The Last of Us 2 (PS4)

Genuinly shocked to see so many negative reviews about this game! My experience of this game is that I personally rank it as equal to the best game I have ever played, (Final Fantasy 7) - the story is absolutely mind blowingly good. Myself and my partner played this for several hours every night over a period of a couple of weeks, and we were both completely glued to it, and found ourselves talking about it all the time when not playing. The developers should be applauded for their creativity, not only in the graphics / world (which is another topic) but the story and the way they manipulate time is like nothing else I have ever played, simply incredible. I loved the original - I will never forget that introduction video, and then the fact it cuts to 20years later - this blew my mind. Most games of this genre are set "now" with the outbreak being a current thing, but Last Of Us thinks ahead and then imagines what the world would be like 20years from that point. Last of Us 2 continues in this fashion, without giving spoilers away, there is another jump in time and also another "side to the story" which we didn't see coming at all. Rather than try and pick up the story straight after the end of LOU1, the game resumes some time in the future - which does away with having to keep the story going in a chronological fashion, which I think really works well. The graphics... now for me, I am much more interested in a good story than graphics. I am happy to play 90s/00s games with "poor" graphics if the story is strong. But in this game, graphics are something else - I am genuinely amazed by what they have done, not only in their appearance (ie - beautiful graphics) but the thought that has gone into the world, and what it would look like 20+ years into this virus outbreak, war, riots, bombing, civil unrest, natural disasters etc... the developers have really thought carefully about it and created a world which is breathtaking, and quite terrifying to imagine (but also, weirdly, you can totally believe and sympathise with) Absolutely everything about this game is 10/10 for me, I cannot say a single negative thing about it, and I am desperate to play it again on Story+ mode. I also really want to play LOU1 again with this back-to-back and relive the entire story. For me, this is the best 2-part game ever made. Certainly a story-line I'll never forget Thank you

Spoilers for themes, but I'll keep the story spoilers out of it. First things first, no, it doesn't have a PC or LGBTQ+ agenda. Ellie is gay and a secondary character is trans, that's it. There are no explicit queer sex scenes (though you do see a 30 second heterosexual sex scene - consensual with a bit of boob, definitely nothing that would push the limits of the 18 rating). The most explicitly gay stuff you see is kissing and general cuteness between girlfriends, if you think that's an agenda then I don't know what to tell you, you live in a bubble and queer folks exist, get over it. It's pretty grim and gruesome, the deaths are a lot more hard hitting. If you shoot someone in the leg and they bleed out, they'll scream and writhe for several seconds, there's more fear in their faces when you kill them, they sometimes beg for their lives, the people watching their friends die are more authentically messed up by it, stuff like that. Not something that will bother everyone, but I'd say that's the nastiest bit of the game in terms of overall gameplay. Once again if you're more offended by a bit of boob and a consensual sex scene, IDK what to tell you. There's also a bit of weed use and a mention of a grumpy old alcoholic, if those are deal breakers for you. Graphics are amazing, sound design is great, and the gameplay itself is very similar to the first game, but just a little bit better. IMO it's perfect, I hate when they change too much in the sequels when the original was so good. If it's not broke don't fix it, you know? And The Last of Us Part II honours that, it basically expanded on the original combat without changing much at all. Oh, except one thing - Clickers ACTUALLY use echolocation now (they just used hearing in the first game) and they don't bloody tell you, I must have died a dozen times before I realised they can "see" you if you stand in front of them while they're making noises. As for the rest... basically it's a game about how much you can mess yourself up in the pursuit of revenge. It's a game that hurts you then tells you to get over it, because staying angry will only ever leave you unsatisfied and unhappy. It's true to life, moreso than most of us would like, and at times it's frustrating, tedious, or even in-your-face insulting. The game doesn't care if you like it or not, it doesn't care if it makes you feel bad, and it doesn't care about making you feel better. Pretty much every criticism I've seen against the game so far (that this plot point should have been different, that the pacing is weird, that you don't care about that character, that you're not satisfied with the ending, etc) can be answered with "yes, I know, that's literally the point." Once you get your head around that, it's a good game that achieves exactly what I believe it set out to achieve. If that sounds interesting to you then I say go for it, maybe watch a playthrough first (I recommend JackSepticEye or GabSmoulders purely because they seems to be the only YouTubers thus far who actually get it) or wait for it to come on sale, or keep your eyes open on marketplaces online or CEX and similar trade-in stores, I'm sure there will be a lot of copies there soon enough. Do actually play the game though if you want to criticise it, and be wary of those with generic copy/paste reasons for disliking it, such as an unsatisfying ending or a dislike for the "PC agenda" it doesn't have.

