For example, the BBC noted in its review that some scenes "look too gamey for television" and that the second half of the series seems a bit rushed. And of course, the intensity of "immersion in this world" through the gameplay is missing in the non-interactive version of the story.
"It doesn't feel even remotely controversial to call this the best video game adaptation ever made," wrote reviewer Stephen Kelly. “For fans of the game, it is an adaptation of the utmost skill and reverence, yet one still capable of surprise; for people who have never picked up a controller, it is an encapsulation of the game's heart and soul – its full-blooded characters, its neat plotting, its mature themes of love and loss. "
The Last of Us debuts in the US on HBO and HBO Max on January 15, and in the UK on Sky Atlantic and Now on January 16.