E3 2012: The Last of Us Interview

This game was easily Sony's best game this E3.

@Rodin said:

Man brads a great interviewer.

Yeah, he always knows how to ask the right questions.

@Grayone: I don't think you've paid attention to anything the developers have said or shown of this game.

@RedRoach said:

@Grayone: I don't think you've paid attention to anything the developers have said or shown of this game.

Yea it's kinda the opposite of Uncharted, the only similarities are that it has the same level of great visuals, level design and character interaction as Naughty Dogs past Uncharted games.

Real nice subtle digs at info near the end there Brad.

@Phatmac said:

Why don't they show this 17 minute demo online? Really want to see it.

Probably not allowed to. If they wanted the public to see it, they wouldn't only show it behind closed doors.

I don't get why they aren't showing the 17 minute demo, doesn't make much sense. Guess they think all we want is a dude shooting him in the head. 

I can't help but being reminded of 'The Road'.

The whole sneak past and opt out of resources or kill people to get them seems really intriguing to me, as well as how the ingredients for the molotov could also be used for injuries seems really smart. As he said, offense versus defensive play style. Overall, getting pretty excited about this one.

@Aarny91 said:

@Rodin said:

Man brads a great interviewer.

Yeah, he always knows how to ask the right questions.

Yep. Killing it as usual. Too bad his skills don't get much usage for most of the year.

from all the games shown at the E3, I am most excited about this and the upcoming Star Wars game.

@HarlequinRiot said:

Could be great. I really hope they put the focus the survival and "diplomacy" aspects and not the shooting. The fewer combat encounters there are (and the fewer bullets and health packs) the more poignant it'll be. They want you to think about each person you have to kill, but that's not gonna happen with a kill count around 100.

Totally agree with you man, to be honest I was a bit disapointed that the main character (can't remember his name) took a shot in the demo and then carried on fighting with less reaction than you would have to a slap in real life.

I know its a video game but I am still holding out for the post-apoclyptic or survival game which tries to embrace reality more, I think if this can be achieved it will really lend a taut edge to the survival.

As much as they are pushing the human interaction and scanveging etc we just saw a demo where he took out 5 or 6 guys in one setpiece and as you say this will lead to hundreds of kills over the game.

I hope they add a hardcore option where there is no HUD and you have to count your shots or physically look into a revolvers chamber, and one bullet (unless a graze) incapatates you.

Tbh the game I want in this sort of setting would need to be more RPG styled and this, while I am sure it will be good, looks a little too much like a more realistic version of Uncharted gameplaywise, just given a different setting. From what we saw the environments looked like Uncharted's in that they are supremly detailed with wonderful vistas but offer little scope for exploration on a wide scale.

Still hopeful though.

I really hope this comes out this year. If it comes out in 2013, there's going to end up being a drought of games this year and an onslaught the next.

Sneaky Brad.

Yeah, this one is near the top of my list coming out of E3... But I want a 2012 release!! Oh well, they know what there doing.

I wish Naughty Dog would do some stuff for the 360.

Wow, looks amazing. Wish it was coming out this year!

i dont know i feel like the world is a bit narrow from what i have seen but could change a lot sounds like there still a good year away from release. and i also still feel that combat takes 1st place then story followed by survival in 3rd i kinda feel this game could be great if it focused on survival more like in arma day-z mod.

@Cyrisaurus: You don't really think it's going to hit this year do you? It's going to be tight for any developer, let alone one making a game with so many systems at play to get something that needs "a lot of work" polished and on shelves by November

Loving the music playing around 4:16. What's it called?

Cinematic storytelling via heavy use of systems has always been what I enjoy out of a game experience, and what they're saying is exactly what I want. I think one of the few games that has a similar use of systems is a little game called King of Dragon Pass that only uses this data in a text based format.

Can't wait for this.

Jacob has been PR trained. That response at the end was pretty good non-answer. Pretty smooth though Brad, you sneaky sneaky bastard.

I love watching the reps go stone-faced when they get hit with those unannouncable questions. Trying with every fiber of their being to not give anything away. Straight up Lie To Me shit.

Huh, the guy does a lot of skirting around the questions Brad asks. Most of the stuff he said was in the Game Informer issue from a few months back.

Holy shit video games are great, eh Naughty Dog?

I think I'm in love. With this game. The Last of Us looks like everything that I Am Alive should have been and much, much more.

@leebmx said:

@HarlequinRiot said:

Could be great. I really hope they put the focus the survival and "diplomacy" aspects and not the shooting. The fewer combat encounters there are (and the fewer bullets and health packs) the more poignant it'll be. They want you to think about each person you have to kill, but that's not gonna happen with a kill count around 100.

Totally agree with you man, to be honest I was a bit disapointed that the main character (can't remember his name) took a shot in the demo and then carried on fighting with less reaction than you would have to a slap in real life.

I know its a video game but I am still holding out for the post-apoclyptic or survival game which tries to embrace reality more, I think if this can be achieved it will really lend a taut edge to the survival.

As much as they are pushing the human interaction and scanveging etc we just saw a demo where he took out 5 or 6 guys in one setpiece and as you say this will lead to hundreds of kills over the game.

I hope they add a hardcore option where there is no HUD and you have to count your shots or physically look into a revolvers chamber, and one bullet (unless a graze) incapatates you.

Tbh the game I want in this sort of setting would need to be more RPG styled and this, while I am sure it will be good, looks a little too much like a more realistic version of Uncharted gameplaywise, just given a different setting. From what we saw the environments looked like Uncharted's in that they are supremly detailed with wonderful vistas but offer little scope for exploration on a wide scale.

Still hopeful though.

