The Last of Us: Escape the Dark is a 2024 cooperative tabletop role-playing game published by Themeborne. Based on the 2013 video game The Last of Us by Naughty Dog, the tabletop game was developed in partnership with Naughty Dog as an extension of Themeborne's Escape the Dark series. The game allows up to five players, each controlling a character from The Last of Us. The objective is to navigate through iconic locations from the game while engaging enemies in combat or evading them. Themeborne announced the game on November 1, 2022, and launched a Kickstarter campaign a week later in order to fund it.[2][3] The game was officially released on November 29, 2024.
Story[]
| “ | You are a Survivor of the Cordyceps Outbreak – a mutant fungal infection that has brought civilization to its knees. Within the Quarantine Zone (QZ) you live a harsh life, suffering under the brutal, martial law and strict curfews of the totalitarian Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). Lately, as news of the deteriorating outside world has slowly seeped through the compound walls, things have gotten worse – a lot worse. The QZ is on the brink of destabilization, and every day brings with it some new form of chaos. There's only one thing you know for sure – if you stay here, you're done. The plan is simple. You're getting out. You and a few others you can trust, taking your chances with whatever lies beyond the walls. You've heard rumors about a place where good people are holding their own, where lives can be lived. Jackson – that's the name that keeps coming up. It's time to move...
―The Last of Us: Escape the Dark Rule Book
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The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic United States that has been ravaged by a mutated fungal infection known as the Cordyceps brain infection. Up to five players each control one of six survivors residing in the Boston quarantine zone—Joel Miller, Ellie Williams, Tess Servopoulos, Tommy Miller, Bill, or Marlene—who endure harsh lives under the martial law of the totalitarian Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). As living conditions continue to decline and the QZ reaches the brink of destabilization, the survivors decide to leave together, risking the danger outside of the walls, where infected roam alongside hostile human factions such as the hunters. Following rumors about a safe haven in Jackson, a town in Wyoming where people reportedly live more peacefully, they embark on a journey westward.
Gameplay[]
Themeborne has stated that the game will be powered by the Escape the Dark game engine and will be playable with 1–5 players. Players will take on the role of Ellie, Joel, Tess, Bill, Tommy, or Marlene, and create their own story as they explore an open world map. Gameplay involves players making choices about which route to take and resolving immersive "chapter cards" featuring locations from the video game, including the Suburbs, Sewers, and University. Players will make use of item cards and custom dice to control the flow of the game.[3]
Development[]
Announcement[]
On October 29, 2022, Themeborne, a tabletop game publisher, posted on their social media accounts that their new game announcement would take place on November 1 at 08:00 PST / 11:00 EST. Themeborne are best known as the creators of the award-winning Escape the Dark tabletop game series, which includes Escape the Dark Castle (2017) and Escape the Dark Sector (2020).
On the day of the announcement, Naughty Dog revealed The Last of Us: Escape the Dark, a new board game experience set within The Last of Us universe. The game will be published by Themeborne and powered by the latest evolution of the Escape the Dark game engine. A Kickstarter campaign for the project was scheduled to start on November 8, with an exclusive collector's edition available for backers. Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann was quoted for the announcement:
| “ | "I've been a massive fan of Themeborne's Escape the Dark board games! Escape the Dark Castle grabbed me with its bold black & white illustrations, compelling RPG mechanics, and interesting narrative choices. With its spiritual sequel, Escape the Dark Sector, I loved the evolution of deeper mechanics and how easily they fit into the sci-fi genre. Now I couldn't be happier to see their game design continue to evolve with The Last of Us! We're excited to see Joel, Ellie, and more of our beloved characters take on new life through stunning artwork and mechanics that immerse players in the world of The Last of Us."
―Neil Druckmann[3]
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On November 8, the Kickstarter campaign for the game went live and quickly surpassed its goal of $137,907 within the first few hours of launching, and has since raised over $800,000 from nearly 10,000 backers. Initially slated for delivery in December 2023, the estimated release date was later postponed to March 2024. In September 2024, it was delayed once again, with the release window shifting to October or November 2024. Fulfillment officially began in November of that year.[1]
Reception[]
Editions[]
Standard Edition[]
Standard Edition
The Standard Edition of The Last of Us: Escape the Dark is available at a retail price of £69.99, and is available to Kickstarter backers for £65. The cover art features the silhouettes of Joel and Ellie as they look at a building on fire in a distant city. The Standard Edition includes the following:
- 2-part game board (approximately 594 x 841mm)
- 6 player boards and tokens
- 40+ extra-large cards including location chapter, threat, and final challenge cards
- 100+ small cards, including item, crafted item, stashed item, upgraded weapon, spread, and hang-up cards
- 40+ customized dice, including survivor, threat, ammo, and hit dice
- 80+ tokens and markers, including tracking cubes and threat tokens
Collector's Edition[]
Collector's Edition
The Collector's Edition was available exclusively for backers on Kickstarter for £99, a discount from the recommended retail price of £129.99. The exclusive alternate cover art features the head of a clicker against a sleek black background. It includes all the content included in the Standard Edition, plus the following:
- 6 character miniatures with a 25mm base
- 30+ clicker miniatures (upgraded threat tokens)
- Upgraded dual-layer player boards
- Dual layer calendar board
- Hard plastic dice and token storage trays
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Game pieces[]
Video[]
External links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Escape the Dark release, KickStarter, (Accessed September 4, 2024)
- ↑ "The Last of Us Tabletop Game Announced with Themeborne". Naughty Dog. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Last of Us: Escape the Dark". Themeborne. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.