LTTP: Last of Us 2 - I am staring blankly at the end credits

[Genetrik]

I just finished the Last of Us 2 and I don't know what to do with myself after this insane 5/5 experience. I am just staring blankly at the end credits.

Laura Bailey was astonishing in her characterization of Abby, while the other cast members delivered again their stellar performances.

The end fight was an emotional rollercoaster ride unlike anything else I have ever experienced in all my years of gaming, where I literally said out loud "please stop… please stop this hate".

Again I am speechless what Naughty Dog created here and I could have not asked for a better continuation of the story (despite having to stop and breath after the infamous scene that triggers the Seattle journey).

I absolutely want to see more performances of Laura Bailey and all those people that sent her death threats are human scum.

 

[Zolbrod]

I'm not the biggest fan of Naughty Dog but if there's anything they excel at it's cutscene and VO direction. Absolutely stellar work.

 

[pahlke1]

This game made me feel things. Initially I hated the ending but then I realised ND goal was to make me feel things and then I realised they were successful. What a journey.

 

[Roytheone]

I ended up disliking the game and the story didn't click with me at all, but that definitely was not the fault of the voice actors. They did a great job!

 

[Firmus_Anguis]

It's definitely a gutsy game, and a great one at that!

 

[Arn]

It's a rollercoaster of a game because some stuff is outstanding and some stuff is not so great. It was unfiltered Naughty Dog, which is both genius and clearly in need of editing.

I applaud the effort to take me to places that a game hasn't, and did so at the expense of the two main characters that fans loved coming into the game. I'm totally finished with Ellie's story at this point and feel far more invested in Abby and Lev, so I hope their story continues in the future.

 

[Trieu]

I felt the same. It is the most special game ever and has managed to become my personal number #1 of all time.

 

[Ahti]

I´m currently replaying the game on Grounded difficulty and damn, it has some of the most intense action stealth parts and enemy encounters ever.

 

[Genetrik]

This game made me feel things. Initially I hated the ending but then I realised ND goal was to make me feel things and then I realised they were successful. What a journey.

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What especially stands out to me is the portrayal of the spiral of vengeance and hate. I don't think any other media form can even touch this game on really making you feel the possible consequences if you go down this road. And having the player see Abby as an actual human being was the key for it.

 

[Cocolina]

it was a pretty hollow experience for me by the end, I really disliked how much control it takes from the player for the sake of building its drama compared to the first that managed to blend the two pretty well

 

[nelsonroyale]

The ending sequences certainly make it abundantly clear that Ellie is the most damaged of the leading cast...there is hope in the ending...but whether there is hope for Ellie or not, is a different matter.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

it was a pretty hollow experience for me by the end, I really disliked how much control it takes from the player for the sake of building its drama compared to the first that managed to blend the two pretty well

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Blend how? The first game was extremely directed and even more linear.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

It's an all around masterpiece for me.

In all my years i haven't experienced anything quite like it either. boldest and so well rounded.

 

[Praetorpwj]

it was a pretty hollow experience for me by the end, I really disliked how much control it takes from the player for the sake of building its drama compared to the first that managed to blend the two pretty well

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Agreed. Apart from being utterly charmless it sacrificed pacing in favour of setting up a series of confrontations in a totally inorganic way. I can't fault the ambition but the net result was total apathy for me; those characters can die in a hole. All of them.

 

[Cocolina]

Blend how? The first game was extremely directed and even more linear.

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the dramatic elements flowed better with the action as far as I remember, in TLOU2 it was obvious where downtime walking exposition elements are and a lot of them were a chore, even more than the downtime crate pushing of the first but the story-telling, cutscenes and action were a bit better paced

the linearity doesn't bother me, TLOU2 only really gives you one small open section at the beginning anyway

 

[JusDoIt]

it was a pretty hollow experience for me by the end, I really disliked how much control it takes from the player for the sake of building its drama compared to the first that managed to blend the two pretty well

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Yeah, I like how at the end of the first game you had complete control over Joel's actions and were able to walk away peacefully.

 

[Dexterous Gambler]

Incredible game.

Completely randomly, I'd love to see Naughty Dog use the tech created for this title to make a stealth game (Splinter Cell-esque).

 

[Magic Mushroom]

It's bold and powerful stuff, with tremendous performances. But for all the deserved credit ND gets for its stoytelling, characters and performances, the actual gameplay, level design and encounter design are superb and a massive improvement over the first.

