For every good video game, there is always a notoriously awful movie or tv adaptation to follow. Ever since the 80s with the Super Mario Show, television variants of fan favorite series such as Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Uncharted, or Resident Evil, have been letting down countless fans and is always a straight punch to the stomach—consistently butchering the source material. 

Thankfully, this tragic trend of bad video game adaptations seems to have been lifted in recent years, and we have quite suddenly seen an increase in their quality. Recently, the award winning video game The Last of Us has finally seen its television debut, and to the surprise of many, it is fantastic. Critics around the world are raving about the show’s insane quality of detail, and are constantly praising its interesting and unique sci-fi plot, beautiful atmosphere, and stunning cinematography. However, how does it compare to the games, and what do the long term fans have to say about it? Lucas Spieler (San Marcos senior) loves to game, and he games hard. He is such a gamer, in fact, that Spieler reportedly was brought to tears when he saw the first ever The Last of Us television show teaser, and had an abundance of positive things to say when asked about his thoughts. 

“The show is really good, but not all of it is accurate to the game. However, I totally understand the changes made and I think the changes really benefit the show,” said Spieler. 

For example, the highly discussed episode three of the show does not even occur in the games. However, Spieler and the community at large, sees this as a positive addition because it helps flesh out the world and makes for an even more interesting viewing experience. Spieler emphasized that he adores episode three of the show, and was happy to feel very represented in a way most of television does not. 

Overall, the changes made to the show have been universally well received. The Last of Us has found its way into the lives of millions of viewers. There are still a few episodes left to come, and with high expectations, people are confident that it will continue to be amazing. For the past four decades games have always been seen as a silly pastime and are never taken seriously. Hopefully, this large spotlight placed on video games will shine a new light for the general populace, and finally show to people that games are a serious form of art that can make you scared, laugh, and maybe even cry.