The Last of Us - Spoilercast

I don't think I completely agree with the comment that Joel was hopeless and depressed after his daughter's death. Joel was free from the financial burdens of keeping up a household. From the dialogues and his relationship with Tess I think Joel was actually enjoying his new smuggler life style twenty years later. Ellie reminded him of his loss at a time when he was constructing a new one.

Joel might have been flattered with Tess calling him "Texas". A new gun-slinging tough guy going out on "dates" with Tess the new tough girlfriend. Whereas Ellie, she represented a world of soft emotions, caring, responsibilities, hard work etc...

I am happy to see that no one else shares Tom's views at GS. I think his close minded views and distaste for violence should preclude him from reviewing games like The Last of Us. He is probably better equipped to review Nintendo games and non mature titles. I also think he thrives on being a contrarian. He probably prides himself on bucking the consensus. People like that are seeking attention and ultimately cannot propose constructive or sensible arguments. His analysis appeared weak and contrived out of a necessity to be different. It is funny how the other two guys were able to follow Joel's almost cliche

altough i find very childish the fact people can't just accept Tom's opinion about the game he seems to be very biased.

watching the video gives the impression that he is desperately triyng to find reasons to not like the game.

he tries to nitpick all the time to justify his criticism, it feels exaggerated.

anyway the game is awesome.

the theory about Joel being shady in the beggining is ridiculous.

The guy with the glass looks like a sexual predator

Wow this jackass, how is Joel shady in the beginning. You should get fired dumba ss

You can see Chris fighting his urge to facepalm when Tom says that Joel and Tommy may have killed people before the outbreak.

These guys are sooooo boring. IGN did a way better job. Tom shouldn't be reviewing anything. He doesn't have a clue.

Gamespot should keep Tom off of any video, seriously he just sucks. Flashback to:

http://www.gamespot.com/medal-of-honor-warfighter/videos/a-matter-of-authenticity-6381457/

Also I hope the DLC has something to do with ISH!!! I so wanted to know what happened to with him!

This dude Tom is making it so hard for me to enjoy this video. He came up with some bogus theory of Joel as person from the first minute of the game and has refused to concede that a character can have growth throughout the whole game! To this guy every progression for Joels character was just non existent! This game was a masterpiece! I actually felt that I traveled across the country and survived. I loved the changing of the seasons. Though it only took ours to play, I felt as though I experience a full year. I genuinely felt as though I was on a Journey (another amazing ps3 exclusive). And this Joe Pantoliano looking douchebag just seems oblivious to it all!!!!!!!!

The ending was what was needed to preserve humanity. Only a coward would allow them to kill a little girl for a "supposed" cure. The cure was not a guarantee as the recordings you find in the game have shown. When mankind starts making excuses to kill other human beings you have the genocides, the experimentation on mankind, the cannibalism (shown in the game) and the murder for supplies without a conscience. What Joel did was not selfish, it was right and it was pure heartfelt and genuine humanity at it's core. Ellie brought Joel back to humanity and brought hope back into his life. That was her cure for mankind. Joel was the perfect hero and Ellie was the perfect cure for the plague that haunted the humanity in Joel.

Joel is the man! Period...

The ending to this game was perfect. Joel tried so hard after Tess not to be attached to anyone (I feel he was since he went across the country on her dying word). He tried so hard to not feel for Ellie (scene in the cabin with tommy) to the extent where wanted Ellie to stop caring for him. By taking her the rest of the way instead of tommy he had accepted the fact that he would stop at nothing to not lose that connection. That is why he killed everyone to get her back in the lab. He would not bear to lose the attachment that he tried so hard not to have. If he didn't lie to her in the very end, it would be the craziest break in character ever. That ending would be terrible.

My only hope is at they leave it here. Do not make a dlc that tells what happens after or make a sequel with these characters. Leave it to the imagination!

I can't stand Tom, gamespot needs to get rid of him

Tom, since you're so keen on passing judgement, I've got a couple of morality questions for you:

1. Assuming you have a child, I want to kill your child because I think I'll be able to use that to find a cure for cancer. Would you let me?

2. Now, I don't want to cure cancer, I just need to kill your one child in order to save a schoolbus full of other children. Would you let me?

3. Now, I don't even want to save a schoolbus, I just want to save 5 other children. One is dying and needs a heart, the other needs a kidney, the other a liver.. would you let me?

Tom, I think you let your personal morality interfere with your scoring. You're not supposed to judge the characters and see if you agree with their decisions. The characters are not there to please you or make you feel good about humanity. The mere fact that the game got you so involved, to the point it was hard for you to save Ellie means this game was very successful in immersing you in. Even if you disagree with it, you can still give it credit.

is tom emo? bcause I nvr figured how anybody could think joel is like that. seriously? PS Tom should get fired and not b a game reviewer but instead go kiss Fox news' ass.

Shaun, I was pleasantly surprised with your insights. I think you nailed it on Joel's motivation. In order to survive you have to latch onto some goal. Very well put sir

Tom you are not capable of reviewing games like this. The podcast has proven to us all that you are very limited in your ability to read cut-scenes and characters motives. I am genuinely worried that you are allowed to review such well designed game.

The simple fact that they are reviewing this game in the way that people discuss movies tells you a lot. The characters are much more organic and real than the usual cardboard cut out types we get in most games.

A fantastic game, one of the best of the year and, although not perfect, it probably DID deserve a higher review score than the one given.

woah i just realized how much i dont like this Tom guy........not because he gave the game a 8.0 thats cool its his opinion. I find him so full of himself, like his opinion of things is better than everyone elses because hes a videogame reviewer. It love to see how long that Tom guy would last in the Last of Us universe.

Replaying the game now and even watching the cutscenes again. Amazing game. GS why is it so wrong to do a re-review? Make things right, this game deserves higher than an 8 and get rid of Tom already.

What boggles my mind is that Tom keeps bashing a lot of games for being "power fantasies," then when a game tries to portrait a broken man in an apocalyptic setting in a realistic way, he hates the character? WTF.

interesting discussion, well done all of you.

joel seems to be just challenging himself , there's nothing left to lose or gain just the sake of going into the unknown must be enough for the lad ... as for human beings ? that is not even in a question ... lost lost lost ...

thank you guys. good comments as always. you should have let shaun talk more, though.

@NIGHTWOLF1210 I suppose that is true- of course, if I was put in that position to either save this one person I care about or sacrifice them to save the many...I'd hate to be put in that position.

Joel says at once point 'sacrifice the few to save the many'...but still. :/