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. formula1matthew
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You cant kill a main character then expect me to give a damn about the girl that did it. I hated how the story played out. Felt like a lot of it was in the wrong order. I wanted nothing more than to go full Kratos in GOW3 on Abby at the end but we just let her go? NO!!!!… Expand
  2. BigFizzyPop
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    Well mixed feelings on the game. Stunning graphics and soundtrack still amazed on how you have all out done yourselves. I don't agree with the story I don't like it , it had some serious potential but kinda flopped. Still it wasn't the best you gotta understand all the time and effort that was put into it but as I was saying didn't enjoy it as much as I thought it was gonna be but stillWell mixed feelings on the game. Stunning graphics and soundtrack still amazed on how you have all out done yourselves. I don't agree with the story I don't like it , it had some serious potential but kinda flopped. Still it wasn't the best you gotta understand all the time and effort that was put into it but as I was saying didn't enjoy it as much as I thought it was gonna be but still doesn't deserve to be shat on by everyone… Expand
  3. Looshx
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    Best well made game in PS4 ever BUT except the story and the order of things cloudve been better for it to be 10/10 but it didnt.

    For me i think what made the first game amazing in the last of us 1 was the story and to destroy that in part 2 is what made me feel like i didnt like it story wise and gameplay wise is amazing but it couldnt be more important to me as a fan becauae i loved its    Best well made game in PS4 ever BUT except the story and the order of things cloudve been better for it to be 10/10 but it didnt.