 

[Jawbreaker]

Masterful game that excels on all fronts. In fact, the gameplay, AI, and level design are probably the highlights for me despite how brilliantly directed and acted I find it to be.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

the linearity doesn't bother me, TLOU2 only really gives you one small open section at the beginning anyway

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No, every area had more paths through it. The level design is far more open and varied in the second one.

 

[Cocolina]

No, every area had more paths through it. The level design is far more open and varied in the second one.

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they're still just arenas dotted on a linear story path

 

[Tiny Chihuahueño]

I also stared at the screen thinking "why the hell did they go this direction with the story"

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

they're still just arenas dotted on a linear story path

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They're seamlessly interconnected. Its some of the most impressive level design out there, and im not sure what "its just arenas on a linear path" reductionist view of this actually has to do with anything. You said the first game blends action and drama better, im saying the first game didn't transition its areas nearly as seemlessly, as most of them were more evidently similar boxed off arenas.

 

[Cocolina]

They're seamlessly interconnected. Its some of the most impressive level design out there, and im not sure what "its just arenas on a linear path" reductionist view of this actually has to do with anything. You said the first game blends action and drama better, im saying the first game didn't transition its areas nearly as seemlessly, as most of them were more evidently similar boxed off arenas.

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it's still clear in TLOU2 that there is a "arena goes here" mark as you progress the linear story and the inner-workings of the arenas themselves aren't relevant to my argument when i'm talking about the blending of all the other elements that make up the gameplay of the games, that is the cutscenes, the exposition, the puzzles, terrain traversal and the action/stealth arenas together

they're both directed experiences where pacing becomes important, and the first one's pacing and use and positioning of those various elements (like a chef balancing ingredients) just worked better for me

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

it's still clear in TLOU2 that there is a "arena goes here" mark as you progress the linear story and the inner-workings of the arenas themselves aren't relevant to my argument when i'm talking about the blending of all the other elements that make up the gameplay of the games, that is the cutscenes, the exposition, the puzzles, terrain traveral and the action/stealth arenas together

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You mean the "oh its another ladder/plank", "oh its a push the palette on the water", "oh its a leg up boost again" puzzles that were more common in the game that's half as long? The terrain traversal was extremely limited compared to the second games swimming, boating, horseriding, foliage stealth etc. The sheer verticality introduced was another dimension. TLOU1 was very, very videogame-y in comparison. Shit, you couldn't even dodge melee attacks in a game full of melee combat while your AI partner constantly ran in front of the enemies without being spotted.

 

[DealWithIt]

I enjoyed the game, but for me it was too long. The writing begins to undercut itself. I think it would have been a more affecting game if it had ended after Seattle.

 

[squidyj]

Just an incredible game on every level. The way in which the AI works with the remaining stealth mechanics to allow you to pop in and out of skirmishes is just sublime and produces an experience when playing the game that is greater than the sum of its parts. Everything from the audio design to the animation to the voice acting to the rendering brings this world more to life than just about any other game I've played.

 

[Portodutch]

Best game i have played just a incredible experience.

 

[Cocolina]

You mean the "oh its another ladder/plank", "oh its a push the palette on the water", "oh its a leg up boost again" puzzles that were more common in the game that's half as long? The terrain traversal was extremely limited compared to the second games swimming, boating, horseriding, foliage stealth etc. The sheer verticality introduced was another dimension. TLOU1 was very, very videogame-y in comparison. Shit, you couldn't even dodge melee attacks in a game full of melee combat while your AI partner constantly ran in front of the enemies without being spotted.

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there are of course improvements and variety to the gameplay, that should go without saying for a sequel but again it's a directed linear experience where it's up to the director to blend and balance those elements together to make sure that there are enough peaks and troughs so that beats they want to be impactful are actually impactful...it's because they want to tell a specific story they adopt certain film-making techniques in doing so

for example I remember being super bored doing the rounds at the camp and the dance at the start of the game, and the "normal life" mission too and even though it's been like 7 years I don't remember scenes that just ground the game to a halt like that in the first game

the second one lets you contemplate your time with guitar playing, which was a great touch that could have been used much more for telling its story than the walking/talking sections that are used for its tell-don't-show exposition

your AI partner being invisible to enemies and crouch-walking everywhere (including on top of you) is immersion breaking but I'm fine suspending disbelief when playing a game critically, especially one that has the main focus of telling its story

