheless.

[Christopher]

Just to note, 28 Days Later is in the genre of zombie movies. Zombies, as far as a genre, aren't defined by the need to die and then come back to life or anything else specific to Night of the Living Dead. Kind of like how necromorphs in Dead Space aren't zombies, but the game is in the zombie genre.

For example, The Last of Us is supposedly about a fungus that takes over and destroys one's mind. How is that any different than getting bit by a zombie and having whatever is in their saliva destroy your mind?

And, honestly, we don't know enough yet about the game. It could be a huge zombie game (talking genre here) or these guys could be scratching at the surface of some sort of evolved life form that uses humans as hosts.

[death2smoochie]

They are zombies.

[Somebody]

Left 4 Dead.

Huge zombies that crash through walls. Zombies that climb up walls and lunge at humans. Zombies that ride behind people's back. Zombies that spew goo at you.

These are not your typical shuffling zombies but zombies nonetheless.

A love story between two survivors in a post apocalyptic world with human hating monsters/zombies....wasn't there a game similar to this premise just a year ago? Enslaved : Odyssey to the West. It has a big guy who is the tanker/bruiser type and the girl as the stealthy tech master. The world is overrun by robots and they are trying to escape their clutches.

[Nitrowolf2]

The reason why Enslaved is overrun by Robots is cause of the war that nearly ended the world. They aren't really trying to escape their clutches either as the girl is actually holding Monkey against his own will and will only release him after she had returned back home. Then upon going home everyone is dead and she wants revenge once again using Monkey.

There is love to it, but really I wouldn't say they are the same. Plus it's not like we haven't had games with similar plots before enslaved.

[Fishy Fingers]

Just call them "infected", *shazam* no "zombies".

But in all seriousness, we've seen a short trailer and some are going crazy, I'm waiting on more info and there's plenty of games to keep me busy in the meantime.

[TrevorPhillips]

Another thing. Is it just me or does the trailer kinda look like a mixture of 28 days later and I am Legend

[Fishy Fingers]

With a very Left4Dead type of audio score.

Don't know where the zombie comparisons are coming from...

[Noticeably_FAT]

Just because they aren't typical zombies doesn't make them "not zombies".

I think they are just trying to ease all the concern from people about the over-saturated zombie genre.

[JsonHenry]

Call them what you want. They looked like fast moving zombies to me. And I don't care if they were tooth fairies. The trailer made me want the game really bad.

[Hufandpuf]

If there are mindless creature people trying to infect me, they are zombies.

[GraveLord]

Mindless creature people?
Thats a contradiction.

[-EvoAnubis-]

No it's not; it describes about 70% of the commenters here on N4G, actually.

[LightofDarkness]

"Naughty Dog explain how The Last Of Us is a love story, not a zombie game..." And that's me out.

Interesting how they put those together like so, as it says more than you might think at first. If you put it like this, for instance: "Naughty Dog explain how The Last Of Us is a story, not a game". Yes, it removes a little context, but event he original text speak volumes about the game's direction and mission.

All signs are pointing to another attempt at making games more like movies, a trend that does not gel with me. As I've stated in previous articles today, games are removing far too much of the game element in order to deliver a more directed story, slowly coming to a point where they are not games anymore, but glorified "choose your own adventure" books or simply a passive, linear and rigid narrative with director-driven, homogenized interaction (eg. "Press X to fight group of thugs"), as opposed to effectual, defined (ie. less context-sensitive) and player driven interactions (AKA gameplay).

IMO, the latter should always come first in a game, all other things are secondary or even tertiary. That's not to say that story isn't important, or that graphics aren't important; they are both very important in giving a game context and purpose. However, they should never be allowed to compromise the gameplay in any significant way.

[mafiahajeri]

I agree we dont want a movie or interactive movie damn it when will they realize that? We want a game thats fun that we can play with our friends. I mean set piece after set piece we want full control over the character not like you said press a button and then he does something.

