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On 14 June 2013, video-game company Naughty Dog released “The Last of Us”, a survival-horror game. The game was so successful that seven years later a sequel was released, and one of the most striking aspects of this new instalment is its accessibility, continuing the approach begun with Uncharted 4: “A Thief’s End”.
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Photo credit: Game Accessibility Guidelines. High-contrast mode had already been used in Uncharted 4: “A Thief’s End” for players with visual disabilities. The mode is present in The Last of Us Part II, but has been improved and uses different colours.[/caption]
The first point to note is that, immediately after starting the game, there are three preset configurations: visual accessibility, hearing accessibility and motor accessibility. The visual preset includes Text-to-Speech, a high-contrast display, audio cues for elements such as combat and navigation, among other options. Second, the hearing-accessibility preset includes warning and dodge indicators through vibration, captions for combat and directions, character names and all story-related information, among other features. Finally, the most notable motor-accessibility features include automatic aiming and weapon switching, movement and navigation assistance, unlimited breath, and more.
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Photo credit: The Last of Us Part II – in game. Preset templates with accessibility options for players with visual, hearing and motor disabilities. These can be selected the first time the game starts.[/caption]
It is also important to highlight the option that allows players to customise the DualShock 4 button configuration however they prefer, making the controls more comfortable according to each user’s needs. These control modifications are classified as input or gameplay-mode remapping, holds, presses and assistance. The sprint option is available with patch 1.01, and an internet connection is required to update the game.
DualShock 4 control configuration in The Last of Us Part II
The game can be fully configured under Options > “Accessibility”. This section contains six categories: Alternate Controls; Magnification and Visual Aids; Motion Sickness; Navigation and Traversal; Text-to-Speech and Audio Cues; and Combat Accessibility. The accessibility menu contains more than 60 options intended to enable persons with disabilities to play without barriers, making it the video game with the most accessibility options in history at the time of publication.
A further accessibility feature is the “Audio and Visual Aids” section. Its most notable options include customisation of colour, contrast and HUD size. A screen magnifier has also been added, allowing any part of the screen to be enlarged. Continuing with features for players with visual disabilities, sound indicators—some paired with vibration—have been implemented for movement and navigation. These features can reinforce voice guidance for finding enemies, collecting objects or bypassing puzzles in the game. Finally, Naughty Dog has provided a Text-to-Speech option that audibly communicates what is happening on screen so that players with visual disabilities can access the experience (the feature is available in every supported language except Thai).
Audio cues in The Last of Us Part II
For players with hearing disabilities, the developers allow captions to be customised in size and colour and displayed with high contrast if necessary, so each user can adapt them to their needs and preferences. The HUD, or Head-Up Display, also lets the player activate visual aids that warn of a nearby enemy while in stealth mode or indicate enemy positions during combat.
Audio and visual aids in The Last of Us Part II
For players with motor disabilities, in addition to the features already mentioned, a “Combat Accessibility” section has been created. It includes functions such as slowing time to make aiming easier, reducing enemy effectiveness and improving dodge abilities, among other options.
Finally, the game’s difficulty system has been modified so that there are five main difficulty levels, as well as the option to make specific difficulty adjustments that support the player according to their needs.
These new configurations have already been tested and have received strong approval from the public. One example is the video analysis by visually impaired gamer Steve Saylor, which we include below in English.
Steve Saylor video analysis of accessibility in The Last of Us Part II (English)
This project shows that highly complex AAA games can also be accessible. The Last of Us Part II launches on Friday, 19 June at 00:00.
Finally, here is the story trailer for The Last of Us Part II.
