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The Last of Us Remastered's Photo Mode helps spawn a beautiful trailer
The Last of Us Remastered's Photo Mode isn't just useful for capturing those little moments of perfectly-framed opportunity, you know. When used to string together a series of 3D portraits set against the game's haunting guitar theme, it can help make a pretty darn good trailer for the game. Thankfully, the situation we've just described isn't hypothetical; YouTube user Grant Voegtle has done precisely that, and you can see the results above. As beautiful as the trailer is, you might want to hold off on watching if you haven't yet played Naughty Dog's romp through post-fungal-pocalypse America, as there are plenty of major spoilers shown. Of course, even if you have played through The Last of Us and know what's coming, sometimes it's worth it to take another trip. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us Revisited: Hearts of darkness
If you're experienced, playing The Last of Us again is not easy. For any PlayStation 3 owners who already marched through the dark recesses of Naughty Dog's post-civilization adventure, you know just how hard it is to play. Ellie and Joel's journey across America, chasing a faint hope for a cure to a decades-old mushroom-zombie epidemic, cannot be described as happy fun times. The peaks and valleys of their friendship are Naughty Dog's most affecting story beats, its desperation-inflected combat and exploration expert lessons in linear game making, but all its many pleasures don't change the fact that The Last of Us is relentlessly grim. Darkness, ugliness, and authentic brutality haunt every hour of the game Joystiq dubbed its favorite of 2013. If you've already played The Last of Us and its downloadable chapter "Left Behind," it's not an essential purchase on PlayStation 4, though it does have its merits. If, however, you're among those newfound PS4 owners who skipped out on PS3 and you're willing to brave an emotional abyss in search of catharsis: The Last of Us: Remastered is the best game playable on the console for a variety of reasons.
'The Last of Us' brought to life in live stage show
Today, The Last of Us is getting ready to take over PlayStation 4 consoles everywhere, and soon it may also be conquering... Broadway. Well, maybe not so much. But Naughty Dog's popular title did make its debut on the live stage, with a show called "The Last of Us: One Night Live" which took place in Santa Monica, California. Sony explains that the play was in celebration of the game's arrival on the PlayStation 4, so giving fans a way to experience the story through a theatre performance was an obvious choice ahead of the launch. "The Last of Us: One Night Live," directed by Neil Druckmann, featured music from the score, read of "key scenes" and a Q&A from the cast and crew involved in the show. Sure, it probably would have been better to actually be there, but Sony was kind enough to let you re-live the performance in the video after the break.
Watch The Last of Us: One Night Live, but not the unseen epilogue
If you played The Last of Us and thought "hey this would make a really great stage show" then you're kind of weird. But also perhaps a visionary, since a The Last of Us stage show is exactly what Naughty Dog and Sony put on last night in a special one-off performance. It's of course closer to a table read than a grand Broadway spectacle, but if you like seeing voice actors like Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie) apply themselves to their roles, it's worth a watch. Also, rather than telling the full plot, the show takes select scenes from various parts of Naughty Dog's horror. In short, it doesn't really explain the story but it sure as heck spoils it, so if you've not played the game, go do that first (it's really good!)
Take the shot with The Last Of Us: Remastered's Photo Mode
When things get frantic in action games, the tension can make it tough to appreciate the scene unfolding at our command. The PS4's Share button has helped players capture moments in snapshots for a while, but The Last Of Us: Remastered's Photo Mode will offer extra filters and camera controls so players can really explore a moment and get the perspective they're most interested in. Once the feature is turned on in Remastered's pause menu, Photo Mode can be toggled with a click of L3. In the video demonstration above, the narrator explains that players can "enter Photo Mode any time other than a cutscene, though sometimes you'll be restricted from moving the camera." While repositioning the camera might not always be possible, there are still options to adjust a shot's depth of field, brightness, surrounding frame or color. Vignettes and film grains can be laid over photos as well, to help emphasize the desired sort of mood. Once a composition is complete, tapping the Share button will share the snapshot as normal, with another tap of L3 returning players to actively dealing with Remastered's Clicker problem. Maybe you can grab an exquisitely-gruesome frame of your future brick-on-the-head kills, or catch Joel mid eye roll as Ellie shares another kneeslapper from her joke book. Either way, you can give the photojournalist thing a go when Remastered ventures onto the PS4 on July 29. [Image: Naughty Dog]
Arya Stark has met with The Last of Us movie producers
Maisie Williams - or as fans of HBO show Game of Thrones might know her, Arya Stark - has met with Neil Druckmann (of Naughty Dog) and Sam Raimi (of Sam Raimi) regarding the in-development film adaptation of The Last of Us, /Film reports. The 17-year-old actress was not in attendance for the Comic-Con panel where she was mentioned, but thankfully there was more to share, including the teaser poster you see above. Raimi, who is set to produce the film, said he's confident in Druckmann's vision and script. It was also revealed that Druckmann was originally planning to write opening and ending scenes that differed from the game, but Raimi convinced him to stick closer to the source material. "I started this process thinking I'd have to protect the story from producers," Raimi said to Druckmann. "And then I had to protect it from you." The film is still quite a ways off, but things seem to be moving at a good pace, with crew and potential cast all sounding confident and excited. [Image: Naughty Dog/Ghost House Pictures]
