The Last of Us Part II

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 161975 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84,950 out of 161975
  2. Mixed: 8,550 out of 161975
  3. Negative: 68,475 out of 161975
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  1. ArcticWombat
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I thoroughly enjoyed the immersion of the world. Great game and I like the more realistic ending, rather than idealistic.
  2. Aitor1998
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    The story of the game is one of the best of any PS4 games. It teach you that hatr only drives to more hate. Revenge only drives to revenge. During the story you will understand why Ellie wants to kill Abby, the other character. You also will ynderstand Abby's point of view and you will stop seeing her like an enemy. You will realise that both are the same. For me the game is perfect, maybeThe story of the game is one of the best of any PS4 games. It teach you that hatr only drives to more hate. Revenge only drives to revenge. During the story you will understand why Ellie wants to kill Abby, the other character. You also will ynderstand Abby's point of view and you will stop seeing her like an enemy. You will realise that both are the same. For me the game is perfect, maybe a little boring in some parts, but those ones are necessary for the story. So, for everyone who is spreading just hate without an opinion after been played the game... just stop. Everyone who has played the first tittle will joy this one. I recomend everyone to play the game and joy the story, the one which is really enjoyable. 9/10) for sure… Expand
  3. Ekscalibur
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I get why people are raging against the game. It is different. This game is trying something that by all means takes guts. I am a fairly open person and with a couple of it's flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. The main problem I think is that a lot of people are just following streamers and playthroughs rather than playing the game themselves. I really loved every second of it and II get why people are raging against the game. It is different. This game is trying something that by all means takes guts. I am a fairly open person and with a couple of it's flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. The main problem I think is that a lot of people are just following streamers and playthroughs rather than playing the game themselves. I really loved every second of it and I hope people give a fair shot… Expand
  4. EfoDom
    Nov 25, 2020
    9
    Naughty Dog has made a very bold move with this game. It's a story not everyone will like and that's ok. It's a harrowing, chilling, emotional story filled with revenge and ultimately forgiveness. It's not a satisfying or happy story but rather one that makes you think about what you've just experienced.
  5. Fraschio01
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wow, spectacular story, I expected Joel's death. I loved it though in the end less.
    For me there will be a following, where did Dina go? What about Tommy?    … Expand
  6. Jarecoz
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Acabado tras 28, horas. Gráfico y ambientación sobresaliente , jugabilidad continuista pero mejorada con nuevos añadidos, banda sonora y sonido ambiente sublime, la historia no apto para todos los públicos no es fans service tienes algunos fallos pero es bastante entretenida… Expand
  7. PastTheMoon
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    A bold and daring successor, The Last of Us Part II eschews the beautiful simplicity of the original game to tell a tangled, tattered tale of revenge and redemption.
  8. Amirhaytham
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has a Emotional Story and I was very impressed with the narrative of this game. Good job naughty dog❤✌… Expand
  9. Mintytrip
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I really enjoyed this game. Maybe I like that whole tragic and depressing story telling, but I thought it was genuinely and thoughtfully done. The gameplay is no doubt 10/10. Stealth, set pieces and whole open stages are all top notch. I played on hard difficulty which means ammo/gear is not as plentiful which made it suitably tough.
    I went into this game completely blind. Didn't watch    I really enjoyed this game. Maybe I like that whole tragic and depressing story telling, but I thought it was genuinely and thoughtfully done. The gameplay is no doubt 10/10. Stealth, set pieces and whole open stages are all top notch. I played on hard difficulty which means ammo/gear is not as plentiful which made it suitably tough.
    I went into this game completely blind. Didn't watch trailers, no spoilers, no reviews. I play the last of us 1 when it came out and haven't touched it since. I suppose that helped my expectations as I had none, I wasn't banking on certain things or characters being the lead part of the game. I was just along for the ride. The craziest, bleakest of rides.
    I think the story is a little jarring at times and sometimes frustrating. But I felt it was bold and creative, I suppose empathy and grief are the main emotions here but also life, innocence and acceptance nearer the end. It's a very personal experience, not for the light hearted.
    I was genuinely surprised after I completing it and checking online to see other responses. Didn't quite believe "betrayal and disappointment" that people were posting. But to each their own. I enjoyed it and hope others did too.    … Expand
  10. Stiffy84
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    A wonderful highlight in gameplay, sound an storytelling. It's hard to see an userrating of 4,8.
    One of the best moments in gaming I had in my 30 years of gaming. There is only one critic point for me and that was the trailerpolicy. There was a trailer that destroyed my feeling at the beginning of the game.
  11. Nexia64
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    TLDR: Worth playing!