This game is absolutely brilliant! I just completed it and wanted to wait until I had completed it to review it. I wont give away any spoilers but I wasn't sure what I would think of it judging from some of the bad reviews but I thought I would take a chance on it - considering I loved the first game so much. Just to back up a little, I hadn't played the first game or even heard of it until the hype for the second game being released started. So I bought the first game, played it all the way through and loved it and by the time I finished it, this second game was released. I loved the first game, amazing storyline and the actual game itself was very enjoyable too, accurate, looked great and was fun to play - but the storyline was so good that it stood out to me as one of the best storylines in a game ever - better than most movies or TV shows. So, I wanted to see where the story would go in the second game, despite the bad reviews, I just needed to experience it myself because the first one was so good and I actually feel that they surpassed it with this game - the storyline works on so many different levels and it a work of genius to be honest. I don't understand the negative reviews at all, I don't know what is wrong with the brains of the people who think that the creators messed up at all, they have created a truly unique and masterful sequel to the first game. It would have been very uncreative and boring if the second game was exactly like the first one - they have truly created a masterpiece with the storyline and storytelling in this game, it hits you hard emotionally and makes you think - that's what great art should do. I am so pleased I didn't listen to the negative reviews and decide not to buy it. If you like the first game and you are an intelligent human being then you will love this game just as much or more so than the first. It is addictive to play and it does look absolutely brilliant, but the main thing that stands out to me is the absolutely brilliant storyline! I wouldn't change anything about the game, they have done a brilliant job with it.

If you love the first game, you know that gameplay, visuals and music is already amazing, solid here as well with some solid tweaks. But what about it’s now controversial story. There’s a moment that gets you angry early in the game, it’s INTENDED to get you angry, this a game all about revenge after all, but the moment is kinda a double edged sword but for almost a good reason. These characters feel so real, especially the characters from the first game, when they’re wronged by the “bad guys” of the game, it’s disturbingly and brutally satisfying to exact your revenge. However, many gamers have taken issue with the creators as well. I understand that to an extant, while I’m livid about what happened, I think from a writing perspective, it does make sense why it happened in the way it did for the story that was told. How about the “half way” point, the big “180” if you will. Well to be honest, in my opinion, this part of the games story alone is why I think it’s as good as the first game, and in its own right. If there’s one thing I love about “zombie horror“, top of my list would be the analysis of morality, specifically grey morality. The question of “where is that line between good and evil” in a world ruled by the worst atrocities. Take “the walking dead” for example with Rick and Negan. In both show and comic, while we root for Rick to protect his community, Negan in turn is protecting his own. Not only are they obstacles to each other, but comparing their atrocities in the series side by side, it’s hard to distinguish which is actually MORE brutal. In each other’s perspective, the other is the villain. However under the old saying “the needs of the many” it’s clear that Rick has more of the moral high ground in their feud, so the line isn’t too blurred. Ultimately however, it’s not that this game blurs this line further... there is NO line at all. Good and evil? Matter of perspective. To quote a d-list internet celebrity/ gamer: “a book can tell you the main characters a hero with dialogue, a movie can too, but a game... in a game you can FEEL it“. In the same respect, it’s one thing to see how a hero is all too similar to their villain, it’s another to EXPERIENCE it first hand, and it’s done brilliantly here, done in a way only achievable through a game. I love this game.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW. This is not a perfect game, but it is probably one of the most ambitious, bravest and complex games that has come out in the last few years. To point the obvious, the game is STUNNING. The different environments are alive and haunting and you will be surprised where you end up, but each location feels unique and layered. The acting and facial animation has also stepped up a gear and cut scenes blend into game play so seamlessly, that for the first 10 minutes of playing the game, my jaw was just open in awe. Much of the game play is similar to The Last of Us fans, but more stealth mechanics such as going prone and jumping, give more variety to tackling multiple enemies. Weapons and crafting have been improved a little and you will always appreciate finding a brick or a bottle in the middle of a tough fight! Now...to talk about the story, still spoiler free! If you are lucky enough to not have one major part of the game spoiled, you might have heard that people are upset over that part and not played the rest of the game - which is quite frankly insane. It is not a choice based game; you have to experience and play as what Ellie wants to do at the time, which sometimes you will question yourself as the player because you will gain perspective. This is tackled with brilliantly throughout the course of the story. During the game you will feel an array of emotion from the best to the worst and the game WANTS you to feel that, by design. It wants you to feel angry at the injustice of some events and then at the next moment, start to make you doubt and question your justification for feeling one way. It is a brutal, complex, hard hitting game and I even had to put my controller down and take a moment away from it, to compose myself before going back head first into the world. There are so many parallels to the original game and even though it is bleak, there are many moments of hope and joy, to show the light, even in the darkest of times. This is a must buy for people who love and respect the first game, as it is a fantastic sequel.

