A fan of The Last of Us game series has created a PS1 mini version of the game based on HBO's new live-action TV show, which premiered in 2023. The fan shared a 1-minute clip of their version, which showcases a scene from the TV series and is made with classic PS1 graphics. The old school style of the project has captured the nostalgia of a beloved console while showing how The Last of Us could have looked if it released decades ago.
The Last of Us Part 1 launched in 2013, with The Last of Us Part 2 being released in 2020. Due to the game's popularity, a TV series based on the first game was produced and has received positive responses from both critics and audiences. The first season of The Last of Us HBO series follows Joel Miller as he transports the immune Ellie across a landscape full of infected humans. As they journey toward a Firefly lab that aims to use Ellie's blood to develop a cure for the Cordyceps virus, the two protagonists forge a strong bond and fight to survive together.
A Reddit user named westonfahey79 shared a video clip of The Last of Us mini-game they developed several days ago on their page, borrowing audio from a scene in the second episode of the HBO live-action series. The clip is identical in quality and style to traditional PS1 games, with pixelated graphics and misshapen objects and characters. Joel and Ellie are even wearing outfits that are nearly identical to the ones in the series, solidifying this mini game as a unique Last of Us fan creation.
The video clip shared by westonfahey79 features Ellie, Joel, and Tess walking down an abandoned street, discussing the world outside the QZ just like they do in the show. The next scene shows Joel apprehending an enemy before being seen by another foe who begins shooting at him before the clip ends. In the comments section, westonfahey79 stated he has uploaded a playable version of the clip in their post, however the entire game was not yet available. The user posted the playable scene under the username “potboiler” to their page on itch.io, a website for users to host, sell and download indie games. The page lists the keyboard controls for PC, but noted the sound was currently unavailable due to some “technical reasons.”
Westonfahey79's The Last of Us PS1 version may not be fully available for gameplay, but the user has developed another game called 28 Pixels Later, which is fully playable. In this game, players assume the role of a SWAT operative who is trying to escape from hordes of zombies. The game is reminiscent of Resident Evil and features retro PS1-styled visuals, plants that restore health when smoked, and limited ammo, adding to the game's nostalgic feel.
The Last of Us TV series is available on HBO Max.