    I've waited with my review until I had played the game till the end. I don't get all the flamewars about this game, it is without a doubt one of the most beautifully crafted games ever on the PS4, the detail level is insanely high, and the gameplay is top-notch. You might not agree with the plot, and the all RAW emotions and the revengefulness that fuel the    TLDR: Worth playing!

    I've waited with my review until I had played the game till the end.

    I don't get all the flamewars about this game, it is without a doubt one of the most beautifully crafted games ever on the PS4, the detail level is insanely high, and the gameplay is top-notch.

    You might not agree with the plot, and the all RAW emotions and the revengefulness that fuel the main characters and the ending, but that does not mean it a bad game, it simply means that you don't like games that depict how real life could play out after a cataclysmic event.

    But I also saw deep love and real friendship in really bad situations. It makes you question yourself... would you have done differently given the same situation?

    My guess why the rating vary so wildly? This game requires a mature view of life that is probably too much to ask of young people today. (I'm 55)    … Expand
  12. Shivadgss
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was one of the best games of this year I think the problem with the low audience score is that audience was overly attached to Joel and were heartbroken to see him gone in the first two hours but his influence still drove the game forward. The Ellie section was great the Abby section was kinda messy but still had some awesome and gut punching moment. The ending was bleak and sad and I loved it Overall I think every one should try the game once before judging it too quickly… Expand
  13. GG_89
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I liked it, despite the different agendas. I do not think that this game needs to be set to 0 out of 10. TLOU 2, as for me, surely pulls on confident 8.
  14. indigosamuraii
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The gameplay always keeps you on your feet and ready for more, each encounter you get with the characters is never a dull moment because they can play out in so many different ways and the graphics are absolutely stunning. Although the story isn't liked by many because they killed off joel in the very beginning and then make you play as his killer you start to feel empathy and passion for abby throughout the story especially when she meets lev and yara. That is when she really starts to change, although I can't say the same thing for ellie it is very emotional having to see her go for this quest for revenge and face off against abby after all that you have been through with both characters. The thing I really didnt like though was the ending. Although I'm glad that abby survived I feel like all the things that ellie has done and been through was for nothing. She killed all those people and in the end she cant even kill abby. But other than that this game was an emotional rollercoaster and I never had a dull momment with it.… Expand
  15. LawrenceB
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    The Last of Us Part 2 is a technical masterpiece, right up there with titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War. The amount of attention to detail gone into the game is astonishing. You can really see the hard work Naughty Dog put into crafting this wonderful experience. The game does have pacing issues which in my opinion prevents part 2 from being the near flawless experience.The Last of Us Part 2 is a technical masterpiece, right up there with titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War. The amount of attention to detail gone into the game is astonishing. You can really see the hard work Naughty Dog put into crafting this wonderful experience. The game does have pacing issues which in my opinion prevents part 2 from being the near flawless experience. Everything else however is 10/10 in my eyes from the environments and level design to the graphics and animations. The story is a lot longer than the first game (32 hours for me to complete) but it needs to be as there are a multitude of complex characters, all with their own story to tell and by the end of the game you really feel for each of them in true Naughty Dog fashion. The gameplay and sound/music continue where they left from the first game and really help set the tone for an incredibly dark, gritty and an emotionally exhausting experience.
    This game makes you question everything that you thought you already knew. One of the definitive games of the generation and probably of all time.    … Expand
  16. Drakon74
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story:

    Let's start chronological with the Prologue. I think the Prologue is the weakest point in the games story. A prologue should introduce the player to the characters and story, sadly this prologue fails to do so. All the new characters stay rather bland, even Dina, besides you spend around an hour with her. Also Abby seems rather bland, while she is not when you play her later, she only hates Joel. Why? Who knows.

