Red Shirts: The Short Life of Ensign... [What was his name?]

Imagine checking your spaceship's food synthesizer on deck six, when suddenly a violent explosion rips apart the hull sucking out your frozen visage onto the void of space. 

Not the most glamourous way to go, for an ensign.

Every work of sci-fi needs a space battle, or a needlessly complex and dangerous away mission in which some poor—usually nameless—ensign dies. Horribly. Pointlessly. But what if all those low-ranked lives were real and actually meaningful? 

In Red Shirts they are. 

Meet ensign Andrew Dahl, a new upstart who just joined the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. His station: xenobiology laboratory. All was right for this young cadet, until his laboratory crew vanished. Or hid to be exact. Why? Because two senior officers of the Intrepid just walked in with a quite improbable request. 

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If you ever watched cable TV sci-fi, you'll probably admit that a lot of the narrative seems to be quite implausible, sometimes even downright silly. Quirky technology, unscientific science, and a lot of messy skirmishes by supposed advanced civilizations. It's all super entertaining. It's also what makes Red Shirts such a hoot to read. 

In Red Shirts this wacky cable sci-fi narrative is imposed onto actual beings, but treats them as expendable extras. The characters are just regular Joe-workers trying to make it through away missions which seem to take away too many of their crew-mates. The result: hyper-reality doused in hilarity.

There's much to be taken from this surprisingly clever book: It's as we're allowed to peer behind scenes, to catch a glimpse at how professional crewmen live out their existence in deep space. It all seems grand and well, until the forced narrative physics start to control and twist the destiny of the entire Intrepid crew.

The writing is simple and crisp. Brief paragraphs. Fast sentences. Simple language. Mr. Scalzi's screen-writing prose really shows in pacing and scene development. The novel has that hook and pull quality of an episodic TV show. Although it's much more grimy, intimate and sexual than a weekly TV show. 

The characters and their reactions to the unreality around them is what makes this book for me: 

“It's messed up that the most rational explanation for what does go on on this ship is that a television show intrudes on our reality and warps it. But that's not even the worst thing.”

“Jesus Christ! if that's not the worst thing, what is?” 

“That as far as I can tell, it's not actually a very good show.” 

John Scalzi, the author of the book, has been a creative consultant on the Stargate: Universe franchise. It's no surprise that his book is sci-fi written for the fans by a fan. And the proof is in the script: witty, [im]probable and engaging; here's a man that knows his way around a starship deck—or a make believe deck, I should say.

Sorry I got to end this post, just remembered that I need to dispose of all my red shirts. There's too much plasma residue on 'em... 

Frankenstein: Delightful Vortex of Ire

A poet by the name of Lord Byron was curious about who out of his friends could write a better horror story, to everyone's surprise the winner turned out to be 18-year-old Mary Shelley.

It's been almost two centuries since Mary Shelley first anonymously published Frankenstein; and a good thing she did, because without the blazing trail of this Modern Prometheus, latter sci-fi offerings would suffer monstrously--pun intended.

Much to the likeness of Dracula by Bram Stoker, the story of Victor Frankenstein is written in a series of letters by explorer Captain Robert Walton, to his sister, Margaret Walton. The book is split into three parts. The beginning of the book introduces Captain Walton's narrative: a man who comes across the stranded and near dead, Victor Frankenstein in the North Pole region.

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After the rescue, Victor begins to recover from his wounds and gradually narrates to Captain Walton about his accursed creation, and why he has pursued it to the desolate lands of North Pole.

'You seek knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you.'

Written with imaginative and affluent flair, the story of Frankenstein and his monster, is as much about the folly of unchecked passion, as it is about the very nature of what it is to be human. To become much more than his predecessors, the studious Victor dedicates himself to the exuberant task of exploring the mysteries of creation through the use of Chemistry. The triumph of his labours: animated by the lightning, an eight feet tall deformity the (nameless) monster.

