User reviews of The Last of Us were mixed, with some praising the realistic characters of Ellie and Joel but others finding the gameplay repetitive or violence off-putting. Critics praised the character development and relationship between Ellie and Joel, with Polygon calling it the best part, but one user felt the gameplay was overly similar to Uncharted and the multiplayer unbalanced. Overall reviews highlighted the immersive world and mechanics supporting the plot, though some felt AI could be improved.