    So: Joel dies by Abbys Hand. Many people complained that Joel says his name which is out of character with the first game. Yes, this looks like it at first glance, again the prologue fails to explain backgrounds, you only the get puzzle pieces late in the story, like a conflict with Ellie and probable knowledge that a group hunts the both down. I think Joel sacrificed himself to save Ellie, thinking if they got him, they won't chase after Ellie. The last good deed he could do, to make her forgive.

    However after the prologue the story gets stronger and stronger. The writing is excellent! You play 3 days as Ellie with Dina and Jesse on your side, searching for Abbys group and then the past 3 days as Abby from her perspective.

    You learn all the characters emotions and reasons, though you probably never really agree with their actions. You understand them, but you might not agree with them. This is where the story gets so strong as it organically avoids a black and white thinking. There are no heroes and no bad guys, only humans driven by emotions like hate, revenge, love, sadness etc.

    You see both "sides" and you learn to like all the characters. You not agree with their actions sometimes, but you understand... It's really a roller coaster of emotions. Brilliant writing, can't explain it otherwise!

    The Epilogue and ending also show how much hate and revenge can destroy you and your relationships. The relationship Ellie built with Dina is destroyed over the fact Ellie can't let loose and have to hunt after Abby again, in the end leaving her alive, like she did in Seattle. Coming home, Dina gone, Ellie lost 2 fingers can't really play guitar anymore, the guitar Joel gifted to her.

    Really excellent writing! Prologue a bit weak, some later cutscenes should appear here, but keep going and you get rewarded with an amazing story!

    Also if you think there is some agenda here, you didn't understood the story one bit. The game more shows of violence is causing even more violence and how it and revenge and hate can destroy people.

    Also Abby is not said nor mentioned to be LGTB. Not sure where this got from, but only because she is muscular, means she is LGTB? I think not.

    Gameplay:

    Definitely a huge improvement to the first game. They took the first games gameplay and expanded it. You have more upgrades, more weapons and more possibilities to deal with enemies. Stealth and Combat are better to do, the encounter areas are bigger allowing for more ways and possibilities. Also you can now climb, swim and dive.

    While the game at it's core is still a pretty linear game, there is a hub area at the start and in general the levels are bigger as ever before. Encounters go very fluent into each other, while you walk around, explore and try to find the right way to go. Also you should explore to not only get collectibles, but also training manuals, useful items, upgrades and new weapons.

    A little downside is, that there are not much differences between Ellie and Abby. They have different weapons, but with exception of 2-3 weapons, they feel the same. Even the upgrades are more or less the same, just in different orders and skill trees. Movement is the same as well.

    Nonetheless so far the best Gameplay in a Naughty Dog game and definitely on par with other excellent AAA titles.

    Graphics:

    Do i really have to say something here? Amazing Textures, Models, Levels and Animations. Really an eye to detail. It looks gorgeous! Watch a trailer, what you see there, is in the game 1:1.

    Sound / Music:

    Perfect as well. Amazing sound design and amazing music tracks, still have a few in my head. Better as the first game as well, the composer really did an amazing job and surpassed his work of the first game!

    In the end:

    While the Prologue is the weakest point, The Last of Us Part 2 is an amazing game. The Story is really amazing, no "agenda" to be found, as said, if you see such a thing you didn't understood the story or outright didn't played the game.

    Besides that Gameplay, Graphics and Sound / Music are on amazing levels and the Game is just awesome! Play it!

    I give it a 9 / 10. Despite the weak prologue, the game is a masterpiece.    … Expand
  17. Mcptron93
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Don't let the short-sighted anti-LGBT community dissuade you from what is arguably one of the greatest sequels for a video game ever made next to Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Inquisition, RDR2 and more! While the game's gameplay is fairly similar to part 1, the fact of the matter is that they've improved the enemy AI tenfold, added quite a few mechanics to the game as well as a new and interesting way to explore the environments around you.

