Video game adaptations have been a part of our popular culture for the past several years—movies made from games, games made from movies, television shows inspired by games, and so on. Sometimes these adaptations are well done, drawing directly from the source material while others take their own liberty with creating a spin-off from a video game.
Many ask the question—why make a movie or series based on a video game? Aren’t video games, at their core, their own stand-alone piece of media? It is true; video games are incredibly immersive and can have compelling stories to be told, especially as technology and software continue to develop. However, creating a series based off of a video game can add even more to the source material—giving more depth to the characters on screen and allowing the viewers to spend more time with these fictional characters.
Such is the case with the latest video game adaptation that has taken social media, especially TikTok, by storm—The Last of Us on HBO. The Last of Us is an apocalyptic-survival-style third-person video game, where you follow Joel Miller and a young teenager named Ellie Williams as they trek across the United States in search of a vaccine for the hellish pandemic they live in. It’s an emotional, compelling, and well-thought-out video game that will forever remain my top favorite. When I heard they were making a series adapted from it, I cringed—I had grown tired of video game adaptations that were poorly done and did not add much to the game itself. However, I gave the show a chance and I absolutely loved it.
The show itself stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, as the two face hardship and struggle as they cross the United States. The show has done an incredible job at staying true to the game, albeit with some fictional “fluff” in there now and again, but it adds more to the story and characters rather than takes away from it. I find that the two main actors have done an amazing job of mirroring their characters’ personalities, mannerisms, and emotions, which is essential to connecting with the characters we see on screen. The additional scenes and background information we receive about the characters are captivating and allow for empathy to develop between the characters and us as the audience.
While the series is not finished yet, I find that every episode is emotional and raw, evoking a feeling of immersion and empathy whenever I watch. The setting of the apocalypse that the story takes place in can be bleak and devastating at times, but the bond forged between Joel and Ellie as the story progresses is one that can be felt as you watch.
Overall, I find this to be an incredibly engrossing, well-done video game adaptation that has come out within the past decade. As someone who has played The Last of Us, it’s an enjoyable watch for me and I find myself absorbed into the story every time I watch it. Even if you have never played the game, the story itself alone is thrilling and emotional, an addictive watch for anyone. If anything, at least watch it for Pedro Pascal, am I right?
The Last of Us premieres on HBO Max every Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET.