With the TV show adaptation of The Last of Us in development, starring Pedro Pascal as the iconic Joel Miller, what better time is there to revisit the original game that started it all? The Last of Us is an action-adventure game released in 2013 for the PS3 but has since been ported to newer generation consoles as well. Set in the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse, the narrative follows Joel and Ellie as they struggle to survive in the hopes of extracting a cure for the “Infected” from the latter, who is completely immune to the infection.

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The Last of Us received critical acclaim for a myriad of reasons, and the story was definitely one of them. Watching Joel and Ellie overcome a great many trials and grow closer in the process – becoming one of the most likable father-daughter duos in gaming history – is a treat to behold. The writing of scenarios and dialogue are, to this very day, genre-defining for original action-adventure games.

The Last of Us’ stellar writing is also coupled with extremely polished, superb gameplay. Movement is fluid and realistic, the crafting system always has you exploring abandoned towns and cities for anything that can aid in your continued survival, and combat with the Infected (although you’re recommended to avoid it whenever you can) is always exhilarating and absolutely nerve-wracking. There is always something to look for, be it materials or new combat strategies, which makes the game all the more fun and refreshing!

To seal the deal, The Last of Us also features arguably the most beautiful post-apocalyptic world in video game history. The concept of a world reclaimed by nature coupled with rich visuals makes for an absolutely stunning world to explore. As an added treat, the Remastered and Remake versions of the game for the PS4 and PS5, respectively, amp up these visuals to the next level. If you still haven’t given The Last of Us a shot, these are the versions you should get!