10. Rogue Legacy
9. Papers, Please
8. Divekick
7. Dota 2
6. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
5. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
4. Gone Home
3. BioShock Infinite
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
1. The Last of Us
This isn't Naughty Dog's first time in the top spot on one of our annual lists, so in one sense it's not a huge surprise that they've made it here again (and on the same console, no less). But what is surprising about The Last of Us is the extent to which this game departs from not just Naughty Dog's previous, mostly lighthearted work, but from the irreverence and superficiality of most of the video game industry's output in general.
It's not that there aren't other games out there that take themselves seriously; it's more that The Last of Us deserves to take itself seriously. It's a work of subtlety and gravity that makes you feel like maybe games do deserve to be regarded with the same level of respect as the best books and films.
The core of the game's triumph is the developing relationship between survival companions Joel and Ellie, and the way their motivations change (and sometimes don't change) as they come to rely on and care for one another during a brutal, year-long trek across a savaged United States. The Last of Us relies on its characterizations to move its story forward in a way few games are brave enough to do, and it's fitting that the tale culminates in a way that's thematically appropriate to the characters and the story, and feels like a natural end to the tale. There's no reason The Last of Us needs a sequel, and that's a compliment. As poor as most video game endings are, The Last of Us sticks the landing and makes it look effortless.
That's not to give short shrift to the game's impressive mix of stealth and shooting. Naughty Dog wisely chose not to reprise the death-defying acrobatics of Nathan Drake here, instead restraining and focusing the gameplay on hard-scrabble survival that's more consistent with the tone of the story and the grim reality of life after civilization has broken down. The struggle for resources, for allies, for safety and some small comfort pervades every moment of the grueling journey from Boston across a large swath of the Midwest. Though you gain more tricks in your survival toolkit as the game wears on, you never feel like you're truly safe from whatever horror lurks around the next corner.
Naughty Dog has proven itself with cartoonish action and theatrical thrill rides in the past, but it was a pleasure to watch their first effort at deeper, more meaningful work.
They made an instant classic.
http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/gi...ive/1100-4807/
