Current Events > Almost done with Last of Us 2 - (Thoughts from someone who enjoyed the first)

(+) Yeah! (+)

I really enjoyed the first Last of Us game. I think the story was perfect, but at times the game play was lacking a bit. However, overall, I would rate the first game a 10/10. I would give it an A+ for the story and a B for the game play.

Now to the second game. I'm not finished with it, so maybe my opinion could change once I've completed it.

Here's what I like and dislike.

The second game improves a lot on the game play. It's way more fun to play and there's a little more variety on how you can take out your foes. The levels are also a lot larger. If you've played Uncharted 4 or Uncharted The Lost Legacy then you'll be familiar with how these mini open worlds work. Basically, you're put in this extremely large map giving you the feel of freedom. It's fun to explore and find items, but there are times when there's nothing interesting to find. You're just in this large map and walking around with really nothing interesting to see, so it works and at times it doesn't.

There are more chances to stealth kill enemies and although I've never tried, I'm sure you can sneak past some without even engaging in combat.

The story is a downgrade from the first game. There's just to much happening. Naughty Dog should have followed the KISS method. Keep It Simple Stupid.

The problem I have is they drop in these new characters who kill Joel, but there's no explanation. Joel's death didn't have an impact because you're just like what's going on? Who are these people? Oh, I have to play in order to find out. I really don't like those sort of stories. In my opinion, Naughty Dog should have just made the Last of Us 2 all about Abby and the WLF. The enemy in the game should have been the Scars and the focus should have been on building up Abby and giving her more of a background. I would have eliminated Joel and Ellie from the second story. I would have mentioned Abby's dad's death at the hands of a "mad man," but kept it on the down low until the end where we learn that Abby's dad was killed by Joel. Then in part 3 I would have started the game with Abby killing Joel and concluding the game with Abby vs Ellie. If I was really ambitious, maybe gamers get to choose a side Abby or Ellie in the third game. Anyway, I also hate the use of flashbacks in this game or any story. It especially gets pretty tiring in this story. It worked perfectly when Ellie and Joel wander the museum. That was a perfect moment to use one. And then it gets used with Abby. It goes back to about a few days ago and then it goes back 4 years ago and then it returns you back to 3 days ago and then it goes back to 6 months ago. Then it goes back to a few days ago then it goes back 3 months ago. Back and forth, back and forth. Which is why I think Abby should have just had her story told in part 2 instead of cramming all the information in a few hours.

Overall, the story isn't too bad. I feel like the Last of Us and the Last of Us 2 flipped. While the first Last of Us had an A+ story and B game play, in the Last of Us 2 the game play is an A, but the story is a B.

I would definitely play this game again and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first game. Even if you didn't play the first game and you just love horror then you'll enjoy this game. I can't count how many times I felt tense and terrified after getting swarmed by a hoard of infected and didn't know which way to go because everything was so dark and some of the places look like mazes. It's so freaky when you're in a dark building and you hear the infected, but the only light you have is your flashlight which only shines light about 2 feet ahead of you. Then you check your ammo and you realize you're screwed.

I feel like if they moved events around it would have been better for story and pacing.

Imagine you start off in abby's flashback, leading up to the hospital deaths which is followed by Joel's version of the events to really drive it home.

If they started off with making the player try to sympathize and get to know abby it would have been better imo.
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LightningAce11 posted...

I feel like if they moved events around it would have been better for story and pacing.

Imagine you start off in abby's flashback, leading up to the hospital deaths which is followed by Joel's version of the events to really drive it home.

If they started off with making the player try to sympathize and get to know abby it would have been better imo.

Yeah, I feel the same way too. They make you hate Abby and then try to get you to feel sorry for her and then they switch you to Abby right when she has a gun pointed at Ellie. It felt like a slap in the face. Alright, play as Abby for a few hours and then you'll find out what happens to Ellie.

I rushed through the Abby levels just because I was more worried about Ellie than Abby which then left me not able to stop and smell the roses with Abby.

Abby near the end of the story was basically a female Joel, so that parallel worked there when Ellie was chasing them.
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