The Last of Us Part II Spoiler Discussion Thread

[TheGodling]

Finished it today. My biggest issue with the story is that the main narrative and theme (violence begets violence and the futility of revenge) is so overdone, and nothing in this story adds anything to it.

The story also outstayed its welcome, especially with the Santa Barbara part which felt incredibly tacked on. I didn't mind Abby's part of the story too much except I think it would have fit better if you played each day with Ellie first and then with Abby, which would ease you in more on her part in the story. The current structure just made it obvious they were going to try everything to redeem her.

I think Druckmann really nailed the details though. Characters come across so natural and there are so many little gems in how they interact with each other. The intricacies of the relationships really help. Some minor gripes would be that some of the deaths are really meaningless (Jesse and Manny even die in pretty much the same way). At no point are the characters reflecting on how many of their loved ones/friends are getting hurt because of their actions.

It's crazy to me though how many people complain about Joel and Tommy leaving their guard down. After years of living in a safe community of course they'd become a little complacent. They were trying to make society work again. A big part of Ellie's story emphasizes how the QZs were a mess and that survival of the fittest was everyday life. They had moved on from that.

Gameplay wise I have no complaints. This was a big leap over the first one although I think they made the AI of the infected more aggressive in a bad way. They are almost entirely focused on you to the point AI companions might as well be fully invisible to them. Also after Left Behind I really hoped to see more segments where you encounter infected and humans at the same time. Outside of a sporadic moment or two they kept the encounters largely separate again.

 

[tinnyskillz]

Ellie's (Ashley Johnson) Take On Me cover is stuck in my head. I saw a video of Ashley singing live on YT, and it was a little iffy. Here though Ashley did great.




Beautiful, peaceful, angelic vocals on this one

 

[klientel]

People are complaining that Joel didn’t go out like a hero and sacrifice himself to save Ellie...

But I read a YouTube comment that said something like...”he did sacrifice his life for Ellie. It just took 4 years to catch up with him”

That really put everything into perspective for me.

 

[AAKing23]

This song hit hard during the credits

 

[Carlton Banks]

Yeah I think any DLC with Joel and a solid 10-20 hours would fix all of this whining and crying. Agree I’m good in Seattle but would love to see some type of story with Joel as the main person you play with, would even like that time when he lost his daughter before you find him working with Tess.

ND has to fix the problem somehow and I doubt waiting 5+ years for another taste is gonna help either

It's clear naughty dog doesn't care about giving the people what they want

 

[Youhadasparkwhenustarted]

GREAT breakdown of things and Probably the best iv seen yet, especially about the dreams and the ending/Ellie’s decision to go after Abby, like I’v said before, to say you don’t like this story, or it’s direction is understandable, but to say it’s writing is shyt is crazy to me, from someone who didn’t complete like the ending and always thought it would be better for Ellie to kill Abby...this guy makes a lot of sense on why it’s better she didn’t






they did need to go there for shelter tho? that herd? In that blizzard? Lol

and yeah they knew where Tommy was at, knew that was Joel’s brother, and ran into two dudes called Tommy & Joel, I don’t think it’s as crazy as people say

This is a great thematic breakdown of the game, it game me some new perspective on it at least. There's so much nuance tucked into the writing it's ridiculous.

 

[Beer Drinker]

This dude vids are always entertaining

 

[Mortal1]

Man people feel like Ellie has it bad by the end but damn she's alive and she's able to move on from the trauma n and begin to find peace. Same for Abbie. But Yara's character was so tragic she lost her arm mother and her own life trying to save Liev.

 

[klientel]

Man people feel like Ellie has it bad by the end but damn she's alive and she's able to move on from the trauma n and begin to find peace. Same for Abbie. But Yara's character was so tragic she lost her arm mother and her own life trying to save Liev.

Right this is probably the best mental state Ellie has been in since meeting Joel. It’s not that sad when you think about it like that. I’m sure she’s headed back to Jackson.

Abby is in a good spot too mentally, not really physically. But I’m sure she’s gonna get swole again by the time we see her again lol.

 

[Humble (Not) Mike Tyson]

People Who Think The Game Is Amazing;

Stop being so damn defensive.

The game just smashed sales records. It's universally louted--some critics calling it the greatest game of all time.

Yes, there is ridiculous critique of it--but, that is the loud minority being magnified by your defensiveness--people love doing this.

One thing this generation forgot how to do; ignore people.

There is plenty of well thought out, nuanced reviews that explain the judgment of people you don't think "10/10...this game deserves an Oscar" (as a coli breh said).

Spoiler

The idea there should be a unanimous consensus of 10/10's is jejune.