GameStop offering 50% off The Last of Us Remastered with PS3 copy trade-in
Starting next week, GameStop shoppers can get a steep discount on The Last of Us Remastered for the PlayStation 4 by trading in a copy of the 2013 PS3 edition alongside a pre-order or purchase. Between July 27 and August 2, customers who trade in a PS3 copy of The Last of Us at GameStop will get 50 percent off of The Last of Us Remastered, dropping it to $25 at launch. The Last of Us Remastered includes all content from last year's PS3 version, upgrading the core campaign with a 1080p presentation and bundling a collection of post-release DLC, including the "Left Behind" expansion. The Last of Us Remastered launches on July 29. [Image: Sony / GameStop]
The Last of Us spawns one-night only, live stage show
Having conquered the virtual world, Naughty Dog's smash hit The Last of Us is now headed to the stage for a one-time performance. Before you get excited over seeing Joel decapitated by a fungus zombie in person, know that this isn't a traditional stage adaptation of The Last of Us. Instead, the event (dubbed "The Last of Us: One Night Live") will feature the game's principal actors reading select scenes from the game under the direction of Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann. Additionally, composer Gustavo Santaolalla will perform selections from the game's score. "How this all fits together will remain a bit of a mystery until it happens, but trust me when I say it will be a very special evening," wrote producer Geoff Keighley on the PlayStation.blog. The Last of Us: One Night Live will make its sole appearance on July 28 at Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California. If you can't make it, the event will be streamed live via Twitch, YouTube and the PlayStation Network's Live Event Viewer. [Image: Naughty Dog]
Japan's white Destiny PS4 is that little bit prettier
Like in the West, Sony is releasing a shiny white PS4 bundle in Japan for Bungie shooter Destiny. The difference is that Japan's system is a smidgen cooler thanks to the addition of a laser-etched faceplate bearing the game's logo - pretty swish, I'd say. It's interesting to see Japan getting these PS4 faceplate bundles while there's been no sign of them across the ocean. Sony revealed another one for The Last of Us this week - you can check that one out below the break, but it's not doing it for me, big-time. We saw another last week for - of all things - Disney musical film Frozen, while ones for Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes and Final Fantasy 14 are already in Japanese homes. So, would you like to see the faceplates released over here? For now, only Japan's getting the TLOU-plated PS4 on August 21, while the Destiny system checks in on September 11.
The Last of Us: Remastered includes optional 30fps lockdown [update]
Update: Asked on Twitter if the 30 frames per second (fps) lock indicated any fluctuations from the regular 60fps, Naughty Dog Co-President Evan Wells said, "Not at all. We included it at the request of the purists who wanted the experience as close to the original (PS3) as possible." Original story: Reports this morning confirm new details for PS4 revamp The Last of Us: Remastered, including an option to lock framerate at 30 frames per second. As the PlayStation Blog notes, the polished-up PS4 version of Naughty Dog's 2013 game runs regularly at 60fps and 1080p resolution. Sony's Sid Shuman said he suspects choosing between framerates will "boil down to personal preference," while Eurogamer speculates the option may indicate there's some judder at regular settings. A Game Informer hands-on preview doesn't note whether there are any significant drops. The Game Informer preview provides several other new details. For one, saves won't carry over from the PS3 game to the remastered PS4 version. Similarly, the trophy set is entirely separate, even though the trophies themselves are identical to the original ones on PS3. DLC, however, does carry over to the new version. As revealed previously, the three major released DLC packs - that's Abandoned Territories, Reclaimed Territories and Left Behind - all come as standard with the $50 PS4 game. But Game Informer notes you'll also be able to grab other DLC that you purchased on PS3 and use it in the new PS4 version too.
The Last of Us: Remastered now available for pre-order on European PSN
The Last of Us: Remastered is still a few weeks out, but now European PSN users can plunk down the cash for a digital pre-order of the prettied up post-apocalyptic adventure (just like their North American cousins). Not only does The Last of Us: Remastered include a full, 1080p remake of one of the few games that we've awarded a five-star review score, it also includes a host of digital bonus items, aptly dubbed the "Survival Pack." This pre-order incentive grants players extra starting cash, new costumes for protagonists Joel and Ellie, upgraded healing, crafting and reloading speed and bonus experience points in multiplayer, among other additions. [Image: Sony]
The Last of Us Remastered PS4 bundle
A PlayStation 4 console bundle featuring The Last of Us Remastered was announced for Europe this morning. The package is priced at €429.99, includes a 500GB console, one DualShock 4 controller and a copy of the hd-ified survival spore-er drama. No word yet on a stateside PS4 bundle featuring the game.
