Twelve years after its release, The Last of Us is still the game people name when talking about storytelling in video games.

The community profile is strong across almost every front. Sound design ranks ahead of 98% of games, narrative and visual direction ahead of 97%, world-building ahead of 96%, rediscoverability ahead of 96%. Emotional connection lands at 93%, gameplay at 95%. It's a very consistent profile across everything tied to the narrative and sensory experience. The one score that drops sharply is desert island appeal, sitting low at 21%. Immediate fun is also modest at 77%. This isn't a game you boot up casually, it's a game you lived through once.

For an action-adventure survival game, these scores on narrative and sound design are among the highest in the genre.

If you want a powerful experience driven by story and atmosphere, this is a safe bet. If you're after something fun to return to regularly, this isn't it.