Summary
It may be unfair to compareThe Last of UsandInto the Dead: Our Darkest Daysbecause the former presents a unique fungal horror as opposed to the traditional zombie fare the latter has adapted, but their themes are endlessly similar. Of course, whileThe Last of Usdoes make a great effort to be distinct, its reanimated monstrosities do emanate a ‘zombie’ ambiance alongside the timeless depiction of humankind turning on itself in disturbing ways. WhileThe Last of Us’ online game has recently been canceled, though,Into the Dead: Our Darkest Daysmight be able to scratch that itch in the meantime.
Into the Dead: Our Darkest Daysis a single-player survival game with some unique mechanics as a strategic side-scroller. It appears to be a smorgasbord of everything that usually punctuates a good zombie epic and has the potential to be deeply immersive in a way thatThe Last of Ushas been.PikPok’s latest indie zombieInto the Deadspin-offdoesn’t currently have a release date, but it’s already shaping up to be a title that could fill a hole left byThe Last of Usuntil that seminal franchise receives its next entry.
As a side-scroller,Into the Deadwill have a lot of mileage when it comes to being bombarded and overrun by hordes of the undead from either side of the screen. This’ll likely be a huge consideration when deciding how to navigate locations or remembering where a building’s entry points are while exploring an environment to provide for others whom players are attempting to survive with.
In essence, this sounds remarkably likewhatThe Last of Us’ online game could have amounted to, albeit from an over-the-shoulder perspective in a live-service multiplayer landscape. It’s unknown precisely whatThe Last of Us Onlinewas aiming for in its core gameplay loop, but with a strong emphasis on story it’s easy to perceive how it andInto the Deadmay have been the same when it comes to players surviving hordes while aiding those around them.
It’ll be interesting to see how rich and dynamicInto the Dead’s systems are as they pertain to a zombie outbreak, and survival as a key feature will hopefullytake as much inspiration fromThe Last of Usas possibledue to how well it informed the latter’s immersion in both games.
Scavenging, looting, and crafting are such passive activities inThe Last of Usthat it’s quite easy to overlook their importance in the series. Still, they are integral toThe Last of Us’ gameplay and depending on how much players loot—and at what difficulty—they will either be far better equipped for upcoming adversities or under-equipped and flailing. IfInto the Deadcan emulate even a fraction of this sensation it will be a terrific success, giving players a sense of genuine urgency as they search interiors for anything they can viably use before they’re confronted with a living or undead threat.
Even more arresting is the idea thatInto the Deadtasks players with helping an entire group survive, as opposed to players only needing to selfishly worry about themselves inThe Last of Us.Indeed, accommodating and meeting the needs of a starving and devastated group was experienced loosely inThe Last of Us’ Factions multiplayer, butInto the Deadlooks to make that premise wholly suspenseful and consequential with characters’ lives and well-being directly impacted by players’ actions and inactions.
The Last Of Us Part II Remastered
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EXPERIENCE ELLIE AND ABBY’S EMOTIONAL JOURNEYS, REMASTERED FOR PS5 Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure.
