A story of revenge and hate
The Last of Us Part 2 is a fantastic game no matter what anyone says. Seven years have passed since the release of The Last of Us for the Playstation 3, and in those seven years, the entire world fell in love with Joel and Ellie when they were first introduced to the world.
Without a doubt, Naughty Dog has created another masterpiece, albeit a controversial one. The Last of Us Part 2 brings new technological achievements to the table, pushing the bar for video games.
The sequel to the last of Us has been one of the most anticipated games in history. Part 2 has been received with mixed reviews and divided a once unified fanbase for numerous reasons. I wish to leave you with a definitive and completely unbiased opinion.
Concept
Years after the first game, Joel and Ellie, now live in Jackson. They begin to adjust to everyday life. Their past comes looking for them, and the game takes a first dark turn with the death of Joel in a brutal way.
This sets the tone for Ellie’s revenge story. Ellies’ campaign will have you traveling throughout the city of Seattle. The campaign is long and can take around 30 hours to complete. The Last of Us Part 2 is a robust emotional portrayal of hate.
Halfway through the game, players take control of Abby, Joels killer. You learn that the doctor Joel killed at the end of the first game is Abby’s father. You learn about her life and journey to avenge her father’s death. The Last of Us shows you both sides of the coin, letting us know that no one is a hero or villain. Everyone is fighting their own battles.
Design
The Last of Us Part 2 retains the great gameplay formula but improves upon it. Objectives are straightforward, with players exploring areas of Seattle in search of supplies. You’ll go inside buildings and houses to upgrade your skill tree and weapons.
There’s a lot of new features like explosive arrows or putting bottles on pistols as silencers. Ellie can go prone and hide in tall grass. Another interesting mechanic is how players can squeeze through tight corridors. These spaces help when creating an escape or attack strategy.
One of the best highlights of The Last of Us Part 2 is its accessibility. TLOU is by far the most impressive and accessible game I’ve ever played. You can customize the button layout on your controller.
Players with a disability or hearing impairment can change to the colorblind mode and adjust other settings to enjoy the story. Many people have celebrated this, and I praise the game for making it accessible. Accessibility is an essential law for designers because that is being empathetic towards our users.
Aesthetics
The world of TLOU has the best animation in any video game I’ve seen. Level designs are unique and never repetitive. The facial expressions and amount of animations for movement are impressive.
Enemy deaths are brutally beautiful. There are so many different enemy death animations. Heads and limbs get blown apart from sharp weapons and explosives—dark red blood splatters across like a Jackson Pollock painting.
Enemies shout out their comrade’s names as you take their life, adding a layer of realism to combat. There is a wide variety of melee weapons to choose from. Enemies will carry machetes, bats, sickles, hammers, and more, which makes for some incredible fatalities.
Elements like water look remarkable, with characters looking drenched and moist when leaving wet areas. At times the game has brightly colored green forests and then switches to nights with the foggy atmosphere.
Verdict
The story is what will keep you busy for the first playthrough. Once the game is complete, you can restart the game on +New Game Plus and keep all your upgrades. A lot of the “Aha!” moments are better understood on the second playthrough.
You’ll spend your time find collectibles, which in every game unlocks 3D characters models and concept artwork. That’s all that comes with this package because there is no multiplayer. It’s not enough to only have a single-player campaign mode nowadays. I’ve moved on from the game after its release.
‘Fractions’ is the name of the multiplayer mode that came with The Last of Us on the PS3. The mode was unique and maintained the gameplay in the main story. It’s disappointing Naughty Dog only focused on the single-player campaign.
Why the community is divided
There are two crucial factors why people will hate on The Last of Us Part 2. First of all, the story is excellent, but it would’ve been much better had Naughty Dog taken a different approach.
People hate Abby killing Joel because they are emotionally attached to him. No one ever wanted Joel to die, but the players and fans don’t get to decide how a writer tells his story. Many players wrote death threats and hate speeches to Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann.
A lot of horrible things have been said about the story and its characters. The game has a strong emphasis on women empowerment and the LGBTQ community. Neil Druckmann himself has come to expressing female representation in a speech and podcast.
Lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people, sex scenes, two pregnancies, homophobia, and same-sex marriages with children are present. Click here to read an in-depth detailed review of the controversial topics portrayed in The Last of Us Part 2.
Value
Whether you feel offended or inspired by the direction of the story, every other element in The Last of Us Part 2 is incredible.
TLOU has outstanding gameplay, animation, lighting, graphics, sound, and atmosphere. The combat and stealth are superb, with WOW moments and accessible features taking the industry in the right direction. If you’d like to learn more about The Last of Us, visit my YouTube channel, where I’ve made videos talking about TLOU game design.
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