Xbox Portfolio Team Reviews: The Last of Us Part II

[Nightengale]

So, from the recently obtained court documents has a page that had two of Xbox's Portfolio Team members (Mike and Jon) play and write a "review" of the game, as part of recent game release highlights - presumably for one of their leadership meetings.

Probably one of the few times we'll get these sort of game-level 'first-party reviews' of major game releases.

Distribute without regard for confidentiality. ;)

 

[jwk94]

So their internal people reviewed the game??

 

[nekkid]

You mean to say people working at the platforms aren't just warriors???

 

[astro]

Mostly agree with all of that, but the gunplay is good in TLOU2 and I don't care what anyone says.

 

[jroc74]

Yeah, I was shocked to see this.

Was not expecting this. So much info isa coming out from this case.

 

[Akai]

Distribute without regard for confidentiality. ;)

Click to shrink...

 

[Drencrom]

Calling the gun combat not even decent is just mind-numbingly stupid, TLOU2 has probably my favorite gunplay in any TPS. Besides that it's mostly just praise which is in line with other critics, I suppose.

 

[Nightengale]

You mean to say people working at the platforms aren't just warriors???

Click to shrink...

It's "reviewed"... because Xbox considers PlayStation competition?

And thus are paying attention/reviewing/analyzing the games they make?

Warrior is a foolish phrasing for it, but this slide exist because companies pay attention to each other.

 

[BloodHound]

You mean to say people working at the platforms aren't just warriors???

Click to shrink...

Isn't this the final form of being a console warrior? Play the competitors game, say it's amazing to your bosses, so they green light their own exclusive version?

Console warring turning into multi-million dollar moves.

 

[modiz]

"The overall presentation is significantly ahead of anything that other teams have been producing on consoles and PC"
Well damn, thats some big praise from a competitor analysis.
Highly disagree on their thoughts regarding gunplay though.

 

[SFLUFAN]

This falls under the business intelligence category of "opposition research".

 

[Squarealex]

Good luck MS ton achieve this same level.

 

[RellikSK]

Disagree about the take on gun combat, which imo was really well done but the review itself was really straightforward in its praise of the game.

 

[ginge]

honestly its one of the better reviews I have seen for the last of us 2, and I find myself agreeing with most of what it says.

I also like how they say how groundbreaking TLOU2 is, and that even if it wasn't everyone's cup of tea it unquestionably moved the gaming industry forward and set a new bar

 

[VermillionA]

I suspect people will just focus on the line about the gunplay when the overall review seems to be incredibly positive.

 

[Tora]

That was a nice read, considered the game from all angles

 

[Theorry]

I suspect people will just focus on the line about the gunplay when the overall review seems to be incredibly positive.

Click to shrink...

It will end up as a usual review thread for sure haha

 

[Jiraiya]

Calling the gun combat not even decent is just mind-numbingly stupid, TLOU2 has probably my favorite gunplay in any TPS. Besides that it's mostly just praise which is in line with other critics, I suppose.

Click to shrink...

It really is nothing special on its own.

 

[Jarmel]

lol wut at saying the gun combat isn't decent

It's probably the best major TPS combat-wise outside of MGSV.

 

[Damn Silly]

Huh, this is a neat look behind the curtain, regardless of my (or anybody's) opinion about their opinions.

I'm just a touch surprised there was no mention of accessibility, given Microsoft's general promotion of it, and Naughty Dog's commendable work on various accessibility features.

 

[Dirtyshubb]

Agree with some other people here, everything is great except the take on gunplay but otherwise it's a really interesting read and nice to get some insight into how this sort of thing is framed and works internally.

 

[Kenzodielocke]

The gunplay in the Uncharteds are whack. But in TLoU and especially Part II it was great.

 

[wrowa]

That's a very good review, really.

 

[PlayBee]

I'd like to know what they consider good gun combat.

 

[Ales34]

I had to double take the thread title to be sure I was reading it right lol.

Nice review overall, I agree on most points.

 

[Temascos]

It's a smart idea to know what your competition is doing in any industry, and ideally everyone would enjoy everyone else's games. That review is pretty fair and most of their points are explained really well.

Lots of praise on the graphics and art direction, Naughty Dog really earned their stripes on that one.

 

[christocolus]

Interesting stuff and a really great review too.. Baker is head of Portfolio @ Xbox. could Xbox be working on an exclusive AAA 3P acrion/adventure game? or probably building a team to tackle that genre?

 

[Jarmel]

The gunplay in the Uncharteds are whack. But in TLoU and especially Part II it was great.

Click to shrink...

The gunplay in Uncharted 2 and 4 is extremely solid.

 

[nekkid]

It's "reviewed"... because Xbox considers PlayStation competition?

And thus are paying attention/reviewing/analyzing the games they make?

Warrior is a foolish phrasing for it, but this slide exist because companies pay attention to each other.

Click to shrink...

Errr...