 

[Kemono]

it's still clear in TLOU2 that there is a "arena goes here" mark as you progress the linear story and the inner-workings of the arenas themselves aren't relevant to my argument when i'm talking about the blending of all the other elements that make up the gameplay of the games, that is the cutscenes, the exposition, the puzzles, terrain traversal and the action/stealth arenas together

they're both directed experiences where pacing becomes important, and the first one's pacing and use and positioning of those various elements (like a chef balancing ingredients) just worked better for me

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Tbh i was aware of nearly every arena in Part 1 before it started. In Part 2 i only found 1 arena beforehand and it was empty until the third time i went through.

Part 2 is so much better in this regard. Part 1 feels like a Gears of War game in how obviously it is what happens next.

 

[Hitcher]

It was a great film wasn't it.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

there are of course improvements and variety to the gameplay, that should go without saying for a sequel but again it's a directed linear experience where it's up to the director to blend and balance those elements together to make sure that there are enough peaks and troughs so that beats they want to be impactful are actually impactful...it's because they want to tell a specific story they adopt certain film-making techniques in doing so

for example I remember being super bored doing the rounds at the camp and the dance at the start of the game, and the "normal life" mission too and even though it's been like 7 years I don't remember scenes that just ground the game to a halt like that in the first game

the second one lets you contemplate your time with guitar playing, which was a great touch that could have been used much more for telling its story than the walking/talking sections that are used for it's tell-don't-show exposition

your AI partner being invisible to enemies and crouch-walking everywhere (including on top of you) is immersion breaking but I'm fine suspending disbelief when playing a game critically

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Yes, its a linear directed experience, and the thing they started doing in Uncharted 4 where the cutscenes transition seemlessly into gameplay is taken to another level here. Being bored is completely subjective and since I can't relate re: the intro, there's nothing to even really say. Theres a part in the middle that dragged, but in general the whole thing is incredible in how well it disguises its boundaries and leads the player onward with its level design.

 

[Kuro]

The last bit of the game is strange. Felt like an unfinished level that they just had to wrap up tbh. Should have ended at the farm house. The gameplay was insane though and I loved how the majority of encounters played out. Really strong performances throughout that carried the rollercoaster of a story.

 

[raspberrymousse]

This game is quite possibly the greatest achievement in gaming of all time

 

[fivestarman]

This game is quite possibly the greatest achievement in gaming of all time

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This is true - no other game has made me feel the way LoU2 did, and then you throw fantastic game play on top.

 

[The Dragon Mask]

Such a good but also unpleasant game. I don't regret selling it in anticipation of a PS5 version (it's still gonna happen some day, remember Ghost of Tsushima did even after its PS5 upgrade patches). And I still don't regret it despite also knowing for a fact I'm not getting a PS5 for years, possibly until the slim (Pro looks increasingly unlikely because of the chip situation).

Even so, I think those that dismiss its merits aren't accepting that the story was never comfortable, and from the beginning of The Last of Us we were never getting a "fun" game. We were getting a realistic trudge through hell, and TLoU2 just delved further in. The genuine human compassion and tenderness is a nice counterweight but overall the series is as grey morality as they come, which is exactly what the apocalypse realistically would do to people.

It reminds me a lot of the manga Eden: It's an Endless World, in that both are insanely dark at points, but also counterbalance that with hope at times. And both narratives are basically defined by the tragic loss of beloved characters leading other characters down horrible or futile paths, when the whole point was just to live in their absence and accept you can't bring them back or even really "avenge" them since it just wouldn't bring the peace it feels like it should.

Both stories are genuinely uncomfortable at times, but touch on a lot of serious and topical subjects. They also both have several big flaws as a result of oversights or excesses by their creators/directors. But they are both worth experiencing.

That being said, TLoU2's gameplay and depressing subject matter, combined with the wealth of a functional infinity of other more fun games, makes it easy to slot TLoU2 (and 1 really) in the "I'll definitely get to that again before I die, but otherwise I'm not planning to play it any time soon" kind of category.

In contrast to the aforementioned "Eden", I think a full re-read might make me appreciate it even more. Even with its wonky parts.

