The Last of Us: Left Behind Stand Alone
LumiScore?Our 0–100 score for how developmentally beneficial and low-risk this game is for children. Higher is better.
Growth
47/100
Growth Value
- Empathy
- Emotional Regulation
- Ethical Reasoning
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
Watch or play alongside your teen and pause to discuss the emotional moments — this story tackles grief, loyalty, and identity in ways that spark meaningful conversation.
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— Passes the test
The story centers entirely on two named female characters, Ellie and Riley, whose relationship and conversations are about survival, friendship, and their lives together — not about men.
Parent Pro-Tip
Left Behind is an unusually powerful vehicle for emotional literacy. The relationship between Ellie and Riley models genuine care, self-sacrifice, and navigating fear together. Parents who engage with the story alongside their teenager can use it as a springboard for real conversations about friendship, loss, LGBTQ+ identity, and what it means to be brave. Treat it less like a game and more like a short film you experience together.
What your child develops
Left Behind is a narrative-driven, single-player experience built around empathy, loyalty, and the emotional weight of human connection under duress. Its core strength lies in emotional and ethical development: players inhabit Ellie's perspective during an intensely personal story about friendship, love, grief, and sacrifice. The writing is exceptional (BAFTA-winning), and the game asks players to process complex emotions — loss, fear, joy within tragedy — in ways that rival literary fiction. Light survival-action gameplay adds modest contributions to problem-solving, spatial awareness, and reaction time. The game's portrayal of a young queer female friendship as the emotional center is rare and meaningful representation.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
IMPORTANT: The file that you are purchasing from PlayStation®Store is only the installer for The Last Of Us™. Once the installer is booted, the game itself will be downloaded onto your PlayStation®3 system.