    For me i think what made the first game amazing in the last of us 1 was the story and to destroy that in part 2 is what made me feel like i didnt like it story wise and gameplay wise is amazing but it couldnt be more important to me as a fan becauae i loved its character and how the ending in the first game it made sense to me i guess more than part 2 did Applaud to all naughty dog devolpers though    … Expand
  4. Mxmightymc
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just a disappointment both in story and gameplay. They kill one of the main characters, the mpcs are very repetitive. Things like cars, furniture and foliage also very repetitive and can be very distracting.… Expand
  5. Porkhammer
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gameplay mechanics are enjoyable, but I feel like crafting could’ve been built on a bit more. While I can understand what they were trying to accomplish in terms of trying to get different perspectives across, they wound up making Ellie a very unlikeable character bu the end of the story. They also didn’t make any of the new characters stand out enough to be enjoyed. Even if they’d given us more time with them, because of the way they were introduced to us I already had a disdain for them. Had they brought the story to us differently, and let us get to know them and their motivations better before the terrible act, then maybe I’d have been more open to empathize with them. Because the story tends to make you want to walk away from it for awhile at points, I can’t justify the roughly 25 hour run time. The game is held up by fun, solid gameplay, and the voice acting, despite the writing doing it’s best to want to make you think about things, it results in unlikeable, or dull characters that I don’t care to spend another 25 hours with. All in all it’s a solid game, but not one I care to play through again.… Expand
  6. KidNugget
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    The gameplay and over all production is top tier, but for a game that’s essentially all about the story, they really dropped the ball. I gave the original TLOU a 10/10, and although this game improves on graphics and gameplay, the story just wasn’t compelling for me and I left extremely disappointed. It’s not an “awful” story by any means like most people are arguing, but I walked away notThe gameplay and over all production is top tier, but for a game that’s essentially all about the story, they really dropped the ball. I gave the original TLOU a 10/10, and although this game improves on graphics and gameplay, the story just wasn’t compelling for me and I left extremely disappointed. It’s not an “awful” story by any means like most people are arguing, but I walked away not caring about any characters, including those that I adored in the 1st game. I’m not sure how they managed to mess this up but here we are.… Expand
  7. Ajax2573
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    More of a 6.5 than a 6 but whatever. There were things about the original that all worked together to make a certain experience. For me it was characters, story, setting and resource management. Individually, these things are nothing and only together do they create a memorable experience. Resource management and how it mixes with combat decisions is as cool as ever. The setting is awesomeMore of a 6.5 than a 6 but whatever. There were things about the original that all worked together to make a certain experience. For me it was characters, story, setting and resource management. Individually, these things are nothing and only together do they create a memorable experience. Resource management and how it mixes with combat decisions is as cool as ever. The setting is awesome and you explore interesting places. The characters are well written but just not interesting and it doesn’t help that neither is the story. It all revolves around a certain event, as if the event itself is going to shape the whole story like the tlou1 did with Joel and Ellie’s relationship. It doesn’t. Before this game came out all of the previews and interviews made it seem like the story was going in a certain direction and it’s really disappointing the way it turned out. It would’ve been nice to something maybe a little more lighthearted especially with everything going on in a world where there doesn’t seem to be very much hope nowadays.… Expand
  8. AidanDrysdale
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I genuinely finished this game 2 days after release. I tried everything to like it but I just found it very boring and dry. 25 hours of gameplay with a badly written story, characters with no depth that I never felt a connection too (unlike all previous naughty dog games) false advertising in the fact it was shown from trailers etc that Joel would be in the game not Abby, the 10 hours of Abby gameplay that wasn’t revealed as I just mentioned and the awful ending that makes the whole game completely null and void. A story about revenge and true horror of the human psyche which just crumbles into nothingness and Ellie never gets her revenge it’s ridiculous. Worst AAA title for a long time. I’m glad people like it but to me that story was just not up to my standards. Everything other than the story was phenomenal the graphics, the music, sounds and gameplay were 10/10 unfortunately the story was 4/10 so I tired to balance it with my 6/10. 7/10 at very best.… Expand
  9. Abcollier00
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This game’s story felt rushed and pointless at times and over-cumbering and drawn out at others. They make loved characters into monsters with no redeeming qualities. The LGBT content in the game is fine however it feels as if the chemistry between characters is dryer than cardboard. It’s main redemption is in the challenging and excellent gameplay and the gorgeous world that was created.This game’s story felt rushed and pointless at times and over-cumbering and drawn out at others. They make loved characters into monsters with no redeeming qualities. The LGBT content in the game is fine however it feels as if the chemistry between characters is dryer than cardboard. It’s main redemption is in the challenging and excellent gameplay and the gorgeous world that was created. I so wish Naughty Dog would have gone with a prequel to this game than a sequel, following Joel after the death of his daughter and his loss of humanity would be an interesting story to play. This game’s narrative left a bad taste in my mouth and feeling exhausted by the constantly shifting story that didn’t seem to know where it was going.… Expand
  10. kartikv0711
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had never played the Last of Us but had heard good things about that game, so I didn't want to miss out on this one. Presumably there were a lot of folks like me who were expecting a similar experience. What we get instead is a hodgepodge game with no sense of direction and an overriding theme all the time - revenge! Both the protagonists on this game are so driven by the sense of revenge that it just gets tedious after a while playing this game. The only thing that kept me going was the urge to explore the world. Boy does the story and narrative make it hard to do that. All said, this game is definitely not a 10/10 as IGN's Jonathon Dornbush rated it. But it's not the worst either. The initial few hours are enjoyable, but once you start playing as Abby that's when things get bad. To me, RDR2 remains the gold standard when it comes to telling a story in a game. You could actually connect with the characters and that made the game so much more enjoyable. This game, not so much. So yeah, Naughty Dog, if you are reading this review, take this as feedback. It's not a bad game, it's just not the "masterpiece" IGN claims it is and which is probably what a lot of users were expecting too.… Expand
  11. captjingjing
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    In it's closing scene, you feel a sense of absolute emptiness. The bad kind. There is nothing to look forward to because the game leaves you with nothing....after destroying everything. The only reason I'm giving a 6 and not lower is simply because the naughty dog team did an incredible job in so many technical ways that has set a new bar in character depth for a video game going forward.In it's closing scene, you feel a sense of absolute emptiness. The bad kind. There is nothing to look forward to because the game leaves you with nothing....after destroying everything. The only reason I'm giving a 6 and not lower is simply because the naughty dog team did an incredible job in so many technical ways that has set a new bar in character depth for a video game going forward. (Even if I despise the characters themselves...)… Expand
  12. Nouraii
    Jul 5, 2020
    6
    I’ll keep this short. I liked the game play a lot. The fights were fun. Story wasn’t great and was all over the place. Knowing that the game is pushing you to feel bad in certain parts and sympathetic in others made me feel the opposite. The order of the story and povs was messed up. Starting the story with a new character that you made us hate then try to sympathize with and like wasn’tI’ll keep this short. I liked the game play a lot. The fights were fun. Story wasn’t great and was all over the place. Knowing that the game is pushing you to feel bad in certain parts and sympathetic in others made me feel the opposite. The order of the story and povs was messed up. Starting the story with a new character that you made us hate then try to sympathize with and like wasn’t the best choice. Hate doesn’t turn to sympathy that easily. Fighting Ellie felt so wrong and none of Abby’s actions before that made me cheer for her or hope she lives at all. The couple of times Ellie killed me in the fight felt justified. At least, she wasn’t a dumb npc in the fight.

