The Last Of Us is free now, this is your sign to play a masterpiece

If you didn’t already know, The Last of Us Part 1 finally made its way to the PlayStation Plus library last week and so I’m here to convince you to play it if you are yet to.

I don’t judge, I won’t ask you why you haven’t played it yet but I hope that this list will convince you to take the plunge and experience one of the best video games of all time.

So without further ado, here are eight reasons why you should finally play The Last of Us Part 1, and not just because it’s currently free for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Check out the trailer for The Last of Us Part 1 below!

Queer main character

Although players don’t get to control Ellie fully until the Left Behind DLC or The Last of Us Part II, she is still very much one of two main characters in the series.

Female characters taking on the titular roles in video games is becoming more and more common in recent years but a female character who also happens to be a lesbian is a different matter entirely.

To see a lesbian character on the front cover of an AAA title, a best-selling one at that, was an amazing moment for LGBTQIA+ gamers.

Not to mention getting to see her in a loving relationship with girlfriend Dina in the sequel.

Personalised experience

As with most video games, you are able to play at the difficulty you’d prefer and The Last of Us is no exception.

There is no denying that playing in a post-apocalyptic setting can be challenging, especially when it comes to supplies and ammo.

However, those who wish to experience the story without having to deal with a dwindling inventory and enemies one-tapping you, can play it on easy.

On the other hand, if you like pain, you can try out the game’s Grounded mode.

Good luck with that one.

A story of grief but also healing

Loss is at the core of The Last of Us, with the very opening scenes featuring a moment so heartbreaking that it is etched in player’s memories to this day.

Set during a zombie apocalypse where humans can be as monstrous as the infected themselves, both the characters and the player will experience loss and grief in equal measure.

However, beneath the darkness, there is also light and hope. Much like the symbol of the Fireflies and Ellie’s infamous moth tattoo, it is a reminder that there is light at the end of the tunnel and healing is possible.

As a result, despite its harrowing story, The Last of Us still remains something of a comfort game for many fans.

Naughty Dog

Stealth doesn’t suck

If you know me, then you will know that I hate forced stealth in video games.

Does it make the most sense for the story? Yes. Will it probably make things easier? Also yes.

However, if I can go all guns blazing, then that is what I will do.

In The Last of Us Part 1, you can approach most situations as you see fit, however with limited resources, sometimes stealth is the best option.

That being said, I enjoyed being stealthy in TLOU. Whether it was throwing a brick at a clicker’s head or making sure I had enough shivs to take them down in one, the stealth felt adaptive enough that it didn’t feel like a chore.

Flawed characters

Other than a mass outbreak that essentially causes a “zombie apocalypse”, The Last of Us Part 1 still takes place in a familiar world and it is our familiar world that is home to no heroes or villains but instead flawed characters.

TLOU continues this by allowing us to follow the lives of, well, humans.

Ellie and Joel must do terrible things in order to survive and they make decisions that we would never even have to think about in day-to-day life.

The same can be said for Marlene and Tommy and the rest of the cast.

However, nobody is painted as a villain and each have flaws and motives and personalities and as a result, they remain relatable and a subject of discussion.

Memorable ending

On that topic, The Last of Us Part 1 features one of the most talked-about endings of all time.

As I am trying to get you to play it for the first time, I won’t spoil it here but just know that you will have your own opinion about how the game ends and the decisions made by the characters to get there.

As a result, despite The Last of Us first releasing over ten-years ago, its ending is still a topic of discussion and endless debate to this day.

Naughty Dog

Logic behind the madness

For the past twenty years or so, there has been no end to the “zombie apocalypse” genre.

From movies to shows, games to books, we as humans are obsessed with the idea of humanity falling and zombies running wild.

In The Last of Us, those zombies are called the Infected and their origins started with cordyceps, or put more simply, mushrooms.

In other words, this fictional apocalypse started thanks to something that we are very much familiar with and so there is quite a lot of (interesting) science behind them.

The game explores how the Infected mutate over time, gradually losing their eyesight and depending on echolocation for one.

Not only that but they can also work as a hive mind thanks to the underground goings-on of the fungi.

Having such a realistic-sounding science behind the Naughty Dog series makes it all the more scary.

“Endure and survive”

Are the words spoken by Ellie after she quotes from her favourite comic book during the events of The Last of Us Part 1.

As a result, the motto becomes something of an unspoken reminder throughout the events of both games as well as a message to all the players who experience this masterpiece of a game.

Even in a world where all seems lost, humanity is falling and we see the depths of despair and violence humans are capable of experiencing and committing, we can still endure and we can still survive.

So there you have it.

If I have convinced you, The Last of Us Part 1 is now free for all PlayStation Plus subscribers.

If you already own it, how about a replay?