First and foremost, rest assured that this list will contain no spoilers for The Last of Us Part II. For gamers who haven't played The Last of Us Part I in a while, it's highly advisable to at least brush up on the events and world of the game before diving into the sequel, as many elements from that game weigh heavily on The Last of Us Part II.
This list will breakdown the top ten most important things that gamers need to remember from the original game, covering everything from combat tactics to critical story plot points.
10 Joel's Tragic Story
Joel is a highly complex and damaged person who has experienced incomprehensible loss since the start of the first game. After the death of his daughter, Joel descends into a dark state for years, caring little for human life besides a few important people like his brother Tommy.
Forming a bond with Ellie in the first game is what helps him change and ultimately heal his pain. When Ellie's life is put at risk, Joel will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and protect who he sees as a surrogate-daughter.
9 Ellie's Evolution
Ellie is selfless, loyal, and has a fierce personality. She is incredibly special, as her body is immune to the parasitic fungus that has reduced the world to chaos.
After losing the young woman she loves, Ellie eventually meets Joel and she sets out to complete what she sees as her destiny, allowing scientists to run tests on her and hopefully be able to create a cure for the parasite from her blood and bring hope to a world devoid of it.
8 Joel's Impossible Decision
At the end of The Last of Us Part I, Joel learns that doctors will potentially be able to make a cure from Ellie's blood. The problem is that Ellie will die during surgery. With no certainty that the doctors will even be successful, Joel makes a very hard decision and chooses to not let Ellie die.
This results in Joel having to kill dozens of innocent people. To make matters worse, Joel knew Ellie was okay with dying if necessary for the cure and he selfishly defies those wishes. In the game's final moments, Joel lies to Ellie about what happened and she simply believes that the cure was a failure.
7 The Harsh World
After the collapse of society in America from the parasitic fungus, the country began its slow descent into anarchy and chaos. Most of humanity is divided into small factions that fight for survival against each other and the infected that have overrun cities and most of the entire country.
Mother nature is retaking the land mankind took from it, with once sprawling metropolises now reduced to overgrown ghost towns where only ruin remains.
6 The Deadly Infected
Similar to various zombie apocalypse films, TV series, and games, the parasitic fungus in The Last of Us franchise turns normal humans into monstrous, crazed, violent animals that will savagely attack any living creature it comes across.
The infected can mutate into special-infected with enhanced traits like natural body armor and being able to emit clouds of toxins. One major advantage humans have against the infected is that most types are blind, allowing players to outmatch them even with unfavorable numbers.
5 The Fireflies
The Fireflies in the first game are a large, organized, and well-armed group of survivors who have fought back against military oppression and are trying to return America to a semblance of its former self. To that end, the Fireflies have been trying to develop a cure for the infection that has brought the world to its knees.
They are the group that Joel prevents from killing Ellie and their role in The Last of Us Part II is key.
4 The Cure
Over the course of The Last of Us Part I, players learn that Ellie is not the first person the Fireflies have attempted to use for a cure and that there are also other groups out there attempting to do the same thing.
This is an important story element heading into The Last of Us Part II, as it clues players into the fact that finding a cure is of significant importance to at least some groups, and many people are willing to fight for the hope of a brighter future.
3 Punishing Combat
In case you've forgotten, the combat in this game is intense, brutal, and quite challenging if you aren't in the right mindset. This is no run-and-gun zombie shooter. It's a game that prides itself on the technical aspects of its gameplay, demanding that players use a combination of stealth, agility, and brute-force as you fight for your survival.
Ammunition for your guns is scarce, so conservation is key by making frequent use of your bow, melee weapons, and sneaking up behind enemies for an instant takedown.
2 Looting Is Everything
Exploring resources and items is one of the main features of The Last of Us franchise. No player should head into either game thinking you'll be able to sprint to the ending. Unless you're playing on the easiest difficulty, taking the time to loot and explore is how you find what you need to survive in the games.
Besides a source of finding things like ammunition and health, looting allows players to gather collectibles that let them further explore the lore of the games. Unfortunately, cosmetics like costumes aren't something you can find in loot.
1 Humans Are Monsters
Similar to The Walking Dead, one of the core ideas in The Last of Us games is to fight the "dead" and fear the living. Humans are just as deadly and horrifying as the literal monsters that hunt what remains of mankind.
Both The Last of Us games are filled with dark, sadistic characters who won't hesitate to steal, torture, and kill. It's a nightmarish world out there and if players aren't careful, they may lose themselves to violence and becomes the very monster they wish to destroy.