Unless you’ve managed to it over the last year or so, The Last of Us has not only got it’s video game adaptation, but it’s already filmed and at this point less than a week till we get to see the opening episode. With Pedro Pascal helming the series with Bella Ramsay as Joel and Ellie respectively, fans of the video game wait to see if it’ll hold a candle to the game, and how well it’ll manage to adapt the hard-hitting story and soul-destroying world. If you’re wondering what to do for the next week, why not take a look at five suggestions from us for the games that’ll fill the void…
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
The sequel to the hit zombie-slashing, wall-running video game from Techland isn’t without its problems, but it will definitely fill the void in zombie content whilst you wait for the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us. Players take control of Aiden as he attempts to work his way through a city plagued by the undead, warring factions of the still-living and a super-powered, child-experimenting Doctor, all whilst trying to find your long-lost sister Mia. The whole game is one long feeling of unease and dread as you’re never really safe from anything or anyone.
A Plague Tale: Innocence/Requiem
We recently spoke to Asobo Studios, the studio behind the Plague Tale franchise, and whilst it was no secret, they outright confirmed the heavy influence from The Last of Us, so it’d be remiss of us not to include these two (excellent) games.
Related: A Plague Tale: Requiem Developers Discuss Their Plans for the Future and More (EXCLUSIVE)
Related: A Plague Tale: Requiem Review: A Tale of Sibling Love with Rats and Fire (PS5)
Following the supernatural story of Amicia and her younger brother Hugo, the game is best described as a medieval platformer with a side of pest-avoidance. The literal waves of rats in the sequel make for an extremely harrowing adventure, and there’s no shortage of hard decisions and genuinely sad story beats that’ll keep you thinking of the game long after its finished.
Days Gone
A zombie game with a lot of promise, Days Gone featured a post-apocalyptic Oregon for players to explore whilst taking control of Deacon St John, an outlaw biker with a heart who is desperate to find his long-thought dead wife, Sarah.
Whilst the majority of the game is spent going from ‘a to b’ on Deacon’s motorcycle, with the odd fetch quest or gigantic zombie horde to try and vanquish, the game does offer the player the occasional difficult choice or hard-hitting story beat. Plus the world itself is a treat to spend your time in, even if it is a little empty of meaningful content.
The Evil Within 1 & 2
More of a horror survival game than action adventure like the others listed here, The Evil Within franchise features Detective Sebastian Castellanos at a point in his life that could be described as ‘incredibly fraught’.
Whilst with the character, players will explore a distorted and terrifying version of reality filled with tense, unnerving enemy encounters and genuinely terrifying moments that’ll have you questioning what you’re doing in the game, and what’s actually happening. Not a game for the light-hearted, but you’d expect that from the co-creator of the Resident Evil series…
The Last of Us Part 1 & Part 2
The best way to get your The Last of Us fix is to play the very games that the upcoming series is going to be based on. Following Joel and Ellie in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a mutated fungal virus, you’ll spend your time avoiding the human survivors as much as the clickers (and other mutated enemies), all whilst trying to ensure Ellie survives.
Related: 5 Apocalyptic Films and TV Shows to Prepare You for ‘The Last of Us‘
An action-adventure game(s) that changed the scope of what was expected from the genre, Naughty Dog had raised the bar to such a degree that nothing comes close even now, nearly a decade on, and the story of the game is still considered one of the best available not just in modern gaming, but gaming history.
Whilst the sequel may be controversial for many reasons, the original is near flawless, and whilst it has taken a while, it’s only a few more short days till we get to see the first game adapted for the silver screen.
There is our choices, but what other games will you be playing in the run up to The Last of Us debuting on HBO?
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