    Honestly, people hate on the game because they expected another Joel and Ellie story ala Uncharted but instead got **** by the creators of the game and instead went with a multi-perspective take on life in this world and how pointless a revenge quest is in the first place! If you can't grasp the greatness of the game over shortsighted issues, then you aren't looking at the bigger picture at all! This is one of the greatest games I've ever played and would recommend it to anyone I meet!    … Expand
  18. not_a_number5
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Originally I'd like an 8. 2 for abruptly going to Abby's POV, and some exhausting and annoying fights.
    Then another extra 1 for all the dramatics, emotion impulse and thrill I shared with my friends while gaming.    … Expand
  19. burmanator96
    Jul 3, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I finished The Last of Us Part II 3 days ago, and now I find myself feeling confident enough time has passed to truly process my thoughts.
    The game is complicated (yet it’s not particularly complex however). I spent the first 29 hrs thinking the game was a revenge story, only to understand that in the last 1hr and 45 minutes, the game is truly about forgiveness - and when it's time to let go of the past and move on.
    Firstly, let me talk about the gameplay and the world.
    The world once more is emphatically beautiful and profoundly immersive. The combat never ceased to excite me and each different area was alive and rich in a real world setting of an unthinkable disaster. The graphics are the best I’ve seen of any game on the PS4 - so ultimately the best of any game of ever played.
    Now, the story. It’s flawed, but as far as I can see, that’s intended.
    Ellie changes, massively. The opening scenes with her are the last we see of the sweet, caring young lady she’s growing into. And we see her become a mammoth in murder and repent. But I loved it, and I still care deeply for the character, that will never change.
    The switch in characters at first made me angry and I even thought about putting the game down until I cared about Abby - but then i thought, what if i never care about her? And that's when it hit me - you don't. At least not at the beginning. But you learn to enjoy her company (at least I did). I learned to feel great empathy for her chocking to death on a noose, or at the end when she's being crucified and is on the verge of mal-nourishment,
    The game often tries to be clever. In particular with a mini boss fight as Abby AGAINST Ellie - yano that character we love unconditionally. It's a cycle of actions and consequences and repercussions. You find yourself not only in the middle of it all, but the case with Ellie, you are the catalyst for the consequential actions. You question the motives and the actions of the characters, yet the game does not allow you to choose to comply or not - you just have to.
    That's an extremely difficult concept to adhere to - without your consent. I often did not believe in the actions at first. When Ellie travels across country seeking revenge once more, is it believable? I didn't think so at first.
    But lets look at the first game. Joel - he fights, kills and outright murders those against him, and he enjoys it. Then he meets Ellie, and he changes. Moreover, his feelings for Ellie becoming stronger and the reason for his actions changes. The act of saving Ellie at the end of the first game (whether you support the action or not) diminishes any chance the human race has of overcoming this disaster successfully. The needs of the many out-way the needs of the few, yet Joel makes a conscious, morally 'incorrect' decision to support his own bias - the needs of him out-way the needs of everyone else
    Abbie does the same when she kills him.
    Ellie does the same when she goes after her.
    Abbie nearly kills Dina cause Ellie killed Mel (the pregnancy sub-plot wasn't well executed imo).
    And finally Ellie goes after Abbie again seeking redemption.
    And the conclusion is that revenge is not the answer - and as the flashback to Joel at the end suggests - the arc of the story (as printed above) is forgiveness.
    The ending, where Ellie leaves Joel behind (metaphorically shown through the guitar being put down), does not pay off. But i understand the symbolism and I feel it’s successful within the story Naughty Dog have told.
    It's complicated (as I said), but not complex. It's not a poetic way of telling a story, be it's certainly effective in showing the player the cost of their actions - and that what you think you want, is not always what you need to heal.
    It's not the game I wanted, but it's the game Naughty Dog needed to tell.
    It's not perfect, but its a master-class in leaving the player with a profound sense of nothingness, forcing you to lament what you have just witness, and question your own morals.

