88 July 2013 www.bahrainthismonth.com downtimecomputergames The Last Of Us (Playstation 3) RATING: WHAT IS IT? Naughty Dog has always been at the forefront of Playstation games, ever since the first console came out. The developer has an array of great titles. And now comes Naughty Dog’s take on the zombie and survival horror genre. The Last of Us tells the story of two characters, Joel and Ellie, who struggle to survive in a postapocalyptic America, in a world where the majority of the human race has been infected by a fungal disease. GRAPHICS: Graphically, Naughty Dog has done a fantastic job, crafting landscapes that feel so alive and characters that players actually feel for. As with the Uncharted series, witnessing cities overcome by nature is startlingly realistic imagery. GAMEPLAY: One of the things I find most impressive with this game is the relationship of the two protagonists. When Joel and Ellie first meet they’re not friends, and they’re trusting of each other. But, as the game progresses, their relationship develops and this results in the characters changing their stance towards each other. Unlike most games of a similar genre, The Last of Us forces you to actually think about your strategy for survival; as resources are limited, you have to collect everything yourself, from guns and ammo to customisable melee weapons. This sense of urgency makes for a fantastic gaming experience. State of Decay (Xbox 360) This cool Xbox Arcade exclusive sees you battle the undead and fight for survival in an extremely free and diverse open-world environment. It may have its fair share of technical difficulties and bugs but, aside from that, it’s one of the most interesting of recent open-world games. Remember Me (Xbox 360, PS3 & PC) The first release from French studio Dontmund is an interesting and engaging concept. Combat takes a while to get the hang of, and the latter half of the game feels a lot weaker. Nonetheless, Remember Me is a fresh and interesting gaming experience. Resident Evil: Revelations (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U & PC) The latest in the renowned survival horror series sees us revisit classic protagonists from the first game. Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield infiltrate an abandoned cruise ship filled with infected people. It’s awesome to play as the old characters again, and Revelations feels like a return to Resident Evil 4, which is just what the franchise needed! GAME OF THE MONTH The End Is Nigh Whether it is revolution or the end of the world, this month’s top games have it all! VERDICT: Naughty Dog have once again produced a game which is quite simply a work of art, intelligent, deep and as exciting as it is tense. The Last of Us is already an outstanding candidate for game of the year!
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