Whether it’s visualizing a downtrodden world filled with savages, factions, and their opposing ideologies or controversial aspects like representation, Naughty Dog pulls them off gracefully and organically.Įnriching the cinematic narrative is the spectacular world-building in the form of environmental storytelling with each and every ruin of the old world telling its story and that of its inhabitants, as well as the organic banter between the characters that serves to fill in backstories without them being complete exposition dumps. ![]() Whether or not the cycle of revenge can truly be broken in such a world is a valid question and the story tries to provide an answer by having the player experience both sides of the coin through the rich and offbeat narrative. Confucius’ “Before You Embark On A Journey Of Revenge, Dig Two Graves” might be one of the most overused sayings ever, but The Last of Us Part II goes one step further to say that just two graves will not be enough. The unconventional ending that subverts the revenge power-fantasy trope nails the themes the writers wanted to portray and brings the two games full circle through the brilliant, and yet, easily overlooked metanarrative. Yet, it was when the final scene came to a close, that I realized the subtle brilliance of the narrative. Nothing a little suspension of disbelief can’t dispel. Then there are some minor plot holes, numerous instances of plot armor being handed out, and aspects that don’t make sense, which are all synonymous with every video game narrative. I don’t get why Ellie has to cuss every fucking time she brutally murders someone. The writing also feels a lot more ‘pedestrian’ this time around. Characters are introduced and killed off even before the player has a chance to get invested in them. Contrary to the first game which mainly revolved around Joel and Ellie, TLOU II has an expanded main cast, most of whom are not given the limelight they deserve. Some scenes in the non-linear narrative feel as if they are out of place and can suddenly take you out of an enjoyable scene. Since the story is much longer and spaced out in-between long gameplay sections, the pacing can feel very slow, especially compared to the tight narrative of the original. TLOU II‘s story is in no way a masterpiece. This is 100% a director’s game and each scene, each turn of the cog in the long and winding story beats reflects this approach. ![]() But instead of playing it safe by standing in the shadow of its predecessor, TLOU II risks it all to tell a more somber and personal tale that can sometimes be hard to digest. No one is more aware of this than the writers. Or more precisely, how the narrative addresses these themes in a convincing and gripping way. These are the usual existential and humanitarian tropes but it’s the execution that counts. The game mostly deals with themes like the cost of revenge, its futility, the price of one life vs many, redemption, letting go, and beginning again. Something tragic happens and Ellie, along with her lover Dina sets out for the ruined remains of Seattle to find answers and seek revenge. The gist of the story is that it’s been five years since the last game and the consequences of Joel’s actions have finally caught up with him. If you are someone who somehow managed to sidestep them, kudos to you. There have been more spoilers for TLOU II floating around the internet for the past few weeks than any game in 30 years. After spending a whole week playing the game, here are my thoughts on The Last of Us Part II. Being the curious fellow that I am, I went ahead and bought the game on an impulse. However, my social media feed has been recently bombarded by deconstruction theorists throwing around big phrases like ‘SJW propaganda’ and ‘ludonarrative dissonance’ like candy. Regardless, I honestly wasn’t all that excited for TLOU II, and reviewing it never even crossed my mind. But I have to admit that the second half was nothing short of exceptional. The fact that I played the game 6 years after it came out may have something to do with it. But everything past the prologue and right up to the second half of TLOU felt clichéd and average to me. Sure, I acknowledge the impact the game had on the industry and how it became a benchmark for cinematic storytelling. I was never a huge fan of The Last of Us. There is no doubt that the game will surely become a precedent in the future design philosophy of Naughty Dog. From leaks to controversies, overwhelming critical reception to middling user reviews, review bombing to record sales – The Last of Us Part II will forever be etched in videogame history as one of the most polarising games ever released. To say that it’s been an eventful last few weeks for The Last of Us Part II and Naughty Dog would be a huge understatement.
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