Long before The Last of Us was the generational achievement in video game storytelling that it is today, there was an internal struggle at developer Naughty Dog to ensure it wasn't "just another zombie game."
The Last of Us firmly establishes itself as a story-led adventure with extreme emotional stakes in its opening scene, potentially the most devastating 20 minutes in the entire medium. And while the survival horror gameplay is expertly interwoven between story beats and morally gray character moments, there's no doubt that Joel and Ellie's relationship as surrogate father and daughter takes center stage. But apparently, that wasn't a guarantee during the early stages of development.