    All in all, story is the worst part of this game.    … Expand
  13. santiagomarin
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    First I want to clarify I'm not a native speaker to the English language in case I have some words that I mispelled, now let's get on for the review.
    I want to start by saying the positive things that came out of this game.
    The last of us was one of the most heartbreaking and groundbreaking games ever. So, for the sequel it was expected to have a lot of hype and expectations coming in...    First I want to clarify I'm not a native speaker to the English language in case I have some words that I mispelled, now let's get on for the review.
    I want to start by saying the positive things that came out of this game.
    The last of us was one of the most heartbreaking and groundbreaking games ever. So, for the sequel it was expected to have a lot of hype and expectations coming in... Evene after saying that I think the sequel did kind of dissapoint me.
    The last of us part 2 has probably the best visuals, special effects, cgi I have ever seen in any videogame ever. I think that many people aren´t acknowledging that. The visuals left me with my jaw on the floor, each scene felt like a masterpiece.
    Also, the gameplay developed similarly to the first one adding many elements like the stealth options, the workshop elements, the improvement of skills, etc. I think that the gameplay, the zombies and the action scenes are way more fun and unique in a very real way. Each time I kill some enemies I feel the weight of each bullet, the npc's feel more realistic and griddy making the game have a much more realistic look for the environment and for the characters.
    Another thing I really enjoyed was the writing, even though the story, the pacing, the characters and some decisions are really poor in this game the writing does have it's moments. The writing was pretty good considering the story they wanted to say, the characters did feel grounded and I felt the weight of each character I lost even the ones I didn't actually know in the beginning. Relationships are formed in a decent way and many characters do feel very real.
    Now with the negatives.
    I won't get too much into the story because I don't want to spoil anyone, but the story is really weak. After the first one this one felt like a try hard version of a change in characters that didn't work as well as they wanted to. Most of the characters that you already know from the first game are changed almost completely in a way that you almost can't recognize. The story is sloppy and a bit messy in times shifting from flash backs and stories that are very on the nose.
    The game makes some bold decisions that in the end don't play that well. I think that the studio, the actors, the visuals effects, the concept art, the design... they all did their best with what they were given.
    But, in my opinion it ended up becoming a ground breaking video game in visuals, having some of the most flawless animations ever. Some really fun gameplay in a story that ends up being pretty forgettable. In itself this videogame would have been a really decent one if it wasn't a sequel, but sadly it is.
    This game tries to portray a story that has already been told in many ways, media, tv shows and movies. It tries to be super clever, but it ends up falling a bit flat even with good writing and good visuals.
    This movie just suffered from the pacing, the structure of the story and the way that it was told. This game could've still been a masterpiece if it was told in a different order and in a way that didn't make the person playing the game forced to feel something. This game could've been a masterpiece... sadly it ended up being a forgettable ok game that I would only play again for the visuals.    … Expand
  14. Deank1006
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The last of us 2 was an amazing game visually. It’s an amazing game at creating suspense and anxiety. When talking about it I’ve always said it’s not really that fun, but very engaging and stressful which Is fun to some people like myself. The problem for me with the last of us 2, was that it never really made me happy, which is the main reason I play story games. Games like Rdr2, Gow, or the original tlou made me very attached to the characters. In all of those games there are iconic and great moments that makes me feel like those characters feel. Real emotions. In tlou2, the only time I was happy was during the flashbacks with Joel. I could truly care less about abby. Seeing Joel alive was really the only thing. I really like Tommy as well and wish he was in the story more than he is. I can’t find myself to relate with almost any of the characters. As for Joel’s death, I hated it. I was very angry, and I think that’s what they wanted for sure. But Joel didn’t deserve to go out like that. He should’ve gone out defending Ellie from abby or something. Something like Arthur Morgan giving his life to save john marston. If you are really going to kill off a beloved character you have to do it in a good way. The beginning of the game is literally 2 lesbians smoking pot, and then killing Joel. I don’t think most of the people who bought the game care. As for a lot of people complaining about sjw stuff, yes it is in the game. It was annoying to me, but I’m more indifferent than anything. If it was a straight scene I could care less as well. I just want to play a fun and engaging game. Because of these factors like not relating to characters, just wishing the story was completely different, not really being happy at all while playing the game, I can’t rate it very high. This game was fantastic if you don’t care about story. But it’s a linear game (for the most part) and story is what matters. For me it’s a 6.5 out of 10. But I’m still mad about Joel’s death so I’m rounding it down.… Expand
  15. Johnobudiman77
    Jul 11, 2020
    6
    the worst sequel but, a lot of people put effort to this game
    Story: 3
    Gameplay:6
    Graphic: 10
    Voice acting: 8
  16. Jprice
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    I really hate to say this but, TLOUP2 is just an OK game. Mostly in terms of the story line and characters newly introduced in this installment. The first half of the game had me hooked, the graphics and gameplay are very good, the animation is stunning. I just could NOT buy into the story line or the character of abbey. I dislike her and found playing as her annoying. Im veryI really hate to say this but, TLOUP2 is just an OK game. Mostly in terms of the story line and characters newly introduced in this installment. The first half of the game had me hooked, the graphics and gameplay are very good, the animation is stunning. I just could NOT buy into the story line or the character of abbey. I dislike her and found playing as her annoying. Im very disappointed becuase I waited years for this game and it has soooooo much potential, they just didnt do a good job on the direction of the story at all.… Expand
  17. fryjap
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    Pretty game. Mediocre gameplay. Bad story structure and characters. Buy if on sale.
  18. SFArmy
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    Visual/audio - 8/10 - Great
    This is the strong point of TLOU2, and I can see why one might even go as far as to say it is the key feature of the game.
    The level of detail is high, the environment feels very realized (for this kind of lineair experience) and it very much deserves the praise. However, as you go through the game you will notice more and more flaws, mainly in the form of the    Visual/audio - 8/10 - Great
    This is the strong point of TLOU2, and I can see why one might even go as far as to say it is the key feature of the game.
    The level of detail is high, the environment feels very realized (for this kind of lineair experience) and it very much deserves the praise. However, as you go through the game you will notice more and more flaws, mainly in the form of the environment that does not make sense. I did not really felt the environment to be repetitive though.
    The same can be said for animations, very good, but you'll notice flaws as the game goes on. But even considering those flaws, still great visuals.
    Audio is not the greatest focus here as I think it was in the original. While certain audio cues certainly did enhance the experiences, I think this could be a bit better in terms of impact.

