Erupt: The Last of Us Part II — Video Game Review
Breathtakingly brutal, spectacularly sadistic
The Last of Us Part II, a sequel to the 2013 hit developed by Naughty Dog Entertainment, was highly anticipated before its release and playing it was…an interesting experience.
Being a direct sequel to the first, it is highly advised to play through the first part at least once. The entire second part revolves around the player’s emotional connection to the recurring characters from the predecessor. Certain moments heavily rely on this established connection to work their magic on the player.
The story sticks to the tenebrous tone of the previous game and refines it further. What results is a horrifying tale that manages to trigger an ocean of emotions in the player. However, within this seemingly gloomy tale, certain wholesome moments manage to stand out and make a positive impact.
The developers succeed in sprinkling the right amount of the different spices required to cook up the perfect dish, ultimately delivering an unforgettable experience to the player.
The voice acting in this AAA title is remarkable and this is one of the major reasons why The Last of Us 2 is one of the best story-driven games out there.
It is almost perfect in every sense. With the likes of Troy Baker and Jeffrey Pierce in the cast, this must not come as a surprise. Each line of dialogue beholds something unique. The quotes are powerful, and their outstanding deliveries ensures that the player experiences each and every moment to the fullest. The facial expressions are accurate as well and keep you engrossed during all the cutscenes, be it an intense moment or a light exchange.
These tiny details are what set the good and the great apart.
Out of all the senses, the visual ones appeal to us the most. With TLOU2, the visual effects are spectacular and they are a treat to the eye. The intricate details and the environment design ensure an immersive experience. The different environments, each with a tale of its own, eschew linearity, and the coherent arrangement of the game’s various settings mirror the story progression as well. This draws you further into the game. The graphics are marvelous with minimal downgrading (c’mon Ubisoft, you could do better), thus setting the bar for a generation of video games to come.
The gameplay is similar to the first part, with its shortcomings thankfully fixed.
It is flexible and accommodates different play styles. While stealth still remains the best approach, open gunfights and duels are viable options as well. Each area presents a plethora of opportunities and creative shortcuts exist — if only you’re smart enough to spot them. The gameplay is fairly simple, and the learning curve is not as hard as the other games out there. But there are certain nuances that you learn only in the later parts of the game.
The crafting system plays a central role in the gameplay — a test solely of resource management skills. Though not scarce, these resources are not abundant either. They aren’t of much use themselves, until combined to make various utilities ranging from breakable silencers for your gun to med-kits to improvised bombs. These utilities are immensely useful during combat, but most people tend to overlook their existence in the beginning of the game. The level design is incredibly accommodating when it comes to combat situations.
The weapon system in the game is one of its best features. With realistic controls that come close to giving you a feel of actual firearms in terms of recoil, reload speed and other factors, the weapon combat is thoroughly satisfying.
On one side, you have the breakable melee weapons, which are quite useful if one chooses to adopt the stealthy approach. There is an abundance of them lying around, and they can be upgraded to increase overall durability and strength. Other weapons include pistols, rifles and shotguns.
In the initial parts of the game, ammo is scarce and this calls for a conservative approach. Generally, preserving ammo for later is always a good idea (mind you, there are some nasty surprises up ahead). You also get bows and crossbows with craftable arrows that inflict some serious damage. With innumerous weapon upgrades, ranging from 6x scopes to recoil-reducing grips, the upgrade system is a well-developed feature and is very useful throughout the course of the game.
Linearity in video games is a bad idea. Giving players something to explore and rewarding them with cleverly hidden Easter eggs for the time they spend exploring every nook and corner of the game is a beautiful concept. From extra supplies locked in safes to ‘notes’ that narrate more of the backstory, the game has its own share of hidden secrets that are worth finding. There is even a collectible mini-game which requires you to find trading cards.
The story is beautifully narrated and delivers quite an impact; however, it also has its own set of flaws. The plot revolves around two central characters, Ellie and Abby. It depicts their journey as they survive in a post-apocalyptic world plagued by the Infected.
They encounter various setbacks and problems, and the plot slowly unfolds based on their actions and decisions, and finally culminates into an ending that is certified to crush your soul. Throughout the journey, you learn more about the protagonists and their background — an emphatic manoeuvre by the game.
Now, here is where it falters.
Character development is a central component of any form of entertainment and is very easy to mess up. When people grow to love or hate characters to a great extent, it is a sign of success. With this game, the central characters are well developed, and as a result, they succeed in creating the necessary impact.
However, a lack of character in certain NPCs and supporting figures is one of the major shortcomings. The intention is to make us familiar with these characters and convey more of the story using them; however, the lack of backstories and trait development leaves people confused. One cannot comprehend their importance and their roles seem forced and unnatural. The narration itself is ambitious as it tries to portray the story of Ellie and Abby in a parallel manner, though the slow pace at certain sections makes it exasperating.
Despite the amazing graphics, smooth gameplay and interesting features, there is but one thing that ruins even the best of games — repetition.
Repetition has plagued games since time immemorial, and it is very hard to entirely remove repetitive elements from a game. With TLOU2, you find yourself discovering new places and a variety of enemies. However, the underlying theme of the game remains the same — Kill them, move forward, repeat.
The puzzles in the game severely lack innovation and are disappointing.
Though the conception of the puzzle system is intriguing, the execution is poor. An example is the rope puzzle. The rope mechanics are marvelous and it is just mind-blowing to watch the amount of detail put into the design. However, it is underused and is a massive waste of some top-notch game design.
Now, the final question arises — should you get the game?
While the game itself did not disappoint and is definitely worth the money spent, it ultimately boils down to your taste in games, and whether you want to explore the survival-horror genre. Given the Mature rating of this game, you can expect a huge amount of blood, gore and visceral details. If that’s something which makes you queasy, this isn’t the game for you.
For the people new to the genre, you might as well give it a try as this might end up being that game which hooks you on to the survival genre.
For mainstream horror fans, this might not be very lucrative given the existence of more intense games like Outlast and Resident Evil. However, it is worth a try.
For an entirely new gamer, this is a perfect opportunity to indulge in the vast sea of gaming.
With great graphics and smooth gameplay mechanics, this game pretty much defines modern gaming and hence would be a great way to begin your gaming journey.
This review was written in collaboration with K Shreyas Mahesh.
