Though shows like ‘Halo’ or movies like ‘Uncharted’ are entertaining, they are not exactly considered prestigious among the gaming community. For decades, it has been known that Hollywood never turned a video game into a well-produced film or television (T.V.) show-until now.  

In 2013, video game company Naughty Dog’s ‘The Last of Us’ broke ground as a game that looked more like a film than just about any other video game before it. The world design made its players feel like they walked into a movie on the first day of the apocalypse. Players could explore every angle of a scene and find nothing artificial. Almost a decade after it was released, ‘The Last of Us’ T.V. adaptation is finally here, which translated the famous video game series into a show. Old fans and new viewers alike will see fresh faces, such as Pedro Pascal (portraying Joel) and Bella Ramsey (portraying Ellie). 

“Around when I finished playing ‘The Last of Us: Part 2’ is when I heard about that the show was being made, and I have been waiting ever since,” Ryan Tran, junior, said. 

‘The Last of Us’ centers on the budding relationship between the two survivors of the apocalypse Joel and Ellie, who want nothing to do with each other. With Ellie possibly carrying the future of humanity in her blood, they are forced to face ruthless killers and endure brutal circumstances on a trek across post-outbreak America. This is not just another show about zombies; it is more like an apocalyptic road trip. With the monsters hardly the focus, the first episode followed the exact same story pacing and same locations as the original game, even using the same dialogue in the opening scene between Joel and his daughter. This was a moment that struck fans hearts worldwide.  

”The show is definitely about the journey and the emotional aspect of it, they are just two strangers in a bad situation, which makes it harder,” Lily Sanchez, senior, said. 

The most common complaint video game enthusiasts have about T.V. or film adaptations is that they rarely stay true to the source material. There is a distinct challenge when converting video games rather than novels or comic books. Books are linear, while games are interactive. When players control Joel, they are not simply watching him; they are embodying him, so they move from controlling to watching a character. This can feel like paralysis.  

”I feel like HBO did a really good job with the overall tone of ‘The Last of Us’ world by staying true to the characters and implementing some of the game mechanics into the show,” Justin Brown, senior, said. 

There are many scenes that are line for line and shot for shot with the game. A perfect balance between staying true to the game and adding new elements. HBO max has done a remarkable job, considering the notoriously disappointing history of game adaptations.