Gamer Spots Strange The Last of Us Rip-Off While Browsing PlayStation Store

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Summary

  • Rip-off games of The Last of Us are surfacing, like Forest Ranger Life Simulator which uses Joel’s character model.
  • Grizzly Games may face similar repercussions for Forest Ranger Life Simulator if they continue to use Joel’s photo for promotion.
  • VG Games faced backlash for making The Last Hope, an obvious The Last of Us clone, causing its removal from Nintendo eShop.

As a gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can confidently say that the gaming industry has seen its fair share of copycats and rip-offs. However, the latest discovery of Forest Ranger Life Simulator on the PlayStation Store, which appears to be shamelessly using Joel’s character model from The Last of Us, takes the cake.

Whilst exploring the PlayStation store, a player stumbled upon an unusual game that appears to be imitating ‘The Last of Us’. Renowned for its compelling narrative and memorable characters, ‘The Last of Us’ is set in a post-apocalyptic America overrun by an infected populace and survivors.

Initially released in 2013, the Naughty Dog game was met with praise from both fans and critics, earning the Game of the Year award at numerous ceremonies. More than a decade has passed, and yet, The Last of Us continues to have a devoted following, despite challenges faced during its PC adaptation. Since then, the franchise has grown, encompassing a DLC, a sequel, and an HBO series featuring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay in lead roles.

It appears that the success of “The Last of Us” has sparked some imitation titles. Reddit user paintedskie spotted one such title, “Forest Ranger Life Simulator,” while browsing the PlayStation Store. In a post, they shared a screenshot showing a male character strikingly similar to Joel from “The Last of Us.” Developed by Grizzly Games Studio, this game focuses on managing a forest and its wildlife, with tasks including caring for the forest and its inhabitants. Unlike “The Last of Us,” it doesn’t seem to follow a dystopian plot, instead utilizing Joel as a character model.

Why is Joel Featured in Forest Ranger Life Simulator?

In the comments section, numerous fans of “The Last of Us” found Joel’s image amusing. Some also mentioned discovering a game called “Forest Ranger Life Simulator,” claiming that this supposed title could be a deceptive creation from an unscrupulous developer. Currently, Joel’s photo appears only in Google search results, while the “Forest Ranger Life Simulator” on the PlayStation Store uses a picture of a different male character. It remains unclear whether the developers swapped the photo to dodge additional criticism, or if they initially used Joel’s image to attract more attention to their game.

According to the PlayStation Store, Forest Ranger Life Simulator has no release date yet.

It’s not the first instance where a studio has blatantly copied “The Last of Us.” In 2023, VG Games introduced “The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival” for the Nintendo Switch, featuring a father-daughter team battling to survive a zombie epidemic. The game was panned by critics as an unoriginal take on “The Last of Us,” with similarities in plot, characters, and visual style, as well as accusations of misleading advertising to hide its problematic gameplay. Within two months, “The Last Hope” was taken down from the Nintendo eShop, and Sony Interactive Entertainment flagged its trailers on YouTube.

Given the controversy surrounding “The Last Hope”, Grizzly Games could potentially face similar criticism from fans of “The Last of Us” and Sony, over their upcoming game “Forest Ranger Life Simulator”. This might particularly be the case if the studio persists in using Joel’s image for promotional purposes.

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2024-12-26 17:23