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New Last Of Us Podcast provides inside look at series

Jon Silman
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The first episode of a new podcast based on the popular PlayStation 4 game The Last of Us is out now, according to the official PlayStation blog.

The Official The Last of Us Podcast is hosted by writer, podcaster, and comedian Christian Spicer and is available on multiple platforms, including Spotify and Apple.

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“After hours of recording and captivating discussions over the last several months, today I’m proud to announce The Official The Last of Us Podcast and the launch of our very first episode,” Spicer said in a statement.

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The podcast will include guests like Troy Baker, who voices protagonist Joel in the game, as well as character Ellie’s voice actor Ashley Johnson. Developers of the game, like Naughty Dog vice president Neil Druckmann and Anthony Newman, a game designer and the architect of the game’s melee combat, will also appear.

The slickly produced podcast episode begins with a breakdown of the first game, where Joel is forced out of his home with his daughter Sarah, and the horrible tragedy that follows. It plans to follow that narrative as a lead up to the release of the second game.

Spicer said that on July 7, “once everyone’s had a chance to play (the new game), we’ll be turning our focus to The Last of Us Part II and unpacking the story, gameplay, and development process.”

In the first episode, Druckmann says The Last of Us was going to start differently, with Joel going to a neighbor’s house and discovering the harrowing illness that plagues the game. But the team felt that opening wasn’t original enough.

They decided that starting the game with his daughter Sarah would have a more substantial emotional impact.

“Because you’re playing a much more innocent, not as capable person you feel the fear of the world kind of falling apart around you,” he said.

These broad emotional strokes are part of what has made The Last of Us one of the most cherished and lauded games in recent memory. After it was released, the game landed on many award lists, including the coveted Game of the Year at the 14th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards.

The podcast episode is full of insights for fans and serves as a refresher before the release of The Last of Us Part II. There are eight planned episodes, which will be released every Tuesday.

The Last of Us Part II comes out on June 19 for the PS4 and will continue the story of Ellie as she deals with an apocalyptic world.

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