The Last of Us Remastered. It is - finally - time. [No Spoilers].
- Thread starter Ser_Kafka
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Christopherodd in general is really good. He plays really immersively.
I checked out quite a few recently and this one is good if you want someone who is familiar with the game and the themes, someone who tries to show you most of the optional conversations and comment on this like one does when they revisit a favorite game. Just don't expect first-time reactions and beware that some story moments might be mentioned/alluded to before they actually happen.
If you don't mind, give me some input on strategies in regards to Infected and especially Clickers. Like I said in my post above, I do enjoy the human enemy combat and I think that's because I'm used to and/or naturally fall into a more 'rigid' playstyle. I'm one of those players who gets anxious over blowing resources and always ends up with full everything by the time I beat a game. Based on some of your posts, and I trust you because I love your avatar (HA!), this seems to be the wrong approach for Infected.
For example, I'm in Pittsburgh right now and I seriously got into it last night and then came to a screeching halt again when the Infected showed up. I just got fucking demolished and I'm thinking it's because I view it too much as a methodical stealth game. Using the hotel basement generator 'arena' as an example, how do you approach that ambush?
That sounds great and the sequel really seems to be ironing out all the things that are an issue for me in the original. Sequel looks great.
Yep, that's the thing with TLOU; unless you're on grounded difficulty, the game doesn't want to be approached as a full stealth, but you can, and I believe it's encouraged, dynamically move in and out of stealth.
I'm having a lot more fun like this on my second playthrough.
I remember the hotel (fuck that part) was a real pita the first time; on my current playthrough I just cornered myself in some corridor, set up tons of exploding traps and molotoved everything to a crisp. Easy.
I was also hoarding resources once; no need to, you can craft grenades all the time and besides you can't carry that many, so use them.
Do I have any majorly stressful/difficult parts left
I'm in Winter and I've just ridden Ellie's horse away from David and his cannibals, and the horse has died. I've heard the David boss is tough lmao
I would say yes, some of the latter stealth sections can be pretty tough.
For first playthrough you could use the listening mode, at least you use all the game features that developers have created
for that specific arena I think in the past I found its best to try to just do a mad dash to the exit and just kill whatever is in the way (I just got to Pittsburgh in my own replay, so it's not super fresh in my mind). I don't think you can stealth much there at all because they just send an overwhelming amount of infected at you.
In general though infected are at their most dangerous when they have the numbers advantage (duh) but are not too dangerous if you can take them on one on one, or exploit their sound to clump them together and hit them with a bomb or a molotov. Runners can easily be meleed, even if there are quite a few of them so that can save you ammo, and you can kill a clicker with melee if you have a brick in your hand. As with any encounter in the game you'll have an advantage if you try to stealth the infected first to whittle down their numbers, so throw bottles and bricks to get them to move so you can either sneak by them or get them in a better position to kill them, and use the bow to kill them from afar (focus on runners first because they are harder to sneak by). If they are alerted to you before you've killed enough to make it easy you're just going to have to sprint around the area to stay out of arms reach and separate the AI so you can take out one or two at a time rather than get surrounded, and try to save most of your ammo for clickers.
also don't worry too much about hoarding resources — it can make encounters less difficult, but the game will give you more ammo and health (health less frequently though) if you start running empty.
Yes. And if you are not careful, the checkpoint moment can be very dangerous and buggy. In my playthrough once, my checkpoint was at the moment david was so close to ellie. So i could not escape because the game started he caught me right away while not having my chance to move the analog stick
Aye thanks for the input. Also, I switched to Hard and turned on listening mode and the frustration has been alleviated a lot. I don't use it much but having started right off the bat without it wasn't the way to go. I figured it was some 'press button' to win shit when it actually is implemented quite well. I can see how it'll be fun to go through without the option on a second run or so but the trial and error was getting out of control without it for me.
My current play style is basically that I barely ever use my fucking guns because I'm too scared of making noise so I need to change that up. Like you guys said, I have to be more dynamic I think.
Yeah I use guns eventually in most encounters, the game is at its best when you use all the tools at your disposal and flit between stealth and combat imo.
I pulled three guys into one spot and nailed them all with a molotov in that first big Pittsburgh warehouse so that kind of set me off on the 'oh wait, this might be fun if I just play less conservatively' path so I figured I'd see what others do. I think I'm too used to games grading my stealth in some capacity so I always go for full, meticulous stealth.
In my opinion, listening mode is quite fair and makes up for the lack of a 100% accurate positional sound engine and a number of aspetcs that would help you determine enemies' positions in real life and can't be simulated yet.
Who knows, maybe PS5 tempest engine is so good you'll be able to determine a clicker's position without resorting to listening mode.
I definitely get the inclination, but the stealth mechanics are basic for a reason — the game doesn't want to be a "full" stealth experience. It's all about the cat and mouse struggle and tension that comes from that.
Yeah, exactly. i realised that was my "mistake" on my first run.
