Infecting Our Emotions Through Immersion In The Last Of Us

Moulding Emotional Complexity Through Characterization

As we’ve seen before, the world of The Last of Us is littered with the reality of brutal violence and destroyed beauty. We are given a taste of what may be left for us once the world collapses. Beautifully rendered environments immerse us in feelings that evolve from observing the crumbled ruins of society and the pure desperation that directly influences the game’s sensational brutality. Yet there is a key element that factors into the formula in order to provide players with the powerfully emotional narrative and it arrives through the relationship between Joel and Ellie.

During the beginning of the game, Joel and Ellie aren’t quite acquainted but as they continue on their journey we begin to see how the pair rely on each other to survive. In bouts of combat, Ellie provides Joel with support by distracting enemies or even attacking them directly. We feel as if Ellie is alive. She’s the rambunctious kid that’s learning from her mentor how to survive in the ruthless world of the present. Ellie depends on Joel for safety but it would seem that Joel becomes reliant upon Ellie to save the last parts of his humanity after living in a world where brutal ruthlessness is required to ensure that you live to see another day.

The dynamic between Joel and Ellie immediately resonates with us. There is a beautiful relationship that grows between the two and players are able to feel this grow naturally over the course of the game through moments of exposition. By utilizing these moments of in-game interaction we are provided crucial pieces of backstory that allow us to further immerse ourselves into their struggle. We hear Ellie’s longing to have known the old world and Joel’s nostalgic trip down memory lane. We get a clear view of the tragedies and traumas Joel has endured surviving in the new world while exemplifying Ellie’s innocent understanding of what it truly takes to survive. Most importantly, these moments in-game represent the power that games have with immersing players into an emotional narrative. We can gain a greater understanding of who these characters are, and as a result, we are able to empathize with the brutal reality of their lives.

The Last of Us is attempting to provide a touching emotional narrative for players by utilizing the power of immersion and interactivity. It aims to leave you with an experience that resonates in your mind for some time to come. Overwhelming images of a nation consumed by mother nature reclaiming its land with an aesthetic of destroyed beauty, manifests a feeling of melancholy as you stand in the remnants of society. This very collapse and sense of desperation for survival results in the brutal violence players will be expected to enact over and over. Yet the violence is a necessary evil and one that you will be forced to execute when you imagine yourself in Joel’s shoes. You suspend your disbelief and you remember that you’re simply surviving. You’re protecting Ellie.

Film has long been our escape into the reality of other characters but a change has been arising for quite some time. The power of immersion and interactivity have allowed game developers to craft experiences that push the limits of what video games can accomplish. Now, we become immersed in worlds that paint vivid depictions of what humanity can become in the face of desperation, while posing critical questions that can resonate with everyone. In the face of society’s collapse, what will become of the last of us?