Chapter 605: Players' Thoughts and Debates (Requesting Subscriptions and Monthly Passes)

Chapter 605: Players' Thoughts and Debates (Requesting Subscriptions and Monthly Passes)

Although it was only two days, for all players eagerly awaiting The Last of Us, the waiting time felt incredibly long.

Everyone now understood what ‘a day without you feels like three autumns’ truly meant.

And because the game's unlock time was based on domestic time in China,

Many overseas players even specifically adjusted their region settings within their Huanyu VR gaming pod so they could enter the game as soon as possible.

Living in New Zealand, Seattle, Argentina? No problem, they could 'smuggle their souls' to that country across the ocean.

This eagerness, coupled with the successive stimulation from perfect scores and Riddler-like comments, made all the players incredibly agitated.

“So annoying! When will today end? Hurry up and get to tomorrow!”

“Exactly! I've never been this impatient! I can't wait to see what magic this game holds that allowed so many media outlets to give it such high ratings. From the gameplay and genre, it seems like just a regular linear game!”

“You're right, I was originally really looking forward to Wasteland 1981, but I have to admit, my entire focus is now on The Last of Us.”

“But my only concern is, will Chen Xu pull out a knife to stab us again in this game?”

“It’s not impossible! Based on past experience, sadness is followed by joy, and joy is followed by sadness again. After Ethan's sacrifice in Resident Evil Village, and the White Wolf's perfect curtain call in Blood and Wine, I feel Joel is in danger!”

“The more tragic it is, the more it moves people. So maybe the game being a tragedy is why major media outlets gave it such high praise?”

“Stop guessing wildly, I believe in Mr. Chen's integrity!”

“Integrity?! Does Mr. Chen even have that?”

On the eve of the launch, players couldn't sit still, flocking to various forums to discuss related content.

There were all sorts of comments, but most players were concerned that it would be a tragic game, as everything seemed to point in that direction.

However, no matter how much players speculated, they clearly wouldn't get an answer.

After all, currently, the only ones who truly understood the game's content were Chen Xu and his team, along with the media involved in this review.

But neither party could possibly reveal future plot points to the players.

Amidst players' apprehension, suspicion, and anticipation, a mix of emotions,

The Last of Us officially launched for all players.

Soon, topics about this game instantly exploded across major forums and communities.

Initially, players didn't find the game particularly interesting.

It was a very traditional linear gameplay, a very traditional action and shooting system, and Nebula Games' tradition throughout its development history: character killing.

Right off the bat, the warm and lovely daughter was killed.

This scene caused many players with weaker emotional resilience to instantly lose their minds, not even bothering to continue playing, and directly protested vehemently on Chen Xu's official Weibo account.

Of course, protests aside, the game still had to be played.

As the game's story gradually unfolded and progressed, players' emotions were completely gripped.

Tess's sacrifice, the arrogant Bill and his friend's death, the insane hunters in the apocalypse, the tragic end of the Black brothers, and the emotional outburst between Joel and Ellie – it was as if this game possessed some magical power.

Although the desperate world still left them feeling suffocated,

Joel's severe injury and the worry when Ellie was captured by a pervert.

And finally, the scene where Ellie stroked the giraffe was hailed by many players as one of the most classic moments in gaming history.

If viewed from a certain perspective, The Last of Us was far from stunning.

The story background and gameplay could only be described as industry-leading, but not stunningly innovative.

However, the most brilliant aspect of The Last of Us was its perfect integration of these non-groundbreaking elements.

The emotional interaction between Joel and Ellie in the game.

From initial indifference to an inseparable bond.

This emotional drive made the final ending feel so natural and inevitable.

Facing the Fireflies, players weren't given a choice; there was only one fixed ending.

Yet, every player who reached this point felt as if this ending was their own choice.

Their previous emotions were completely vented and released.

But if it were just that, The Last of Us could only be called an excellent work.

It might still be one step away from being a masterpiece.

However, the final dialogue between Joel and Ellie, after leaving the Fireflies and returning to Sam's base, brought a perfect end to the game.

That is, if Ellie had a choice, she would actually be more willing to sacrifice herself to save the world.

Although she was just an underage girl, her experiences in the apocalypse were different from those of a girl in peacetime.

She had seen too much, seen how despairing this world could be.

The death of her friend, the death of Tess, the death of Bill's friend, and the death of the Black brothers – she wanted to change this world.

And for Joel, at this moment, Ellie was his world.

A single 'I swear' was all that was said, with no further continuation, no description of subsequent events.

In this situation, after the initial emotional catharsis and excitement, players were once again left with a deeper level of thought.

Every character was not useless; on the contrary, they were flesh-and-blood, not mere 'tool-men' to advance Joel and Ellie's adventure.

It was this emotional immersion, as if experiencing Joel and Ellie's entire journey, that created the moving and memorable story of The Last of Us.

This is also something that other art forms, such as movies, books, and music, cannot achieve.

Because only in a game can players truly integrate into that world and interact with various characters.

A portion of players, before experiencing it, thought that so many game media giving it a perfect score might be an exaggeration.

But after personally playing it, they changed their minds.

It truly deserves a perfect score!

However, besides the praise and emotion for the game, many players who experienced it also developed different perspectives on the story.

During gameplay, most players had one thought: save Ellie.

But after the game ended, some players began to have new thoughts.

Of course, this is very normal. It's like watching a movie; you don't think too much, you just have one thought: 'Go for it!'

But after watching it, the initial impulse gradually fades.

At this point, you re-examine and critique it, thinking, 'How could that pose and plot be so stupid?'

'How could this female protagonist be so ugly? Her teeth aren't even straight!'

Similarly, after completing the game, as the emotional resonance from the game slowly receded, many players also began to reflect on the game's depiction of humanity and the world, and whether the ending was truly correct.

This subsequently sparked considerable debate among player communities.

(End of Chapter) <>