

There's no explicit or implied racism, sexism, or religious or gender discrimination that I can see, but neither is there any pronounced virtue-signaling (the game was written in 2013), except that homosexuality is normalized (at least two characters are gay or gay-curious), and there's plenty of diversity casting, though no interracial nuclear families (which seems obligatory in today's entertainment industry) as in the 2023 HBO series version. There's a strong storyline, especially in the area of loyalty and protectiveness toward family, but there are shocking and heart-wrenching plot turns as well.

I'd say it's not appropriate for prepubescent children, being chock-full of violence, very frequent profanity, and visual gore (which can be modified or reduced via settings), but given the world we live in, most kids today are used to that.

The last of us part 1 Pc#
The game is made for PlayStation and is not currently available on Xbox, but it's available on PC via Steam (recommended only for high-end gaming computers), which allows using the keyboard to control play (and using the mouse to aim and shoot, which is great for console-challenged players) and also allows control by any of the popular gaming console controllers. I used the "Moderate" difficulty setting for my first play-through, and I enjoyed using the highest possible difficulty level to keep the enemies tough and smart while using those additional "second-time through" options to make my own character more formidable. Additional options that make it much easier to play (like infinite ammo, infinite resources, one-shot/blow kill, etc.), and filters to make the game look different, are available after the first play-through, and there are other options not usually found in games (e.g., permadeath). There are great options for different ability levels, and additional gameplay options (like auto-aim for people like me who can't aim well with their thumbs) that apply to all levels, and those difficulty options can be adjusted for a number of different categories, including toughness and tactical AI of enemies, toughness of player, effectiveness of stealth, helpfulness of allies, and availability of resources. Game mechanics are quite intuitive and easy to learn. The two girls also share a sip of moonshine from a beer bottle. Parents should also be aware that this game contains very strong language and some sexual themes that include Ellie looking at a porn magazine (the player sees nothing), coming under threat of sexual assault, and engaging in her first romance with a teen girl. The story is character- and relationship-driven, filled with tragedy, sacrifice, and horrific injuries designed to elicit strong emotions from players, who develop a bond with the heroes. Joel and Ellie use guns, knives, bats, homemade explosives, and other weapons to slay their attackers, often stealthily and typically with a good deal of blood, gore, and screaming. The action is bloody and terrifying, with scenes set in dark, dilapidated buildings and with enemies both human and infected attacking with brutal force.

It follows Joel and Ellie, a grieving father and a 14-year-old girl, as they travel across an America ravaged by 20 years of an infectious disease that has wiped out much of the world and transformed many people into mindless monsters. This is a remake of a PlayStation 3 action horror game. Parents need to know that The Last of Us Part I is an action horror game exclusively for the PlayStation 5.
