Unlike The Last of Us’ Ellie, Horizon’s Aloy is Written to Be Irreplaceable

The Last of Us’ Cordyceps infection is highly unique in a post-apocalyptic world that would otherwise be incredibly familiar to fans of most zombie media. Going up against undead individuals at increasing stages of infection between rabid, sprinting runners and hulking, fungi-plated bloaters, for instance, makes for much more terrifying journeys outside sanctioned quarantine zones. But where The Last of Us has had more of a profound effect is through Naughty Dog’s ‘man versus man,’ character-driven narratives, and how these characters’ struggles are punctuated in its dreadful setting.