The exact steps of the monster's creation are left ambiguous, leaving the reader to come to his/her own conclusion. It is what happens after the lifeless matter gets activated that matters. Repulsed by the toils of his labour, Victor condemns the demon he has created, leaving the monster to wonder the lands confused and alone.

'It is with considerable difficulty that I remember the original era of my being: all the events of that period appear confused and indistinct. A strange multiplicity of sensations seized me; and it was a long time before I learned how to distinguish between operation of my various senses.'

With this statement the monster begins to recall his origins and gradual ascension to awareness. This part of the book is unique because it gives the reader a fresh perspective on perceptions of becoming mature through understanding. But unlike a loved human child, the monster's efforts to join the human race are spurned by hateful spite and violence. And this in turn poisons the well that is the beast's yearning for friendship.

What comes after is not too surprising; in his sad exile, the monster concocts and idea: he demands of his creator a concubine in the likes of his original creation. Despite promising the monster a companion, Victor does not create another being. This action enrages the monster prompting him to extract great vengeance onto Victor, tearing away from him all he holds dear and sacred.

Mary Shelly had a keen eye for detail, reverence of nature, and great interest in supernatural forces. With these three characteristics she has crafted an enduring tale of scientific passion, wondrous natural wonders flooded with panoramic Gothic imagery, and a touch of occult art. Frankenstein has inspired a whole genre of horror and sci-fi fiction writers and artists. Like a being born from a passionate mind, this novel is one of a kind.

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One of my favourite artistic visions of the famed monster--Darkstalkers rule! 

2D Strollin' With A Boy and His Blob

I remember renting A Boy and His Blob from my local video game store. This was way back in the NES era when my friends and I would rent games for few days, and hope to have enough time between schoolwork to play. 

Right from the start, I was captivated by the game's goofy premise of having a shape-shifting blob as a partner on a treasure hunt. If I only knew it would take 20 years for the remake to appear, I'd probably rent the game a few more times. 

Once I heard about A Boy and His Blob for the Wii, I didn't take me long to seek out and play this, often overlooked, gem. The Wii version is definitely a nod to all the 80s kids who spent countless hours playing their NES instead of studying. Minutes into the adventure I got suddenly nostalgic, and felt as if my mom was about to barge into my room, yelling at me to stop playing and go to sleep. 

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World of Goo 

In this puzzle-platformer you control a human boy who is faithfully fallowed by an AI controlled companion, a peculiar white blob. Their task: stopping an alien invasion of Blob's homeworld. Boy and Blob strolling about and getting into trouble... anyone getting a buddy flick vibe? I'm a big fan of hand-drawn animation and love 2D games: this fresh title mixes both features exceptionally well. 

The backgrounds are painted with vibrant and clean strokes, seamlessly transposing everyday scenery into fantastically imaginative landscapes. Every stage has a surreal feel that will make you want to stop and scan the horizon: tranquil forests beckon adventures, caves and swamps test the nerves, and a nightly city mesmerizes the senses. The Boy and Blob's mannerisms and actions are smoothly animated with painstaking detail, which gives the game a distinctive quality – a la Saturday morning cartoon. 

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Bellyful of Jelly 

Unlike a bumbling cartoon-y sidekick, The Blob does not spew nonsensical gibberish; It does useful things, like transform into objects by eating specific jelly beans. The Boy, being a regular human child, cannot do much except run along, push or jump. But with The Blob by his side he can achieve much more. 

Each jelly produces a delightful new transformation in The Blob. No ledge is too high if your partner can shift into a handy trampoline or ladder. Nowhere to go? Blob can help, by stretching across the ground and becoming a sinkhole (a useful tool for disposing enemies). If you grew up watching Roadrunner cartoons, and always wanted to drop an anvil onto a foe, just feed your Blob the right kind of jelly and bonk 'em.