"I liked the game, but, the story failed to deliver it's message--- It's a 10/10 you bigot, incel!"

I don't think I've seen a game this positively reviewed, ever.

 

[Humble (Not) Mike Tyson]

I tried to watch that Angry Joe review and had to press the eject button early on when he tried that comedy segment questioning Tommy’s motivations. Talking about how initially he was reluctant to go to Seattle and engage the WLF and how he switches in the end and asks Ellie to go after Abby as if there’s an inconsistency in writing or something.

I legit can’t believe there are this many adults that are so illiterate. Emotionally and otherwise.

So, you're making a judgement on a review...that you didn't finish?

I kid, I kid

I really don't get the malfunction. Seriously, for every YouTuber you don't like it's 15 sources of people who do.

This board overwhelming, at the very least, like the game and believe it estimable.


I've read your posts; the incels lost. Take your victory lap and move on. Maybe play the game, again.


The MC rating sis a 94.
1 less than the Original and Remaster.

About four million people liked it...

 

[Humble (Not) Mike Tyson]

I wasn’t comparing their story’s or referring to Joel/arthur, I was referring to side characters that get headshotted quickly with no warning like Jesse, manny or Sean

That's not most people's issue. It's with execution of theme of hatred and revenge.

IMO, Sean, Lenny, Kieran and Molly ("side" characters that die unceremoniously) are all well developed and don't exist simply to serve the theme of the game.

You can build a world where "no one is safe," but, that can easily become gratuitous. It can be argued; after killing Joel within 2 hours of the game, the trope is just being abused.

 

[kingofnyc]

I don't think it needed to be an either or though. Both are women that are seeking revenge for their murdered fathers in a fukked up world where in a lot of situations, right or wrong just depends on what side you're on.

In the first game, when you're Ellie, you can overhear a conversation where someone is talking about stories he's heard about a guy with a little girl and how the girl is out here just fukking people up. I remember thinking how terrifying Joel and Ellie must be to people that hear about them, that Joel and Ellie are only the "good" guys because we're controlling them, but they're no different than a majority of people in the world, just trying to survive, get from point a to b without getting killed by a clicker or someone over a bottle of alcohol.



There's a blizzard going on, why would they be heading back in the middle of a blizzard? They were going back to her place to wait it out.



There's multiple mentions of the game of people coming through Jackson to pick up supplies while on their travels. The end of the game, Joel mentions trading some shyt for some coffee beans with a group of people passing through.


I'd assume they had some type of idea of what he may have looked like. The Rattler gives a good enough description of Abby to Ellie to let her know that he's talking about the right person.

If a lead tells you that the Joel they're looking is in a town called Jackson, you're right outside Jackson and a guy that fits the age range and physical description introduces himself as Joel, it's probably a good chance that's the guy.

Was there anything saying the lead had them looking for Tommy?

i don’t know WHY y’all keep saying this shyt
Abby father didn’t get murdered - he was going to take the life of a 14 year old girl ... whom he had no right too take .... Joel didn’t kill him ; Joel saved the 14 year old girl

 

[TheGodling]

People Who Think The Game Is Amazing;

Stop being so damn defensive.

The game just smashed sales records. It's universally louted--some critics calling it the greatest game of all time.

Yes, there is ridiculous critique of it--but, that is the loud minority being magnified by your defensiveness--people love doing this.

One thing this generation forgot how to do; ignore people.

There is plenty of well thought out, nuanced reviews that explain the judgment of people you don't think "10/10...this game deserves an Oscar" (as a coli breh said).

Spoiler

The idea there should be a unanimous consensus of 10/10's is jejune.

"I liked the game, but, the story failed to deliver it's message--- It's a 10/10 you bigot, incel!"

I don't think I've seen a game this positively reviewed, ever.

lol, it's not a loud minority downvoting the game on Metacritic or spamming positive reviews with comments accusing they were paid off.

Easy Allies actually addressed their integrity in the YouTube comments of their review because folks were mass spamming accusations that their review was sponsored by Sony.

 

[TheGodling]

i don’t know WHY y’all keep saying this shyt
Abby father didn’t get murdered - he was going to take the life of a 14 year old girl ... whom he had no right too take .... Joel didn’t kill him ; Joel saved the 14 year old girl

Neither the Fireflies nor Joel asked Ellie what she wanted. Joel saved Ellie's life but he also robbed her of her choice to sacrifice her life.

And Joel killed Abby's father, pure and simple. Given the circumstances is it understandable? Yes, but it's still murder and from Abby's perspective Joel killed her father and destroyed the chance to create a vaccine.