Do you know how many people want a zombie type game that you can play with friends? Alot and dont listen to the "hardcore" guys here there like less than a quarter of the gaming community.

Love story!? HUH! ND your starting to tick me off. You have no clue what people want.

[Valkyre]

YOu should apply for a job at Naughty Dog... seems you must be a genius and they would benefit from your services.

Besides Naughty Dog are doing so poorly without you... their games are nominated for GOTY awards they sell millions, but hey... clearly... you know better!

We are so lucky to have you here sharing your wisdom with us!

[wildcat]

No doubt games have been trying to imitate movies for the past two decades. Now, they are just as cinematic.

But think of it as an evolution. In order to evolve, games have to be as cinematic as movies first. Remember when cartoony platformers were the best we had? There was very little emotion that you could match with movies from there.

Now look where we're at. The storytelling is much more involved. Are games not evolving into something better than movies? There is the emotional quality of movies, but with the distinct interactive trait of a video game, which makes the crafted world breathe with life. After this "movie" stage, surely games will offer more hands-on control and malleability, but just don't expect it over night.

[mafiahajeri]

FLAIL FAIL FAIL! The more I hear about this the game the more its sounding bad. Love story?? No horror? ND learn from Guirella games and how they tried to be unique for the sake of being unique with KZ2 and look at the sales there. Looks like my zombie co-op game is going to have to wait...

[Slyfamous]

It has to suck only being able to play one genre.

[wenaldy]

You must be like shooter more than SotC type game.

[GiantFriendlyCrab]

just like uncharted had mutants on some of the chapters, and vice verca on last of us

[Der_Kommandant]

The Road The Game

I can't freaking wait!

[Slyfamous]

I was thinking that same thing, if it is anything like "The Road" then this game is going to blow all comers out the water, no zombies, just humanity destroying it self.

[Panaru]

Huh, good comparison. I loved The Road, but somehow didn't think of it. It's definitely reminiscent of what we've seen/heard of this game so far.

[Veneno]

This is not like "The Road". in that film the father and son are surviving against normal humans with free will that will kill and cannibalize other humans to survive.

last of US has creatures that were once human. they don't have any free will. they just kill. No emotions. This is why many people here are disappointed because the infected are mind controlled. It's much scarier when a person wants to kill you because he chooses to kill you rahter than an empty shell that has no human morality that they go against.

see my comment above

[brettyd]

Holy crap people The Last of Us is not zombies. Its a virus a plaque, the people are sick not dead. NOT ZOMBIES!!!

ZOMBIES = UNDEAD HUMANS

[OC_MurphysLaw]

or... Zombies = tasty cocktails that knock you on your butt!

[VsAssassin]

A mad cow is a cow infected by the mad cow disease; it is rabid and has gone crazy but is still alive, not dead, not a zombie cow. A fungus-infected (Cordyceps-infected) human is still alive but controlled against its will. Think about those ants being controlled to climb a tree before the fungus springs from their heads - alive but will be killed eventually when the fungus finally buds.

[dc1]

Very good point VsAssassin!

[smashcrashbash]

Right so I suppose the Chimera are zombies too right? And the creatures in Infamous 2? I guess they were zombies too right? And the people who were driven crazy in Condemned. By the idiotic logic on N4G I suppose they were zombies too right? They haven't shown them being mindless or undead or infecting anyone with a bite or eating anyone but because you have a group of creatures trying to kill you that automatically makes it a zombie game.

Because the Chimera could make you one of them that makes them zombies too right? I suppose we should categorize Gears and Lost Planet as zombie games too since they are a group of monsters trying to kill you right? I mean does anyone here ever think before they write anything, at all?