Messing up an encounter would really bother me, like a stain on my playthrough;
(For reference, i completed games like SOTN 200% not having used a single consumable item).
But that's not the way the game was meant to be played i think, as the numerous aggressive gameplay options suggest.
Stealth helps immensely, but i feel encounters are mostly designed so that something inevitably goes wrong at some point;
when it happens don't restart, embrace it and crack skulls.
This is 100% me, especially messing up an encounter being a stain on my playthrough. I'm assuming this might be from a lot of stealth in various games usually resulting in a failed mission or lowered mission grade or what-have-you if you fuck up. I realize now, having switched, that Survivor and no listening mode only pushed me further into that playstyle not having experienced the game any other way yet and being too scared to experiment because I'd waste clearly precious resources.
I'm definitely looking forward to going in with this different approach tonight because the hotel segment with the human enemies was really good and I don't actually want to dislike any game I'm playing of course.
As someone who hates repetition I do really like the game's approach to checkpointing so far. Limits the frustration a lot. Quick reloads too.
The
area runs like absolute crap on OG PS4 though. Frame drops everywhere and makes my console sound like it's about to take flight.
The
University
Wouldn't somebody get completely bodied at this point if they join late? One of the tougher games for new gamers.
Have they fixed the awful matching system they had early in PS4's lifecycle lol?
Not necessarily. Plenty of newer players roaming around that make matches more reasonable. Of course, beatdowns will still occur but yeah lol.
Matchmaking is okay. Just okay.
Replaying it right now, but hesitated since I didn't want to get over "last of us-ed" before the sequel. Definitely not feeling that at all, in fact it's been great since I had forgotten so much and it's been amazing relieving the experience. Definitely recommended as a refresher.
I picked this one at random to watch for a bit and dammit... Kinda hooked even though I just played through the first half already. This is such a fun game to watch people play.
I hoped there would be an RTTP/LTTP thread.
I started replaying it on Grounded the other day, and kind of dreaded it, considering I hadn't played it in 3 or 4 years, but it's going okay so far. I just finished the hotel. I don't miss listening, but I definitely wouldn't recommend turning it off on a first playthrough.
I got the platinum back in the day on PS3, I'll try to get 100% this time on PS4 (I already knocked out the MP trophies a few years ago), but I already expect the glitchy collectible tracking to be a pain in the ass. I remember it was on PS3, and it probably was on my first PS4 playthrough a few years ago.
I started replaying it on Grounded the other day, and kind of dreaded it, considering I hadn't played it in 3 or 4 years, but it's going okay so far. I just finished the hotel. I don't miss listening, but I definitely wouldn't recommend turning it off on a first playthrough.
I got the platinum back in the day on PS3, I'll try to get 100% this time on PS4 (I already knocked out the MP trophies a few years ago), but I already expect the glitchy collectible tracking to be a pain in the ass. I remember it was on PS3, and it probably was on my first PS4 playthrough a few years ago.
From what I remember, some of the optional convo's are really finnicky and hard to trigger, some easily missable and don't even trigger when they're supposed to. I got all the sp trophies and remember being kind of annoyed at that. You basically rely on context sensitive situations and the window of opportunity can be pretty small.
Gotta thank you guys for explaining it this way for me. I took your advice and it feels likeit totally opened up and I'm feeling that 'life or death struggle' vibe now. I just went through the basement and the whole subsequent streets sequence just now and playing like you suggested...it really came together and I realized the game rewards improvisation.
I nailed a guy with a brick, sprinted up and accidentally discovered you can finish a stunned enemy with a melee weapon, they dropped a molotov, grabbed it and a dude started shooting at me. I bolted behind a counter and lobbed the thing at him catching another guy I hadn't seen yet as well. That's when it really clicked like ah fuck yea keep moving and stalk these guys instead of being the hunted.
The rest unfolded similarly and I stopped worrying about my resources other than stealthing when I could to conserve ammo. That definitely made the gameplay click for me and I felt exhilerated afterwards.
Also, I blew up a guy by throwing a brick at a trip-wire...that's cool as fuck.
I finally finished it last year and didn't really like it. Felt like I dodged spoilers for six years for no reason.
I was not prepared for the generator room section to still be as stressful as it was. I also totally forgot about
which made for a nasty surprise when I had to go back.
And I remember feeling this before, but this playthrough has really cemented that the pacing really settles into its groove once you get to Pittsburgh. There's plenty of good stuff before that, but between the not so great docks section, and Bill's town being too long for having nothing but infected encounters, it doesn't quite hit its stride. But once you get to the city the game practically plays itself. At the GOAT sewer level now.
Ayy, there you go. Enjoy the game.
needing the keycard
And I remember feeling this before, but this playthrough has really cemented that the pacing really settles into its groove once you get to Pittsburgh. There's plenty of good stuff before that, but between the not so great docks section, and Bill's town being too long for having nothing but infected encounters, it doesn't quite hit its stride. But once you get to the city the game practically plays itself. At the GOAT sewer level now.
