I’m drained, y’all

I’ve performed a whole lot of The Final of Us in my life. The primary one was extremely formative for me, and have become the explanation I work in video games now. My hyperfixation with it took over my life for a great 12 months, and in that point I ended up enjoying it seven or eight occasions, beginning it over once more after I completed it. My love for TLOU is what introduced me throughout the nation to stay in Los Angeles, and ultimately landed me a job at Naughty Canine doing QA for The Final of Us Half II, which I platinumed a couple of half dozen occasions whereas I labored there.

The sequence has continued to be on the forefront of the video games business practically a decade after its beginnings, for higher and for worse. The primary sport is without doubt one of the greatest examples of interactive storytelling we now have, and definitely my favourite, and I’ve to imagine that its continued relevance has led many new gamers to expertise its story for the primary time — that I’m grateful for. Even so, it’s not best to have an excessive amount of of a great factor, which is one thing the video games business is aware of properly.

For those who haven’t heard the information concerning the newly launched The Final of Us Half I (a title I begrudgingly use for the unique sport solely as a result of it’s the official identify of this model), you is likely to be residing below a rock. In case you’ve determined to go all Patrick Star on us, I’ll rapidly break it down — Naughty Canine launched a brand new model of The Final of Us that was “rebuilt from the bottom up” for the PS5, which incorporates enhanced graphics, gameplay, and high quality of life adjustments. It’s additionally the primary time the sequence is out there on PC.

At this level, sharing the truth that I don’t wish to play the sport once more as its rereleased Half I model feels fairly stale. All of our timelines are flooded with takes, each cold and warm, about TLOU, and right here I’m including to the heaping pile. In all honesty, it’s as a result of I’m so near it, I can’t assist myself.

When all the controversy surrounding Half II hit, I used to be already consuming, sleeping, and respiration the sport for over six months, having infinite discussions about it not solely as a fan, however as somebody who poured their coronary heart and soul into serving to refine it. A couple of 12 months in the past, I lastly reached some extent the place I don’t really feel like I can interact with it in any respect anymore — I’ve merely talked myself out.

Right here’s your remake, bro! from gaming

A part of the exhaustion, which I do know others are feeling as properly, is that we are able to’t escape it. Between the brand new rerelease and the upcoming HBO adaptation, it’s unimaginable to keep away from the conversations surrounding the sequence within the video games area. Naughty Canine doesn’t appear to need us to overlook.

We’ve seen different cases of studios wheeling out previous favorites for the sheer indisputable fact that it’ll nonetheless promote ( you, Bethesda and Rockstar), and now, as a result of TLOU has barely left the general public consciousness for happening a decade, everybody feels some sort of method about it. Whether or not that response is to roll your eyes or defend the video games to your grave or something in between, I perceive all of it.

I’m so biased about this matter in so some ways. Each element of the unique is absolutely vital to me — each body is burned into my mind. It sounds foolish, however even the slightest change of a digital camera angle or colour grading feels sacrilegious to me.

After being disillusioned by the video games business (one thing just about each developer goes by in some unspecified time in the future, sadly), the primary Final of Us sport stays sacred to me in a method I can’t actually clarify, and in a method that won’t even be justified, however my love for it’s one thing I’m cussed about defending.

What I’m left with is a form of apathy in the direction of the rerelease, which is best than the choice of being bitter about it, I assume. On the finish of the day, I hope it signifies that extra folks can benefit from the story which means a lot to me, however I simply can’t contact it.

Sometime I’ll have the ability to play TLOU once more, and I actually stay up for that day. However you may wager your ass it’s going to be the PS4 model.