lyzaard Review of The Last of Us: Part II

The Last of Us: Part II (2020 Video Game)

Annoyingly subversive, but technically well done.

[6/10 · 4 June 2022]

I finally got around to playing this game, two years after its release. I think the overall arch of the story is interesting and intense, and the action set-pieces and level design are 11/10, flawless. The pacing of the actual gameplay was excellent also. Music was cool, subtle and moody. Joel's murder was unsettling and a brilliant (if not ultra mean) way to force the story in a new direction. I was eagerly anticipating Ellie's moment of vengeance. Sadly, the game COMPLETELY derails when we get to play as Abby -- one of the least likable characters ever rendered. Omigosh. She is so repulsive, and as hard as Naughty Dog tried to humanize her... the only moment it KIND OF worked was when she was emaciated and near death, being held underwater by Ellie towards the very end of the game. It was an epic fail to introduce Abby as the "main character" of the game, about 50% of the way through. Ugh. I kept waiting to get back to the true hero, Ellie. Tromping through Seattle was sooo fun, fighting the WLF and the "scars." Loved that. There is an amazing game buried here. 6 was as high as I could go, score-wise. Was a huge fan of Last of Us part one, and I adore the Uncharted series. I found the pacing to be good, during gameplay, but the pacing during the cutscenes was UNBEARABLE. Ultra plodding, slow as molasses in January. I was yelling at my TV a lot during the cutscenes. I would love to play Last of Us part one again (for a third time), but i will NEVER play part two again. It was sooo depressing. A technical achievement for sure, but ugh... empty vibes, ultimately. A good effort, overall, by Naughty Dog, but ultimately a big disappointment. A little heavy on the woke angle too. I've heard this game compared to SW Episode 8, and I get that, but this game at least has competent story-telling! The Last Jedi was an ABOMINATION. This is hardly that. But still, yeah, i can def see why many fans loathed Last of Us part two.