The Last of Us Part II | At Any Cost | Open Spoilers.

By Zabojnik Go To PostI'm glad that I'll be playing it at launch for once, when everyone is still hyped about it, reviewers' crazy parables notwithstanding.

Can't wait to ignore the inevitable "TLOU2's story was actually shit" / "I've a problem with TLOU2's gratuitous violence" discussions down the line.

By Laboured Go To PostAhahaha oh buddy TLOU2 won't even cure me

By JesalR Go To PostIsn't that fairly common practice in video game NDAs?

By Hitch Go To PostGamespot clickbaiting cunts go out of business already

moonface.png

By Laboured Go To PostThese people genuinely need an intervention.

"Beautifully and even gruesomely crafted, The Last of Us Part II represents the pinnacle of what video games can be. It’s an unflinching, impeccable example of how the medium can be used to propel the art form forward by employing the same visceral storytelling techniques and disturbing imagery you’d see from Oscar-nominated films. Critics have been asking when video games would “grow up” for years. The real question is this: when will films catch up with video games like The Last of Us Part II?"

By Dipro Go To Postwho is mad?

This is an unlikely comparison, but now that I’ve had some time to absorb The Last of Us Part II, it reminds me thematically of Shadow of the Colossus, another game about how consuming grief and anger can be. I was similarly poleaxed by that game’s clever manipulation of the player’s power, the way it also used the language of video games to make you think twice about your actions. The Last of Us Part II is another story that could only work as a game, the kind of challenging, groundbreaking work that comes along two or three times a decade.

I can rave about the attention to detail, the world, and the combat, but the story is where The Last of Us Part II sets a new bar. It is more about challenging your heart than your reflexes, and I simply cannot recommend it enough. There is much to be said about this game that can’t be said here due to spoilers, but you should play it as soon as you can with as little info as possible. But you don’t need to know specifics to appreciate how the gameplay and environmental cues all play into a single purpose: They make you feel the choices, helplessness, and the violence at the heart of this world and its characters. I can safely say this is the best narrative game I have played. I felt the loss. I felt the confusion. It is a game that turned me inside out with each twist of the screw.

The Last of Us Part 2 makes some bold moves. Whether it’s from a story perspective or a gameplay one, Naughty Dog haven’t been afraid to make some big leaps with this game. Fortunately, it’s almost all for the better, and the result is a game that is as diverse as it is challenging, with visuals that I can’t see being beaten until the new consoles hit, and a story that will raise some eyebrows but ultimately sticks the landing, in spite of how dark it can get. A magnificent example of what is capable in the medium of video games. We absolutely needed this sequel.

By Zabojnik Go To PostWe about to eat, sy.

Before we get into the Deaf/hoh nitty gritty, please note that this review’s images are the press assets made available to us as permitted by the reviewer agreement. This review will be updated with many more screenshots from my playthrough on the release date for The Last of Us 2, June 19, 2020. This way, players can see more of the accessibility features in action with examples that aren’t included in the press assets.*

Not since Gears 5 have I cried over Deaf/hoh accessibility and to be honest, I didn’t think any game could leave me feeling that sense of being “seen” and the joy of being able to play a game exactly how I need to again. Yet, Naughty Dog did just that.

The world of The Last of Us 2 is bleak and bloody, so it feels odd for me to be able to say that while playing it, I felt sheer joy. This marks only the second time in my gaming life that I have been able to play a game without a single barrier to my enjoyment. So often, while Ellie is surviving hell in the game, I’d find myself sitting there with a grin on my face, thinking, look at me, playing a game and being good at it! This is fun! That’s not something I get to feel often in games and it is incredible.

By Xpike Go To Posthttps://www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/wxqnxy/last-of-us-part-2-review