Unlike to original game, the Wii version is much easier. There are unlimited jelly beans to ingest, and guidance posts to show which abilities will get you through specific parts of the levels. Some of the game's melodic music has a lulling kind of quality to it, which does not convey immediacy, and tends to slow the pacing a bit. However, all of the levels and boss encounters are quite fun, and require use of The Blob's myriad powers in always surprising ways.

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Tale of Friendship

There's a certain story-book cuteness to this game, making it wonderfully appealing without being sappy or cheesy. The Boy's reliance on Blob's out-worldly abilities builds a bond between the two characters, which seamlessly grows with each new challenge. I dare you not feel wonderfully happy at the heartwarming way in which the Boy hugs The Blob, or how he carefully packs his companion into a knapsack so it can became a parachute. 

It's great to see a game that can convey emotions without relying on realistic graphic, or complex story lines weaved with over-top action sequences. WayForward managed to capture the charm of the original, no doubt. Action-savvy junkies may not like the slow and methodical way of progression in A Boy and His Blob; that's okay, because this is a game that reveals its elegance when played in a carefree way. The way you played games when nothing else mattered – not even your homework. 

“What! No, I don't have to finish my Geography project tonight, mom!”

Developer: WayForward

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment

Platform: Wii

Released: 2009

Genre: Platform-Puzzle

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Sin & Punishment, Wicked Game Design 101

Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, is one of those games that delivers on its promise from the get go. Even the back of the game's box states: Fierce Battles Lie on the Horizon.

There's something about every Treasure game that really resonates with old-school gamers like me. It's probably the well earned promise of unmatched quality and ingenuity, that can be found in all their games.  

Sin

Star Successor is an arcade style on-rails shooter. If I had to describe this game using similar tittles, I'd say: Space Harrier meets Wild Guns, fuses with Panzer Dragoon. Did you enjoy the name drops?

On-rails shooting usually means that the in-game camera is preset and cannot be moved by the player. The player can only move his/her cross-hair (gun) and the avatar. In the current slew of "sandbox-style" games this may seem somewhat limiting and outdated, but to a bunch of creative designers it only means one thing: organized chaos.

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Punishment 

This game is challenging. If you make it through the first three levels you'll undoubtedly profess this game is madness. Each level, you are greeted by an unending stream of projectiles big and small. This baptism by fire, will strain your skill to the max.

The only refuge comes at the beginning, in the form of an introductory tutorial to all the abilities you'll be using to progress. The levels are huge and segmented into several checkpoints; which is good, because each segment is filled with devious obstacles and engaging boss fights. The game also auto saves at each check point.

Driven by the delirious preset path, you'll strafe abandoned cities, dash through myriads of tunnels, brave floating fortresses, infiltrate a volcano base, and skirmish with thousands of organic and technologically enhanced enemies of all shapes and sizes. Each new wave of foes demands fast reflexes, instant patter recognition, and dedicated memorization.

The unyielding scenarios this game throws at you are borderline wacky: free-falling inside a pipeline, a gigantic rock turtle blocks your path yawning lava and shooting parts of its spiky shell; a cybernetic samurai challenges you inside a slipstream, where each cross of blades gets you closer to electromagnetic shock-wave death; moving through post-apocalyptic highways, mythical beasts dive-bomb onto you with ill intent. And that's just a few examples of hundreds of different skirmishes.

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 Star(s)

Who's in the grinder with you? Isa Jo: a solider of inner space; and, Kachi: a mnemonic rival of inner space from (you guessed it) the outer space dimension. The two characters serve as Romeo and Juliet for the dimensional war between the inner and outer space.

Much of the story is sprinkled throughout the game in the form of cut-scenes. While the voice acting is bearable, the frantic pace of the game will often make you want to skip most of the monologues. Which is fine, because this game is all about the action.

Either character can jump, evade, melee attack and hover. Isa hovers Peter Pan like (this is my girlfriend's observation) by using his... spheroid backpack; and Kachi floats around by much stylish hover-board. You can shoot freestyle, lock-on to a target--or targets if you're Kachi--and let out a powerful blast, or slice and dice if you're close enough. You aim with the Wii Remote and move with the Nunchuk, which makes the controls precise and intuitive. You'll be dodging bullets, while locking onto targets, and parring missiles back at foes in no time; accompanied by your frantic yells: "I'm a Sci-Fi ninja master!"

