What can we say about The Last of Us, Part II?

Avatar image for warm_gun
Warm_Gun

3484

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#1 Warm_Gun
Member since 2021 • 3484 Posts

The production values are nice. But that's a double-edged sword that stifles creativity. When you have over 2,000 people (I didn't make that number up.) working on a game, it's much harder for any one of them to make a suggestion. If I had worked there at the time and it was a smaller project with fewer people, maybe someone would have listened to me or read my note in the suggestion box when I said that shoulder swapping should have been allowed at all times, not just while aiming. It makes corners worse. You often can't see what you turn towards with the gun down. L3 doesn't do anything important. Just lets you look at points of interest, which could have been done with Triangle when those moments occur. What they could have done is move the flashlight to L3 and then let you swap shoulders at all times with R3, fittingly the camera stick. Also wouldn't then have to leave the camera stick to press Cross to control THE CAMERA.

Would be good if some of the upgrades weren't under abilities that you don't really want and have little if anything to do with the other. I hardly ever used the listening mode, but I had to enhance it if I wanted certain other upgrades. Those later upgrades already cost more, so why put that extra cost there for something the player doesn't want? I hardly upgraded anything, because it's generally so expensive for so little.

Aiming is weird. Partly because the game assists. The assist can't be turned off. Been like this since the first game. Uncharted let you turn off the assist. Felt often like I fought the controls.

Wish the stealth was better. Wish that merely aiming at an unsuspecting enemy with your gun didn't give them this sixth sense. Well, not quite sixth sense, but it makes them extremely attuned to the outermost regions of their far peripheral vision.

Wish you could aim your gun from low cover without lifting your head. In Uncharted 1, you could actually pop out to the side from low cover, rather than always popping up. Uncharted 2 removed that, and I don't think Naughty Dog ever really improved their cover mechanics, whether it's sticky cover like Uncharted or free cover like The Last of Us. Well, it's nice that you can crouch and lie down. That's an improvement over Uncharted. But your movement options are still so limited that it's hard to aim at any enemy without getting shot at.

I found it so lame that your enemies always have unlimited ammo and you always have maybe two bullets, if any. Makes the game way too much about coming up behind, grab n' stab, rinse and repeat. I tried a balance of Hard and Survival. Nice that you can adjust all the individual difficulty parameters. But with the meter just one lower I found too many resources, when I only really wanted more ammo.

She kills so many people to avenge one person, in a story that's supposed to be serious. If you look up the term "cognitive dissonance" in a dictionary, the definition is "The Last of Us, Part II." The story has no point. I didn't feel like what I did mattered, because revenge is a stupid motivation. It's excusable in fantasy like God of War or exploitation like Kill Bill and Lady Snowblood, but stupid in serious drama. Imagine going through so much trouble, so much danger to your life, getting killed over and over from the player's perspective, to do something for a dead person who won't come back anyway. She murders about 150 people to spare one. Joel would be so proud. It feels so stupid by the end, with Ellie looking so autistic. Story is exceedingly grim. Really don't understand the draw to that kind of storytelling. If the characters' actions made sense it would at least be more excusable.

Twenty runners, a bunch of clickers and a bloater for some guitar strings from the music shop?!

Abbie is a crappy character design. Just made her arms as big as possible and called it a day. Look at bodybuilder Lisa Lyon. Much better balance there. Doesn't look like they simply attached a man's arms and shoulders to a woman's body. I know you can find much bigger women, but they look like shit and train far more than Abbie would have time for. Abbie probably also eats an inordinate amount of WLF's food.

Reminds me, those big human enemies are hilarious. The ones who will go on with bullet holes in their faces. That guy whose jaw you cut in half, was he on PCP? Just dumb.

So much leftist virtue signaling in this game that the experience feels inauthentic.

Those 21 floors you descend without an elevator in the spore-infested building were one of my favorite settings in the series.

First game is also highly overrated. Mediocre. Never really bought into it or cared, their relationship. The first Walking Dead game did the man being redeemed through an adopted daughter better. Clickers got old quick, just requiring more slow, tiresome crouching.

Avatar image for Chutebox
Chutebox

51565

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#2 Chutebox
Member since 2007 • 51565 Posts

Everything but the story was awesome.

Avatar image for theidiotsun
TheIdiotSun

190

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#3 TheIdiotSun
Member since 2024 • 190 Posts

It's a superb game for the most part.

Avatar image for uninspiredcup
uninspiredcup

62554

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 86

User Lists: 2

#4 uninspiredcup
Member since 2013 • 62554 Posts

1. It's a video game

2. Largely praised

3. Most of the negative feedback is cultural war right-wing people upset, trying to dress it up

4. It's Naughty Dog so I don't care about it by default

5. Resident Evil is better

Avatar image for ghosts4ever
Ghosts4ever

26119

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 18

User Lists: 0

#5 Ghosts4ever
Member since 2015 • 26119 Posts

@uninspiredcup said:

5. Resident Evil is better

The last of us is definitely poor mans RE4.

