The Last of Us: Lost in it's own game

Yay, first update about a game! I'm here to talk again about the things people have missed, but this time, sadly, they are negative ones. Nitpickery incoming...

Surprisingly Complex: The Last of Us

Just to get it out there, The Last of Us is a phenomenal game. It's exceptional in it's storytelling, truly. It brings character depth very rarely seen into an action game. And there the problems start. Action game.

The Last of Us, otherwise damn intuitive, well-written and executed, but there's a problem. It lingers in my mind, and it hasn't gone anywhere. Bottom line is that while The Last of Us' action is by far better done than of almost any other game of the 3rd person shooter genre, there is too much.

20 long goddamn years...

The Last of Us tells us about a world that has gone to ruin 20 years ago, but while it certainly looks like it, it doesn't feel like it. There is simply not enough silence. More silent, simple navigation through the wastes would have made this game SO MUCH, SO MUCH better. Put some food scavenging in there, dammit! The general theme of the game is survival in the general sense, but the most survival you get most of the time is how many bullets you've got left, because you know there will be more clickers or bandits or whatever. There always will.

Like how the army was right in your ass until and little after capitol building? Why? There's no reason for them to be there. Judging from the dead Fireflies, a squad had been there not too long ago. And if they followed them, why the hell would they follow three stragglers with a full team of soldiers? It doesn't make sense. The enemies are there for the sake of the enemies being there and giving us something to shoot, most of the time.

Apocalypse, 20 years later. But there's still so fucking much people out in the wastes out to get you. It's survival to the fittest out there, and if someone spots you, they usually want to spot you again, pointing you with a gun and a trigger-happy mindset. It disturbs me. Even though you'd think only the crooks would go outside, if it was so, my adventure through America's lands was littered with them. They were everywhere, and I often hoped (Especially in the power plant), that there wouldn't be a random raid when you came in. Of course there was. Always. It annoyed me greatly. I wanted to go see the carefully hand-crafted world and characters, not the same fucking thugs once again. I again emphasize, I loved the combat, but there was too much of it, and almost no time for everything else, like, I don't know, survival? Actual scavenging mechanics and gathering food would've made the world feel more alive.

Just... How?

There's a reason why I say this. Most most of the people should be infected by now... And the infected should be dead too, for they would have nothing to feed on. Meaning that the streets should be pretty empty, not filled with all kinds of criminals and soldiers and mushroomheads. Long time infected? Long time DEAD. The silence fits the game better than action. It would've also made the action more exhilarating, as you wouldn't have already killed so many enemies that you instinctively pull headshots on everyone and know immediately when you can grab them.

Other thing I want to talk about, is loot drops by enemies. When they drop ammo, why do they almost never drop the right kind of ammo (As in the weapon they used), and usually nothing at all? I saw the goddamn guy pointing at me with a shotgun, ready to shoot, and he doesn't drop any ammo, and if he does, it's for the revolver? Doesn't make sense, as I think they were shooting at me for real, not just pointing with a toy. From their shooting habits, I would say definitely, that every one of them have at least 10 rounds with them. But then I kill them, and get no ammo at all. The enemy AI doesn't make every shot count, which is kind of immersion breaking.

They were this close to nailing it...

The game is too good for it's own benefit... These things, were it ANY other game, I would've missed. But not this time. When you near perfection, the little flaws shine through damn brightly. Bioshock Infinite had the exactly same problem, and it was one of the two best games I've played this year. I hope it doesn't surprise you that the other is The Last of Us. I hope that game developers and publishers realize that the two best games of 2013 so far have both fallen on their asses because of too much action.

Remember, no matter how much I've ranted about these little things, they indicate how much I care. Any other game, and I would've given jack shit (Except Bioshock Infinite). But with this game, it just needed to get out there. If you can get this game somehow, GET IT.