Craig Mazin, the showrunner behind HBO’s upcoming TV adaptation of The Last of Us, has said that the story of the original PlayStation game is the best ever for the gaming medium. Since first releasing on PlayStation 3 back in 2013, The Last of Us has captivated fans around the globe, primarily thanks to its compelling narrative and characters. And while there are a number of video games that might be in the running for having the best story ever, Mazin thinks that The Last of Us is at the very top.
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In a new discussion with Empire, Mazin opened up about The Last of Us and what it is about the story that makes it so special. In short, Mazin said that much of why TLOU succeeds is because of its characters, specifically with its two protagonists Joel and Ellie. Rather than containing any sort of unique powers or abilities, Mazin explained that Joel and Ellie’s deeply human nature, especially within the confines of a video game, is what makes The Last of Us so much better than many other stories that are told in the medium.
“It’s an open-and-shut case: this is the greatest story that has ever been told in video games,” Mazin said plainly. “[Joel and Ellie] didn’t shoot anything out of their eyeballs. They were just people. And that, in and of itself, is remarkably rare in games. The fact that they kept it so grounded, and really made you feel – I had never experienced anything like it, and I’ve been playing video games since 1977.”
It remains to be seen if Mazin’s take on The Last of Us for TV will end up living up to what fans have come to expect from the game, but luckily, we don’t have much longer left to find out. The Last of Us is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max next month on Sunday, January 15th.
Do you happen to agree with Mazin’s comments involving The Last of Us and its throughline narrative? And if you don’t think that it’s the best story ever in gaming, what would be at the top of your own list? Let me know either down in the comments or send me a message on Twitter at @MooreMan12.
