"If somehow the Lord gave me a second chance at that moment... I would do it all over again."
The story of this game quickly became one of the most controversial ones ever told, but despite how much hatred it generated on people, it was all for the right reasons. Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross wrote a powerful and unforgettable tale that challenges the viewer in every way possible, but none of that is just for shock value or disrespects the original like so many people thought it did, but because they wanted to discuss human questions that have no moral easy answers. They knew this story would've pissed a lot of people off, and when the world finally played it they even questioned themselves if they did the right thing, but the reactions Part II caused proved that everything they we're trying to achieve was right. Druckmann and Halley told this story because they knew it was the right one to tell, the one that felt most loyal to what the first game was and also one that had so much to say, and they deserve an award for being this brave and sticking to their guts. There's no way to describe how hard they go on what they discuss without actually watching it, because they put their audience on an emotional test that dissects everything you believe as a person. And while sure it's a phenomenal looking game, probably the best one I've ever seen, and the gameplay is also top notch... That's not what stucked with me after finishing the game.
When the credits rolled I was deeply depressed by it, and I had so many extreme reactions and feelings throughout that I'll just never forget it. When the hardest thing to do in a game is not pushing the button itself, but doing what that button wants you to do story wise, you know you did something monumental. For me "Part II" achieved a groundbreaking status by pushing what Videogames could be as a piece of art, deliberately bringing an experience that is not necessarily fun throughout for a artful reason. I was forever changed after that experience back in 2020 and it'll never leave me, I learned so many things as a person and I still think about everything I felt during that original playthrough and all the later ones including this one. To me, "The Last of Us: Part II" is one of the bravest and most powerful stories ever told in any media, and that is the highest complement I can give to a piece of art. It's impossible to go through the journey of Ellie and Abby without feeling a lot and having something to say, and how amazing is that. I'll always be thankful that Naughty Dog gave us this experience, I can't wait to see how Druckmann and Craig Mazin are gonna adapt this in the HBO show, and I'll be there day one for the eventual Part III that just got confirmed at the end of the Grounded documentary included.
And as for this new PS5 version, the visual upgrades are very welcoming and noticeable but it is definitely a remaster that only slightly polishes what was already flawless. The DualSense capabilities are great, it looks absolutely breathtaking in native 4K HDR and the 30fps is consistent, but I only played that for the main campaign. The "Lost Levels" and little bonuses are nice for fans, the Grounded documentary is a must watch, but the thing we all wanted to see is the "No Return" mode and it does not disappoint. I've been having a blast with this mode, it always managed to keep things fresh, playing with all the characters is super cool and you can fully explore how dense and perfectly executed the combat and gameplay really is. I'm gonna keep playing this for awhile cause it's super fun and great for quick casual playthroughs. If you want a new version that really ups the visuals of the original game you're not gonna get that, but if you want the graphical upgrades and the extra content, alongside a great new mode to fully mess around with the exceptional gameplay... This is definitely worth the $10 dollar price point. It's the definitive version of the game and every fan should play this version whenever they feel like it's worth it.
The story of this game quickly became one of the most controversial ones ever told, but despite how much hatred it generated on people, it was all for the right reasons. Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross wrote a powerful and unforgettable tale that challenges the viewer in every way possible, but none of that is just for shock value or disrespects the original like so many people thought it did, but because they wanted to discuss human questions that have no moral easy answers. They knew this story would've pissed a lot of people off, and when the world finally played it they even questioned themselves if they did the right thing, but the reactions Part II caused proved that everything they we're trying to achieve was right. Druckmann and Halley told this story because they knew it was the right one to tell, the one that felt most loyal to what the first game was and also one that had so much to say, and they deserve an award for being this brave and sticking to their guts. There's no way to describe how hard they go on what they discuss without actually watching it, because they put their audience on an emotional test that dissects everything you believe as a person. And while sure it's a phenomenal looking game, probably the best one I've ever seen, and the gameplay is also top notch... That's not what stucked with me after finishing the game.
When the credits rolled I was deeply depressed by it, and I had so many extreme reactions and feelings throughout that I'll just never forget it. When the hardest thing to do in a game is not pushing the button itself, but doing what that button wants you to do story wise, you know you did something monumental. For me "Part II" achieved a groundbreaking status by pushing what Videogames could be as a piece of art, deliberately bringing an experience that is not necessarily fun throughout for a artful reason. I was forever changed after that experience back in 2020 and it'll never leave me, I learned so many things as a person and I still think about everything I felt during that original playthrough and all the later ones including this one. To me, "The Last of Us: Part II" is one of the bravest and most powerful stories ever told in any media, and that is the highest complement I can give to a piece of art. It's impossible to go through the journey of Ellie and Abby without feeling a lot and having something to say, and how amazing is that. I'll always be thankful that Naughty Dog gave us this experience, I can't wait to see how Druckmann and Craig Mazin are gonna adapt this in the HBO show, and I'll be there day one for the eventual Part III that just got confirmed at the end of the Grounded documentary included.
And as for this new PS5 version, the visual upgrades are very welcoming and noticeable but it is definitely a remaster that only slightly polishes what was already flawless. The DualSense capabilities are great, it looks absolutely breathtaking in native 4K HDR and the 30fps is consistent, but I only played that for the main campaign. The "Lost Levels" and little bonuses are nice for fans, the Grounded documentary is a must watch, but the thing we all wanted to see is the "No Return" mode and it does not disappoint. I've been having a blast with this mode, it always managed to keep things fresh, playing with all the characters is super cool and you can fully explore how dense and perfectly executed the combat and gameplay really is. I'm gonna keep playing this for awhile cause it's super fun and great for quick casual playthroughs. If you want a new version that really ups the visuals of the original game you're not gonna get that, but if you want the graphical upgrades and the extra content, alongside a great new mode to fully mess around with the exceptional gameplay... This is definitely worth the $10 dollar price point. It's the definitive version of the game and every fan should play this version whenever they feel like it's worth it.