 

[Theorry]

It's a smart idea to know what your competition is doing in any industry, and ideally everyone would enjoy everyone else's games. That review is pretty fair and most of their points are explained really well.

Lots of praise on the graphics and art direction, Naughty Dog really earned their stripes on that one.

Click to shrink...

I mean every pub does this. Would be really weird if they didnt.

 

[dude]

This is not that weird to me. In our company there are a couple of people who have as part of their job to review new games and new features in games.

 

[Wackamole]

It really is nothing special on its own.

Click to shrink...

I'm guessing it's specifically custom made for this game.
But a lot of people don't seem to be able to adapt to different ways of shooting mechanisms.
I never have that much trouble with it, aside from having to adapt for an hour or so.

Anyway it would be weird if Xbox owners wouldn't want to play this game. Please stop it with the dumb-ass console wars. It's the dumbest thing on earth. It's the exact same mechanism as for racism, exclusion, bigotry, etc. Stans are idiots and really miss out.

 

[brokenswiftie]

Maybe the gunplay comment is due to 30 FPS ?
or maybe they prefer the gears type TPS combat over TLOU2 style

 

[Katana_Strikes]

How many out of 10 though and does Metacritic count this review???

 

[Drencrom]

It really is nothing special on its own.

Click to shrink...

As someone who likes shooters and TPS I don't agree, but it's subjective.

The gunplay in Uncharted 2 and 4 is extremely solid.

Click to shrink...

Also this, 2 and especially 4/TLL plays great, spent many hours in UC4 MP because of the gunplay alone, the 60fps made it feel even better.

 

[Nightengale]

Edit : mistake.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

I'd like to know what they consider good gun combat.

Click to shrink...

Haloz and Gearz obvs

 

[YaBish]

I suspect people will just focus on the line about the gunplay when the overall review seems to be incredibly positive.

Click to shrink...

Tbf it's the most controversial thing they say. I think most people think it's one of the best playing TPS games around

 

[Raigor]

I'd like to know what they consider good gun combat.

Click to shrink...

DOOM Eternal

 

[LhommeCornichon]

Mostly agree with all of that, but the gunplay is good in TLOU2 and I don't care what anyone says.

Click to shrink...

As a TPS it's amazing with great mechanics and fluidity. Overall it's stellar.

 

[anexanhume]

Mostly agree with all of that, but the gunplay is good in TLOU2 and I don't care what anyone says.

Click to shrink...

Needs more chainsaw guns, obviously.

 

[modiz]

Haloz and Gearz obvs

Click to shrink...

So what you are saying is MS will announce "The Gears of Us" in 3 years, cant wait to see that /s

 

[rude]

what TPS has good gunplay if TLOU2 doesn't?

Vanquish, Max Payne 3 and Resident Evil 4 are the only ones that are comparable to me.

 

[Kalor]

Interesting stuff and a really great review too.. Baker is head of Portfolio @ Xbox. could Xbox be working on an exclusive AAA 3P acrion/adventure game? or probably building a team to tackle that genre?

Click to shrink...

This is just standard practice, doesn't really mean anything about what Xbox are working on.

 

[Jarmel]

I kinda wish this review was more detailed and talking about the game in terms of Microsoft's products so we have a better idea about how Microsoft views them in contrast to their own products and how they could improve/adjust their own offerings. Like "Their realization of California is technically and artistically better than our game X" or "We should do ___ more as it worked extremely well here". It's probably in some other internal document or analysis though.

 

[ghostcrew]

what TPS has good gunplay if TLOU2 doesn't?

Vanquish, Max Payne 3 and Resident Evil 4 are the only ones that are comparable to me.

Click to shrink...

Gears?

 

[astro]

As a TPS it's amazing with great mechanics and fluidity. Overall it's stellar.

Click to shrink...

Exactly, the way you can switch so fluidly between stealth and all out combat is best in class. Like smoothly creeping up behind a person, breaking their neck, throwing a brick at the next target then rushing in and beating them down, then jumping onto your back and throwing a molotov into an incoming group. The only other game that really comes close to this level of third person fluidity is MGSV.

 

[VermillionA]

Tbf it's the most controversial thing they say. I think most people think it's one of the best playing TPS games around

Click to shrink...

Yeah I completely disagree with their take, the gunplay in part 2 is phenomenal. I just mean overall they're very positive about the game.

 

[MillionIII]

Other than that gunplay line it's a fair review, they should aim for this type of quality.

 

[Jiraiya]

As someone who likes shooters and TPS I don't agree, but it's subjective.



Also this, 2 and especially 4/TLL plays great, spent many hours in UC4 MP because of the gunplay alone, the 60fps made it feel even better.

Click to shrink...

I don't want to sound dismissive. The gunplay is fine...not even close to being bad. But i believe the overall package elevates the act of shooting. Its responsive...the animations are amazing and naughty dog creates some of the best set pieces around.