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It’s the end of the world and most of humanity has been transformed into mindless cannibals. During times like these, it’s important to have the right friends.

The Last of Us is an action-adventure game that follows a smuggler named Joel and a teenage girl named Ellie struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. Released by Naughty Dog in 2013, the game was praise for its compelling storyline, fun gameplay, and superb voice acting. The game was a runaway success, spawning a DLC, a remake, a sequel, and a hit television series.

If you’ve ever wanted to dive into The Last of Us, but weren’t sure where to begin, Popverse has you covered. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the games, their chronology, where the comics and board games fit in, and even the musical. Let’s dive in…

How to play The Last of Us in release order

If you’re looking to play The Last of Us in release order, simply follow this list. It’s worth noting that in 2022 Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part I, a remake of The Last of Us. For more on the differences between The Last of Us Part I and the original 2013 game, please see the appropriate section of this guide.

• The Last of Us (2013)
• The Last of Us: Left Behind (2014)
• The Last of Us Part II (2020)
• The Last of Us Part I (2022)

How to play The Last of Us in chronological order

If you prefer playing video games in chronological order, follow the timeline in this section. The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part I are different versions of the same story, so they’re listed together on the timeline. As the timeline notes, The Last of Us: Left Behind is split over two time periods, one before the first game, and another in between a time skip during the game.

• July 2033: The Last of Us: Left Behind (Boston chapters)
• Summer 2033-Late 2033: The Last of Us/The Last of Us Part I (first chapters)
• Late 2033: The Last of Us: Left Behind (Colorado chapters)
• Early 2034: The Last of Us/The Last of Us Part I
• Spring 2038-Fall 2038: The Last of Us Part II

Note: For a more enhanced chronological experience, read The Last of Us: American Dreams before you start playing The Last of Us: Left Behind.

Will there be a The Last of Us Part III?

As of this writing, there are no definitive plans for The Last of Us Part III. Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann has made various statements about brainstorming the right story, however, the developer recently told Variety that The Last of Us Part II might be the last game in the franchise. This hasn’t stopped some scoopers from reporting rumors that a third game is already In production. For now, I would suggest not believing anything until Naughty Dog makes an official announcement.

Is The Last of Us comic book canon to the video games?

In 2013 Dark Horse Comics published The Last of Us: American Dreams, a four-issue limited series. The comic, which was written by Neil Druckmann and penciled by Faith Erin Hicks, focuses on Ellie’s backstory before the first game. The comic is set shortly before the first section of The Last of Us: Left Behind. The series was written by Neil Druckmann, so it should be considered canon.

Is The Last of Us TV show canon to the video games?

The success of The Last of Us video game franchise led to HBO greenlighting a television adaptation. The Last of Us premiered on January 23, 2023, starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The television series does not share a continuity with the video games. Instead, it adapts the events of the games into live-action. The first season retold the events of The Last of Us Part I, and the upcoming second season is expected to adapt The Last of Us Part II.

Is The Last of Us: Escape the Dark tabletop game canon to the video games?

The Last of Us: Escape the Dark is a tabletop role-playing game from Themeborne. The game, which was funded through a Kickstarter campaign, was developed in partnership with Naughty Dog. Players are able to control Ellie, Joel, and other survivors. Since your actions determine Joel and Ellie’s fate, it’s safe to say that the events of the tabletop game aren’t canon. In other words, don’t expect The Last of Us Part III to reference the game.

Is The Last of Us attraction at Halloween Horror Nights canon to the video games?

In 2023 Universal Destinations & Experiences collaborated with Naughty Dog to build a haunted house for Halloween Horror Nights 32 in Orlando, Florida and Halloween Horror Nights 11 in Hollywood, California. The walkthrough attraction took guests through a recreation of the Pittsburgh Quarantine Zone, with scare actors playing the infected.

Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann worked with Universal on the attraction, which featured new voice work from Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson as Joel and Ellie. It doesn’t get more official than that. While it doesn’t add a lot of lore, The Last of Us experience can probably be considered canon. Of course, it’s not like a walkthrough attraction has a big narrative in the first place. The attraction was a limited experience, but there’s always a chance it can return for a future Halloween Horror Nights event.

Is there a The Last of Us musical?

There was a The Last of Us musical, but it was only performed once. The Last of Us: One Night Live was a musical directed by Neil Druckmann featuring live performances from the game’s voice cast. The performance was held on July 28, 2014 at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California. If you missed it, don’t worry, the full stream is still available on PlayStation’s official YouTube channel.

Is The Last of Us Part I just the first game?

The answer is complicated. In 2022 Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part I, a remake of the 2013 game The Last of Us. The 2022 remake features enhanced gameplay, improved graphics, more game modes, and improved accessibility. The storyline is still the same, but The Last of Us Part I is more than a port of the original game. It’s an evolution of the 2013 game, imagining what it would’ve been like had it been made for PlayStation 5 instead of PlayStation 3. That’s why we listed it as a separate game in our release order list.

Should I play The Last of Us Part I or Left Behind first?

It’s better to play The Last of Us Part I first. The Last of Us: Left Behind is an expansion pack of the original game, which is split into two time periods. The first part of the game is set before The Last of Us, following Ellie and her friend Riley as they navigate an abandoned mall. The second part of the game takes place between the autumn and winter chapters of The Last of Us Part I, as Ellie tries to find medical supplies for Joel.

The Last of Us Part I will introduce you to the characters, the world, and gameplay mechanics, so it’s recommended that you play that first. Plus, it gives you important storyline context for the second half of Left Behind. While Left Behind’s first chapter is chronologically first,  it’s better to start with The Last of Us Part I, unless you’re extremely strict about doing things in chronological order.

If that’s the case, start with The Last of Us: Left Behind, then switch to The Last of Us Part I after completing the Boston mission. Once you get to the autumn and winter timeskip, switch back to The Last of Us: Left Behind.

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