*If you haven’t played The Last of Us yet, I suggest coming back at a later time to read this summary as spoilers to the game follow.*
To celebrate the release of The Last of Us Remastered, Sony did something pretty special on the eve of its release. A live performance was conducted of some of the most familiar scenes from the award-winning game accompanied by voice actors Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, Annie Wersching, Hana Hayes, and Merle Dandridge playing their respective roles.
Starting with a short ‘making-of’ bit, showcasing concept art and performance capture scenes, The Last of Us: One Night Live flowed into a performance of the game’s opening scene of Joel and his daughter, Sarah, on a couch as she gives him a birthday present. The live performance transitions into a cutscene of the game, which is quite possibly one of the most heart-wrenching moments in a video game to date. I think you know which one I’m talking about.
The rest of the performance was absent of cutscenes, showcasing the talent of its voice actors that made the beloved characters come alive. With a mix of live performances from the voice actors and music performances from the game’s composer, this was truly something special to see whether you’re a fan of the game or even remotely interested in how video games are made.
The writer, Neil Druckmann, a very busy man working on Uncharted: A Thief’s End, The Last of Us film and more, was in attendance, talking about the hugely praised game and setting up scenes before the actors came to the stage again.
Many other scenes were performed, including some of the game’s most memorable ones. Take a look at the video below to watch the live performance in its entirety, including an hilarious alternate ending.