Recent years have seen videogame adaptations as movies and shows with increasing success. From Fallout to Arcane, the range is massive. But it was HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us that really grabbed my attention.
Now the countdown clock is on, as The Last of Us returns to HBO Max for season 2 on Sunday 13 April – and I'm already counting down the days. As a fan of the game, I'm really curious how they'll address various storylines for the on-screen adaptation.
Now you might be wondering why I dare call The Last of Us a sci-fi. I was reading a CBS News article just the other day, where a doctor interviewed about the fungal infection process – which, in the show, turns people into zombies – called it "science fiction".
So I'm taking his angle on it. The show is so much more than that, too, with real heart-wrenching drama, action and horror elements all combining. It's a really fantastic adaptation – perhaps no surprise as the game developer, Naughty Dog, was closely tied to the production.
Neil Druckmann, the creative director at the games studio, is co-writer of the screenplay, alongside Craig Mazin. It's a winning combination, ensuring many of the game's most successful elements are brought to screen with accuracy.
It was very well received, too, with critics' ratings hitting a strong 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I feel a huge part of that was down to the casting, with Pedro Pascal playing Joel, and Bella Ramsey taking on Ellie – the two key protagonists.
Ellie is of key importance, as she might be the only person alive who's resistant to the zombie infection. But science wants to use her gift for the benefit of mankind – yet the great cost, her life, is something Joel can't allow. The pair become like father and daughter and it's wonderful to watch.
Even just writing about it makes me want to go back and play the first game. The second instalment was ultimately less 'fun' to play, though, given its dark-as-hell story – and I'm wondering if the HBO version will go all-out in following that theme, or will soften the blow for its audience somewhat.
There's not long to go to find out. I'm counting down the days to Sunday 13 April to tune back in. Although that's for viewers with HBO Max is the USA. Those of us in the UK will need to rely on Sky Atlantic, or a separate NOW subscription, rather than any of the other major best streaming services, to tune in one day later. So mark those calendars folks!
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