@ LightofDarkness Is that what you got from that? How about if it is like Walking Dead that focuses more on the story and people instead of the monsters.I suppose you would prefer it to be a dumb monster killing spree like Dead Island was. Just because the monsters aren't the main focus like in RE that automatically makes it an interactive movie? Because they are trying to work on character and story more then gore and violence that is automatically bad? I mean don't just say stuff. Think before you write. ND made UC a action adventure without sacrificing the action and drama. I think they know what they are doing more then you do.

[LightofDarkness]

Reading comprehension is a vital skill, you should probably learn it sometime.

Did I ever equate gore and violence to gameplay? Nope. Straw man arguments sure are easy to shoot down, huh?

I don't recall the monsters being the focus of RE. I suppose Nemesis was somewhat of a character in RE3, but he really amounted to little more than a hollow antagonist that existed purely to drive the plot forward (a MacGuffin of sorts).

I never wanted it to be a zombie game; in fact, I don't even like "zombie" games that much. If you'd read my post a little more carefully instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to the thought of someone criticizing Naughty Dog, you'd have gleaned at least that much. And if you'd read more of what they have remarked about the game, you'd also know that this is the most likely direction for the game. They have stated that it's more than "just a game" and are creating an "interactive experience".

I felt that Uncharted 3 teetered the line between too little game and too much movie. I found myself not particularly enjoying the gameplay segments, much of it felt like somewhat sluggish and unnecessary filler between cutscenes, which were obviously where much of the effort went into the game (and where most of the enjoyment is meant to be obtained).

The thing is this: you can't beat movies at being movies. And while there's certainly room for great sweeping narratives in games, they shouldn't be the focus.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

First off, I think far too many people are hung up on the term Zombie here. "a zombie game" refers to a genre type more than a literal translation of undead walking zombies. This game so far falls into a zombie like genre of surviving against an infected / crazed / dead mass of beings.

Second point talking to LightofDarkness, I think the issue I found with Uncharted 3 so far for me is not that its too light in the game department, its that the game part of Uncharted 3 feels quite sloppy at times. The story, voice acting and direction of the overall game is excellent. It breaks down frequently in the mechanics of the gameplay. The controls during the single player campaign are frustraiting to say the least at times and it really takes away from the gameplay elements. I almost prefer to just watch Uncharted 3 than play the single player game. And that little fact is what has me most concerned about TLoU given the fact that I am sure it will have much of the same control mechanics as UC3 given its a 3rd person game.

[LightofDarkness]

@dlacy: well that's exactly what I'm referring to for the most part, especially when I say "sluggish". It's as though they'd not learned a thing from previous games about responsive controls, even though they'd identified the issue themselves while developing the original and talked at length about how to get the balance between canned animations and responsiveness just right (a feat they've yet to accomplish, it seems).

I'm glad you identified the pointlessness of much of the debate over this article, what identifies something as a zombie is a trivial and purely semantic argument that has little to do with what's being discussed.

[Oner]

@ smashcrashbash ~ Between what you said, what VsAssassin said right above you & what Infernostew says below there is no way that the infected could be classified as "zombies".

It's almost like trying to say/prove Vampires are Zombies...yes they are "dead" and bite to infect others to become dead like them, but they are NOT zombies...they are their own entity with their own identity and characteristics.

[perfectCarbonara]

There ! From the horses mouth. Can we move on now !

[Infernostew]

All zombies are undead but not all undead are zombies.

[thawind]

feeling nauseous with all this zombie talk

[blink3020]

Some people have too much time on their hands here.

[Doletskaya]

The more I hear about this game, the more it seems like one of those 8-hour linear single player games with no mp and very little replay value like Uncharted. Hopefully, the team making the Last of us will put just as much efforts into developing the gameplay and replayability.

[Jocosta]

No, its an on rails zombie game.

[sdplisken]

Naughty Dog rules!

[Ducky]

Tunnel Snakes rule!

[Kratos_GodOfWar]

No matter what The Last Of Us is better then re5!

[bacrec1]

LOL right?

