Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Art of The Last of Us

Rate this book
Naughty Dog Studios and Dark Horse proudly present the essential companion to The Last of Us, a richly detailed and compelling game set in a postpandemic world where humans have become an endangered species. Featuring concept art, character designs, and astonishing settings and landscapes, The Art of The Last of Us provides a unique look at one of the gaming world’s most eagerly anticipated titles.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2013

50 people are currently reading
1412 people want to read

About the author

Rachel Edidin

11 books5 followers
Rachel Edidin is a comics editor.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
882 (67%)
4 stars
292 (22%)
3 stars
94 (7%)
2 stars
21 (1%)
1 star
12 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
Profile Image for Andrew.
2,517 reviews
February 6, 2023
Update - while sorting out my collection I came across this book and thought about giving it another read considering all the hype now there is a TV series to add to the franchise.

Reading it again I realise how much work went in to the character and how they physically represent the various personalities. Considering this is an action game based of tactics of survival its amazing the detail that was placed on some of the simplest of things. For me there are three leads in this work - the characters, the location and the infected. All of which I think is testament to the appeal and power of this game and the story it caries through it.



Although I cannot play these games (I am both terrible at playing them and also they give me migraines) it does not stop me from admiring and appreciating the art that is created from them.

These books (as I think nearly all major games these days produce them) are testament to the fact that these games have production budgets similar to motion picture films. They certainly share a lot of the production values - and as result a lot of additional material is created.

And so is born books like this - and I for one really appreciate them. Not only do you get to stop and appreciate part of the game you may not see (in my case ever) but also get to appreciate the work that went in to them, often in aspects you will never get to see after all like films how much material is cut before the final version.

In this book you get to see a lot of iterations of the various characters - how they evolved in to what they were in the game but also the process behind how they came about (as the artists experiment with how they want to them appear and what they are trying to portray in the process)

As in often the case with these books the production quality is impressive - and to me reflects the respect and care that the studios and publishers put in these games and the material that is associated with them.
Profile Image for Sara.
1,755 reviews541 followers
October 23, 2023
اولش فکر میکردم اینم مدل آرت او ویچر باشه. یعنی کلی نوشته و داستان داشته باشه. ولی حقیقتش فقط راجع به آرت بازی بود.
روند طراحی کاراکتر ها و لباس و لوکیشن و .را فلان چیز فلان شد و چطور شد این مدلی شد و اینا.
چقدر ولی طراحی هاش قشنگ بودن. بخصوص اینفکتد ها. دیتیل ریزشون عالی بود.
Profile Image for César Bustíos.
318 reviews112 followers
January 6, 2018
Beautiful.

As a software engineer I always wanted to be part of the gaming industry, although life had different plans for me. Nevertheless, my feelings towards gaming will never grow old. Hell, I'm still playing games from the 90's with my SNES emulator on Linux (I successfully finished "Breath of Fire" for the millionth time a couple of weeks ago. Don't get me started with "Chrono Trigger"). Ah, I feel so nostalgic now. I wish I had more time to play video games like I used to, I guess I'll have to wait for my kid to grow up a little more and play whatever games and consoles they have in 10 years.

"The Last of Us" is one of the best games I've ever played, the story line is amazing, solid game play, the graphics are breathtaking and the setting is one of my all-time favorites: a post-apocalyptic world. No wonder why I enjoyed this little one so much, what an amazing art team!















Profile Image for Diana.
1,950 reviews311 followers
December 27, 2017
While I love the videogame, I find that this art book isn't for me. A lot of repetitive desings, and I would have loved more about the characters and story and less of the places which seem to be all over the book.
Profile Image for Komal.
272 reviews384 followers
January 19, 2014
A game of breathless beauty and devotion with artistic concepts that break all boundaries.

The Last of Us was, to say the least, one of those play-throughs which ignited all wires of emotion in my mind. The visuals are the best I've seen in any game thus far.
Profile Image for Pinky.
615 reviews647 followers
December 28, 2024
Trigger Warnings:

When you’re lost in the darkness, look for the light

THIS WAS THE BEST GIFT EVER, THANK YOU SO MUCH THANU


If you don’t know, I have been OBSESSED with The Last of Us since high school. I originally watched Pewdiepie play it and LOVED the storyline. I rewatched the series so many times cuz it was my comfort series. 5 years ago I finally got a PS4 and was able to play the game myself and I LOVED IT EVEN MORE. When I tell you I don’t shut up the game, I am not exaggerating. Thanu and my other friends have not heard the end of me talking about this.