Sony offering refunds in wake of Last of Us pre-order price drop
Usually price drops are seen as a good thing, but not always. When Sony lowered pre-orders for The Last of Us Remastered on PS4 by $10 and it looked as though customers who had already pre-ordered the game for $59.99 wouldn't be able to get a refund for the price difference, there were more than a few people upset. Yet, despite the game's description page warning that customers "may not cancel a pre-order at any time and refunds are not available for pre-orders," it looks like good news is on the way. Sony VP of Publisher and Developer Relations Adam Boyes told an unhappy customer on Twitter that a refund would be coming within the next five to seven days. Assuming Twitter user "Tony K" isn't a unique case and that others will also receive a $10 refund, Sony may have avoided a catastrophe of fungal-apocalypse proportions. [Thanks, Tadeu!] [Image: Sony]
E3 2014 round-up: Weird tales from Los Angeles
Had you been on the floor of the Los Angeles Convention Center this year, you would have heard one question, echoing from journalist to journalist: "This year feels a little ... weird, don't you think?" It's hard to put a finger on exactly why E3 2014 gave off a strange vibe, but darn it all, we're gonna try. Here are some of the most eccentric, the most peculiar, most "hmm"-inducing stories of E3:
Keep on trekking: The Last of Us hits PS4 on July 29
PlayStation 3 hit The Last of Us completes its remastered journey onto PS4 next month. At Sony's E3 conference, the company announced a July 29 release date for the survival horror on Sony's newest system. The announcement wasn't the first The Last of Us-related news of the night. Earlier in the evening, Sony revealed the PS4 edition of Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition will feature a dungeon based on Naughty Dog's game. [Image: Sony]
Last of Us-themed dungeon coming to Diablo 3 PS4
When Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition debuts on the PlayStation 4, it will include an exclusive dungeon packed with enemies that should be familiar to fans of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us. Alongside the standard imps and other demonspawn, this dungeon will also be populated by fungus-riddled clickers. [Image: Sony]
Last of Us leads heading up Uncharted PS4 after Hennig's departure
Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann, co-leads on multiple-award-winning The Last Of Us, will be taking charge for the next game in the Uncharted series, Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells revealed to Game Informer. Straley, who served as game director, and Druckmann, who served as creative director on The Last of Us, will be taking over for previous Uncharted writer/creative director Amy Hennig, who departed Naughty Dog for Star Wars-ier pastures at Visceral Games earlier this year. Try not to worry too much that the change in leadership will make Uncharted on PS4 as dark as Naughty Dog's fungal apocalypse drama; both Druckmann and Straley have experience working on the PS3 Uncharted games. Druckmann helped pen Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, while Straley was game director for Uncharted 2 and art director for the original Uncharted. In other words: this won't be exactly ... unexplored territory for the developers. ... Wait, did we mess that joke up? [Image: Naughty Dog]
Neil Druckmann talks visuals for The Last Of Us' PS4 port
The Last of Us: Remastered isn't going to drastically overhaul Ellie and Joel's venture through clicker-infested environments. It might not even use new features like the DualShock 4's touchpad, though Naughty Dog is toying with ideas to see if any are worth pursuing. What it certainly will do is look better than its PS3 origin story, thanks to the boost in power gained from movin' on up to the PS4. Creative director Neil Druckmann recently chatted with Edge about this summer's improved port, explaining the team's approach to getting the most from a platform for any game. "We always build the best possible assets and then we can make the call when things aren't fitting onscreen or in the frame buffer or in memory," Druckmann explained. "That way we can pick and choose what we need to emphasize in a moment, and where there's a compromise on what can [be more detailed] or reduced to a lower quality." In the case of the PS3 version, the character models used in cutscenes were more detailed than in-game models, and environmental objects could be swapped out with lower-quality counterparts depending on a scene's focus. In contrast, the PS4 version should be able to sidestep most of the technical hurdles involved with dated hardware. The port still involves rebuilding assets though, given that the original version's engine and much of the project's work was tailor made for the PS3. Though the to-be-bundled "Left Behind" DLC will be unlockable after completing Remastered, new audio commentary for cutscenes will make its debut and be available from the start. Recordings will feature dialog between Druckmann and Ellie and Joel's voice actors, Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, respectively. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us: Reclaimed Territories DLC out tomorrow, makes survival 'near impossible'
The last of The Last of Us' DLC will launch this week with the Reclaimed Territories Map Pack. It includes several new multiplayer maps, along with the Grounded Mode, which makes the game "near impossible." The PS4 version of the game is expected this summer.
Twitch teams with Operation Supply Drop for military charity
Video game broadcasting platform Twitch is partnering with Operation Supply Drop for the 24-hour charitable game streaming marathon 8-Bit Salute. The marathon is entering its third year and will be held May 17 - 18, with donations raised during 8-Bit Salute used to fund video game care packages for both combat-zone deployed troops in the military as well as those recovering in military hospitals. Past funds from Operation Supply Drop include Operation: Dragon Punch in September 2011, which aided a squad Northern Afghanistan. Twitch will promote the event and encourage its "top broadcasters" to participate as well. The announcement mentions a few Twitch partners that have already pledged their support of 8-Bit Salute, such The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog and gaming headset manufacturer Astro Gaming. Viewers will have the opportunity to win prizes during the marathon via Operation Supply Drop's website. Those looking to participate in this year's 8-Bit Salute event can register here. [Image: Operation Supply Drop]
