Although it had only been two days, for all the players looking forward to "The Last of Us," the waiting time felt extremely long.
Everyone understood what it meant to say, "a day apart feels like three autumns."
And because the game's unlock time was based on domestic time.
Many overseas players even specifically adjusted the region settings in their CosmosVR game pods so they could enter the game as soon as possible.
Physically in New Zealand, Seattle, or Argentina? It didn't matter, they could still "spiritually" cross the ocean to that country.
This impatience, combined with the perfect scores and cryptic hints, made all the players very agitated.
"This is so annoying! When will today pass? Hurry up and be tomorrow!"
"Exactly, I've never been this anxious before! I can't wait to see what magic this game has to make so many media outlets give it such high praise. From its gameplay and genre, it seems like just a normal linear game!"
"That's right, I was originally really looking forward to 'Wasteland 1981,' but I have to admit that now my entire focus is on 'The Last of Us'."
"But the only thing I'm worried about is if Lucas will pull out his knife and stab us again in this game?"
"It's possible! Based on past experiences, sadness is followed by joy, and joy is followed by sadness. Ethan's sacrifice in 'Resident Evil: Village,' and the perfect ending for the White Wolf in 'Blood and Wine,' I think Joel is in danger!"
"The more tragic it is, the more it touches people's hearts, so maybe the high praise from the major media outlets is because the game ends tragically?"
"Don't guess wildly, I believe in Boss Lucas's integrity!"
"Integrity!? Does Boss Lucas even have that?"
On the eve of the game's release, players couldn't sit still and were discussing related topics on major forums.
There were all sorts of opinions, but most players were worried that this would be a sad game, as it seemed that way from every angle.
However, no matter how much the players guessed, they clearly wouldn't get an answer.
After all, the only ones who currently understood the game's content were Lucas and his team members, as well as the media outlets involved in the reviews.
But neither party would reveal the later story to the players.
Amidst the players' nervousness, suspicion, and anticipation, a mix of emotions.
"The Last of Us" officially opened to all players.
Soon, topics about the game instantly exploded on all major forums and communities.
At first, players didn't feel that the game was very interesting.
Because it was a very traditional linear gameplay, a very traditional action and shooting system, and Nebula Games' consistent tradition throughout its history: stabbing people.
Right at the beginning, they killed off the warm and lovely daughter.
This scene caused many players with weaker emotional limits to instantly erupt. They didn't even have time to play the game and directly went to Lucas's official Weibo to lodge strong protests.
Of course, protests aside, the game still had to be played.
And as the game's story slowly unfolded and progressed, the players' emotions were completely and firmly captured.
Tess's sacrifice, the arrogant Bill and his friend's death, the crazy hunters in the post-apocalyptic world, the tragic end of the black brothers, and Joel and Ellie's emotional outbursts—it was as if the game possessed some kind of magic.
Even though the desperate world still made them feel suffocated.
Joel seriously injured, Ellie captured by a pervert, the worry.
And the final scene of Ellie petting the giraffe was hailed by many players as one of the most classic moments in gaming history.
If you look at it from a single aspect, "The Last of Us" is by no means astonishing.
The story background and gameplay can only be described as top-notch in the industry, but not astonishing.
But the most outstanding part of "The Last of Us" is how it perfectly combined these elements that were not revolutionary.
The emotional interaction between Joel and Ellie in the game.
From indifference at the beginning to becoming inseparable later.
This emotional drive also made the final ending feel natural and inevitable.
When facing Fireflies, players didn't need to make a choice, as there was only one fixed ending.
But all the players who reached this point felt as if they had made that ending themselves.
All the previously built-up emotions were fully released.
But if it were only like this, then "The Last of Us" could only be considered a very excellent work.
It might still be one step away from a masterpiece.
And the final conversation between Joel and Ellie after leaving the Fireflies and returning to Sam's base before heading to the base drew a perfect conclusion to the game.
That is, if Ellie had a choice, she would actually prefer to sacrifice herself to save the world.
Even though she was just an underage girl, her experiences in the apocalypse were different from those of a girl in peacetime.
She had seen too much, seen how despairing the world was.
The death of her friends, Tess's death, Bill's friend's death, and the black brothers' death—she wanted to change the world.
And for Joel, at this moment, Ellie was his world.
The phrase "I swear" was followed by no further details, no description of later modes.
In this situation, after the prior emotional release and excitement, players were once again led to a deeper contemplation.
Every character was not useless; on the contrary, they were all flesh and blood, not just tools for Joel and Ellie to continue their adventures.
This emotional immersion, as if experiencing Joel and Ellie's adventure along the way, is what created "The Last of Us"'s enduring and moving story.
This is something that other art forms, such as movies, books, and music, cannot achieve.
Because only in games can players truly immerse themselves in that world and interact with its characters.
Some players, before experiencing it, thought that all the game media giving it perfect scores might have been exaggerating.
But after experiencing it firsthand, they changed their minds.
It truly deserved a perfect score!
However, besides the praise and emotions about the game, many players who had experienced it also had different opinions about the story.
When playing, most players had one thought: to rescue Ellie.
But after finishing the game, some players also had new reflections.
Of course, this is very normal. Just like when watching a movie, you don't think too much, you just go with the flow.
But after it's over, the initial impulse gradually fades.
Then you re-examine and criticize, thinking, "How silly was this pose and plot?"
"Why is this female lead so ugly? Her teeth aren't even straight!"
Similarly, after completing the game, the emotional resonance from earlier in the game gradually subsided, and many players began to ponder the portrayal of human nature and the world in the game, and whether the ending was correct or not.
This also sparked a lot of controversy among player groups.
(End of this chapter)
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