    Play it.
    And if you hate it or love it, that's the correct response.    … Expand
  20. gekko_84
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    Excellent gameplay, graphics and animations. Storywise the game is good, but it will not be everyone's cup of tea due to the way the story is structured and how it touches some mature themes.
  21. tZimZ
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    Better than corona virus story!The feelings that csuse you is one of the reason to play the game!
  22. CambilVandil
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I was fan of first game and consider myself a Naughty Dog fan boy so I was going to love it no matter what. The game itself for me is just an extension of the first. Felt to be just extra levels to play through. The story is very enjoyable but I would have preferred to choose the the path of the story rather than being led to the final outcome just as an observer.
  23. LuisSantos722
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    Jogo Muito bom, deu um 9 pois eu acho que a relação do Joel com a Ellie poderia ser melhor trabalhado e Sua morte também deveria ser melhor elaborada e não ter acontecido muito cedo.
  24. DJ_Lazorsnake
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have never been more ashamed to call myself a gamer.

    Clearly, the people review bombing this game are used to getting exactly what they want. How often do you play a tragic hero? One whose flaws are insurmountable? One who would be at home in one of Shakespeare's plays? Oh, and she's a lesbian too?!

    The answer is never. Gamers play characters that are so one-dimensional that, when they finally do encounter a situation which requires them to be uncomfortable, they want to beat it with a flaming stick.

    The resulting hate is toxic. It's also baseless. First, there are the criticisms that TLOU2 has too much "diversity". Ellie is a lesbian, as shown in the 2014 expansion The Last of Us: Left Behind. Not only is it old news, but who cares? Dina, Ellie's girlfriend, is bisexual. The only other "diverse" character is Lev (biological female) who at 13 tells his sister that he wants to be a soldier and doesn't feel like the others, presumably meaning that he doesn't feel like a girl.

    That's it. That's the diversity. Three characters (I suppose four if you count the long-dead Riley) out of about 20. The game begins amid controversy when Ellie and Dina kissing publicly leads to a townsperson calling her a "dyke". Little did the directors know that many gamers would apparently be on the side of the bigot.

    Second, Joel dies early on - as was leaked and led to the majority of the review bombing. We come to love Joel, and seeing him die sucked. It really did. Which is exactly how the designers wanted you to feel. It's not what gamers want, and now they're throwing their petty little tantrums. If storytelling is eliciting strong emotions in people, then the designers hit the nail on the head, through this and other decisions. I was uncomfortable and disappointed when I had to play Abby after she had killed Jesse (and I thought Tommy too), but the directors slowly and masterfully make you empathize with her. By the end, Ellie seems like the bigger piece of **** and more worthy of death. That move is the most ambitious piece of storytelling a game developer has taken on in years.

    Third, both professional and user reviews say that characters are one-note and that they don't make sensible decisions. I agree with the criticism that the characters are one-note to some extent. It's a revenge story, and by necessity they need to, well, seek revenge. They're playing a part in an overall story. The story is on rails, unlike a lot of games these days where you get to decide the outcome of the player-character's life.

    As for Ellie's decisions making no sense, which is related to the one-note thing, consider that Joel is her only parental figure - he dies in front of her. Consider also that her first girlfriend / crush died in front of her - Ellie may have even had to kill her when she became infected - and she was a child at the time. Ellie clearly has PTSD, as shown in the game. Her decisions may not make sense to people who were not children growing up in a warzone, but they make sense given the environment she grew up in and the things she had to do to survive. Consider the number of soldiers choosing to do multiple tours and leaving their families behind. Ellie's decisions are not abnormal. If anything, they make perfect sense.

    A final criticism I feel is worth addressing - the plot holes everyone is referring to. Reading into this further, it's that they don't like the ending where both Abby and Ellie spare each other's lives. One professional review even says that Ellie's decision process to spare Abby is not shown to the player. Ummm... did they not see Ellie's facial expression as she was drowning Abby? The fear, desperation, and growing disgust in what she was doing? Did they miss the flashback to Joel sitting peacefully, making her realize that it won't change how dead he is and that he eventually chose a life of peace?

