The Role of Disease in The Last of Us: Exploring its Impact on the Narrative
The Last of Us is a widely acclaimed action-adventure game that captured the attention of gamers worldwide. The game’s storyline revolves around the plot, where an infectious disease takes over the world and turns humans into zombie-like creatures. The game’s central theme revolves around survival, but the intriguing angle is how the disease affects the story’s narrative. This article explores the role of disease in The Last of Us and how it impacted the game’s narrative.
The Infection and its Impact on the Narrative
The narrative of The Last of Us is bound together by the fungal infection that spreads through spores in the air and infects regular people, turning them into monsters. The game software developers gave extensive thought to the entire process, from how it spreads, how it manifests in the human body, to the different stages of transformation, and how the infected interact with the world.
The game’s creators took care to craft a world where the infection was realistic and believable, with some of the infected being immune to the disease while others are more susceptible to it. The infection instils fear in the players as they must constantly strive to find supplies and shelter to escape the infected. The disease becomes a significant factor in how the narrative unfolds, dictating how the survivors must navigate the world and making the stakes high.
The Symbolism in the Disease
The Last of Us uses the infection as a symbol that forces the players to question what it means to be human. The transformation into one of the infected is gruesome and painful, and the character’s urge to survive and avoid succumbing to the disease is a considerable driving force in the game.
The infection symbolises how humans can turn on each other and be just as ruthless as any other savage predator. It poses moral questions to the player, forcing them to think about what they would do in a similar situation. Would they be willing to sacrifice their humanity to survive, or would they preserve their humanity and die? The infection also reveals how fragile human life is, how precious it is, and how easily it can be taken away.
The Impact on Game Mechanics
The spread of the infection and how it affects the human body plays a significant role in the game mechanics of The Last of Us. The player must use supplies, such as bandages and medications, to stave off the infection’s progression in their character.
The disease’s impact on the player’s character is also reflected in the gameplay mechanics, where the infected are faster, stronger, and more aggressive in the later stages of the disease. Certain moves or weapons become less useful as the game progresses because of the structural changes that have occurred in the environment.
The Conclusion
Disease plays a vital role in The Last of Us’s narrative, impacting both the story and the gameplay mechanics. It serves as a potent symbol that highlights human nature’s darker aspects, forcing players to question their ethics and priorities. The game provides a thrilling and realistic portrayal of how a disease outbreak can destabilize our society, which is a scarily relevant message during the current times. The Last of Us is not just a game; it is a story that will stimulate players to think and discuss the ramifications of disease on our world.
