The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC Review

Spoilers incoming. If you have not played The Last of Us, then please do so before reading this. It's great game. 

Like a lot of people out there, I am a big fan of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us. It was grim, moody, but beautiful at the same time, and it also told a very powerful story. I loved the rich characters and how well written they were, especially Ellie, who complements Joel, whose character refuses to come to terms with his tragic past that was thoroughly broken by the outbreak. The duo made a great pair, and while some may find faults with Joel's shocking act in the final chapter in the game, I find the resolution a very emotional and satisfying payoff to the already well written story.

It was also a great ton of fun. The game had that amazing balance between being an effective survival horror and a cinematic experience, which has been Naughty Dog's forte since releasing the Uncharted trilogy. However great the mechanics were (despite a few instances that somewhat broke the atmosphere), it was always the amazing narrative that got people talking. Unlike Bioshock Infinite, the excellent story actually goes well with the action, which was sparse, but always important enough to heighten the desperation to survive, and we're usually rewarded with a glimpse of hope after every harrowing encounter, in the form of beautiful vistas and greens, or a thoughtful conversation that serves to tell us more about these survivors. The Last of Us achieved even more than the Uncharted series did when it comes to storytelling.

When Left Behind was announced as the DLC for the main game, I was excited of what Naughty Dog had in store, obviously. But I was also wary that having a good story is part of The Last of Us' appeal, and the fear that ND may not be interested in telling a compelling story anymore for a mere downloadable content came creeping to me, obviously in favor of more action, like most developers do today. It's almost natural these days in video games to expect more quicktime events and bigger set pieces from developers when they're trying to do an expansion or a sequel. Some worked well, like Metal Gear Solid 4, some stumbled a bit but offered enough to be engaging like Dead Space 2, and some just fell into the depths of mediocrity like the breathtakingly bad Resident Evil 6. 

But Left Behind is anything but more action. There is an even greater emphasis on narrative this time around. For the whole campaign you play as Ellie, in her slightly earlier years as take a peek into her relationship with Riley, a girl her age and her best friend. 

In this part of the game there are virtually no combat at all, as the game encourages you to explore the environment to unlock the little nuances in the narrative. Most of it are subtle, but they never felt forced in order for the game to convey its message. Little objects or clues that you can interact with will always peel off a layer of Ellie's troubled mind, sometimes Riley's too. I love how the videogame medium has matured into such an effective tool for telling things that are beyond the story. You can't have this much freedom in captivating the audience through a story with any other form of entertainment.

Now, you may be concerned with survival part of the story. Worry not, the game's narrative also shifts to the events within the original game, alternating with the Riley scenario. I have to admit, it feels a little disjointed. There isn't a clear connection to suggest that the events parallel or complement each other, but the segment with Riley has enough drama and sharp writing to make the ending feel relevant.

Remember the part we thought Joel died after he accidentally skewered himself? And the game fast forwarded to the part where you first play as Ellie? Well this DLC fills in the gap between those two events. Sort of. While tending to his wounds, Ellie has to find medicine within a shopping mall, while fending off both the infected and the men (who I assume are David's) who attacked them in the University chapter of the main game.

Let's get this out of the way first. There are no new mechanics introduced in Left Behind. However, you are playing as Ellie for the whole campaign, which makes the experience more intense because you lose Joel's physical strength and superhuman ability to hear through tons of concrete walls. This forces you into tactile approaches when in combat. You lose your health quicker than Joel did, and clickers mean instant death if you're not careful.

However there is one new mechanic (If you can call it so) in Left Behind. This time around, there are more areas that contain both the infected and the human enemies. What the developers have added this time around is that you can direct the infected to the humans (or vice versa) in order to turn themselves against each other as you sneak past them or collect anything they may have left behind after they're both done. It's a neat idea, and I'm glad that it wasn't used too frequently to avoid having the novelty wear off. The way the levels are designed work so that you can exploit this idea, if you can spot and utilize them to your advantage. Maybe they can expand upon this in future releases, yeah?

So should you get Left Behind? (lol I reread this and pun not intended) Yes, if you love the main game's story and overall storytelling than its action sequences. Again, it's heavier on the story, but the action is well executed too. Just don't expect more of the memorable set pieces that you quickly talk to your friends about. 

It's not satisfying as the main game, but expansions rarely surpass their daddies. It's a supplement to The Last of Us' experience, and it's a fine one too.

Good:

+ Story is still very good
+ Complements the main story very well
+ Less fourth wall breaking annoyances (you are mostly alone this time around)
+ Turning the undead against the human enemies is a well executed idea

Bad:

- A heavier focus on the narrative might not be for the less patient
- Disjointed connection between the Joel and Riley scenarios

8 out of 10