Review: The Last of Us Part II
‘The Last of Us Part 2’ was always going to be in this impossible position. It has somehow been seven years since the original release ‘The Last of Us’ on the PlayStation 3, and for many–me included–it is still the bar for narrative-driven gaming experiences. With ‘The Last of Us,’ Naughty Dog created a masterpiece that could get you to emotionally connect with a story and characters like no game had ever done before. So, the odds of the developers being able to do that again–even if they’re using that same world and characters–would always be a challenge. By now you may have heard that the feedback from ‘The Last of Us Part 2’ is all over the place. It’s quite polarizing. I get that. In fact, this is my third time writing this review.
After Uncharted 3 was released, there was a comic that circulated the internet that showed Nathan Drake pulling a guard off a cliff. If you have played those games, that’s something that you have done a dozen times and thought nothing of it. But, in this comic, before Drake swoops in and tosses the guy, the guard is writing a letter to his wife. He speaks of having doubts about his leader’s plans, and in fact, is planning an uprising from within. Just as he says this, Nathan Drake casually throws him to his death. It never really hit me until that moment. As Nathan Drake, sure, I was trying to uncover these long-lost treasures, but I also realized that I was murdering hundreds of people while doing it. If you knew the backstories and personalities of those fodder enemies that you lay waste to, would you play the game any differently? If you knew that Shy Guy that you killed in Mario would grow up to cure cancer, would you have still thrown that turtle shell at him?
At its core, that moment where you question the consequences of your actions is what ‘The Last of Us Part 2’ is all about–or at least what it tries to be about.
Obviously, there is more that goes into a great game than the story it tells, but with a game like this, it’s hard to touch on anything but, so let’s hurry and cover the essentials: Control-wise, the game feels like ‘The Last of Us.’ Not a lot has changed as far as the gameplay goes, and that’s fine. It’s fun to play, the crafting system is effective, and the game allows you to play it however you see fit.
SPOILERS
‘The Last of Us 2’ is a story of revenge that allows you to play as both sides of the conflict. As Ellie, you head to Seattle to confront Abby and her friends for their brutal murder of Joel. The big turning point in the game is when you play as Abby’s character halfway into the game. When you’re Ellie, you feel her rage. As the player, you spent 20+ hours with Joel’s character in the first game, and his death doesn’t just disappoint you, it’s fucking devastating. The decision to kill off Joel’s character–especially so early into the campaign – is what’s caused so much turmoil around ‘The Last of Us Part 2’s’ launch. Was it the right move? I’m not sure. I think I would have enjoyed this game more if Joel’s character was a larger part of it, but the one thing that I can say is that Joel’s death enhanced my drive while playing as Ellie. While tracking down Abby and her friends, it filled me with a legit rage. It’s like when the Bolton’s betrayed the Stark’s in Game of Thrones or when Theon Greyjoy killed John Wick’s dog. It’s that same emotion. Those fuckers have to pay for what they have done. So, the game takes an enormous risk in thrusting you into the role of Abby after she’s already slaughtered a beloved character. It’s at that point that you will love the game or hate it. If you buy into Abby’s story and can justify her anger for Joel, her character can be redeemed, and you will want to see her prevail. If you don’t buy it, you’re no longer emotionally attached to a game that is heavily relying on you to be just that.
I’ll be honest, for me, it didn’t work. Even if you can put aside the fact that Abby’s portion of the game is too long and that a lot of it seems unnecessary, playing as Abby, getting to know her, her killing Joel in how she did – justified or not – comes across as so out of character for her. I think I can say the same for Ellie when you finally reach the end of the game. As Ellie, I was on a path to make Abby pay for what she did, and I was mowing down anything that got in my way. So, when Ellie is on the verge of getting that retribution, Ellie deciding to let Abby go is also completely out of character for the person you have spent 15-20 hours playing as. The character performances are as great as you expect from a Naughty Dog project, but the story is a mess. ‘The Last of Us’ worked so well because you, the player, organically became emotionally invested with the characters. ‘Part 2’ tries to force you to feel certain emotions, and that just isn’t as effective.
This is such a weird game to write about. On one hand, I love playing it. Visually, it’s a wonderful world to explore. If you’re searching the nooks and crannies of every room for supplies and collectibles, you’re always rewarded with these little details that make the world feel like it was once alive. This is further aided with a control scheme that gives you the freedom to tackle these situations however you want. At the same time, finishing this game was such a chore. I was invested in the first half of the game – even after Joel’s death. I loved playing as Ellie, and I enjoyed seeing how her character developed alongside Dina and Jesse. That first half of the game is a perfect game. But when you build up this showdown with Abby for all that time, finally getting to that moment and having the game take a Zack Morris timeout so you can see what Abby had been doing for the last three days, it’s the ultimate buzzkill. Even if you come to like Abby – which I did – it doesn’t quite salvage that back end of the game.
‘The Last of Us Part 2’ was always going to be in this impossible position. The first game showed us all just how great a game can be when you’re emotionally attached to it. The first game ended with you getting goosebumps and being satisfied with how you spent your time. ‘That Last of Us Part 2’ shows t
