The first impression of "The Last of Us Part II" is that it is ungodly pretty. The hardware specs of the PS 4 are pushed to their limits to provide an epically pretty game, with polished animations, vivid setpieces, and scary looking monsters.
As pretty as it is, the game's strengths do not go beyond the superficial. Gameplay-wise, it plays like the first game in the series, and does not innovate in a way that seems meaningful. The mechanics of the game were a bit dated in the first part, so, over 5 years later, it feels utterly lacking and unimaginative.
Plotline and character wise, the thing that made the first game so beloved and made non-Playstation owners demand this gem go cross platform, the game fails in an epic fashion. The narrative choices of revenge and what it does to people not only feel like a Very Special Episode that could've been written for kids, but it can't even commit to this, as Villain Protagonist Abbie indulges heavily in revenge and gets everything she wants out of it, and less-lovable protagonist Ellie. The way previous game characters are treated borders on Put on a Bus to Hell, and the narrative's transparent attempt to make us feel for Abbie and believe her to be a well written character is far too obvious. At one point in the game, Abbie falls victim to the sort of Developing Doomed Characters moment in a horror film and takes delight in bringing harm to a pregnant woman. However, the game spends all of its time trying to tell us we should like her and sympathize with how she feels. But it is utterly insufficient, and forcing the player to spend time with her just makes her more unlikable.
There was a supposed narrative similar to the Far Cry series, particularly the third game, as well as Spec Ops: The Line, in which awful things happen and the game turns around and shames the player for indulging. However, slaughtering the Faceless Mooks of the Rook Isles is engaging and fun, only for the surprise to come later. Whereas in the Last of Us, we're forced to do things we never wanted to do, and the game still tries to shame the player.
All in all, don't waste your money. Sequels tend to be for people who liked the original. And you will only be disappointed. You can render a rat and make it look realistic and pretty, but it will still bite you and transmit some horrible disease.
Unbelievably pretty, but that's about it
The first impression of "The Last of Us Part II" is that it is ungodly pretty. The hardware specs of the PS 4 are pushed to their limits to provide an epically pretty game, with polished animations, vivid setpieces, and scary looking monsters.
As pretty as it is, the game's strengths do not go beyond the superficial. Gameplay-wise, it plays like the first game in the series, and does not innovate in a way that seems meaningful. The mechanics of the game were a bit dated in the first part, so, over 5 years later, it feels utterly lacking and unimaginative.
Plotline and character wise, the thing that made the first game so beloved and made non-Playstation owners demand this gem go cross platform, the game fails in an epic fashion. The narrative choices of revenge and what it does to people not only feel like a Very Special Episode that could've been written for kids, but it can't even commit to this, as Villain Protagonist Abbie indulges heavily in revenge and gets everything she wants out of it, and less-lovable protagonist Ellie. The way previous game characters are treated borders on Put on a Bus to Hell, and the narrative's transparent attempt to make us feel for Abbie and believe her to be a well written character is far too obvious. At one point in the game, Abbie falls victim to the sort of Developing Doomed Characters moment in a horror film and takes delight in bringing harm to a pregnant woman. However, the game spends all of its time trying to tell us we should like her and sympathize with how she feels. But it is utterly insufficient, and forcing the player to spend time with her just makes her more unlikable.
There was a supposed narrative similar to the Far Cry series, particularly the third game, as well as Spec Ops: The Line, in which awful things happen and the game turns around and shames the player for indulging. However, slaughtering the Faceless Mooks of the Rook Isles is engaging and fun, only for the surprise to come later. Whereas in the Last of Us, we're forced to do things we never wanted to do, and the game still tries to shame the player.
All in all, don't waste your money. Sequels tend to be for people who liked the original. And you will only be disappointed. You can render a rat and make it look realistic and pretty, but it will still bite you and transmit some horrible disease.