Google translated or so so excuse the bad grammar and so on. But you will get the basics^^

Open (love) letter to C. Balestra :

Dear M. Balestra... Oh and after all, we are in a young and dynamic industry. There is no place for fancy protocol and long presentation ceremony. Here, we call ourselves by our first name, we tap in each other’s back and drink beer together.

So, even if we one day reach a respectable age (only if age can ever be) because, if I recall correctly, born the same year, working in the same industry for the same time but are both from different side of the mirror, please let me use a more direct tone for the occasion. Furthermore, we meet several times. I even had the pleasure to interview you, for my present site, GamAlive. Anyway. Dear Christophe,

I present myself today to take the feather (its an expression, I actually just grab my keyboard) to thanks you for The Last of Us. You, and all your team at Naughty Dog.

I just beat the game. Wah. What an emotional choc. What a beautiful, incredible, beyond understanding slap.

Thank you. Thank you a thousand times for this amazing experience. Thank you for this amazing adventure.

The Last of Us is one of these game for adults, too rare, that gaming needs. Thank you for intelligent scenario, really worked out, that does not spare any reallity to the players. We are a thousand miles away from Hollywood good moral where we deliberatly stay silent on basic logic or avoid all the dirty questions the audience have on the tips of their lips.

Here, everything is shown. The player gets his face smashed by an horrible reality that is nothing short but true and basic in it’s more horryfing form and it will take you to tears, beyong moral, beyong acceptance.

The Last of Us is a great game. What am I saying, a giant game that deserves to stay in memories thanks to his perfectly mastered treatement all along. My god what a slap !

The story plays with our feeling in a esquishing way.

You will care for the characters as they care after each others so their sacrifices and challenges are then more intense and painfull to us.

Pushed by solid graphics, this story is that captivating, the game is that good that it will push back every littles concerns we could have to the «it’s not important» box (you can read about it in our test that will be online tomorow). A true great game, really. The Last of Us is one of this game that will move your guts, will make you feel passionante and move you. A monument. A pure and intense moment of bliss.

Thank you. Thank you a thousand times for this unique experience. During my already long career as a game journalist (already 17 years) it’s the first time I’m writting such a thing as an open letter. But it is deserved : The Last of US is without a doubt the best game I ever played. If not the best. That’s it. Just Amazing.

And who cares if this entire letter can look fishy. I know that today, criticizing is a way for many to feel alive online. And too often we tend to not got over enthousiatic, we do not congratulate. To keep an editorial line because many believe that doing so, praising in public or congratulating something, is selling ourself. I do not believe that. I think that if we are harsh towards failures, we should be equaly praising masterpieces. This is why I let my self take off my hat and bend over for this one master’s work.

Thank you for daring. Thank you for not censoring anything.

Thank you for going this far to make this project written in history as one of the best game ever.

Friendly,

Cedric Gasperini

Chief Editor

GamAlive

http://www.gamalive.com/actus/16887-the-last-of-us-lettre-ouverte-naughty-dog.htm