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True Successor

Fans of the original N64 Sin & Punishment have been nagging Treasure for a sequel/update for many years, and the company has finally delivered.

In this next-gen successor, your high scores get uploaded to internet leader boards, there's adjustable difficulty, and a second player can jump in to help out with clearing the enemies--albeit only with a target receptacle. Having a second player controlled avatar at the same time would be too much mayhem.

Clearly, this is a game for harden arcade veterans, but there's much fun to be had for casual players who are willing to put up with 45 minute increments of frantic shooting. This game is a must have for anyone still craving score-driven arcade ventures, or anyone looking to get inspiration for serious game designing. Let loose and never be bored again.

Developer: Treasure

Publisher: Nintendo

Platform: Wii

Released: 2010

Genre: Action-Shooter  

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Super Metroid: A Revealing Look Into Samus' Suit

The most memorable year in gaming for me was 1994. Mostly due to the release of Nintendo's Super Metroid: A series known for its female protagonist bounty hunter Samus Aran and exploratory open-world gameplay.

Super Metroid is the third instalment in the Metroid series (Metroid 1 and 2 are available on NES and Game Boy). Once released, the game immediately had a lot to aspire to.

Rather than just reviewing this game, I'll discuss its overall feeling and composition. If you think a 2D game cannot instill any emotions into players, then you simply haven’t visited the alien infested, structurally massive, planet Zebes.

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Isolation

Landing on Zebes you're introduced to a rather silent environment. Several minutes pass before Samus trips the alarm system which alerts her foes to flood the many corridors and passages she must explore.

Beyond  Samus' introductory log, there's no other communique or direction on how and where to proceed. You're left to explore, alone. Not having any sort of AI or director, you can completely give yourself to the urge of exploration. And that urge naturally takes you deeper into the planet's vast world filled with secret passages, items, power-ups, and critters all too suited to the environments they're in.

The game's large and complex environments can be imposing, but they are made this way to add a certain degree of isolation. This mood is maintained throughout the entire game creating a very tight bond between the player and the silent armour-clad Samus. Each new uncovered area has clues that must be considered to progress. There's no hand holding in this title, you simply must observe the environment closely, make mental notes, and come back once you gained a new ability or weapon.     

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Bewilderment

Each section of the game is a small unique world. Each world is a piece of a greater puzzle that is planet Zebes. Majority of rooms are connected through a series of colour-coded doorways. To open those doors you'll need to fire specific weapons at them. But first you need to find those weapons. Because of this feature, progress happens in a very nonlinear fashion.

Sometimes you're able of circumvent areas by taking a hypotenuse--like turning into a ball a scurrying small spaces. Other times you'll need to find key items--such as lava resistant armour--by battling a boss. Progress gets tracked on a grid-like map that you can access anytime to get a better lay of the land. But the beauty of the game design is that the more you explore the more it gets imprinted on you memory. Once you've been around the neighbourhood, you just know your way around.

Because there's so much to explore, you'll want to backtrack often. Unlock only a portion of a stage? Come back with new abilities. See a suspect ledge? Find the Ice Beam, and try freezing an enemy to use it as a stepping stone. You'll never find everything first time. And that's ok, because this game is all about gradual pacing and being absorbed in its intricate layers. Like enjoying tasty Gelato during summer nights; or shooting a lava beast in its open mouth with a super missile.

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 Creativity 

The game's solid graphics, sci-fi inspired scenarios, and imaginative design make it a standout title. The sound fx are all fantastic, and the music is as memorable as the areas you'll discover. But that's not what I mean by creativity this time. What I want to say is that Super Metroid lets players craft his/her own adventure by giving them flexibility in how to reach certain objectives. 

