Video-game adaptations are a controversial topic that brings to mind many poor TV shows and movies that failed to follow the content they were supposedly based on, such as “Resident Evil” and “Mario,” either by changing beloved characters to unrecognizable strangers or piecing together small points of lore to create an entirely new story. 

However, “The Last of Us” is here to change that. This show brings new horror, vivid storytelling, and accuracy to the original game to pull both new and veteran fans back into the story line.  

HBO is bringing this story to life by casting actors almost identical to their characters, such as Pedro Pascal and his role as Joel, along with the show following almost perfectly along with the timeline of the game. Fans are left in awe as this production finally helps to break the stigma of adaptations not living up to their original titles.

“The Last of Us” has always had potential for a TV or movie adaptation. The story follows Joel and Ellie as they navigate through the tragedy brought upon them by a fungal brain infection, affecting most of the population creating zombie-like creatures with a desire to kill and devour any human in their tracks: A perfect story line for a horror series. It’s a terrifying, yet incredible story and the TV adaptation of the game helps to further explain the bits and pieces that even the most dedicated fans have yet to learn. 

The game is played through the perspective of Joel, with small portions being Ellie’s point of view. You get into their mindset and begin to immerse yourself in a way that’s not possible when you’re just watching the characters’ lives in a show. Being the characters vs. watching the characters can change what you learn about the universe, the people in it, and what’s happening in the world around them.

Although constantly being in the character’s point of view is great for experience and immersion, it does hinder the story-telling part of the game. The TV show allows fans to see certain things they may not have been able to when stuck in the point of view of characters in the game, furthering the story and unlocking new lore.

Craig Mazin, the director of “The Last of Us,” zones in on characters and moments from the game that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. For example, the third episode focuses on a character named Bill, who only appears for a moment in the game. Viewers continue to learn more about the infection tormenting the world by diving deeper than the game ever did. 

Overall, “The Last of Us” is arguably one of the most accurate adaptations of a video game and opens opportunities for plenty of games in the future to follow in its footsteps.  With so many movies and shows based on video games, and plenty of them failing to meet fan expectations, this series is here to set an example for what video game adaptations should be.