"I struggled for a long time with surviving. And no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.”

The Last of Us is a grim but beautiful game with a tragic backstory. Joel Miller and Arthur Morgan will forever be my fictional video game crushes, I can never choose between them. This book shows the amount of detail and ideas the team thought of to make the video game immersive and realistic. The amount of realism in this game is insane, yea it has zombies, but the reasoning and the downfall of humanity seemed pretty realistic to me. The whole setting was fucked up but the greenery made the world so mesmerizing. I found the OSTs from the video game so comforting to listen to, I would have it in the background often.


"Tell them Ellie's the name of the little girl... that BROKE YOUR FUCKING FINGER!"

All the characters in this game go through fucked up things. And seeing the different types of groups, the reason for how they are dressed up the way they are, and the thought that went into the planning was mind-blowing. I was so glad I got the chance to read this, I was fangirling the whole time. I will never get over this world, I wish there was an open-world game with TLOU themes. It would be cool to run around the beautiful scenery and fight off zombies. The different possible character designs for the main characters was so interesting to see. If you are a fan of the video game, I highly recommend you check this out, it’s so cool. THERE IS EVEN A PICTURE OF YOUNGER JOEL and lemme just say, HE IS SUCH A HANDSOME LAD (he is when he is older too though).


"We can be all poetic and just lose our minds together."

I was so glad when I found out the show came out since so many people were missing out on this beautiful story. A father-daughter story of two people who have nothing and keep finding something to fight for. Both the show and video game are amazing but I have a bias to the game, I love cold ruthless Joel cuz he’s a badass okaaaay. But Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are AMAZING. I have cried so many times while watching some cut scenes of this game. The voice actors did an amazing job with the characters, the story was beautiful, and the video game graphics were off the charts. This will forever be my favourite game, I don’t think I will ever get over it. I hope there is a TLOU3 that comes out cuz I NEED IT. Not gonna lie though, I couldn’t get myself to play TLOU2, the gameplay is stunning but I don’t think I can handle some scenes (iykyk). I have watched the gameplay and watched Thanu play through the whole thing. I’ve got the game but need the courage to get past certain scenes. Anyway, if you’re a big fan of this video game, check this out. It’ll show you different things that the team thought of when coming up with different areas, character designs, and facial expressions. It will show you how every little detail shows how the pandemic has affected the world and people. Every little detail comes into play and makes a difference. Thank you for creating such a beautiful game TLOU Team.


“There are a million ways we could've died today. And a million ways we could die before tomorrow. But we fight for every second we get to spend with each other. Whether its two minutes... or two days... we don't give that up. I don't want to give that up.”
Profile Image for Sarah Alirezaee.
78 reviews
March 21, 2016
Best game I've ever played... Best story..
and the concepts are awesome... thanks to John Sweeney, Eytan Zana, Shaddy Safadi, Maciej Kuciara, Nick Gindraux, Aaron Limonick and Hyoung Taek Nam, I had a wonderful experience through the game looking at beautiful scenes, especially the giraf scene.
incredibly awesome.
Profile Image for Loie☆.
351 reviews18 followers
November 21, 2021
For my birthday I received the art book for The Last Of Us. I've been wanting to read it for ages and was so excited when I got it.
I've played the first game so many times that all the artwork in the book felt so familiar to me. It was so great seeing how the beautiful art of my favourite game was developed over time. It's obvious how much work and planning went into the game in regards to figuring out how things were going to look. It made me feel so grateful to Naughty Dog for working so hard to create such an awesome game for us.
One thing that I did find a little disiappointing was that there was a lot of duplicated art... well, what looked like duplicated art. I'm sure there are some differences in there, but for the readers, they're not noticeable and so just feels like we're getting the same piece of artwork shown multiple times.
I was also hoping to get more information on the development of the characters in regards to their personalities and how Naughty Dog researched different types of mannerisms and such for the characters in the game, but I suppose this is an art book so those things wouldn't really be talked about. Nontheless, I was still hoping for it.
Anyway, I still thoroughly enjoyed flicking through the beautiful art and seeing the development of the game.
I can't wait to read the art book for the second game! 😍
Profile Image for Mara GR.
204 reviews97 followers
March 30, 2017
3.7/5
This is one of my favorite videogames so I obviously enjoyed to read more about the making of this but I ended up wanting more...
Profile Image for Juliatuutikki.
25 reviews
November 4, 2024
Naurattaa edes merkitä tämä tänne mutta sen verran hintava kirja että ehkä pakko.
Jos oot peliä pelannu niin multa saa lainaan. Jos et ole, niin kirja ei ole sulle.
Kirja ihan oxfordista ostettu näin btw! Isän kanssa ajan viete on ollu tuo pelisarja niin siksi oli hauska tuo kirja hankkia.
Ei mul muut
Profile Image for Emily.
272 reviews
May 1, 2023
Does this count as a book? It’s gonna have to, because watching and then playing TLOU has triggered an epic reading slump for me so this is apparently the best I can do right now.