First and foremost, I knew of the leaks and initially it did make me consider cancelling the pre-order. However, I decided that considering how much I enjoyed the first part I would give the game a chance and as such, I am very glad I did. Lots has been said about the graphics so I won’t delve too deep, they are brilliant, certainly the best the PS4 has seen and the animation, sound and soundtrack etc. is simply first class. I won’t post spoilers but I will skirt around certain aspects. The game is essentially split into two parts where you get to see the story pan out from two different perspectives. A significant event takes place early in the game which provokes Ellie to seek retribution and so the journey and exploration of Seattle begins. Ellie’s quest is very much Last of Us Part 1 orientated, lots of dialogue and encounters with a wide variety of different factions and infected. On the subject of factions there are two to deal with, the Washington Liberation Front or Wolfs and the Sepherites, a group of religious types that are at war with the aforementioned faction. Both differ how they patrol and secure their areas, the Wolfs tend to be in large packs and have the added bonus of attack dogs which use their sense of smell to track Ellie down. The others I personally believe are harder to deal with, they tend to notice you quicker and communicate via whistling which eventually leads them to your location. It is quite off-putting the whistling, you just never feel comfortable when trying to navigate an area. Finally, and not considering them as a faction, is the infected. Again, they play a massive role and some of the types you come across are both frightening and at the same time exhilarating to take on. There is still the guys from before and a couple of new ones to keep it fresh, some of the set-pieces that you are subjected to form the main highlights of the game in my opinion. The second part is seen through the eyes of someone else and is definitely the more action packed side of the game but it just doesn’t fit in with the original narrative. There is a lot going on by Ellie that would affect the other protagonist but until near the end, you are not aware of what is going on. It is strange and completely disconnects the story. Towards the latter stages the game just turns into uncharted with various elaborate set pieces that look good but just seems to make no sense. Not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I thought as a whole the second part easily eclipsed the first part in terms of enjoyment but they just feel as separate games entirely. There is also a third act which I think very early on had a natural stopping point but it is needlessly dragged out for absolutely no reason, nothing is achieved by the final act. It does sound like I am hating on the game a little but in reality I think it is one of the best that I have played this generation. I liked the characters and the decision made by Naughty Dog, I think once the context has been explained, it is easy to accept the direction that was taken. There are a lot of people that don’t agree, hence 1 star reviews but no way does this game deserve anything less than 4 stars. The game, regardless of the direction etc. was always going to be inferior to the first, it was a masterpiece. The balance was perfect and the bonds you make and the people you meet just further compliment it. Last of Us 2 is completely different, more action focussed but still an absolute gem of a game that will last just as long in the memory as the first. Finally, if you are thinking about value for money, this has it in abundance. The whole campaign took me over 28 hours to complete and during some parts I felt as though I just rushed through. It does have replay value also with New Game Plus, but essentially it is quite refreshing to have a single player campaign that is this long rather than the normal 10 hours that you normally get. Brilliant game, don’t deny yourselves playing it based on petty, unfounded comments by so called “fans”.

** there will be no spoilers in this review** This is one of the greatest games I’ve ever played with an amazing story. It’s fantastic. However, It’s a game that takes some significant risks and people will love or hate it for that. It remains a character driven, story driven game and it is going to pull apart your moral compass and really make you question yourself. It’s going to make you uncomfortable in places, but its a good thing. To say more would spoil it and I strongly encourage you play this game spoiler free. Now, on to the elephant in the room. LGBTQ character inclusion. if you have issue with LGBTQ people, then you probably won’t enjoy the game. That’s not a view I share, and you’re missing a great experience, but each to their own. It’s a story about individuals who happen have certain sexual orientation. It’s not a propaganda piece. Moving on... The graphics are some of the greatest I’ve ever seen in any game, ever. The facial capture is incredible and picks out tiny details that really sell the story and make it hit harder. The acting is incredible with a very strong cast. Again, I won’t say more because... spoilers. Gameplay wise it’s very close to the first with some tweaks improvements and iterations. Stealth is highly encouraged and you’ll spend a lot of time trying to pick your way through an area taking down enemies to progress. In terms of criticisms, it’s hard to do without major spoilers. So all I will say is that it has a pacing problem in a number of places. All in all though, I really love this game and I’d encourage those who love the first to play it.

This game is a masterpiece; pure and simple. Naughty Dog is at the top of its game here (as usual), and I feel The Last of Us Part 2 exceeds the first. The game looks stunning; the story line has you gripped from the start; and there’s a real sense of character investment - Naughty Dog’s ingenious storytelling cleverly manipulates your emotions through these characters and the events they are subjected to - I don’t want to give too much away other than your allegiance will be called into question. The music adds to a very tense, suspenseful, and often terrifying world. Couple this with the graphic realism and and sublime attention to detail, and you have yourself one of the most realistic and thought provoking games of this generation. The evolution of the storyline has caused many fans to criticise the game, and while they are entitled to their opinion, I feel many of the comments are unfair. Having said that, those looking for a continuation in the same vein of the first game’s narrative will be disappointed. The Last of Us Part 2 has already broken sales records, and I believe its continued success will prove these naysayers wrong. Buy it, play it, and lose yourself in it. This game will define this generation of console gaming.