 

[RelaxItsJustMe]

I was unfortunately indifferent towards the end. I started to absolutely hate Ellie after a certain scene (you know the one), despite loving her so much after the first game and its DLC, and I never really cared about Abbie throughout the game. Didn't dislike her, didn't like her.

So by the end the only character in the game that I liked was Lev. The only thing I could think of by that ending fight was "Boy, I hope Lev's alright". And couldn't care less about what happened to Ellie and Abby.

I was also happy about Dina putting her foot down. She doesn't need to deal with that shit.

 

[jxN3]

Hope it inspires our industry to take more risks with their writing.

It's the most brilliant piece of video game writing ever made, and it's not even close.

No other game has challenged me as an individual more than tlou2 -- it's so fucking manipulative in the best ways.

 

[Sharkbait Ooh-haha]

Well, OP, you sound almost exactly the same as my experience was. And I still think back to this experience, a year later. And like others have said: I think it is incredible how much awesome stealth/action scenerios the game throws at you during it's 30 hour (!) runtime. I think it is insane ND could keep the quality this high all the way through.

 

[oliverandm]

Pretty fantastic experience. I understand the critique related to the abrupt switch-up, but I think it's worth it in the end.

 

[Saray]

By the end I couldn't care less about any of the characters in the game. Not really a good experience for me.

 

[Rendering...]

Yeah, incredible game. Powerful characterization and super fun gameplay, with so much creative variety in the level design and horror elements.

It really sucks that the game received such a backlash from toxic neckbeards. I'll definitely replay it once I get a PS5.

 

[mcruz79]

Yes!
its the best game ever created in my opinion and a true achievement in game development.
The way Naughty Dog can create digital character into real human beings is just unparalleled in this game.
Its the closest to the perfect game has ever been for me.
The writing, motion capture, voice acting, gameplay, level design, variety, sense of continuity, believability of characters, coherence between interactive and non interactive scenes, visual and audio presentation is just everything almost perfect.

 

[Arex]

I feel like watching the ending credits (including the last song) again lol.

 

[Dragon1893]

Tell me about it. What a fucking masterpiece. And the gameplay is perfect to boot.

 

[Deleted member 99377]

I think the structure of the game makes it feel rushed. Would have liked it better if they went all in and made a full Abby game, then gave us a full Ellie game for TLoU3. To me it feels like they still wanted to market the game as an Ellie one with the twist being that Abby is in as well. I think it would have been more bold (and TLoU2 is bold) to market this game as an Abby game within TLoU2 universe and have the ending twist be the Joel stuff. Maybe not exactly that, but it could have filled out two games in my opinion. There was so many characters that they have to introduce just to have them killed off without meaning growth or relevance. Having Isaac play a bigger role as a really important character in Abby's part, having Jessie's love triangle plotline in Ellie's part have an actual resolution. Stuff like that could have been fleshed out a lot more to make them feel like actual characters rather than fodder for the body count.

Otherwise the VAs are amazing as always and the technology ND has to tell these stories is still at the top of the industry. It's kind of disappointing that ND shot their shot with this plotline already, cause it does feel rushed to me, but it's not for a lack of interesting ideas.

 

[Billdrew]

In the final battle I hoped I could resolve it by not attacking but unfortunately you're forced to fight.
Really great game, the only part I actively disliked was the Abby/Ellie fight at the theatre. Not sure if I just absolutely sucked at it but I found it really difficult in a frustrating way rather than a fun way

 

[Flying Whales]

It's an exhausting experience but I enjoyed the hell out of it. Every second, every minute and every hour was just increible. And thanks to Sony for letting ND go wild. Kudos.

 

[Kaswa101]

Great game, but it definitely has pacing issues and goes on a few hours too long lol

There's also not enough gameplay variety to justify the runtime imo. I was absolutely sick of looting rooms for resources waaay before the end, and they could have done more to distinguish Abby's gameplay from Ellie's.

 

[Deleted member 41520]

it was a pretty hollow experience for me by the end, I really disliked how much control it takes from the player for the sake of building its drama compared to the first that managed to blend the two pretty well

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The first game that was despised by many for forcing you to kill a harmless character even if you try to walk past them, and giving you almost no choice to avoid many combat scenarios? If you mean the sequel got too cutscene/walking section heavy then i get that, but the first game also had big ludonarrative problems