It is rare for a video game to basically hold its breath for a decade. Usually, the hype cycles move so fast that last year's masterpiece is this year's "remember that?" But the rating of The Last of Us hasn't just stayed high; it has become a sort of permanent benchmark for how we measure storytelling in any medium, not just on a PlayStation. When Naughty Dog released the game in 2013, the Metacritic score sat at a staggering 95. That wasn't just a fluke of a lucky launch window. It was the start of a massive cultural shift.
Honestly, looking back at those early reviews, the critics weren't just impressed by the graphics. They were shocked. Joel and Ellie didn't feel like polygons. They felt like people you knew, or maybe people you were afraid to become.
Deciphering the Critics: What Made the Scores So High?
If you look at the raw data, the rating of The Last of Us is almost suspiciously consistent. Out of 98 critic reviews on Metacritic for the original PS3 version, 94 were "positive." Only a handful of outlets, like Polygon and GameSpot, gave it anything less than a perfect or near-perfect score. But why?
It wasn't because the gameplay was revolutionary. If we’re being real, the "move a ladder here" and "push a wooden pallet through the water" mechanics were kinda repetitive even back then. The secret sauce was the emotional pacing. IGN’s Colin Moriarty gave it a 10/10, famously calling it a masterpiece. He argued that the game didn't have a "weak" moment. That's a bold claim. Most games have a "water level" or a slog in the second act. The Last of Us didn't. It just kept tightening the screws on your heart until the credits rolled.
The 2014 Remastered version on PS4 maintained that momentum with another 95/100. People were worried that the novelty would wear off once the graphics weren't "cutting edge" anymore. They were wrong. The rating of The Last of Us proved that a good script beats a high frame rate every single time, though having both certainly didn't hurt.
The User Review Disconnect
Critics loved it. But what about the people actually playing it on their couches? Interestingly, the user rating of The Last of Us has stayed remarkably high, hovering around a 9.2 out of 10. You usually see a bigger gap between professional reviewers and the general public, especially with games that have "preachy" themes.
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But here’s the thing: Joel isn't a hero. He’s a survivor. Users responded to that moral ambiguity. They weren't being told a fairy tale. They were being told a tragedy. It’s the difference between a summer blockbuster and a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
How the 2022 Remake Changed the Conversation
When The Last of Us Part I (the remake) dropped on PS5 and later PC, the conversation shifted. The rating of The Last of Us was put under a microscope again. Was it worth $70? That became the burning question.
Critics still loved it. The Metacritic score landed at an 88. A bit lower than the original, but mostly because reviewers were docked points for the lack of "newness." It’s hard to give a perfect score to a game people have already beaten five times. However, the technical achievement was undeniable. The facial animations finally caught up to the voice acting. For the first time, you could see the micro-expressions on Joel’s face during that final, haunting lie to Ellie.
- The PS3 Original: 95 Critic Score
- The PS4 Remastered: 95 Critic Score
- The PS5 Remake: 88 Critic Score
It’s a weird downward trend for a game that is technically getting "better" with every release. It shows that "rating" isn't just about quality; it’s about impact. The first time you saw the giraffes in Salt Lake City, it was a 10/10 moment. The third time? Maybe it’s an 8.5/10. Familiarity breeds a different kind of appreciation, but it rarely breeds the same level of shock.
The PC Launch Disaster
We have to talk about the PC port. It’s the one major blemish on the rating of The Last of Us brand. When it launched on Steam in early 2023, it was a mess. Constant crashes. Stuttering. Building shaders for two hours. The user reviews plummeted to "Mostly Negative."
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It was a wake-up call. You can have the best story in human history, but if the code is broken, the rating will suffer. Naughty Dog and Iron Galaxy had to work overtime to patch it. Today, the Steam rating has recovered significantly, but it serves as a reminder that a "rating" is a living thing. It’s not static. It’s a reflection of the player’s experience at that exact moment in time.
ESRB and PEGI: Why the M Rating Matters
Beyond the numerical scores, the age rating of The Last of Us is a crucial part of its identity. It is rated M for Mature (ESRB) and 18 (PEGI). This isn't just because of the "clickers" popping out of corners or the blood splatters.
It’s the "Intense Violence" and "Strong Language," sure. But it’s also the psychological weight. The game deals with suicide, torture, and the total collapse of societal ethics. If this game were rated T for Teen, it wouldn't be The Last of Us. The violence isn't gratuitous for the sake of being "cool." It’s meant to be gross. It’s meant to make you feel bad. When Joel uses a pipe to defend Ellie, it feels heavy and desperate. The "Rating" here acts as a warning: this is going to be uncomfortable.
Critics often mention that the M rating allowed Naughty Dog to explore the darker corners of the human psyche that "all-ages" games just can't touch. That freedom is why the narrative rating of The Last of Us remains the gold standard.
Is the Hype Just Nostalgia?
Some modern gamers argue the game is overrated. They point to the "clunky" stealth or the limited enemy variety. There's some truth there. If you play it today for the first time, you might wonder why everyone lost their minds in 2013.
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But you have to look at the context. Before this, "cinematic" games usually meant long cutscenes where you didn't do anything. The Last of Us mixed the two. The dialogue happened while you were scavenging for scissors and tape. That was a revelation. It made the world feel continuous.
The rating of The Last of Us reflects its role as a pioneer. It’s like watching Citizen Kane. You might find it slow, but you have to respect that it invented the language everyone else is using now. Without Joel and Ellie, we probably don't get the "Dad-of-War" era of God of War or the deep character work in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Practical Insights for New Players
If you are looking at the rating of The Last of Us and trying to decide which version to play, here is the reality.
Don't just go for the highest number. The PS3 version is a relic now. The PS4 Remastered version is the best "value," often found for ten bucks. But if you want the experience that justifies the 90+ ratings, play the PS5 Remake (Part I). The haptic feedback on the DualSense controller makes the rain feel real. The 3D audio makes the clickers sound like they are actually behind your couch.
Also, ignore the "Review Bombing" that happened around the franchise's sequel. Some people let their feelings about Part II bleed back into the original. Stay focused on the standalone journey of the first game. It’s a self-contained masterpiece that doesn't actually need a sequel to be perfect.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your hardware: If you're on PC, ensure you have at least 16GB of RAM and an SSD before buying, regardless of the "Positive" rating recovery; the game is still a resource hog.
- Play on Hard: The "Survival" or "Grounded" difficulties actually improve the game's rating in my eyes. It turns the game into a desperate resource-management sim, which fits the story better than "Normal" mode where you have too much ammo.
- Watch the HBO Series: If you’ve finished the game, compare the 9.1 IMDb rating of The Last of Us show to the game. It’s one of the few times an adaptation has lived up to the source material, and seeing the subtle changes in the "Bill and Frank" story provides a new layer of appreciation for the original game’s writing.
- Don't skip the DLC: Left Behind is included in most versions now and it’s just as highly rated as the main game. It provides the essential context for Ellie’s character that makes the main ending hit ten times harder.