    Gameplay - 7/10 - Good
    If you have played the original TLOU you know what to expect. I think it is fine.
    I did not like the dodge mechanic. It is very strict, and the animations during combat show their repetitiveness very early on.
    Gunplay is okay, but the sway makes it very difficult to make headshots - which is fine I suppose. You can modify your weapon to help you with this.
    I did like the customization in the game. One aspect I would like to see improved is ammo capacity, by e.g. craft an extra ammo pouch for a few extra rounds as I felt many times I had to pass on ammo when I found it, because the game tells me I cannot carry more.
    Stealth, which is what I mainly did, is good. You have more options now compared to the original game (like hiding in grass).
    Weapons and crafting - as Ellie I feel you have several options in how you could handle an encounter if stealth doesn't work. It is expanded on compared to the original, and I did like the new items. Further in the game something changes, and I could not help but feel my options being reduced. I am not sure if this was the intent of the developer.

    Narrative/story - 3/10 - Bad
    I loved it as much as I hated it. I won't go into detail, as this would require spoilers.
    At the end of the first half, I wanted more of that. When the second half began, I was contemplating myself if I would continue. Never before did my opinion of a game change so fast. I chose to finish it but a thought of dislike for the game came up often.
    In the first half it is somewhat like the original, likeable characters and here and there genuine good dialoge and events. These made me feel for the characters. Due to a certain event though some things are inconsequential, so I was not sure why the developer chose that structure. That could be better.
    It did not help that in the second half, when some events happen, I did not feel anything for it. Not the characters, not the hardship they experience(d), etc.
    When the credits rolled, I was not feeling anything. The second half really did hurt the whole narrative experience for me.
    In the end, I hoped for much more than I was given from a narrative perspective. Because of how the events played out in terms of structure and inconsequential events, I feel this is worse than just a poor narrative, which is why I think this is a 3/10.

    Overall
    6/10 - As said before I loved it as much as I hated it. Considering everything, this is a great game with a bad narrative. So if you like TLOU for it's narrative and dialogue/characters, I think chances are high you will leave this game with disappointment. So, as someone who loved TLOU, I find it difficult to recommend it.
    If you like the gameplay and environment of the original and did not really care for the story/characters, then TLOU2 might be an excellent game for you.
    If you are new to TLOU2, and you like a harsh post apocalyptic world, you might like this but do consider if the narrative is important for you. I would recommend to play the original TLOU first before considering the sequel.

