Jean Holman
Video Game Analysis
Story Analysis
Joel, a survivor of the zombie apocalypse, is tasked with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie across military borders. During their journey, they must fight zombies and humans in order to stay alive and reach safety.
Functional Analysis
The aim of the game is to survive; Joel and Ellie must make it to their final destination without dying. This game can be played on PlayStation3, 4, or 5 with a controller. There are 12 chapters you must complete, each one with their own amount of sections you play through. The chapters typically change in setting and may also change which character you play, as you do not just play Joel. The villains are zombies and humans. They attack when they spot you, either grabbing you if they are a zombie or shooting at you if they are a human. Players progress through the game by completing all the chapters. You can gather collectible items as bonus achievements. The gameplay would be more interacting if the controls focused on enhancing free movement, allowing players to engage with their environments rather than just having players click buttons.
Engagement Analysis
The interactions between the characters and storyline make the game engaging. You as a player get to see how Joel and Ellie's relationship progresses as they journey across the land together. You also meet other characters along the way and get to play multiple people, seeing how different characters act and develop throughout the story. I never played this game, but I watched YouTubers play it and loved the beautiful, realistic graphics of the game the most. It felt so immersive, like you as the player were actually in the apocalyptic environment, experiencing everything the characters were experiencing. I feel like some decisions were not enjoyable for players - many times you were watching the characters talk or do something with others and you as the player had to sit and watch, not actually play the game. The Last of Us at times felt more like a movie rather than a video game, which is not a bad thing, but it hinders the player's overall experience. To make the game more engaging, players could decide what characters do and say that change their path in the storyline. Life is Strange is a game like this that focuses on the player making decisions, ultimately changing what happens. There could also be optional side quests the characters get to do in order to achieve some special award or discover a hidden gem in the game.