RE4 did everything last of us did but better.

Avatar image for warm_gun
Warm_Gun

3484

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#6 Warm_Gun
Member since 2021 • 3484 Posts

@uninspiredcup: I will post about the politics in a couple of hours. At least I started my post with comprehensive gameplay.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

10628

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#7 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 10628 Posts

@Chutebox said:

Everything but the story was awesome.

Sorry but I can't take you cows seriously. You guys said the first game was awesome, and it is as average as a game can get. Poor gameplay, poor combat, too many walking talking segments, stupid story, dumbest AI, Ellie continually getting in the way, 3 enemy types in the WHOLE game.

Definitely not playing the sequel.

Avatar image for adsparky
adsparky

2809

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 40

User Lists: 0

#8 adsparky
Member since 2006 • 2809 Posts

The one thing i can say is that i'm still baffled by how fast it loads after a retry, it takes like 3 seconds and that in an HDD.

Avatar image for Chutebox
Chutebox

51565

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#9  Edited By Chutebox
Member since 2007 • 51565 Posts

@last_lap: I'll find some way to keep going on with my life. 😆

Avatar image for howmakewood
Howmakewood

7821

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#10 Howmakewood
Member since 2015 • 7821 Posts

Excellent gameplay, good encounter design

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

10628

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#11 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 10628 Posts

@Chutebox: I have no doubt, if you found a way to think Last of Us is awesome, the rest of life is easy 🤣

Avatar image for judaspete
judaspete

8041

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

#12 judaspete
Member since 2005 • 8041 Posts

She kills so many people to avenge one person, in a story that's supposed to be serious. If you look up the term "cognitive dissonance" in a dictionary, the definition is "The Last of Us, Part II."

See, I find this to be an issue in a lot of stories, but the only time it ever seemed to bother anyone was in The Last of Us 2. You always here folks say something like, "Luke Skywalker is such a great guy because he decided not to kill his dad", but like, he killed a lot of other people. And it's best to just let it go. It happens because the author wants to have their character show compassion, but they also don't want their action movie/game to be boring.

Avatar image for warm_gun
Warm_Gun

3484

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#13 Warm_Gun
Member since 2021 • 3484 Posts

@judaspete: Then come up with better motivation or drop the grimdark realistic tone.

Avatar image for warm_gun
Warm_Gun

3484

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#14  Edited By Warm_Gun
Member since 2021 • 3484 Posts

@last_lap: Sums the first game up well. Yeah, Resident Evil is better. It was always better, Ghosts. Did not start being better at RE4 remake, lol.

Avatar image for pclover1980
PCLover1980

1708

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#15 PCLover1980
Member since 2022 • 1708 Posts

Top notch rope physics and gore system. And... that's it I guess.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

10628

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#16  Edited By Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 10628 Posts

@warm_gun said:

@last_lap: Sums the first game up well. Yeah, Resident Evil is better. It was always better, Ghosts. Did not start being better at RE4 remake, lol.

That's why I don't trust reviewers these days, they gave the first game 9's & 10's, corrupt at worst, incompetence at best.

Avatar image for Nonstop-Madness
Nonstop-Madness

12856

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 13

User Lists: 0

#17 Nonstop-Madness
Member since 2008 • 12856 Posts

Controversial but absolutely top tier across the board.

Avatar image for davillain
DaVillain

58539

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#18 DaVillain  Moderator
Member since 2014 • 58539 Posts

@judaspete: In Luke Skywalker's case, wouldn't that be in self-defense despite he killed a lot of Stormtroopers and even Jobba the Hutt's clan? He's a Jedi after all, they only kill people as a last resort.

Avatar image for ___gamemaster__
___gamemaster__

3421

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#19  Edited By ___gamemaster__
Member since 2009 • 3421 Posts

Loved tlou its one of the best game ive played in ps3 buy tlou2 i stop playing midway for some reason.

Avatar image for blamix
blamix

2164

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#20 blamix
Member since 2006 • 2164 Posts

It was very hard to pick a GOTY that year with FF7 remake and Ghost of Tsushima out the same year.

Avatar image for PSP107
PSP107

18977

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#21 PSP107
Member since 2007 • 18977 Posts

@blamix:

Ghost should be your 2020 winner.

Avatar image for judaspete
judaspete

8041

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

#22  Edited By judaspete
Member since 2005 • 8041 Posts

@davillain: Killing Darth Vader would have also been self defense, but that one would have turned Luke to the dark side or something. I guess because they kinda knew each other a bit by that point? Or because he was too mad at him? Whereas he was just a bit miffed at all the stormtroopers.

Avatar image for blamix
blamix

2164

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#23 blamix
Member since 2006 • 2164 Posts

@PSP107: i picked TLOU2 but it wasn't easy to pick one.

