The Last of Us Part II

[tree_]

Well, in that "cinematic" means to compellingly express through visuals, it's a perfect word for this. This game is more cinematic than most cinema. I too was often stunned, jaw-dropped, teary-eyed, and shocked many times throughout, and I play many many games. And yeah, that Abby moment McP referred to... just wow...

Spoiler: show

I didn't even recognize her. Kind of embarrassed how long it took me to find where she was. Then, boom. Stunning.

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Same. I was asking out loud "where does the game want me to go?!" I couldn't climb that little step... then ahah... AHHHHhhh...

I was confused about something though.. was she dying her hair? Did they dye it? ??

[tree_]

Spoiler: show

It broke my heart when Ellie decided to leave the farm house. I thought it was going to end there with the three of them happy. I almost was unwilling to accept it, but when I put myself in her shoes, with all she's been through in that crazy world... it just makes sense. She's snapped. It's like she's not human anymore.
She has that crazy urge for revenge and must chase it, even though it doesn't make sense. I really want to know how she's doing now and what she's up to.

[Monkey_Driven]

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It broke my heart when Ellie decided to leave the farm house. I thought it was going to end there with the three of them happy. I almost was unwilling to accept it, but when I put myself in her shoes, with all she's been through in that crazy world... it just makes sense. She's snapped. It's like she's not human anymore.
She has that crazy urge for revenge and must chase it, even though it doesn't make sense. I really want to know how she's doing now and what she's up to.

Spoiler: show

It was fitting that Dina did not leave any sort of note for Ellie and didn't touch anything in her room. Dina has moved on. I think Ellie is off to find herself again, maybe some day returning to Jackson, but maybe not.

[ghost]

Part 1 is probably the best experience I ever had playing a video game, but reading the spoilers for Part 2 is giving me the same queasy feeling I get when I read about The Walking Dead. I don't think Part 2 is for me.

[Monkey_Driven]

Part 1 is probably the best experience I ever had playing a video game, but reading the spoilers for Part 2 is giving me the same queasy feeling I get when I read about The Walking Dead. I don't think Part 2 is for me.

You should really play it instead of reading the spoilers. It's very good.

[Revelator]

Part 1 is probably the best experience I ever had playing a video game, but reading the spoilers for Part 2 is giving me the same queasy feeling I get when I read about The Walking Dead. I don't think Part 2 is for me.

You should really play it instead of reading the spoilers. It's very good.

Agree, I thought the same thing when I read the spoilers when they first broke over a month ago. I'm far from finishing the game buy I've been utterly enthralled so far. You HAVE to play it.

It's one of those games that you think about when you're not playing, eager and anxious to dive back in to see how the narrative unfolds or how the tension or throat lumps can be topped from your last play through. Games like this only come around every couple of years (GoW and RDR2 are excellent comparisons in this sense, BTW), and while I'm still somewhat devastated by the opening hours, though appreciating it more as the story goes on, it's shaping up to be as impactful as the first. The first is easily one of my top 5 games of all time.

Great review, BTW. I didn't read the spoiler portion obviously, but I appreciate the non-spoiler write-up for those of us dragging ass.

[tree_]

When you bring in GOW and RDR2, I wonder what the boardroom (bedroom) conversations are like at third-person PS headquarters.

[Ensign9]

Just finished. Another amazing achievement by Naughty Dog. I don’t have much to add to MD’s review other than emphasizing that the best storytelling finds a way to challenge its audience. TLOU2 does that in spades.

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The last Ellie/Abby fight sequence was incredibly uncomfortable and I kept looking for a way out of it. That’s about the only beat in the entire story that felt a bit off to me in the moment. Was Ellie truly so far gone that she had to kill Abby at that point?

However, upon reflection, that perspective is coming from having gotten to know Abby and her friends during the game. Ellie has none of that perspective.

No brainer to do a third one. They could go in so many directions (that don’t have to include Ellie).

[Monkey_Driven]

Just finished. Another amazing achievement by Naughty Dog. I don’t have much to add to MD’s review other than emphasizing that the best storytelling finds a way to challenge its audience. TLOU2 does that in spades.

Spoiler: show

The last Ellie/Abby fight sequence was incredibly uncomfortable and I kept looking for a way out of it. That’s about the only beat in the entire story that felt a bit off to me in the moment. Was Ellie truly so far gone that she had to kill Abby at that point?