[D3mons0ul]

If they all behave like the one in the trailer, it doesn't matter if they aren't technically "Zombies" by definition, they are still the same old crap we've seen hundreds of times. They run after people, they are simple minded and they attack with the intent to consume...

Zombies or not, it's boring crap and it needs to be different.

[e-p-ayeaH]

Yeah like Resident Evil 5 is also not a zombie game please stop with the stupid statements.

[DigitalAnalog]

Resident Evil 5 is NOT a zombie game. They're infected by parasites known as Las Plagas. Still retaining some of their basic intelligence but doesn't go all out biting the sh*t out of everything.

[byrnezy]

Cannot wait, looks insane

[PSWarlord]

I have read most the comments here and cant decide whether they are zombies or not zombies lol!
What If their the living dead controlled by aliens...Thats a great idea hollywood here I come

[taijutsu363]

I know they said no MP nut, I think this game would be just a perfect Co-op game.

[Kakihara]

The thing I wonder is, how is it a love story?? They mean, LOVE love?? The girl's about 13 and the guy's about 40 judging by the trailer. Believe me, I'm not complaining but I would have imagined that would be the thing to raise people's eyebrows more than the sorta not zombie but totally zombie things.

[tubers]

LOL.. nice play with words :) It's still going to be very near that "zombie type games".

But that doesn't really matter as long as it's fun: decent story, decent gameplay, great graphics and an acceptable story line :)

[SnipeySnake]

Awww man one of them is totally gonna die near the end of the game......

[Bathyj]

Everyone going on about zombies, infected, whatever...

Has it occurred to anyone other PEOPLE might be just as big an enemy in this game?

Its about surviving. Scrounging for food, weapons, whatever you can find. It would surprise me if the mushroom heads show up spor(no pun intended)adically to maximise their impact while the majority of the game is concerned with out manoeuvring gangs or other human hostiles.

[Veneno]

It's possible that there will be human hostiles, which are scarier than fungus infected zombies because those humans WANT to kill you. But I don't think it will happen. It's too dark an area for a prominent developer like Naughty Dog to explore.

And also what happens in zombie action fiction is the regular humans ban together and don't fight each other.

But overall I think we are disappointed that this is coming from Naughty Dog and we expected something more original. I challenge anyone to tell me that this is a fresh concept for a game or any work of fiction with a straight face.

[Bathyj]

Yeah, Naughty Dog are just going to much a by the numbers, run of the mill, generic zombie game because thats what they always do.

Yes, that was major FKN sarcasm.

[Veneno]

I wanna say that that wasn't me that disagreed with you. I like your comments.

I love Naughty Dog too. And now that I look back all the way when Uncharted 1 was being previewed it completely went past my radar until my acquaintences said I should play it. And of course the rest is history.

So for me until I see something fresh that grabs my attention from this game I have nothing more to go on than this short trailer that is supposed to grab my interest but didn't.

ND gets the benefit of the doubt here that many other devs don't get.

[DOOMZ]

But it looks like a Zombie game... Moldy Zombies!!!

[urwifeminder]

Ps3 lacks a good zombie game so its good for fans i guess.

[saimcheeda]

Im definitely buying it!

[NeloAnjelo]

In Naughty Dog I Trust.

[pcz]

why say its not a zombie game or survival game when it clearly is.

saying its a love story is just pretentious. Its the same as saying the film The Terminator is a love story. Yes, technically it has a love story in it, but it is a sci-fi.

the last of us is a zombie/survival/thriller game.

[Bolts]

I still have no idea WTF this game is. If it's like Heavy Rain I will LOL.

[DBTrunksDB]

Did anyone actually read the article? When ND said it's not a zombie game, they meant that the zombies isn't the focus. They also mention a love story, but it's not a romantic love story, more of a father daughter representation. Basically whatever Dead Island was promising with that awesome trailer (and ultimately didn't deliver as far as the trailer went) is what ND is going to try to represent in their game.

[Game3s]

They speak the truth is not zombies is mutants XD