    The developper said this would be a divisive game. I really think the developpers underestimated the fanbase on this, in a bad way. I cannot understand how the decisions they made would be the best for the game or for the franchise.

    Thank you for taking you're time to read this one opinion.    … Expand
  19. Txatxe
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    Amazing graphics and level design, good gameplay but a bit repetitive. About the story, I get what they were trying to do, but it didn't click with me, so given the story is what I value the most about this franchise, I can't give this game a better score.
  20. WiseLich
    Jul 3, 2020
    6
    Hands down the most impressive graphics on ps4, simply gorgeous. The gameplay is really fun : it borrows the first part mechanics and evolve them. The fighting animations are bloody and feel "real". The exploration is fun and always different. Since it lasts 20+ hours could become boring, but I did like it till the end. Sadly the plot is your standard subpar revenge story, mixed with anHands down the most impressive graphics on ps4, simply gorgeous. The gameplay is really fun : it borrows the first part mechanics and evolve them. The fighting animations are bloody and feel "real". The exploration is fun and always different. Since it lasts 20+ hours could become boring, but I did like it till the end. Sadly the plot is your standard subpar revenge story, mixed with an unrealistic B-Movie "horror" setting. Every character is dumb, a psycho, an edgelord, or straight up an idiot. The few ones who could be good are often overshadowed and ruined by the retards around them, or just die randomly. Spent my playtrough laughing most of the time. The problem is that the game wants to be taken seriously, but it fails miserably after 2 hours. Forgettable cast and plot. The ending is got season 8 "subvert expectations" level garbage. A solid 6. Just skip the cutscenes. All of them.… Expand
  21. TheLopezepoL
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. All reviews here are 10's or 0's... this game isn't a sh*t neither a GOTY. It deserves a solid 6. The game play, enemies, environment has improved exponentially but it has fails, the game makes you walk more to do time between scene and scene; if you aren't killing anyone or hiding from enemy the game makes you walk more than Death Stranding... and yeah the story... is like a big political banner, Ellie is nothing like the Ellie we meet in the first game and DLC and has no character development... kind of sad what they make to her. Do not misunderstand me all the plot of vengeance and more vengeance was good but I can't see this like a second part of the game I played. 6/10… Expand
  22. BladeJones
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The first games story served its purpose but wasn't all that complex or intriguing. The gameplay was solid but not very innovative or all that exciting as a stealth action third person shooter. But what sold it and made it one of the greatest games of all time (besides the totally underrated multiplayer) was the characters they crafted. Even up until now, no game had created such fleshed out and believable characters with real motivations and interactions that actually made you care for them. Which is why it's such a disappointment in actually waiting seven years for this developer to bring us that same level of commitment to characters in the form of a sequel and utterly destroy every notion of character building that brought their first game such huge praise and success. And the "voices" of the industry want you to believe that if you don't like these characters, you're basically a hateful person and don't support inclusivity in the gaming medium. I have actually gotten arguments against me saying I'm not for representation in gaming because I don't like the game. This is an absurd conclusion to make because there are actually great games that have made many strides in representation in the gaming community that people praise, including myself. And one of them is the DLC for the previous game! The problem with the characters in The Last of Us Part 2 is not that they're too representative, it's that they're just not very well written. This is exactly what happened in Game of Thrones season 8. The need to subvert expectations overrode their ability to craft intricate characters and organic situations that would naturally bring them together. The first part of the game is just trying to find the fastest way to kill Joel so we can get to Ellie's revenge story. That's a problem because it leads to the contrived actions of characters they spent the entire last game showing you they wouldn't put themselves in. And when we get to the point of no return, the other group has to keep making dumb decisions just to keep the plot rolling. And no one points this out but just think how the first game took place over a year and how we grew to love and connect with those characters (and the ones they came in contact with) and you contrast it with this game that takes place over the course of ONLY three days then puts you back at the beginning of those three days just to do it over again. How can you expect the characters you create to form connections and bonds with someone after three days and then expect the audience to understand their motivations and reasoning? Then look back at how the originals pacing feels mostly right and hits its story beats while this sequel feels long and needlessly drawn out. Every time a "building in the distance" prompt came up it just keeps reminding you that you probably have hours more to go. What kind of storytelling is building up to a moment of conflict where the character you've been hunting for three days shows up at your doorstep only to have you immediately pulled out of the climax and into their shoes to show their side of things as a cheap emotional trick. And nothing Abby does pertains to Ellie and the overall story. She doesn't even know Ellie exists until the end of her third day. Her entire side story is largely inconsequential to the overall plot of the game. And you have all these story beats tied up in the most contrived situations imaginable. The person Abby has been searching for for four years is at the exact spot she is and saves her when she's about to be devoured by a horde. She kills him while Ellie watches and they don't think this group will come for them after they leave. Ellie and Tommy start hunting them down and it leads them to an aquarium where ELLIE LEAVES BEHIND A MAP SHOWING EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE. They fight and Abby once again leaves them alive for no logical reason. A year later you have Tommy, someone who is supposed to care for Ellie, come and guilt her back to a revenge engrossed mindset. She tracks her down and has to rescue her so she can kill her, then let's her live because reasons. Ellie didn't learn anything. There was no resolution between the two. She had a flashback of Joel that prevented her from killing the person that brutally murdered him.... when she just spent the entire game shooting hundreds of people in the head who, according to the writing team, were just as good of people as they want u to believe Abby is and you never even gave a second thought about them. This game isn't bad, it's just a disappointment. It's a shame this is what the writers at naughty dog were making for seven years with the full intention of disappointing fans and they never took a step back to ask themselves if this story was necessary to tell for these characters and this world. I'd argue no and I wish I could somehow erase this game from my memory and let part one live on as a standalone experience that told the complete story of Joel and Ellie.