However, upon reflection, that perspective is coming from having gotten to know Abby and her friends during the game. Ellie has none of that perspective.

No brainer to do a third one. They could go in so many directions (that don’t have to include Ellie).

Spoiler: show

That feeling you describe is one of the game's greatest accomplishments. In pretty much every game Abby would still be the bad guy you want to kill. This game has no true villain.

[ghost]

Part 1 is probably the best experience I ever had playing a video game, but reading the spoilers for Part 2 is giving me the same queasy feeling I get when I read about The Walking Dead. I don't think Part 2 is for me.

You should really play it instead of reading the spoilers. It's very good.

Can I borrow your PS4?

[Monkey_Driven]

Part 1 is probably the best experience I ever had playing a video game, but reading the spoilers for Part 2 is giving me the same queasy feeling I get when I read about The Walking Dead. I don't think Part 2 is for me.

You should really play it instead of reading the spoilers. It's very good.

Can I borrow your PS4?

[tree_]

I'm a few hours into new game +. Really want to max upgrade weapons and see if I missed a nook or cranny. Might skip some of the cut scenes this time through.

[Monkey_Driven]

I'm a few hours into new game +. Really want to max upgrade weapons and see if I missed a nook or cranny. Might skip some of the cut scenes this time through.

I started a new game plus as well. There's a lot of foreshadowing to later portions in the game that are pretty subtle in the early hours of the game

[Monkey_Driven]

I can't stop thinking about this game.

[Revelator]

I assume reply value is high then? I'm engrossed in the story but also can't wait to get back into the action because it can be SO intense. The dodge and attack animations are so fluid and life-like

[Ensign9]

I assume reply value is high then? I'm engrossed in the story but also can't wait to get back into the action because it can be SO intense. The dodge and attack animations are so fluid and life-like

I can't wait to play it again.

[tree_]

I think what ultimately separates the effectiveness of this story is the advanced animated facial expressions/body language. I don’t know the details of the technology behind it but it’s mind blowing how far this has come. The acting/motion capture/animation, all deserve high praise.

[Monkey_Driven]

I think what ultimately separates the effectiveness of this story is the advanced animated facial expressions/body language. I don’t know the details of the technology behind it but it’s mind blowing how far this has come. The acting/motion capture/animation, all deserve high praise.

For sure, the quality of the writing helps as well. Very little seems forced or heavy handed.

[CopperTom]

Spoiler: show

I beat the game today. I’m not going to rehash what others have already said. I thought the dark environments, dim light and use of lighting sources to be superb. Probably the best example in a video game yet. Voice acting was top notch. I had no issues with any of the adult themes. That being said, I understand why the diverse reviews of this game exist - many young or conservative players probably don’t want themes of homosexuality, bisexuality, gender roles, or body type expectations. Game stories of this weight didn’t exist when I was younger and honestly, I don’t know how teenage CopperTom would have viewed such things. Does anyone know if the game was originally supposed to be more open world, like the early Seattle section with the map? After that, the game was very linear. I was expecting this to be on this generation’s Mount Rushmore of games, but I’m not quite sure it got there.

[Ensign9]

Spoiler: show

I beat the game today. I’m not going to rehash what others have already said. I thought the dark environments, dim light and use of lighting sources to be superb. Probably the best example in a video game yet. Voice acting was top notch. I had no issues with any of the adult themes. That being said, I understand why the diverse reviews of this game exist - many young or conservative players probably don’t want themes of homosexuality, bisexuality, gender roles, or body type expectations. Game stories of this weight didn’t exist when I was younger and honestly, I don’t know how teenage CopperTom would have viewed such things. Does anyone know if the game was originally supposed to be more open world, like the early Seattle section with the map? After that, the game was very linear. I was expecting this to be on this generation’s Mount Rushmore of games, but I’m not quite sure it got there.

How do we feel about ditching spoiler tags at this point? I'd like to see a new board rule: no spoiler tags after the release of a game/movie/etc. Paging B.

My memory is vague but I thought I'd read in the months and years leading up to the game that there would be a heavier focus on open world. I didn't much care for the open world aspects in Seattle -- I was never necessarily bored but it did feel like it dragged several times in that chapter of the game.