The Last of Us Part 2 had a lot to live up to. After all it is a follow up to one the best games in history and as you know if you have read mine or anyone else’s review for that matter the first game is a Masterpiece. In a world where the film and game industry is over diluted with franchises with ever releasing sequels that fail to match up to original, with the expectation of a handful, i did have my doubts.However this is Naughty Dog were talking about, the master of video games the ones who create console defining franchises and hit the mark with ever release sequel or standalone entry and The Last Of Us Part II not only continues this tradition but breaks new ground on what a video game should and can be, Let’s break it down.
The Last Of Us Part II is a blast to play from start to finish over and over and over again; and it give reason to want to play it again straight after you have finished it because the game although is linear and not open world provide more options for playstyle than any other game out there on the market. You can play on lower difficulty where supplies are aplenty and just run and gun your way through the campaign or you can bump up the difficulty to give yourself more of a challenge where each action needs to be carefully thought out and one false move or one missed shot could mean failure. This is also one of the most accessible games out there with tons of setting and sliders you can adjust to make your experience better including custom difficulty to fine tune the game to your liking and skill level, if you are deaf or hard of hearing there are options for that including speech to text if you’re colour blind then you can change the reticle colour or the Hud and even elements in the world you are exploring., and it’s so amazing that this game can even be played if you are completely blind.Naughty Dog have out done themselves with the accessibility for this game and despite the age rating of a 18+ this game has so many settings it could literally be played by anyone. However I have never needed accessibility for other games I have played. I found myself using them to make my experience better to my gameplay style. For example I used a pulse setting that helped me find supplies and collectibles which helped me out massively as I am a completionist. I also used the slow motion option at times which is toggled on and off by the touch pad (once activated) which gives certain fights in the game a cinematic feel with tones of the Matrix or DREDD. The gameplay is similar to the first game however it improves on that formula in every aspect the gun fights feel realistic as each enemy has an assigned name that their friend will call out if you happen to kill or injure them it like you’re killing real people , The crafting needs to be thought out as most of them require the same materials. Do I want a Molotov or a Med pack? A smoke bomb or a silencer for my pistol? These questions will cross your mind almost every fight and if you’ve got infected or the WLF running at you you may not have much time to decide. it’s do or die even on lower difficulties There are plenty of options when it comes to your arsenal too Snipers,Machine Guns, Pistols,Bottles and Bricks everything can be used to take out threats but the game constantly works against you to adapt the the smart AI that Naughty Dog as implemented in to this game. If you take too long to take out a group of enemies then they will start to flank you. If a dog catches your scent even if you haven’t done anything yet, you better get moving or you’ll soon find too many enemies in your position to handle. The AI learns your playstyle during fights which means you can’t just stick to one weapon or tactic you must quickly improvise in order to stay alive and outsmart the enemies,Both Human and Infected. Some noteworthy additions include a new dodge mechanic and a prone action as well as more verticality to areas allowing more diverse and intense firefights.
The Graphics on this game are on a whole other level The Last Of Us Part II is one of the most beautiful and mesmerizing games i have ever seen. I spent most of my time exploring the entire areas before i moved on, not only because i was looking for collectible and supplies but because it so easy to get lost in the beauty of this ugly and run down world that on more than one occasion i just said “Woah would you look how good that looks” From everything to the photo realistic character models to the old world ruins of Seattle from the Fungal infections to the brutal realism of the violence and gore. This is honestly mind blowing on what Naughty Dog was able to do with current Gen hardware. It’s hard to believe that games could get any better looking than this. The cutscenes look like I’m watching a movie then it flawlessly transitions into gameplay to the point that sometimes Ellie would just stand there because I didn’t realise the cutscene was over and was waiting to be controlled . The game honestly looks that good. As well as the graphics in this game the sound design and the voice acting is what really make this game seem like a real experience. As mentioned above the enemies shout each other’s names and shout out commands and order to help each other out and scream and cry if their friend or Dog is killed and even beg for their lives if you were to shoot them in the foot then render them defenseless. The violence and brutality in this game borders the line of too real and could come across as a little insensitive and take a toll on some people and be a little bit too much. However for me the ability to blow off a leg, arm, jaw or even an entire lower body might be a little disturbing but the ugliness of the violence is part of The Last Of Us Part II’s overall beauty. I read that the game was causing consoles to overheat and struggle to play it due to the fact, but i never experience any game breaking glitches or frame drops as of writing this review and for me the game is one of the biggest technical marvels of this gaming generation and i played in on the base model of the PS4.
Despite lacking multiplayer the game feels like it has a good lifespan given how much there is to do in this video game. Soon after i finished the game i went straight back into it without a break to try to fully complete the game and earn that sweet platinum. On the other hand I was a little disappointed that the platinum was easier than the first by a long mile but the game offers plenty of fun for a gamer even after the 100% completion. Replay upon replay.
But now for the ultimate game breaker…the story as quoted in my The Last Of Us Part I review i said and i quote ‘By far the narrative is The Last Of Us’ strongest strengths and oh my god does it deliver. It takes place in a world that has been overrun with a mutated strain of Cordyceps and the story is gut punching, heart ripping, a brutal tale of revenge,family and chaos in a world overrun with a threat like no other. Naughty Dog takes the cake with this story, not only is it the best video game stories but one of the best stories period. Not once can i play this campaign without having goosebumps for the entire game. The acting is on point, violence is brutal and the world this story creates is gorgeous. Right from the get go it grips you and keeps you until the very last seconds’…So how does the sequel live up? Well the story of the second game approached much differently as now we have a revenge story. Despite The Last of Us Part II being an overall superior game it does fail to out shine its predecessor in terms of narrative. This however is not a fault, Because to live up to the originals perfect story is a feat almost impossible to accomplish but The Last Of Us Part II only falls short of the originals narrative by hair and tells a compelling character driven story that has an upsetting and and sometimes unsettling elements that will keep you on edge of your gaming chair and keeps reminding you no one is safe, as characters are picked off in brutal and sudden ways that would make anyone tear up even a little. The performances are spectacular Troy Baker and Ashely Johnson continue to bring life the to characters you loved in the first game as Joel and Ellie respectively and new comer Laura Bailey give great performance as Abby the main ‘antagonist’ but just like the first game it’s never clear who the bad guys actually are because everyone’s morals only suit themselves and the brutality of their actions can’t be justified as good or even necessary evil. That’s what makes these characters so great and unique. It’s not a scale of good and evil…No, it’s a scale from Evil to Evilest in a world where everyone is just trying to survive.
Final Score.
Title:Masterpiece
The Last Of Us Part II outshines its predecessor in most ways and where the original does beat it it’s hardly a concern. Naughty Dog have once again crafted a game that is a mile above most AAA games and is without a doubt, this generation’s console defining video game and maybe one that may never be beaten. Until Naughty Dogs next game that is.
Head Over Reels 