While there's logic in the level design, the designers gave many opportunities to completely disregard the visible path. Having a through understanding of certain techniques, such as wall jumping, players who memorized level layouts are able to acquire ability-enhancing items early to power through the game, or completely break it.

By sequence braking,  players can skip preordained events or even glitch the game entirely. As a homage to those dedicated and crafty enough, the programmers put in different endings to reward folks who manage to clear the game under specific number of hours -- a worthy achievement.

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Legacy 

Many Metroid games have come and gone, but no other Metroid game has been as influential as this one. After two decades, Super Metroid is still considered an example in inventive stage design, tone creation, and isolation settings. Samus Aran was the first legit female hero, and through inspiring generations of fans and game designers she has become an icon in gaming. 

There are fan websites that recreate maps using in-game screen capture to show planet Zabes in incredible detail. You can even watch YouTube videos proving how Samus can shrink into a ball quarter of her original size. This game is one of a kind, and I try to play through it at least once a year, always loosing myself in its massive universe. Come and find me, I'll be near an enemy generator shooting critters that appear.

Developer: Nintendo, Intelligent Systems

Publisher: Nintendo

Platform: SNES, Wii, Wii U

Released: 1994

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi

Dragon's Crown: Return to the 2D Roost

Dragon's Crown stands among current next-gen offerings as an absolute delicacy: like a Wyvern-roasted, crispy, sheep meal.

Hide your herd; here be Dragons!

What you'll like

Dragon's Crown is a four player simultaneous (online or local) action-RPG which places you in highly-emotive fantasy settings. If you dream of Dungeons & Dragons ventures, you'll be very comfortable playing this game.

Better yet, make some room in the basement and invite your mates to join this wicked treasure jaunt. The combat is easy, the awesome visuals paint the screen, and the outlandish music blends with great narration to move the plot-driven story onward. 

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When starting, you can select from six different characters: Fighter, Amazon, Wizard, Elf, Dwarf, and Sorceress. If you're hands-on, sword to the throat, kinda guy/gal you'll enjoy the brawler types: Fighter and Dwarf. If you're a sneaky attacker with a flair for technicality you'll enjoy the Elf and Amazon. If indirect action and pyrotechnical spell-casting is what you live for then have cool the Wizard and Sorceress will travel.

In a dungeon-crawler such as this content is what lures most players to return. And return you will, as the game has an engaging story, hidden areas, and multiple optional paths to take. Each character can be customized with a different colour patterns, equipped with various weapons, and can pick from a large roster of skills and abilities. But... is there loot? Oh, there be loot, and plenty of it. Found within the sprawling lush lands of Dragon's Crown are piles of weapons, myriads of intricate trinkets and items, and many many side-quests.

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The game's magnificently sculpted fantasy world is a delight to look at. Each area is intricately detailed by a process called “hand-shaping,” which lets the artists create 3D-like environments and characters in 2D. Ruined temples, cursed towers, treacherous mountains, and crumbling fortresses, all pull your eye into the landscape. Wraiths, vampires, dragons, busty... eh, blood thirsty babes, and other mythical critters await your blades. Some of the later bosses—such as the titular dragons—are so big they stuff the entire TV screen. When the action heats up with explosive spells, and bodies fly, the awesome factor gets upped tenfold – creating truly stunning visceral experiences.

What you might dismiss

The gameplay, while balanced and flavorful, can become a little daunting after prolonged play time; this is a hack-and-slash brawler, after all. Because each player has to pause the same screen to go into equip menus, playing with four can affect the pacing a bit. Also this is a mature tittle; as you may have heard there was some sexist controversy around this game due to questionable appearance and proportions of certain female characters. Consider this:

• Vanillaware lives and dies on appealing to its core audience: mature males. This partly influences their design choices; 

• Dragon's Crown takes place in a fantasy setting with fictional characters; and

• There's far less sexuality in this game than in “Lady Marmalade” video

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Is the quest worth it?