    6/10    … Expand
  23. Deathcat
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    Сюжет не очень, особенно если сравнивать с первой частью, геймплей почти не изменился и игра слишком затянута. Я бы занизил оценку за то, что сони всех купила, но это было бы неправильно по отношению к игре.
  24. Saitken2020
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    A game that is better than some make it out to be. Sure, the story could have been ten times better - but the gameplay and graphics more than make up for it in spades.
  25. tamermol
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have to be careful to not let my emotion sour an objective review of the game. Many people have rated it in the red, but in terms of gameplay, mechanics, graphics, sound and otherwise the quality of the game I would say is elite. The variety of options for moving around and taking on enemies (from infected to people), with different weapons, stealth, attack, distractions and such is great.

    However...... The Last of Us as a whole was built around a story, and a very deep story at that. The development of Joel and Ellie in game 1, surviving the world and challenges together gave the player a deep emotional connection to these characters and the storyline of the game as a whole. I feel The Last of Us Part II took a big **** on those characters and our connection as players to those characters. *SPOILERS BELOW*

    There are definitely holes in the plot and in the character behavior itself, such as Joel and Tommy losing their survival instinct and skepticism that has kept them alive for the past 20+ years, and Ellie going on a nationwide manhunt, killing hundreds of people mercilessly just to decide against killing the one person shes after...

    I do not mind the fact that Joel died, however it could have been done much better, and would have preferred it to happen later in the game. The biggest issue I found with the game was the fact that we were forced to play as Abby (Joel's murderer) and for such long periods. Not only that, but we also had to fight against Ellie as this character. I found this all to be a huge disrepect to the player and our bond with Ellie and Joel, and because of that it made the game unenjoyable to play through those parts (a solid 10-14 hours worth).

    There were some real moments, especially between Ellie and Joel in flashbacks, and the emotion felt by her during the death but unfortunately the rest of the game and story overshadowed that.

    In the end, my rating are as such:
    • Gaming = 10/10 (brilliant visuals, mechanics, sound and otherwise)
    • Story = 2/10 (a huge disrespect to the player, characters and survival dynamic)
    FINAL SCORE = 6/10    … Expand
  26. MrShepherd
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    I went into this game apprehensively. I was concerned because Troy Baker wanted us to have an "open mind" going in. That's usually code for you're not going to like what you see here.

    I knew about the leaks but I intentionally avoided all of them. So, other than the one comment from Troy, I was going in blind. Surprisingly, when the game started off I didn't have any issues with it.    I went into this game apprehensively. I was concerned because Troy Baker wanted us to have an "open mind" going in. That's usually code for you're not going to like what you see here.

    I knew about the leaks but I intentionally avoided all of them. So, other than the one comment from Troy, I was going in blind.

    Surprisingly, when the game started off I didn't have any issues with it. However, it soon became apparent that Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann had a scratch to itch with this game's story, characters be damned.

