Played on Playstation 4

I’m not even sure where to start with this review. As of the time of this writing, The Last of Us Part II has been out for about a month now, and to say that it’s been polarizing audiences would be an understatement. In the weeks leading up to the game, I was thrilled to see that the score was being rated as one of the best games of all time from critics on Metacritic, but then once the game came out it got review bombed with negative reactions from audiences. You can tell where I stand on this just from looking at the score I’m giving the game, but I’d definitely like to address some of the more controversial and polarizing elements of the game in this review.

The controversy all seemed to start after there were some story leaks about the game prior to its release. I steered clear of all of these leaks because I didn’t want to be spoiled, which I definitely think is the right way to do it if possible. This was one of those instances where fans of the first game heard about a plot twist, and had a knee-jerk negative reaction to it because they felt betrayed. I’d like to put forth a counter-argument that context is very important, though, and so even if you have had the game spoiled for you, I think that you should wait to judge the directions that The Last of Us Part II takes until you actually play it for yourself.

After finishing this game, though, it’s easy to see that this game was always going to be polarizing, because it is so drastically different from the first game. It’s to the point where people have asked me if I liked the first or second game more, and I’m just not sure how to answer that because I really don’t like to compare them. The writers made some really bold story decisions, and take the game in places that are bound to upset some people. And I do understand that reaction. However, I really respected Naughty Dog for having the guts to tell the story that they did here, because if you can get past the initial feeling of upset that you’ll experience early on in the game, there is a fascinating story with some very well-presented themes.

I do feel like this is one of those games where it’s impossible for me to discuss the actual plot any further in a review without spoiling anything. I think it would be a huge disservice to give away any story details, because I think it’s a game that you should go into as blindly as possible. I will say that I definitely think it’s crucial that you play the first game before you ever play this though. There is a reason why the game is titled The Last of Us PART II and not just The Last of Us II. It’s very important for you to have experienced the story in the first game before jumping into the second chapter of this journey. However, if you have played the first game, definitely jump back into this world.

With that being said, I’m not going to talk about the gameplay as if I’m describing it to a new player. If you’ve played the first game, Part II will feel very familiar to you. The Last of Us Part II does the perfect thing that a game sequel should do, by retaining the core gameplay of its predecessor while delivering more to love. There are such simple additions to Part II like being able to dodge or go prone, but these are such huge game-changers to the already amazing gameplay system that returns from the first game. There are also some new enemy types added to make combat more interesting, such as guard dogs and new zombies. While it can be argued whether or not the first or second game has the better story, I think it’s undeniable that Part II has improved upon the gameplay of the first game in every way.

Speaking of undeniable improvements, it should come as no surprise that The Last of Us Part II looks and runs so much better than its predecessor, especially given there was a seven-year console gap between the two games. This game is easily one of the best-looking games I’ve played to date, and I think that no matter how you might feel about the divisive story of the game, if you choose to play it then you’re definitely in for some eye candy.

The game also unsurprisingly features amazing performances once again. Returning actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson once again give fantastic performances as Joel and Ellie, but there is also a pivotal new character in the game named Abby, who’s played by seasoned voice actress Laura Bailey. Everyone involved in this game, from the actors to the artists to the composers to the writers, everyone worked together to deliver an amazing game here.

I mentioned earlier that The Last of Us Part II is a hard game to compare to the first game, and my main reason for feeling that is that this game provides such a different experience. The context for that earlier was regarding its story, but this is true for the game as a whole. One of the things that I praised the first game for was that it provided such a tight experience, with little fat on its bones other than what was absolutely necessary. This made for some fast-paced gameplay and a constant source of tension. Part II, on the other hand, is a much more open game. I was initially skeptical of this because I knew the overall pacing would suffer as a result, but fortunately The Last of Us Part II just manages to excel at what it’s doing instead of doing the same thing that the first game did.

As a result, this is definitely a longer game than the first game was. I remember beating the first game in about 15 hours, and that was with a reasonable amount of exploring. Part II, on the other hand, took me about 33 hours to finish, and I didn’t even manage to find all of the collectibles and stuff on my playthrough. I definitely took time to explore, so you could probably finish it in about 25 hours if you’re just blazing through it. However, due to its nature of being more open than the first game, I really enjoyed taking time to explore the world that Naughty Dog gives us in the game. I was worried that the game would be “too long,” but it actually ends up feeling just right for what it is. I think this is important, because it shows how different the two games are. I think the first game was the right length for what it was, but I also think Part II is now the right length for what it is. I’m actually planning on doing a second playthrough to go for the platinum, so take that as an endorsement that it isn’t “too long” despite being twice as long as the first game.

To wrap this up, I just want to say that in the end I think The Last of Us Part II is one of the best games I’ve ever played, just like I consider the first Last of Us to be one of the best games I’ve ever played. I’m not going to render a verdict on which one I like more since I like them both for different reasons. However, while the game is definitely a departure from its predecessor in a way that I know is going to upset some fans, I do still recommend trying it out for yourself. While the first game was easier to recommend to a large audience, I know that The Last of Us Part II is going to have its fans and its haters because of its controversial, bold story decisions. I can’t tell you what side of the fence that you’re going to end up on with this game. All that I can tell you is that I’m in the crowd that thinks it’s a masterpiece, and so I definitely think you should check it out if you’re a fan of the first game.

5/5