[Solid Snake]

Last of Us takes a good hard look at masculinity, but it's doing so in the context of a game that gives its women characters personality and agency. Joel's sorry ass is saved by Ellie just as often as he saves her, Ellie makes some of the story's most important decisions on her own, Tess' role is instrumental in instigating the journey and her relationship with Joel is always a two-way street, and there's both gay and ethnic minorities littered throughout the cast (including Ellie) who defy stereotypes. Last of Us is definitely still a story that's putting a magnifying glass to the tropes of masculinity but it's often doing so to subvert the stereotypes, that's the kind of story with a male protagonist we need more of in the industry.

By contrast, Grand Theft Auto V is basically patriarchal stereotyping played straight. Every female character in the game is paper-thin and exists solely to enrapture or infuriate the male characters. The men are the only ones with even the tiniest morsel of depth. Michael's character is written so the (presumably male) gamer identifies with him -- despite being a murdering, chauvinistic psychopath -- and finds his wife and his daughter annoying, because they're caricatures. Trevor's mere existence is an affront to the integrity of the industry (sorry, all of y'all who like him.)

We absolutely need more games to star women and minorities and it's ludicrous that the industry is still dominated by white men. But, given that it stars a white, male protagonist, Last of Us still did things a lot better than its competition. Blows Max Payne and most the other games mentioned in this article out of the water, at any rate.