Gery took a deep breath as he exited the game experience pod.
The game "The Last of Us" is not overly long, but it's also not short.
If you play on normal difficulty without getting stuck and without actively trying to collect everything, it takes about 10 hours to finish.
He spent a day and a half of his three-day trial time.
He wasn't the only one; media reporters from other companies were in the same situation.
Gery glanced around. Many people were still in the experience pods, but some had clearly finished and come out.
After all, everyone's progress was roughly the same.
"It's... it's just incredible!" Gery walked towards two reporters talking by the window. As he got closer, he heard one of them, a Black guy, exclaim.
"Exactly. The combat system isn't outstanding, the post-apocalyptic setting is very old-fashioned, and even though the story is excellent, there are no huge plot twists. But it just moved me. The game's interactive storytelling and atmosphere can only be described as divine," said another, a white blond young man, with sincere praise.
"And the time span, from the Boston Quarantine Zone to the final Salt Lake City, the scenes and time covered are vast. Plus, there are all sorts of details constantly hinting at Joel and Ellie's relationship," Gery chimed in.
Hearing Gery, the other two didn't seem displeased. Instead, they nodded in strong agreement. "Right! In terms of interactive performance, all we can say is this game used magic!"
"From the start, we've been trapped in Boss Lucas's plan. Sarah's death at the beginning, Tess, Bill, Henry and Sam – everyone was like a tightening net, constantly pulling at our emotions. Then, Ellie's first outburst in the cabin, followed by the tension when we met David, made Ellie and Joel's bond unbreakable. This perfectly explains the later plot about who is more important to Ellie and the world."
The three discussed the game's various designs and deeper meanings.
Until another person joined them and said something that made the three fall silent for a moment.
"But don't you think the most perfect part is that Boss Lucas didn't deliver the fatal blow?" a brown-haired female reporter interjected.
It seemed she had a point.
So, the most perfect part might have been Boss Lucas's mercy?
Gery and the other two exchanged glances.
While playing, their emotions were like a rollercoaster.
Especially during the period when Joel was severely injured, Gery truly feared that Boss Lucas's sharp blade would suddenly strike.
When Ellie was taken to the operating table at the end, he was also incredibly worried.
It wasn't until Joel escaped with Ellie from the fire that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"But Boss Lucas's mercy only extends to this ending!"
"Exactly, the scene with brothers Sam and Henry was so incredibly desperate."
The other two snapped back to reality and said with emotion.
While they were talking, other reviewers who had finished the game gradually joined the discussion.
Over more than ten hours of gameplay, everyone experienced everything with Joel and Ellie.
From the Boston Quarantine Zone to the final Salt Lake City.
They lived through the changing seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
From cities to the wilderness, from schools to hospitals.
Different scenes, different seasons, different enemies, and different companions.
They experienced so much in the game, and lost so much.
Especially the final scene where Joel carried Ellie away from the San Francisco Hospital, made all of them feel as if they were back in the night the cordyceps infection crisis first broke out 20 years ago.
At that time, Joel was also carrying his daughter Sarah while fleeing. But the only difference was that 20 years ago, Joel couldn't protect his daughter well.
And 20 years later, Joel would never let anyone take Ellie away again.
A highly controversial topic: is the world more important, or is Ellie more important?
Everyone who experienced the game firsthand was completely immersed in Joel and Ellie's emotions.
In the end, the answer they all gave was the same: To hell with the world, I just want Ellie to survive.
......
It could be said that "The Last of Us" completely conquered all the media reviewers.
And upon reflection, there were actually many thought-provoking aspects in the game.
First, as they reached Tommy's town, could the protagonists Joel and Ellie truly survive there?
Did humanity rebuild civilization in the world of the game in the end?
These were broader questions.
There were also smaller points, such as Bill, who provided Joel with a car on their journey – what was his ultimate fate?
Such detailed elements are actually abundant in the game.
It is precisely because of this that the story of "The Last of Us" could be so moving.
In a world of despair, every character appears so lifelike and real.
Some, like the couple who committed suicide in the hotel room that Joel and Ellie saw, chose to escape this cruel world.
Others, like David and his hunters, had completely abandoned their human conscience. Although they still looked human, they had abandoned their humanity and could no longer be considered human.
What was the difference between them and the runners and clickers?
But there were also people in this desperate and cruel world who still held onto their own persistence and beliefs.
Just like Tommy and the others, who built their own beautiful home in this harsh post-apocalyptic environment.
There are too many topics worth discussing in the game.
......
While these review media were reflecting on "The Last of Us" or diligently digging deeper into the game's content,
players online had started arguing.
This was mainly because after "The Last of Us" announced its release date, no new information had been released.
Of course, nothing would have been wrong if it were just this.
The critical point was that during this period, FOW also made a move, announcing the time for the A-round test play of "Wasteland1981."
Although it was two days after "The Last of Us," FOW's announcement attracted a lot of player attention.
After all, the content previously shown for this game was quite rich.
In comparison, "The Last of Us" was somewhat cryptic in its promotions, and it didn't seem to have many standout features.
Furthermore, FOW and Nebula Games were rivals, and with the excellent performance of their previous work, "Wasteland1978," FOW had many supporters.
For a time, Nebula Games fans and FOW fans were fighting fiercely online, with even more onlookers.
However, at this moment, Lucas finally made a move.
On the eve of "The Last of Us"'s release, Lucas and Nebula Games simultaneously posted on their official Weibo accounts.
There was no text, only a concise and clear image.
(End of chapter)
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