The Last of Us is widely considered one of the best games of the past decade for its great gameplay and even more compelling story. Naughty Dog's game, and its Left Behind DLC, offers a great story-driven single-player adventure features horrifying monsters and some even worse humans. The story's ending may leave a bittersweet aftertaste, but it's certainly one worth experiencing.
Unlike some games that offer endless replayability, though, The Last of Us has a linear storyline and a clear ending -- though it does continue in last year's The Last of Us Part II. Still, that doesn't mean there's nothing left to do after the credits roll. The game has more content to discover, so here's how long players can expect beating The Last of Us' story and reaching 100 percent completion to take.
How Long Does It Take to Beat The Last Of Us?
The Last of Us follows Joel and Ellie on a cross-country quest through a post-apocalyptic America to extract a cure from the young girl. Ellie is immune to a fungus that turns those infected into zombies with fungal plates growing out of their bodies. While these infected individuals pose a substantial threat, they are nothing compared to the humans that have survived and grown to be more hostile and violent. The game provides a somber look at humanity, exploring how easy it can be to become a literal and figurative monster without the support of those that care for one another.
For those players who want to experience the game's story at a leisurely pace, The Last of Us will take around 25 hours to complete. Taking your time will ensure that every map is fully explored, which can make speedruns and later playthroughs easier. However, those looking to breeze through the game will likely take around 11 hours to roll credits. On average, most players can expect to beat the game in about 15 1/2 hours.
How Long Does It Take to Complete The Last Of Us?
After beating the game once, players have the option to dive back in through New Game+, which will allow them to keep the upgrades they've unlocked in a previous playthrough. For completionists, New Game+ on the hardest difficulty will be the best way to obtain everything hidden in the ruins of the civilized world. The Last of Us has many collectibles to uncover including firefly pendants, comic books, artifacts, training manuals and tool level upgrades. Altogether, there are 146 items, not counting the various weapon upgrades and achievements available.
While collecting everything is certainly a feat, it's far from impossible. Doing so at a leisurely pace will take about double the time at 48 hours. However, this will mainly apply to those who did not scour the maps during their initial run, as they will have to search under every nook and cranny to find everything.
For players looking to get through everything much faster, a rushed playthrough will take about 16 hours to complete. However, a run like this will take some careful planning and existing knowledge of each area. On average, it takes players around 23 hours to 100 percent The Last of Us.
How Long Does It Take To Beat The Last Of Us: Left Behind?
The Last of Us: Left Behind is a DLC story that follows Ellie and her friend Riley when they are trapped in a mall. This flashback shows the moment when Ellie discovers she's immune to Cordyceps virus. Left Behind will only take around two hours to complete. However, those who want to find all the collectables should expect it to take three hours total.
While Left Behind is relatively short, particularly in comparison to the full game, there is enough action, terror and exploration to make it feel larger. It also offers a rewarding and tragic narrative that bolsters the base game overall no matter how long you take while playing it.