How The Last of Us Accessibility Options Help Disabled Gamers
If you've seen HBO's latest hit show, The Last of Us, you might know this series is based on a critically acclaimed video game.
Initially released on the PlayStation 3, players praised the game's ability to balance engaging gameplay with rich storytelling and nuanced characters.
In addition to its initial success, The Last of Us made headlines due to an impressive suite of accessibility features that broke new ground for accessibility in video games in 2013.
The Last of Us: Part I
The Last of Us: Part I is the 2022 remake of the original game and has carried on the franchise's legacy of accessible gaming.
It builds on the original and gives gamers a visual and gameplay experience fit for the PlayStation 5's capabilities. It's a great way to catch up on the series for those who have heard about it but have never played it. The story follows Joel and Ellie as they travel across the United States amid a zombie-like outbreak. The game was lauded for its graphical prowess, enriching gameplay, and immersive story.
The developer, Naughty Dog, has long emphasized accessibility as a foundational part of the game's development.
Some key accessibility innovations include DualSense haptic vibrations, a screen reader narration function, and cinematics that come with audio descriptions.
Other accessibility options included alternate controls for gameplay—such as changing the directional input for movement on ladders and removing the need for repetitive button presses.
In the accessibility menu of the game, players can set Navigation and Traversal settings, enabling customization of their character's movement through the game. This feature provides a range of options, including automatic jumping, unlimited underwater breathing, and various other settings to make movement more manageable.
Gamers with disabilities will also appreciate the game's Enhanced Listen Mode. This mode provides sound and audio cues for items within a character's proximity.
A new accessibility feature introduced in The Last of Us Part 1 is the Speech to Vibrations option—if activated, the DualSense wireless controller produces vibrations that simulate spoken dialog, enabling the player to experience the emotions behind each line delivered.
Another key accessibility feature, called Combat Accessibility in the game settings, allows players to modify the game's difficulty by tailoring enemy behavior to suit their preferences. The result is a customizable gameplay experience accommodating various player abilities and preferences.
Room for improvement
While The Last of Us: Part I has made significant strides in accessible gaming, there is still room for improvement. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has noted that the game's Enhanced Listen Mode lacks customization and range.
This feature is triggered by hitting the circle button to look for items and the square button to search for enemies. It is expected that the developers will keep making improvements to this mode in subsequent releases.
Audio Description Mode
The game's audio description mode was a wildly successful implementation of the updated PlayStation 5 version. This mode was the first of its kind for a Triple-A game and is a strong indicator that companies are increasingly keeping disabled gamers in mind and making these sorts of features par for the course.
Remakes provide an excellent opportunity to add these features to popular and successful games released throughout the years. These features are a welcome addition mainly because they bring more gamers into the fold when it comes to taking in and appreciating the story.
Without some of these additions, it'd be incredibly difficult for gamers with disabilities to complete the game. With the audio description feature on, gamers will be able to get narrations for cut scenes. Since The Last of Us franchise depends on cutscenes to move the story along, gamers would be missing out if they didn't have this feature.
Criticisms the Franchise Has Faced
Though The Last of Us is widely hailed as one of the greatest games of its generation and of all time, it still hasn't been exempt from criticism.
The $70 price tag for the latest edition, The Last of Us: Part I, is one of the most notable criticisms the franchise has received. Many gamers felt that the rise in the price tag was a slap in the face. One of the big reasons they felt this way was because The Last of Us: Part I is the third release of the original title.
So conceivably, many gamers had already bought and played the game twice. This would include gamers who purchased the original 2013 title for PlayStation 3, the remastered edition for the PlayStation 4, and the current version.
The Last of Us: Part II
The Last of Us: Part II came before The Last of Us: Part I in the franchise's timeline. This one was released in 2020 for the PlayStation 4. While PlayStation 5 gamers could play it once the system was released, it wasn't a game that was initially developed for the system.
As such, The Last of Us: Part II doesn't have the number of options gamers would later get from the original remake. It has been rumored that the PlayStation 5 will also get a full remaster, but no official announcement has been made.
Room for Improvement
While Naughty Dog originally made some accessibility upgrades for The Last of Us: Part II, the consensus was that the game left room for improvement.
It was considered a step forward in achievement since the developer gave PlayStation 4 gamers some accessibility presets and the ability to control more of their settings. One of the biggest rooms for improvement was the area of audio descriptions.
The game modes didn't make The Last of Us: Part II fully accessible to blind and low-vision gamers. It was clear that Naughty Dog learned from this since the PlayStation 5 original remake featured every accessibility setting that people appreciated in The Last of Us: Part II while adding audio descriptions and other vital features.
Optimize for Accessible Gaming
There has never been a better time for accessibility in video games—and there are steps you can take to optimize your setup. There are many steps that you can take to enjoy your favorite games despite disability issues!
Here are a few things that you can do to get the most out of your gaming setup:
Always Check the Settings
Now that gamers know how The Last of Us franchise has improved accessibility in gaming, gamers should be mindful of settings in other video games with these features. In addition to the ones we've covered, there are many general features that you might want to look for, including large subtitles, audio for cutscenes, vibration modes, navigation assistance, and several different contrast and brightness levels.
Look for games with several accessibility options, and research these options before purchasing the game.
Purchase Accessible Controllers
Aside from the built-in settings, there are also some disability-friendly controllers and other peripherals that gamers can look into. These controllers are set up to help gamers with a variety of disabilities to get the most from a variety of titles that they have in their catalog.
Third-party companies have released controllers with various plug-and-play presets that can be configured in whatever way works for the need. They have several triggers that are lightweight and sensitive to the touch, so they are responsive to however they are chosen.
Companies have also developed controllers that feature several joysticks that gamers can use to have more control over how characters move. These controllers are more spread out and made to help gamers with different physical limitations.
There are even controllers that gamers can control with their mouths if they are amputees or otherwise don't have the full use of their arms, hands, or fingers.
Deaf gamers can buy special vests that vibrate and shake as their character interacts with environments in the game. It makes the game more immersive so they can feel what is happening even though they can't hear the audio cues.
Companies have also come out with single-handed controllers for gamers who only have the use of one of their hands.
Consider Other Devices and Equipment
Finally, consider the many other types of equipment available to gamers with disabilities. Now that accessibility awareness is rising, look for more peripheral developers to develop products that help. This includes everything from voice command technology to gamer chairs for gamers with disabilities.
The Future of Accessibility in Gaming
Naughty Dog truly showed with The Last of Us franchise that accessibility in gaming is vital to delivering groundbreaking experiences. There are roughly 400 million disabled gamers worldwide, representing a large population hoping to see these features become more commonplace.
It not only fosters goodwill, but it also makes good business sense to provide service to the millions of people who want to play their favorite titles. Many other developers are also following suit. Games like God of War Ragnarök and Elden Ring were not only smashed hits – they also had accessibility features.
By continuing this trend, you can expect these features to become more commonplace in gaming. The key is for gamers and advocates to keep using their voices so that these features are included in every piece of hardware and software that developers release.
The Last of Us franchise did an admirable job of furthering the conversation, but it's clear that there's still much work to be done. All indications point toward the fact that it's only the beginning.