So with this being out for half a year now, and after a couple playthroughs I feel like I have pretty much digested everything about it, mostly I loved it, but it has little bits I’d change if I could...sorry for the longish post
SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T PLAYED/COMPLETED YET
I had slight issues with certain parts of the narrative and certain small sections of gameplay, but not the obvious parts that others have disliked, I don’t have a problem with Joel’s death and it being that early...it was gonna catch up to him eventually, I don’t have a problem with playing as Abby...she was fun to play as and some of her sections/areas are the best in the whole game, and I don’t have a problem with the ending...there are just as many reasons as to why she should of spared her than there are for killing her imo
So the things I didn’t like/would change..
About The Story
- I know Abby was seeking vengeance for her father, so like I mentioned above it’s not the kill itself, but the way she did it, brutally torturing Joel with a golf club didn’t match up to the version we see of Abby during her chapters, she’s brutal, but also has compassion, a better version would of been Ellie Busting in a couple minutes after the initial Leg Shot, With Joel still conscious, just as Abbie finishes him off execution style with a clean headshot after letting him know who she is (Ellie still isn’t there for the explanation and gets there just after)
- As much as I agree that Joel & Tommy would be a lot more trusting at this point, they shoulda shown Joel to be at least a little suspicious once he gets back to the house when he’s sees how many friends Abby has, a small one line comment from Joel to Tommy on keeping their guard up or suggesting they move on because it doesn’t feel right but Tommy disagreeing because of the storm would of gone a LONG way imo
- Lev being “Trans”...Ellie’s lesbian relationship with Dina & Abby having muscles doesn’t bother me in the slightest, and I’m not transphobic, be whatever makes you happy, but the conversation where yara explains that “Lev ran way because he was scared of not being accepted because he always had feelings deep down of wanting to be someone else and I and his mother didn’t understand it but we should of accepted him for who he is” felt so heavy Handed and shoehorned in that i distinctively remember rolling my eyes as I was playing, I actually expected Yara to look into the camera and wink, it was completely unnecessary and forced, they shoulda simply just had Lev be a girl who the scars wanted dead because she was a traitor/deserter who shaved her head and ran away because she wanted to be a soldier and not a forced wife
Gameplays Sections
I loved all of Ellie’s parts, and most of Abby’s, but some of her sections we could of gone without, the pacing/length of the game would also feel better, these would of shaved off a couple hours on a game that feels overly long at times
- The boat Warehouse section with Mel was boring, the train yard/gas station shootout just after was cool tho
- The Hospital basement/Rat King Boss wasn’t needed and felt redundant since you’d literally just made it through that other really dark and heavily infested hotel, the boss was also a bit too “Resident Evil” for my liking, it would of been better if Nora released Abby and just gave her the supplies then and there and snuck her out.
- Looking For Lev in the Aquarium...boring, coulda just had Owen tell you he saw her leave on a boat just after Mel tells Abbie to go fukk herself, woulda saved having that cringey convo with Yara too
- The boss fight with Ellie, really unnecessary, shoulda just been a cutscene as soon as you follow Ellie behind the curtain
It’s still an amazing game overall and my GOTY (just beating GOT) and a great experience to play though, but these changes would of made it near perfect imo, TLOU1 is still the king...I have no nitpicks about that game whatsoever
TLOU1 10/10
TLOU2 9/10