Ayy, there you go. Enjoy the game.
I own multiple copies of the game including a retail disc copy that I purchased when the game dropped in price in Australia. I queued the game for download when it dropped on PS+ as one of the free monthly games late last year.
I only installed it back in March
I'm a little slow on the uptake.
Will probably play TLOU 2 in a few years :P
I completely agree with the bolded and that's a long "intro" section for a game and kind of what had me relatively sour on the game. The game totally opens up in Pittsburgh and almost ended up organically pushing me into the play style we just talked about.
Started what will probably be the last time for a very long time a Survivor playthrough, got to just past the Generator room, I forget just how incredibly tense having like 3-5 bullets tops makes the combat and how much it makes me love the bow, which I remember hating on my first playthrough (Normal). Also forget how dumb and cheap the A.I can be at times, gets me so exited to play against Part 2's A.I so much more.
I think it's one of the things Naughty Dog needs to work on in general. Once their games settle into its groove and all the mechanics have been introduced, their pacing is immaculate, but they tend to struggle to make these long introductions to their games that, while interesting on a narrative level, simply take too long to start challenging and engaging you with the core systems. They're not *bad*, but there's just always a point where you can go "okay this is where the game *really* begins", which isn't a problem that beleaguers some other games that they take inspiration from, like RE4 or Team Ico games. The problem is at its worst with The Last of Us and Uncharted 4, which, not coincidentally, are their longest games; and with Part 2 set to be even longer, I hope it doesn't have the same issue.
I had a convo glitch on me in real time, actually, in the hotel. When I retried one stealth/combat sequence that has a convo in the middle of it, Ellie went aggro for some reason and never exited her combat stance for the duration of the sequence. I remember doing that convo on an earlier playthrough, so I'll assume I wasn't missing it lol.
I really love Pittsburgh design-wise, but the beginning of the Financial District on Grounded almost destroyed my motivation.
The semi-randomized spawns for the new waves of enemies means it's really easy to fuck up after killing 10 enemies. Particularly when they can kill you in one shot or one hit.
At one point toward the end, I gave up my melee approach and killed 3 of them with the bow. And of course, a cutscene played, erased the bodies, and there was nothing left to loot lol.
At one point toward the end, I gave up my melee approach and killed 3 of them with the bow. And of course, a cutscene played, erased the bodies, and there was nothing left to loot lol.
Is that the encounter where
Joel gives Ellie the rifle to cover you?
I remember this section. It's only hard in the sense that you'll be playing the level over and over, tweaking your strategy until you perfect it. It's a bit tedious.
So, this is a bit of my gamer badge of honor, but I managed to get through this level on my first try without encountering an infected. I remembering reading after the fact how people HATED that section, but I had managed to pick up that key, start the generator and bolt it towards the exit unscathed.
Yeah, that's the one. I must have played that encounter 15 times and even when doing exactly the same things during the first part, the later parts varied wildly. It's both interesting and stressful, but eventually gets old.
I didn't struggle too much with the generator room; died once I think then just fucking legged it lmao.
Going back in now to try and finish the game in one sitting, wish me luck (got maybe 2-3 hours left).
Going back in now to try and finish the game in one sitting, wish me luck (got maybe 2-3 hours left).
I noticed in hindsight now that their movie-like pacing/structure as an opening just doesn't translate well into a game format and I'm pretty sure that's what they're doing here. They're being too logical if you will. It took them hours to drip-feed me quite basic mechanics and it made me bounce off the game twice already, this is my third time for fuck's sake lol. Ironically, despite this glacial pace, they still didn't do a good job introducing any of this stuff in my opinion. I know other people who had the same reaction as me in terms of the game not really organically pushing you into its intended optimal play style for hours seemingly and therefore being frustrated with its 'bad stealth' and so on.
Just started it back up, forgot how incredible the intro is, surely remains one of the best ever and I have no idea how they can top it (Don't try is the obvious answer, do something completely different)
I thought I was being clever and mapped out the path to the exit first, but then when you do that the stalkers get triggered, so I was wading through ambushes of them to get back to the generator, which was nerve-wracking enough. And then I activated the generator, sprinted to the exit that I oh so cleverly found first, and realized I forgot all about the fucking key-card, which I have no idea where in the map it even is lol, so had to go back and find that and then sprint all the way back to the exit *again*. I was so close to death at the end of it lmao, thought I was being smart and just ended up making it so much harder for myself.
Not sure what your gamer stamina is, but the final stretch can be a doozy so don't feel bad if you take a break.
Interesting, I never had an issue with how they introduce stuff, I just wish they did it sooner. Like that big infected encounter with both clickers and runners in the leaning skyscraper is a great "get good" encounter that teaches you that A) stealth is really helpful to thin the heard but B) stealth *will* get fucked up and you're gonna have to run around like a mad man and improvise a solution to really stressful situations. They should have done more stuff like that earlier on, just throw you into things and trust the player to figure it out.