HBO's "The Last Of Us" Is a Faithful Adaptation of the Popular Video Game

The 2013 PlayStation 3 game “The Last of Us” by Naughty Dog pioneered the trend of video games that resembled prestige TV shows or films more than any other game had before. Players take on the role of Ellie, a 14-year-old orphan. She has only ever known the post-apocalyptic world of a militarized and zombie-ridden America. And Joel, a long-grieving father turned black market smuggler who endured immense tragedy at the outset of a zombie outbreak. Old PlayStation fans and new viewers will see new faces in those roles this Sunday, almost a decade after the first game’s release.

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HBO’s Adaption of Popular Video Game

Changes and Additions

HBO’s version of Naughty Dog’s PlayStation classic must win over a devoted fan base that will be picky about even the slightest deviation from the games and stand out in a competitive field of post-apocalyptic dramas filled with zombie-like dangers. Thankfully, the premiere accomplishes the virtually miraculous: it builds upon the fun and frequently improves upon them. However, comes the bad news that the players who adhere to online casino gaming cannot yet avail it on their favorite sites.

A grim reminder of The Last of US’s mission statement appears in the first scene: this is a TV show first and a direct adaptation second. A group of scientific experts debates the plausibility of a viral, fungal epidemic spreading worldwide in the opening minutes.

The scenario, which is from outside the games and is set in the 1960s, needs to be more detailed. And doesn’t hold back on the massive exposition as it establishes the main threat of the show and the world to come. It won’t make your heart race; instead, it gradually ramps up the tension of an episode that quickly turns into a tiny horror movie.

HBO’s Adaption of Popular Video Game

In “The Last of Us,” the zombies aren’t dead. Instead, they have contracted a more potent form of the Cordyceps fungus, which hijacks the brain activities of largely insect-like organisms. Humans in “The Last of Us” can contract this fungus and turn into hysterical, greedy monsters. There is also no vaccine for this, unlike a viral pandemic.

What if a high-profile TV or movie adaptation stuck true to the source material, even using the same scenes, dialogues, and significant plot points? HBO’s take on the video game concept provides the solution. Because the show does just that. The first season has scenes that are exact line reads of significant gaming scenes.

The HBO take on “The Last of Us” is poised to succeed since it was designed and written like a TV show. The majority of the crucial scenes are treated well and with reverence. In some respects, the story is better for it because it provides more in-depth information about the lives of some characters. For instance, the brothers Sam and Henry, who are already essential characters in the game, are given a much longer backstory that explains their situation and what motivated them to join Joel and Ellie. They no longer seem like characters in a video game’s “side mission,” especially considering how their bond has become more resembling that of Joel and his older brother.

Changes and Additions

Even if the characters are accurate in many crucial circumstances, there are some noticeable additions and adjustments. The show’s goal is to be less cynical than the game. The season’s high point is one early episode where two characters undergo a total rewrite regarding narrative, characterization, motive, and rapport—these characters’ tales in the game ended in sorrow, resentment, and hatred. However, the way the show handles these two is significantly more graceful and dignified.

Makers could not have presented that narrative in the game. The ability for players to assume the roles of Joel and Ellie was the game’s natural enchantment. This meant that the viewpoint of the narrative could always stay in their eyes, lest we, as the audience, lose control. But in the show, the two leads are finally freed from controlling the screenplay and the camera, which allows for the development of fresh side plots that deepen our comprehension of the setting and the characters. “Enchanting and romantic” are two terms you might not identify with in this story if you’re familiar with the game.

However, HBO’s adaptation succeeds in telling a love story in a lifeless, unloving society. The first game’s story is covered by the entire season. Even though each episode lasts around an hour, the show feels smooth. The show repeats many emotional cliffhangers from the original game’s episodes. Now, a new generation of TV viewers will participate in the argument game players have had about character choices and what it means to act morally in a broken world for the past ten years.