    As for Abby... yeah, I'm sure tons of concentration camp survivors grabbed shotguns and started mowing down Nazis with their - oh wait, they were emaciated and weak and just wanted to GTFO. So was Abby. Apparently people don't like it when it's just another revenge story. And then they don't like it when there's no revenge and the characters actually go through some kind of transformation.

    People, don't believe the hate. This is the toxicity writhing its way through the American heart and finding its way into a masterfully told game. It's unfortunate that it comes at a time where the average person just can't take all that diversity and emotional depth. A thought - maybe that's exactly what they need. If the majority are bombing this game for the reasons above, I'm fine being part of the counterculture.

    Please keep making games like this.    … Expand
  25. Wichmand
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This game made me cry, shiver and laugh as expected. I liked everything about it - and the story was way more powerfull compared to the first game - both emotionally and also how it made me question my own thoughts, wills, ideas ect. The game is so powerfull, it will have its’ own meaning to different people. Like art, music & taste.

    I loved the first game, and that will always have a    This game made me cry, shiver and laugh as expected. I liked everything about it - and the story was way more powerfull compared to the first game - both emotionally and also how it made me question my own thoughts, wills, ideas ect. The game is so powerfull, it will have its’ own meaning to different people. Like art, music & taste.

    I loved the first game, and that will always have a special first place in my heart. This game however felt more real, intense and made me realize, how much survival is the one mechanism holding it all together.

    9/10 for me - and the reason for it not being a 10, is the fact that I felt some parts of the game slowed the story down and made it feel a bit too long for my taste.    … Expand
  26. thecyrus
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    You may not like all the story part... but I'm a gamer, and I must say this is technically a masterpiece and it can keep you in front of the screen better than a movie.
  27. Tapochek34
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    Графика, звук, геймплей на высоте. Сюжет очень понравился, но он далеко не всем понравиться. Очень порадовала возможность играть на гитаре. Лгбт повестка, о которой все говорят, её почти нет. Я не старался найти sjw повестку в игре и специально её занизить, поэтому получил огромное удовольствие, играя в эту неёГрафика, звук, геймплей на высоте. Сюжет очень понравился, но он далеко не всем понравиться. Очень порадовала возможность играть на гитаре. Лгбт повестка, о которой все говорят, её почти нет. Я не старался найти sjw повестку в игре и специально её занизить, поэтому получил огромное удовольствие, играя в эту неё
  28. Jbtjr
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This isn’t the game/ story we expected. Has left a sour taste in a lot of our mouthes, but overall the game and journey was enjoyable. When I got to Abby I just wanted to speed run because you know. You do eventually though get to empathise for her. It’s not enough though. Lev was a character I grew to love and hope to see more of. Lev saved the second half of the game in my opinion.… Expand
  29. Oathfish
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Last of Us Part II is another piece of evidence that the industry is growing up. Alongside God of War, this game will be remembered by many people as a watershed moment in game narrative - and unlike the AAA narrative space that the original helped create, the Last of Use Part II has stretched beyond the story of a taciturn father figure to focus on a relatively unique perspective - that of the kids who are left behind when the last connection to the old world are out of the picture.

    //Graphics//
    One thing that everyone tends to agree on (even those who profess to loath the game) is that it's a looker. And it is. This game is so beautiful (even on a base PS4) that I found myself stopping over and over again just to take it in. The amount of detail in each play space is phenomenal. The variance in locations is impressive (given that the game takes place in one city). The lighting, the effects, the arena design, all fantastic. There are many locations in this game that will stick with me just as long as the story beats.

    But the real star here is the facial animations. A testament to the actors and the animators that even the smallest emotion comes through in a believable way, helping create untold depth to the characters.

    //Gameplay//
    This game starts where the first left off and goes a little deeper with the mechanics. Make no mistake, it plays better than the original in terms of moment to moment combat, but it is certainly more of the same - and certainly less impressive than the original gameplay trailer. Still, it provides enough variety to stop you from getting bored.