This was cool! The art is gorgeous but more than that it really made me appreciate the kind of ground up creation that goes in to making a game like this. Seeing the dozens of iterations for characters, infected, set pieces… it’s kind of mind boggling. Every little detail is crafted with such care and I find it overwhelming to even think about how much effort is required to make something this beautiful and detailed.

There are a few pages that I wish I could rip out and frame (except I would NEVER rip pages out of a book) and a few text blurbs (YES THERE WAS SOME ACTUAL READING INVOLVED) that felt like little gems of precious knowledge if you are a fan of the game. I mean lbr if you are a superfan of the game this is a must-own item and you probably already have it.

The Art of The Last of Us Part II is in the mail on its way to me and I am, I dare say, even more excited to “read” that one!

We all know that TLOU is a masterpiece, but this book made me appreciate the degree to which the specific artwork and design is a masterpiece in its own right.
Profile Image for Tex.
509 reviews3 followers
December 27, 2024
“The Art Of The Last Of Us” (TAOTLOU) is a book about just that - the concept art and development of the designs for the game PlayStation game The Last Of Us by Naughty Dog.

TAOTLOU shows the development in design and look of the characters, each of the locations, the stages of the infected. Brief comments are included throughout to provide insights and considerations taken in reaching the final designs. From the main characters right through to the marketing designs TAOTLOU covers all bases.

Whether you have played, or in more recent times watched the HBO series of, the game TAOTLOU is an exceptional artistic journey through the creative process for the look of the game to best complement the story.

If you’re a fan of The Last Of Us, have an interest in the development of concept art, or just like amazing artwork, then TAOTLOU is a must have or must read (full disclaimer - I’m a massive fan of The Last Of Us).

TAOTLOU gets 5 opportunities to look for the light out of 5.
Profile Image for Natalie.
3,321 reviews118 followers
September 22, 2018
I love The Last of Us! I like the Uncharted series more, but this game is amazing too. The storyline is great and I love the friendship between Joel and Ellie. Looking at how the game was made was absolutely fascinating. I liked seeing how the look of Joel and Ellie evolved from the beginning concept to what is actually in the game. Naughty Dog is clearly the gold standard when it comes to video games. I don’t even like zombies that much and I loved this game. (I’m also totally looking for that Easter egg in Uncharted 3!)
Profile Image for Spencer.
1,467 reviews41 followers
June 13, 2017
I loved the game and this book is a brilliant showcase of the art used to develop and produce it. The artists, game designers, and all the rest who worked on The Last of Us are ridiculously talented and deserve all the praise they get, you can really tell that a lot of care and attention went in to the game. The only problem I have with the book is that I was expecting a bit more information on the development process, but otherwise this is a must for any fans of the game.
Profile Image for Ben.
2,729 reviews225 followers
October 8, 2022
Polished

This was an outstanding art book.

One of the best games ever (FIRST GAME ONLY).

I loved the different designs of characters, outfits, and monsters.
But.
I CAN'T get over how good the environment designs are. The book is about half atmosphere and location designs, and they are gorgeous.

They really hit "dystopia" correctly in this game/book.

