Emerging from the spotlight that constantly shines on Ellie and Joel comes Tess; the pretty and rugged survivor of the bunch with a callous, fearless attitude and apparent history with Joel. If you missed it, check out Tess’ reveal from the VGA story trailer below:
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Tess seems like she comes from a rough place; a rough place where she’s had to take care of herself which has given her the confidence, attitude, and ability to survive without the help of anyone else.
“Street smart and confident, Tess is a savvy strategist and negotiator. Her ability to generate intelligent plans to secure the contraband for their trade is second to none.” – Eric Monacelli, Community Strategist at Naughty Dog
Feeling the pressure of the end of the world, Tess and Joel exchange words and Tess’ trust in him shines. We’re instantly given a glimpse at the relationship between the two and we get this feeling… this feeling that there really is (or was) something there but we can’t waste time focusing on it because there are more important things (like Ellie and the collapse of the world) and everyone has to do whatever it takes to stay alive. Subtle hints, am I right?
Honestly, I can’t wait to see more about Joel and Tess’ relationship/friendship/companionship/whatever you’d like to call it; all I can say is that she’s quickly becoming one of my favorite female characters. I love her strong-headedness, her will-power, and the way she stands up for what she believes in.
If you’re familiar with Kiefer Sutherland’s hit show 24, then you should definitely remember Agent Renee Walker (played by Annie Wersching). What’s the significance? Tess is voiced by the lovely Annie (and that’s probably another reason why I love her)! You can check out a behind the scenes clip of Annie on the Naughty Dog mocap stage, bringing Tess to life in preparation for the Last of Us story trailer:
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The Last of Us is out in stores on Tuesday, May 7th 2013.