'The Last of Us' May Be The Greatest Video Game Adaptation of All-Time

TV & Film

Jan 13

Artwork from The Last of Us game and promotional art from The Last of Us television show — Image Source: GameRant

“When you’re lost in the darkness, look for the light.”

In 2013, The Last of Us was released on the Playstation 3 by Naughty Dog and Sony. Since then, it has spawned a pre-game DLC, a sequel, a remastered version, a remake, and a multiplayer game. There are currently rumors of more media in the post-apocalyptic zombie world to come, but for now, 10 years after its initial release it is getting a Hollywood live-action treatment. HBO, widely known for shows like Game of Thrones and Westworld, swooped in to bring the game to life through a series that encapsulates what the game stands for: morally ambiguous choices that affect the entire world, and not just you as the main character. Of course, the live-action versions of video games have been known to bring “shame” to the original content in most cases. However, the early reviews of the series are out on the table and everyone has the same thing to say about the series: it’s the greatest video game adaptation to hit the screen.

The Last of Us game showcases a deep, story-rich post-apocalyptic Earth and sees two unlikely companions journey through trials and tribulations in hopes to rid their world of the fungal infection. Joel (voiced by Troy Baker), a tired man that witnessed the day the fungal brain infection took over 20 years before the events of the game, is tasked with escorting Ellie (voiced by Ashley Johnson), a teenage girl who only knows the zombie apocalypse and is somehow lucky enough to be immune to the infection. A notorious anti-government group named the Fireflies believes they can use Ellie to secure a vaccine 20 years after the first case, and Joel is tasked with smuggling her across the country to make that dream a reality.

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So far, the show seems to follow this same premise with a few story departures to showcase other stories in the infested world without taking too much away from one of our favorite duos. Both Ellie and Joel are played by Game of Thrones alumni, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, respectively. We also get to see Bill, a stubborn survivor and friend of Joel, played by Nick Offerman with special Easter egg roles from the voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson.

Given that this is a live-action adaptation, at times it may seem that the show is just a replay of a game that, admittedly, has been remastered a few times. However, it is refreshing to hear from a good majority of the lucky people out there that got the chance to watch the series before its official release that the show is more like seeing the game from another set of eyes, rather than going beat for beat. A few moments are stated to be copies of the games, but in a “set the tone” way. Those moments are necessary in the live-action adaptation as they make the game what it is— gritty, emotional, compelling, and suspenseful. Arwa Mahdawi over at The Guardian states that a lot of the typical zombie and human attacks you see in the show do not feel like the games, but are “more primal, more permanent.”

Footage from The Last of Us trailer — Image Source: IGN Nordic

The game-to-show series has a bit of a one-up on other game adaptations as well. Most adaptations are released by game studios (that are simply looking for a quick money grab), or by fans of the games. In the case of The Last of Us, the game has the help of the creator himself, Neil Druckman, the co-president of Naughty Dog and writer for The Last of Us and the studio’s other big hit, Uncharted (also recently given the movie treatment, but sadly fell short). The show's other big star behind the scenes is one of the writers for Chernobyl, Craig Mazin, who is the show’s executive producer alongside others like Carolyn Strauss (Game of Thrones, Chernobyl) and Rose Lam Waddell (Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events).