    Neil has gone to Twitter and said that they won't pander to the fans of the original game, which is fine. Tell the story that you want to tell. If you want to tell a dark story, then do so creatively. If you want to take these characters on a journey into the pits of hell, then do so creatively. If you want to discuss how revenge makes monsters of us all, then do so creatively. What you don't do, is give us this story that is so amateurish in its execution that it was genuinely a chore to slog through.

    It's almost as if ND engineered this story from the end and worked their way backwards. How do I get the characters here? Oh, well this has to happen and that has to happen regardless of whether it makes any sense or not. The plot should serve the characters not the other way around. This is why you have multiple characters behave in uncharacteristic ways just so ND can get to where they want to go with their story.

    This same story could be told, even with all of its issues, in a much better fashion. How is it that the last game came out in 2013 and this is the best that they could do? This game's story drags the whole game down. I actually wanted the game to just end when I got to the farm. This wasn't because I thought that would be a good way to end the game. I simply wanted the game to end because I didn't care anymore. As a storyteller, I'm sure that's the last thing you want, but as a gamer I can tell you what I don't want: The Last of Us Part III. Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann made sure of that.

    I really wanted to like this game. The first game was amazing, a 10/10 experience. I am by no mean a professional reviewer but even by my standards 10/10 scores are extremely rare.    … Expand
  27. kylleblack
    Jul 3, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. O jogo possuí qualidade de cenários e animações muito superiores a quase tudo que existe no mundo dos games, mas a jogabilidade evoluiu pouco em relação ao original e a IA dos inimigos permite vc “empilhar corpos” abusando das mesmas técnicas.

    O roteiro e o desenvolvimento da história são os pontos mais fracos, com vários problemas:
    - Grande quantidade de NPCs e organizações mal desenvolvidas; Exemplo: Isaac, o líder da WLF, tem uma introdução pesada e depois uma morte banal;
    - Uma tentativa clara de recriar um sentimento de apego entre Abby e Lev nos moldes do primeiro jogo porém feito de uma forma nada realística (o primeiro jogo mostra 1 ano de convivência entre os personagens e não 3 dias...)
    - Diversas mortes “instantâneas” que parecem planejadas com a intenção apenas de causar um choque;
    - Os personagens centrais não dialogam entre si. A série nunca teve discursos longos, mas nem um breve grito de “o Joel matou meu pai!”? As protagonistas se encontram em pontos diversos e nem extravasam toda a carga emocional que se espera que esteja em pauta.

    A impressão geral é de que em busca de reforçar a lição moral que o jogo desesperadamente quer contar, eles realocaram eventos e a linha do tempo para se adequar a transmissão da mensagem. O jogo se preocupa menos com contar uma história crível e mais com conduzir o jogador a uma conclusão, causando diversos momentos de desconforto sem entregar coesão nem com o primeiro jogo e nem com a própria história que coloca temas demais na primeira metade e tem uma amarração corrida na segunda parte.

    Uma conjectura com relação ao tempo de desenvolvimento e aos trailers que foram liberados ao longo do tempo: tudo indica que o jogo seria uma história mais tradicional de vingança (talvez ficasse melhor contada) e que foi distorcida por decisões de direção.    … Expand
  28. Kmine1217
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    6/10 While I do understand why people would dislike the game for a multitude of reasons. Giving it a 0/10 untimely isn’t really a effective way of directing criticism. If you have issues either don’t buy it or return it and get a credit wherever you hit the game from. With that out of the way my personal score is a 6/10 the combat feels virtually the save a few extra gimmick like animals6/10 While I do understand why people would dislike the game for a multitude of reasons. Giving it a 0/10 untimely isn’t really a effective way of directing criticism. If you have issues either don’t buy it or return it and get a credit wherever you hit the game from. With that out of the way my personal score is a 6/10 the combat feels virtually the save a few extra gimmick like animals and such. The combat in the first game wasn’t the best but the story and writing carried it above what the combat was. However this game doesn’t have that luxury. The writing is unfortunately forced and contrived characters acting completely contrary to the previous game. And while time has passed the erratic nature of the time jumps is leaves the story feeling disjointed and unfocused. The games story often times has flashbacks with flashbacks. Creating a lack of cohesive focus. With the marketing focused on playing Ellie in reality playing another character for have the game. And that new character just isn’t written well. Combine that poor writing with obvious favoritism, she gets all the best combat sections, all the best weapons. I bought the game under the assumption that I’d be playing Ellie. This disconnect is caused by her killing Joel within the first hour. This was a terrible idea as it make us try to like a character that murdered the protagonist of the previous game we had gotten attached to. The Graphics while beautiful to me aren’t as important as gameplay, or a satisfying story. The forced nature of the story of what amounts to the theme of revenge and murder runs counter intuitive to the fact you can’t not kill people. The game seemingly wishes to judge you by making all of the deaths around you sound horrifying with gurgling noises, people calling for their mom. The fact the story has a, animal die to make the player feel bad when we learn who the owner was is just imposed by the fact we can’t not and Ellie has no way of knowing some random dog was someone else’s. This is why people dislike the game. The forced, and contrived nature of it. I never felt it could live up to the first because the bar was set too high. 6/10 the combat has little improvement, the graphics are beautiful, but poor pacing, writing, story, and character ultimately drags it down. It’s not a bad game and for the most part is competently made. The problem with subverting expectations is that you run the risk of alienating the audience you already have.… Expand
  29. Divotdog
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i love the first game but this just didn't hit home. pacing felt off in some many areas. marketing and expectations painted it to be a whole other different game. favorite parts were the flashbacks with Joel and Ellie and i wish i got a game with more of those. it hurts me to say i didn't like this game. waited so long for it and it dropped the ball.… Expand
  30. thomascaestus
    Jul 2, 2020
    6
    The first game is so strong because it's a heartwarming father-daughter experience in a world void of any decency. That concept we all loved is intentionally stripped from the second game right from the beginning, with the exception of a few infrequent flashbacks that don't really add much to the plot after Joel is treated like a side character.

