There's so much I could say about this game, and it did, indeed, teach me a lot. Perhaps I could talk about how drummed-up controversies affect our perception of games, perhaps I could talk about how expectations of "uh it's Oscarbait AAA stuf it's going to be 'good' standard good great even" can make things seem less appealing - after all if you know something is just boilerplate good, then you know, why bother?
I could talk about the modern 2 hour video essay, how they serve often to give a person a wikipedia summary of a game and prepackaged opinions so they can take part in Discourse. I can talk about people complaining about emotional manipulation, about The Gamer Struggles, about all that.
None of it matters in the face of the primacy of experience. Of going through a massive work of art like this yourself. How did this get made. How did this get made with a AAA budget. How is it twice the length of The Last of Us One. How is it all killer no filler. How does it manage to tell a story of such violence, emotional vulnerability, and depth. I don't know. People and the discourse around it could not tell me.
A masterpiece. Play it if you liked the first game. Play the first game to play this game. This will be an enduring, all-time classic.
I could talk about the modern 2 hour video essay, how they serve often to give a person a wikipedia summary of a game and prepackaged opinions so they can take part in Discourse. I can talk about people complaining about emotional manipulation, about The Gamer Struggles, about all that.
None of it matters in the face of the primacy of experience. Of going through a massive work of art like this yourself. How did this get made. How did this get made with a AAA budget. How is it twice the length of The Last of Us One. How is it all killer no filler. How does it manage to tell a story of such violence, emotional vulnerability, and depth. I don't know. People and the discourse around it could not tell me.
A masterpiece. Play it if you liked the first game. Play the first game to play this game. This will be an enduring, all-time classic.
The Last of Us Part II is a brutal, gut-wrenching, and absolutely unforgettable experience. The graphics and gameplay are top-notch, and the story... well, let's just say it's controversial. Some choices will make you love it, others will make you hate it. It's bleak, violent, and forces you to think about tough themes. The Last of Us Part II isn't for everyone, but if you're ready for a game that sticks with you long after you finish it, this one's a masterpiece, even if it's a flawed one.