Do Dragons love treasure? The answer to both questions is: Yes. What you'll get if you buy Dragon's Crown is a content-filled, well-crafted product made by skillful tradesman who live for their craft. Vanillaware is a company which solely focuses on 2D games. And each title of theirs is as gorgeous as it is imaginative and unique. Now break the boundary of the norm and go forth into lands less travelled. You will not regret it.

If you haven't played Vanillaware's Odin Sphere or Muramasa: The Demon Blade, then I suggest you track those gems down. Those games and Dragon's Crown are some of the best next-gen old-school 2D adventurers out there. Check out Dragon's Crown Landing page too. Venture on. 

Developer: Vanillaware, Atlus

Publisher: Atlus, NIS America

Platform: PS3, PS Vita

Released: 2013

Genre: Action-Adventure, RP

The Last Of Us Review

Believable stories told through excellent narrative are two of the strongest features in the gaming medium. They are also the two things that usually get the least attention--or coin--from the budget makers.

Excitedly I retort, The Last of Us is a game crafted on the backbone of original story and character growth presented through a strong narrative. Naughty Dog went all in with their new sensuous post-apocalyptic tale.   

The story takes place in the U.S. in 2033, 20 years after a spore-like infection spread throughout the world. Most of the civilization has been destroyed by the infection, only a small number of human inhabitants remain inside army-controlled quarantine zones.

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Those who did not turn into frenzied predators are struggling to survive. Amongst the survivors are Joel a stout smuggler who has lost his daughter to the initial infection, and Ellie a fourteen-year-old orphaned girl. After a deal went sour, Joel gets stuck escorting Ellie through apocalyptic lands filled with the raging infected and warring tribal fractions.

The story, and its captivating characters is what pulls you into The Last of Us. And it's all due to the game's amazing narrative. As time progresses, the bonds that slowly begin to form between Joel and Ellie become like the spores: highly infectious. You will take part in many gut-wrenching moments in this game; moments made special by the quality of the dialogue, and conviction behind the character's actions and choices.

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Unlike the extensive dialogue, the music is scarce, and only plays at specific intervals in the story: when being chased down and surrounded by maddened foes, or when experiencing the elusive moments that come from the simple and peaceful surroundings devoid of living inhabitants. It's not uncanny for an emotional acoustic guitar riff to put your mind at ease, especially after a more intense encounter.

Let me assure you, there are a lot of intense moments in this game. The enemies attack in swarms, give chase, and are prone to mutilate when given the chance. Using the environment to your advantage is a skill you'll rely on often to survive. Sneaking around and hiding out of sight, only to approach an unaware foe, is often the only way of making it through the ruined landscape.

Malevolent foes are always shuffling around ready to pounce on you. Therefore, to make silent take-downs easier Joel can focus his hearing to pick out enemy position and state of alertness. I found the need to inflict harm onto anything that prevents Joel from proceeding quite irresistible. Which is a testament to believable survival scenarios that can really strain your nerves. Beware the click... and hide well!

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While skulking about, numerous weapons can be found and upgraded. You're also able to craft med-kits, shivs, or Molotov cocktails using found parts that are scattered around the environment. Because this game is all about quick pace and smooth progression, every time you craft or use an item you're vulnerable to an attack. There's no pausing while browsing the menu, it's all happening real-time. When being attacked, you can usually brawl your way out using found bricks, bottles and pipes. Or just handle foes with some brutal face-crushing take-downs. 

The encompassing atmosphere created by the wasted city-scape, is what truly sells the tense realism of this title. Graphically, this is the best looking PS3 game to date. The level of detail in the backdrops and character models is incredibly intricate and realistic. The textures are sharp and varied in every location you'll traverse through. Every part of the game is bustling with painstaking detail. Effects such as water, rain, fire and mist, feel and sound so real you'll often feel shivers for the characters and the dire situation their lost world forced on them. Get this game before the last of us fade. 

Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: SCE
Platform: PS3
Released: 2013
Genre: Action-adventure, horror