Minor spoilers forThe Last of Us Part 1 & 2.
The Last of Usis considered by many as one of the best post-apocalyptic stories in gaming. Joel and Ellie’s journey to find a cure is filled with emotional gut punches.The Last of Usboasts a powerful story, and, despite its world being destroyed by Cordyceps-infested zombies, it’s filled with fascinating lore.
Between the Fireflies,the Seraphitesand the WLF,The Last of Usfeatures plenty of fascinating groups throughout its narrative. However, one of the most interesting is an essential piece of the story that isn’t explored much at all. FEDRA, which stands for “Federal Disaster Relief Response,” was the main authority during the early days of the outbreak. The government agency kept quarantine organized, and for those who are curious about the daily life of a FEDRA agent,Quarantine Zone: The Last Checkmay be the perfect indie game to keep on one’s radar.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check Puts Players in Charge of Keeping a Surviving City Safe
On the official Steam page,Quarantine Zone: The Last Checkis described as “Papers Pleasemeets zombie apocalypse.” The premise of the game is simple, but making the right decision is far easier said than done. The game’s description reads, “In a world ravaged by a zombie outbreak, you oversee a critical checkpoint tasked with separating healthy refugees from the infected—and sometimes, the merely suspicious.” This makesQuarantine Zone: The Last Checkan exciting option for those who are in search of a unique zombie-focused experience.The Last of Usand the rest of the zombie genreusually put players in more sweat-inducing situations, but this upcoming indie title focuses more on decision-making.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Checkis set to be released in September 2025.
FEDRA is Still Filled With Untapped Potential
For the most part, FEDRA is simply a ghost of the first years of the outbreak. It’s unclear if any of the East Coast QZs are still around by the timeThe Last of Us Part 2begins, but the group is practically extinct on the West Coast. Old FEDRA trucks and corpses of soldiers can be found throughout the journey, butNaughty Dog’s zombie franchisehas yet to offer a deep dive into the group.
What makes FEDRA so fascinating is that the members of the group had an incredibly tough task on their hands. Yes, the pressure to keep social order quickly turnedmany ofThe Last of Us' QZsinto fascist states, but the workers in charge of checking newcomers for infection held fragile lives in their hands.Quarantine Zone: The Last Checkputting players in the shoes of a quarantine gatekeeper proposes a variety of fascinating moral questions, since one’s judgments could mean life or death.
In a world ravaged by a zombie outbreak, you oversee a critical checkpoint tasked with separating healthy refugees from the infected—and sometimes, the merely suspicious.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check Could Help The Last of Us Part 3 Woes
IfThe Last of Us Part 3doesn’t happenor is years away from being released,Quarantine Zone: The Last Checkcould give fans a small taste of what the daily routine of a FEDRA agent could have been like. Of course, the two games aren’t connected in any way, but the indie title could prove to be a fun, fresh take on the zombie genre.
The difficultmoral decisions presented inThe Last of Uscontinue to inspire debate, and a game that puts players in charge of the lives of survivors could help scratch that itch.Quarantine Zone: The Last Checkmay not be an extension ofThe Last of Usuniverse, but it’s easy to imagine the FEDRA lifestyle being quite similar.
The Last of Us Part 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closur