    Instead, TLOU2 focuses on a revenge    The first game is so strong because it's a heartwarming father-daughter experience in a world void of any decency. That concept we all loved is intentionally stripped from the second game right from the beginning, with the exception of a few infrequent flashbacks that don't really add much to the plot after Joel is treated like a side character.

    Instead, TLOU2 focuses on a revenge narrative. It's about hate instead of love - a bold choice to go in the opposite direction. At times, we empathize with the characters and Ellie in particular, but ultimately it feels like senseless violence (which is the point) and we are meant to take an objective stance on it. There are also a few plot holes, instances of characters acting inconsistently compared to their behavior in the first game, character development occurring after the deaths of important people (in flashbacks), times when the player has to suspend disbelief, not too much additional lore, and a plethora of weird pacing issues. Some of it is very hard to get through because the characters we grew to love are treated like dirt and treat each other like dirt as well.

    That being said, the story is highly controversial and simply not for everyone. Personally, it was a deal-breaker for me and left me feeling miserable. So much missed the mark for me that it would take up another review entirely for me to explain. The plot is a mess.

    Additionally, at times the weight of each character's actions doesn't seem as real as in the first game because the survival element is a lot less prominent. Ellie can infinitely knife enemies or chop them to pieces. Abby is a complete badass with more strength than any of the male characters and an army on her side, although it's a bit weird how she can't find a knife for stealth too. The first game was just Joel and a kid (Ellie) versus the world. However, during certain segments while fighting the infected, there are some tough moments. It's a lot of fun playing as Abby in particular because her segments are so intense and varied.

    The gameplay, animation, sound, music, voice acting, and graphics are all phenomenal. There are new crafting options, controls, and now there's vertical level design. Unfortunately, there's an overabundance of cutscenes and walking/horse-riding as opposed to actual combat to the extent that a lot of it feels like filler. The game doesn't even pick up until roughly 30 minutes in. I think the developers forgot they were making TLOU2 at times and not Uncharted 5 - not that Uncharted is bad by any means, but it's clearly a different series. And besides certain intense areas when you play as Abby, most of the game's chapters feel like random progression, whereas in the first game every segment was engaging and unique. Not too much is particularly memorable and the game overall is far too long for its own good.

    One thing people wished was rumor (according to the leaks), but is unfortunately true, is the heavy implementation of progressive politics. I don't think most players care if a character is a lesbian, for example, but why make it central to her entire identity and the plot? On top of that, Abby is comically muscular, two other women are bisexual (one not shown in-game), there is a homosexual WLF enemy, and there's another new character who is a trans child. I found myself asking, "Is this a game about fungus zombies or sexual identity, feminism, and gender?" The LGBT community is so small, and yet in this universe, there's a massive over-representation of LGBT characters in a post-apocalyptic world, all converging in Seattle. It just doesn't make sense for a series that's known for its realism.

    Still, even despite its flaws, this is an okay game with a lot of new content to offer compared to the first. It's far better without making the comparison. These are two entirely different games.    … Expand
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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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