    What might be more divisive however is the amount of downtime between combat sections. This is a slower-paced affair than the first game. With long stretches of exploration and scavenging between brief-but-brutal battle arenas. For some, this might be a downside. For me, however, it made each encounter feel much more personal and important and helped me avoid the fatigue that tends to set in games like Doom or even Ellie's last adventure.

    //Story//
    When you see people giving this game a 3 or a 0 rating, their main complaint is the story. Right out the gate then, these reviews aren't really credible - since visuals, design, and gameplay alone should net this game more than these paltry scores. It is ironic that the same people who complain about the big outlets being paid to give this game 10 out of 10 scores are putting out reviews that are disingenuous. Story is but one pillar of game design, even a complete miss in this department shouldn't sink a game to a 3 or 0 - if so, Breath of the Wild should be sitting just as low on the scale.

    The story of Last of Us II is a thoughtful discussion on revenge and the cycle of violence. Yeah. You've all heard the copy on this. No surprises here. But it's also a story about the world the generation born to the apocalypse want to make. Will it be marked by the destruction and violence of the old guard, or will it be something new? Time and again along their journey toward this answer, our characters watch parents and parent figures fall victim to their violence and will struggle to find the right way forward. It's a mature story and a thoughtful one, well-told and with a conclusion that is well-earned.

    However. It is not an easy story to tell in the medium. A lot of people are going to check out at the start, when the inciting incident for the story occurs. More are going to check out at the mid-point, where Naughty Dog forces the player to do something that is uncomfortable by design. That's okay. No one is to blame if this isn't the story for you. Not Naughty Dog. Not the player. Pick up another game and move on. Or give it some time and come back to it - I promise that it's worth it, if you're willing to give the developers the benefit of the doubt.

    For me, the story is a knockout. A real sign of the medium maturing. And while it is a little over-long, by the time the credits roll, it more and earns its runtime.

    //Elephant in the Room//
    This is a watershed moment for representation in videogames. It has white, black, Asian, Middle Eastern, male, female, trans, straight, gay, bi, old, young characters throughout. The main character is a lesbian. A major character is a straight woman whose body reflects years of training and warfighting (no, she's not trans as many "not transphobic" people keep shouting. Another member of the core cast is trans. A couple are white straight males.

    This is not a game that pushes a SJW agenda (whatever that is). It's a game that represents a wide range of people who happen to exist in this world. And it's really nice to get to see stories from these perspectives - especially those perspectives that I don't personally know. Because, isn't that kind of the magic of videogames as a medium? That we can inhabit worlds and perspectives different from our own?    … Expand
  30. bhavandeepsingh
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    I really liked the game's story, the characters, graphics and mechanics. It's a fitting ending to ellie's journey from an emotional teenager to an adult who is beginning to understand the meaning of perspectives and acceptance. Don't buy into the user reviews - play the game or watch the gameplay on YouTube and decide for yourself.
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PS4 Game of 2020
1
#1 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020
3
#3 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 121 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 113 out of 121
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 121
  3. Negative: 0 out of 121
  1. GameMAG
    Sep 13, 2020
    90
    The Last of Us Part II is the high point of the PlayStation 4. The plot is controversial, but the game is the incredibly addictive adventure of Ellie, from which it is impossible to pull away from the opening and to the very end.
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  2. PLAY! Zine
    Sep 5, 2020
    93
    Not everyone is going to enjoy the motives of The Last of Us Part II. But if you try and manage to accept the subliminal and not so subtle messages as a fact that the world has gone awry and that people have the need to have somewhere or someone to belong to as their own way out, then... You will witness the boundaries of gaming expand. You will witness a true masterpiece.
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  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Sep 3, 2020
    75
    If you loved the original for its great characters and well-paced story – stay away from this game. However, if you’re aching to sink into the depths of depression, or just want to cut some throats and burn some zombies – Part II will deliver. [Issue#247, p.72]
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