Avatar image for Litchie
Litchie

36004

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 13

User Lists: 0

#24  Edited By Litchie
Member since 2003 • 36004 Posts

Uninteresting, annoying.

Gameplay taking a back seat because of "cinematic". Tryhard yet derivative story, very often interrupting the not great gameplay. Pretty much exactly the kind of game I hate, and I probably wouldn't be able to go through it.

Tried God of War once. After 2 hours of watching, walking and QTEs, I shut if off and uninstalled it. That is what Sony's games are all about, so I'm staying away.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

10628

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#25 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 10628 Posts

@___gamemaster__ said:

Loved tlou its one of the best game ive played in ps3 buy tlou2 i stop playing midway for some reason.

Can you please explain in what way its one of the best games you've played?

I finished it recently and I think it's a mess of a game and one of the most overrated average games i've ever played.

Avatar image for djoffer123
Djoffer123

2371

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#26 Djoffer123
Member since 2016 • 2371 Posts

TLOU 2 was imo more of an experience than an actual game! Glad I played it, but have zero interest in doing it again!

Also that sex scene made my day!👌👌

Avatar image for ___gamemaster__
___gamemaster__

3421

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#27 ___gamemaster__
Member since 2009 • 3421 Posts

@last_lap: you have played it recently while i played it on PS3. Surely the gameplay haved aged but during that time i feel like it has one of the best presentation, gameplay and gfx.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

10628

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#28 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 10628 Posts

@___gamemaster__ said:

@last_lap: you have played it recently while i played it on PS3. Surely the gameplay haved aged but during that time i feel like it has one of the best presentation, gameplay and gfx.

At the time I can understand the graphics part, but the gameplay was clunky and barely functional. And I have played plenty of games back in those days with way better gameplay.

Avatar image for warm_gun
Warm_Gun

3484

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#29  Edited By Warm_Gun
Member since 2021 • 3484 Posts

Oh. The cycle of hatred is inspired by Druckmann's indoctrinated hatred of Palestinians. No wonder the story is illogical and doesn't work. He said it on his podcast and in an interview with The Washington Post.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-not-so-hidden-israeli-politics-of-the-last-of-us-part-ii/

I engaged with some Last of Us fans about this before finding out.

Not what I mean. All those Ellie deaths you see (or, if you want, a bad player sees) are possible futures for her as she goes on this pointless quest. She takes on so much danger for a man who's already dead. Just because she said something mean to him before he died? As she leaves her girlfriend and the baby to try again and then slaughters so many more on her way to emaciated Abbie in that final chapter, her obsession seems bizarre. Autistic. I'm reading the manga Lone Wolf and Cub. Was made into a movie series. At least there it wasn't just bloody revenge but also the goal to clear his name and reestablish his house. Druckmann's a bad storyteller.

Yes, that's why she does it. Guilt. I can't remember the exact circumstance, what exactly she said, but she remembers before the final gauntlet of kills. A flashback (or dream) to the moment in the dance hall as she's relaxing with her girlfriend and the baby on the farm. Even without that guilt, hatred for Abbie wouldn't be enough either. Like I said in my big post, Joel must be so proud to know she murdered seventy people to avenge him.

It's a pointless quest. I would get nothing out of avenging my dead mother through mass murder and deadly risk to myself, and it would be biologically illogical because she preceded me, no longer carries on the bloodline. For a child would be more believable, but still repugnant. A great evil.

My analogy makes sense. Our parents didn't battle enemies for us across countries, but they did other things for us, they sacrificed, and the rational of us still wouldn't go on murderous, deadly revenge trips for them. It serves her no purpose. It's a stupid, illogical motivation without anything else behind it to drive her.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=334454&page=25

Avatar image for hrt_rulz01
hrt_rulz01

22674

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#30  Edited By hrt_rulz01
Member since 2006 • 22674 Posts
@Litchie said:

Uninteresting, annoying.

Gameplay taking a back seat because of "cinematic". Tryhard yet derivative story, very often interrupting the not great gameplay. Pretty much exactly the kind of game I hate, and I probably wouldn't be able to go through it.

Tried God of War once. After 2 hours of watching, walking and QTEs, I shut if off and uninstalled it. That is what Sony's games are all about, so I'm staying away.

That's the issue I have with Sony's first party... most of the games are the same overly cinematic movie wannabes that prioritize productions values over the actual gameplay. Look I play the odd game like this every now and then (Indiana Jones is a similarish type of game), but I think PS is too heavy towards this type of game.

That's why I'm glad that Astro Bot won GOTY this year for a lot of outlets, at least it's a proper game. Anyway, each to their own.

Avatar image for Heil68
Heil68

60811

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#31 Heil68
Member since 2004 • 60811 Posts

@theidiotsun said:

It's a superb game for the most part.

Yup

Avatar image for speedfreak48t5p
speedfreak48t5p

14489

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 62

User Lists: 0

#32 speedfreak48t5p
Member since 2009 • 14489 Posts

Controversial.