So, this is one of the reasons I bought a PS3 last month. I’m glad I did.
I just finished tonight. Non-spoilery stuff first:
I enjoyed the gameplay. It wasn’t terribly complex, but it was solid and fun and it tied the excellent story together. The stealth was engaging, the “listen” mechanic was interesting and helpful, and the melee was visceral. They did a good job of keeping the friendly NPCs from getting in the way (even if it did occasionally result in some odd behavior (non-spoiler). The crafting was simple, but added a some flavor. The time from death to reload was quick, which helped ease the frustration of being constantly killed by the same monster in some of the tougher sequences. The set pieces were great, and the acting and story were utterly superb.
I couldn’t get more than an hour into Uncharted or its sequel before giving up, as I found the characters uninteresting and unsympathetic and the combat a banal slog. Uncharted’s “collectables” were worthless, whereas the ones in The Last of Us actually helped flesh out the game world, providing additional story and flavor to the universe.
Also, the character animation was excellent, especially gestures and facial expressions. Some of the better I’ve seen in a game. They seemed more authentic than most, without treading very far into the uncanny valley.
I was a little suspicious at all the rave reviews, but after finishing, I think they’re well deserved.
Major spoilers:
[SPOILER]I loved how the game didn’t really require the player to make any moral choices. Joel isn’t a tabula rasa for us to impose ourselves on, he’s a character with his own arc. He did things I wouldn’t have, and that I tried to avoid (especially near the end).
Ellie’s growth as a character, and her and Joel’s relationship was great. I liked watching her gradually take up more responsibility and build her skills and become more and more helpful. She was an interesting character with her own depth when she could have simply fallen into the “annoying kid sidekick” trap.
The ending left me feeling empty, which I think was the point. I imagine it’s how Joel felt, as well. He fought so hard to save Ellie, and in the end he lost the very thing that made him feel complete again: his relationship with her. As for Ellie, I got the distinct impression that if the Fireflies had simply asked her for permission, she would have consented. It all seemed so senseless and tragic; quite fitting for a game like this.[/SPOILER]