*WARNING: Heavy Plot Spoilers throughout the Article*

“The Last of Us” was released on June 14, 2013 and developed by Naughty Dog Games. This video game stars Joel and Ellie as the main characters. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson voiced these motion-captured characters. This game is rated “M” for Mature content and it is not recommended for anyone under the age of 17 to play this game. Some of the Mature content includes coarse language, violent descriptions, gore, use of weapons, and several intense acts of violence.

At the beginning of the game, Joel and his 12-year-old daughter, Sarah, are shown in their Texas home. While at home one night, a viral infection plagues the United States turning everyone affected into flesh-eating monsters. They meet up with Joel’s brother, Tommy, to try and get out of the city as soon as possible. While driving, another car crashes into them causing Sarah to break her leg. Joel carries her to safety as they run to a secluded area where they encounter a military official. While running away Tommy holds back the infected monsters giving them time to escape. The official gets an order from his sergeant to kill any civilians and then proceeds to shoot Joel and Sarah as Tommy sneaks up behind the official to disarm him. Joel only got grazed by a bullet, but Sarah got hit in the chest and died in Joel's arms.

The game cuts to 20 years later where we see Joel sleeping in a rundown house when he is awakened by his colleague, Tess. Tess tells him that she found Robert, the guy they are looking for, is. Robert stole a large supply of guns from Tess and Joel and has been in hiding. After a few close encounters with people working for Robert, they corner him in an alley. He tells them that he sold his guns to a militia group called the Fireflies. Tess kills him in the alley when the leader of the Fireflies, Marlene, appears from behind a nearby building. Marlene agrees to give their guns back as long as they make a delivery for her. Joel and Tess follow her to one of the Fireflies' bases, and once they get there, they are told they must deliver a girl, Ellie, to another Firefly base in Salt Lake City, Utah in order to get their guns back.

Joel and Tess are not initially told why she needs to be delivered, but a little way through their journey they are stopped by military officials and they see that she tests positive for the infection. Ellie shows them her bite and tells them that it is 6 weeks old which is usually impossible since everyone who is bitten turns within two to three days. Marlene found out that Ellie was immune and needed her to go to Salt Lake City so they could make a vaccine using Ellie’s immunity.

They choose to believe Ellie for the time being and continue on their journey to Utah. When they are about halfway there, Tess gets bit during an encounter in an abandoned museum. They get to a safe space and she reveals that she is bitten just as military officials raid the building they are in. Tess decides to hold them back while Ellie and Joel escape. Tess ends up being shot and killed trying to hold the military back.

After Tess’ death, Joel wants out of the deal with Marlene so he takes Ellie to Tommie's base in Pittsburgh hoping he will take Ellie off his hands and take her the rest of the way to Utah. Ellie soon realizes what Joel is doing and runs away before Tommy can take her to Utah. Tommy and Joel find her and she talks with Joel saying she doesn’t want to go with Tommy because she feels safe with Joel, so he decides to continue his journey with Ellie.

After several encounters with different groups and the military, Joel and Ellie finally make it to Salt Lake City after Ellie almost dies by falling into some rapids. Joel meets up with Marlene at the hospital and talks with her about Ellie staying with him after the surgery, but then she tells him how the part they need to make the vaccine is in her brain so in order to make the vaccine they have to kill Ellie. Joel cannot stand the thought of Ellie dying so he escapes the room with the guard Marlene stuck with him and kills numerous Fireflies and the doctor in the room with Ellie. Joel runs to the nearest elevator after grabbing Ellie when Marlene finds him in the garage the elevator took him to. He kills Marlene so she won’t come after Ellie and then drives Ellie back to Tommy’s to have a fresh start without the Fireflies.

Google reviews rated “The Last of Us” 4.8 out of 5 stars and numerous different reviewers called the game phenomenal, intense, emotional and a game way ahead of its time.