As shown in the new demo, The Last of Us Part 1 will make the moment of the giraffe’s caress in the original game more exciting thanks to the inclusion of tactile feedback. This feature allows the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller to simulate the feeling of certain aspects of the environment in the game using dynamic vibrations. Naughty Dog, the developer of The Last of Us, previously used DualSense tactile feedback for The Last of Us 2 to simulate bowstring tension resistance.
To say that Joel and Ellie went through a lot during their journey to The Last of Us in 2013 is a cruel understatement. Most of the exciting and tragic moments experienced by this couple, for better or for worse, left an indelible impression on the players who traveled with them. Despite the many dark aspects of the narrative of The Last of Us, there are a few comforting moments. One of the most cherished events takes place during the culmination of the journey. While helping Joel find a ladder, Ellie notices a flock of wild giraffes roaming the abandoned city. They find one grazing near a dilapidated part of the building and gently stroke the giraffe while it feeds. After that, players can safely watch the giraffes until they leave.
Recently, a 10-minute demo of Last of Us gameplay, Part 1, was shown on the PlayStation channel on YouTube, which demonstrates many of its new features. This includes using the PS5 DualSense tactile feedback during the iconic giraffe petting scene from the original game. When Joel reaches out to stroke the giraffe, DualSense transmits a slight but noticeable reverberation to give the player a sense of contact. During the trailer, Naughty Dog co—president Neil Drakmann shared his thoughts on why the implementation of tactile feedback was important for The Last of Us Part 1. “For me, this is the essence of The Last of Us,” says Drakmann. moments of tension, these are moments of low voltage, and it all seems grounded. It’s that you feel immersed in that word and involve you in that story in every way possible, and that’s what the new technology on PlayStation 5 allows.”
Along with the giraffe’s caresses, Naughty Dog plans to include the tactile feedback function of the DualSense PS5 controller in several other aspects of The Last of Us Part 1. Like the bowstring feedback from The Last of Us Part 2, each weapon will be unique, dynamic. Feedback. In addition, the shotgun will use the built-in DualSense speaker to reproduce the effect of a shotgun pump, similar to the sound of a flashlight battery shaking from a PS4 remaster. Players will also encounter tactile feedback while visiting the workbench, where the controller will dynamically respond to Joel’s new animations as he upgrades weapons and equipment. High-intensity moments such as jumping, landing, and hand-to-hand combat will also have tactile feedback.
The graphic leap between generations of video games has become noticeably narrow over the past few generations. Although tactile feedback is a secondary function in the overall experience of the game, its implementation shows how the technology of the game can go beyond simple graphical updates, creating an even more exciting and realistic world in the title. While stroking giraffes in The Last of Us, Part 1 is a great start, we hope that features like tactile feedback will continue to be used in the broader aspects of future games, making every adventure fresh and exciting.
