A flashlight, a corridor, and that low dread that never lets go until the credits roll.

When the community picks on gut instinct, no thinking, The Last of Us Part I lands ahead of 99% of games. Rare, and it says a lot. Look closer and the same emotion shows up everywhere: attachment to the characters ahead of 96% of titles, the wish to discover it fresh again ahead of 91%, the soundtrack near the very top, ahead of 99%. Controller feel keeps up nicely, ahead of 81%. Where it dips is the quick session that spirals, right around average, and the game you'd take to a desert island, near the middle. Makes sense: you don't boot up Joel and Ellie to unwind, you go back for what they make you feel.

Against other narrative action games, that's the Naughty Dog signature exactly: not the playground you tinker with for hours, but the story that stays stuck to you.

So, who's it for? For you if you want a tale that grips your throat, characters you can't forget, an atmosphere that swallows you. Much less if you're after the game you relaunch just for a quick bit of fun.