They have said over and over that the demo for the Sony presentation was supposed to be action focused, because otherwise it wouldn't make for a good 6 minute demo presentation. They have also been showing the same demo to the press where the player could take a non-aggressive approach in dealing with npcs. You don't have to kill or be aggressive, but you may miss out scavenging opportunities.

There are so many aspects of this game that make me excited. So looking forward to this game, and Naughty Dog can take as much time as they need to make it. That just means the game will be more polished and have more awesome stuff in it. :)

@WilliamHenry said:

@Phatmac said:

Why don't they show this 17 minute demo online? Really want to see it.

Probably not allowed to. If they wanted the public to see it, they wouldn't only show it behind closed doors.

@TrueEnglishGent said:

I don't get why they aren't showing the 17 minute demo, doesn't make much sense. Guess they think all we want is a dude shooting him in the head.

I want to say that there is/was an embargo on showing anything on it (and Beyond:Two Souls) until sometime today. The reason being that these games don't get buried under all the other E3 news.

@adam1808 said:

@Cyrisaurus: You don't really think it's going to hit this year do you? It's going to be tight for any developer, let alone one making a game with so many systems at play to get something that needs "a lot of work" polished and on shelves by November

uhhh... duder, I think you misread my post. I said 2013.

I hope there's some more game with my movie. For me, Uncharted 3 was diappointing.

@GaspoweR said:

Jacob has been PR trained. That response at the end was pretty good non-answer. Pretty smooth though Brad, you sneaky sneaky bastard.

He did really well, it was so sneaky of Brad how he just nonchalantly asked that very quickly, I felt like Jacob was almost going to let it slip and then caught himself.

I bet they laughed about it afterwards too.

I think Brad almost got him there at the end for a second.

@TorMasturba said:

@GaspoweR said:

Jacob has been PR trained. That response at the end was pretty good non-answer. Pretty smooth though Brad, you sneaky sneaky bastard.

He did really well, it was so sneaky of Brad how he just nonchalantly asked that very quickly, I felt like Jacob was almost going to let it slip and then caught himself.

I bet they laughed about it afterwards too.

I wonder if Jacob internally was thinking "haha yes thats not like the 100th time a game journalist tried that amazing trick" cause I imagine Brad is not the only one trying to wring information out of him.

@RagingLion said:

@Aarny91 said:

@Rodin said:

Man brads a great interviewer.

Yeah, he always knows how to ask the right questions.

Yep. Killing it as usual. Too bad his skills don't get much usage for most of the year.

That's actually a pretty good point. We give Brad (and the others) a good deal of shit for his shortcomings, but he is probably the best interviewer of the bunch.

Is this the sequel to Hard Candy?

Actually met Jacob at GDC a couple years back. That dude's a pretty cool guy. Stuck around after his presentation to answer everyone's questions, including mine.

I like how he mentioned that everyone you kill you actually feel kinda bad for. When you think about the demo and how some of those guys pleaded for their life..man really makes you think. Not like Uncharted where you are mowing guys down and could careless about them.

dat background music....

Now I remember why I love Sony, and my PS3 lol

Look fantastic.

that guy is cool lol

@mrpandaman said:

@leebmx said:

@HarlequinRiot said:

Could be great. I really hope they put the focus the survival and "diplomacy" aspects and not the shooting. The fewer combat encounters there are (and the fewer bullets and health packs) the more poignant it'll be. They want you to think about each person you have to kill, but that's not gonna happen with a kill count around 100.

Totally agree with you man, to be honest I was a bit disapointed that the main character (can't remember his name) took a shot in the demo and then carried on fighting with less reaction than you would have to a slap in real life.

I know its a video game but I am still holding out for the post-apoclyptic or survival game which tries to embrace reality more, I think if this can be achieved it will really lend a taut edge to the survival.

As much as they are pushing the human interaction and scanveging etc we just saw a demo where he took out 5 or 6 guys in one setpiece and as you say this will lead to hundreds of kills over the game.

I hope they add a hardcore option where there is no HUD and you have to count your shots or physically look into a revolvers chamber, and one bullet (unless a graze) incapatates you.

Tbh the game I want in this sort of setting would need to be more RPG styled and this, while I am sure it will be good, looks a little too much like a more realistic version of Uncharted gameplaywise, just given a different setting. From what we saw the environments looked like Uncharted's in that they are supremly detailed with wonderful vistas but offer little scope for exploration on a wide scale.

Still hopeful though.

They have said over and over that the demo for the Sony presentation was supposed to be action focused, because otherwise it wouldn't make for a good 6 minute demo presentation. They have also been showing the same demo to the press where the player could take a non-aggressive approach in dealing with npcs. You don't have to kill or be aggressive, but you may miss out scavenging opportunities.

I am guessing you have only read @HarlequinRiot's post. I understand you will be able to creep around enemies (although if you end up with loads less ammo and other stuff it removes the incentive a little) I am just worried the game is at heart going to be composed of quite traditional gameplay, albeit really well presented and I was hoping, from the inital buzz for something a little more revolutionary and realistic.

My dream apolcolyptic game is a free roaming, exploration, survival game where the only enemies are other humans and there is no need for bosses, crazy monsters etc because having to survive in this realistic world is a feat by itself. I understand this game won't be it and I bet it will still be great, I just hope its not too single path and gamey.

This interview was absolutely pronominal Brad!

"Lead Designer" - crazy, he sounded like a highly trained PR assassin.

This game seems like deus ex but in a wasteland setting.

Looks like Sam Fisher found his daughter...

That last question was hell of smooth, Brad.

I'm finally gonna have to give in and buy a PS3 now. I have to play this.

Looks really good.