4.8/5
Profile Image for damjan.
132 reviews7 followers
January 4, 2023
this is my first art book I've read so I don't know the standards i should have but i loved seeing the deeper process into the design of the game and how well thought out it is and all the different versions of the characters 😝
Profile Image for efa.
21 reviews
February 9, 2023
Anything related to this series I’m gonna love, I wanted to own physical copy of this book but was able to find a pdf version and couldn’t wait 😁😁
Anyone who sees this and doesn’t know the game series… please give it a go you won’t regret it I promise
Profile Image for Cassidy.
387 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2024
This book is super cool. Love seeing all the concept art for a game I love so much. It’s gonna be a really cool book to have in my collection of special books lol
Profile Image for Alessia Saulle.
255 reviews21 followers
October 11, 2023
Che dire di questo Art Book? semplicemente meraviglioso.
Un opera d'arte di Gioco perfettamente sintetizzata in 184 pagine, una piu bella dell'altra.
Ricco di studi grafici e immagini a corredo, riporta anche aneddoti interessanti sulla gestazione e sulla scelta finale che ha dato il volto ai personaggi principali di Ellie e Joel, ma anche ai comprimari, cosi come le scelte fatte sulla dinamica delle luci nelle varie ambientazioni che attraverso le varie stagioni, in un anno circa di avventura, vengono proposte al giocatore.
L'art book è in inglese, ma è un inglese semplice e comprensibile anche da chi teme di non averne una approfondita conoscenza.
Consigliato a chiunque abbia amato il Gioco e a chi non l'ha provato, consiglio di giocarlo almeno una volta.
Ne rimarrete stregati!
Non vedo l’ora di poter leggere anche il secondo “volume” basato ovviamente sulla seconda parte del gioco.
Profile Image for Wayne McCoy.
4,227 reviews31 followers
July 18, 2013
In the plot of the game The Last Of Us, father and daughter, Joel and Ellie, are survivors travelling across a dystopian America. The book The Art Of The Last Of Us shows the incredibly rich detail that went into the atmosphere of the game and the characters encountered along the way. The game took three and a half years to complete and the hard work shows.

The game is set about 20 years after cities have been left to those who have been affected by a plague, and plants are taking over urban areas. There are safe zones that have been protected with traps, and there are environmental issues like snow. The dilapidated environments are detailed and definitely look more realistic than those on the television show The Walking Dead (who mows the lawns on that show? The zombies?!?). Care is given to the types of clothing and gear that survivors would gravitate towards, and the evolution of design for the main characters is shown. The plague victims are shown and they are scary, with fungus growing and bursting out from their once human frames.

The book begins with an introduction by Game Director Bruce Straley and Creative Director Neil Druckmann. Computer games have reached an immersive level of detail and storytelling. Many times more immersive than major motion pictures. Based on the art in this book, this game looks amazing and terrifying.
Profile Image for Kristin (Blood,Sweat and Books).
371 reviews171 followers
February 23, 2014
Originally reviewed @Blood,Sweat and Books

The Last of Us is a game unlike any other. In fact at this moment I'm even calling it my favorite game this year. The Last of Us combines a richly detailed world with a strong plot, likable characters and just enough Horror to create something unique, scary and beautiful all at the same time.

When I saw The Art of The Last of Us on Netgalley I knew I needed read it. Well let me tell you, I devoured this book in one sitting. From conception to screen the detail that went into The Last of Us is truly amazing. I loved seeing the evolution of not just the world but the characters as well. I even learned a few facts along the way that in all my Googling I didn't know. So just a heads up if you haven't played the game yet you might want to do so before reading.

If you loved The Last of Us and want to learn more about Joel, Ellie and the world then I highly suggest picking up this book. If you haven't checked out this game yet I highly recommend doing so as well. Naughty Dog created something special with this one and I tip my hat to them for that. With that being said, I will be rating The Art of The Last of Us ★★★★★.
Profile Image for Michela.
250 reviews1 follower
March 25, 2023
Why is everything so pretty in this horror game?! I am so in love with this art book. I loved learning about how the game was made as I got to look at the progress of design for the game. It was cool to see how much Joel and Ellie's character design changed and grew. Also getting to see all the concepts for the infected was cool. The best way to describe the progress of their design is beautifully horrifying. I honestly want to hang all the art from this book on my wall. I am so happy that I bought this book and I have to say that it is now one of my favorite art books.
3,202 reviews395 followers
October 22, 2013
There is some great art in this book, and it only makes me more excited for the game - which I've managed to log about 40 minutes in - but it also has a lot of MAJOR SPOILERS for the game.

Check out my full review - with Pictures and Art on my blog or booklikes
Profile Image for Michael Alexander.
456 reviews9 followers
September 8, 2013
Not sure how much really needs to be said about this. The game was one of the best I've played, and this book is an extension of it. It's mainly filled with concept art that includes notes from the designers. There's also quite a few double page spreads that are just a joy to gawk at. I got my copy with the Survival Edition of the game, but the book is available separately as well. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Shrivrae.
80 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2025
I love concept arts, especially environmental ones, so it's a shame they squeezed 6-8 small images (even 13 once) onto one page... I would've also liked to read more about the places and characters shown in the art, but it's mostly a bunch of illustrations, like I mentioned before, or 10 different character outfits with really short descriptions. It's still great though.

A bit disappointing in terms of written text, but visually beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.