Written By Michael Vacchiano
With the next generation of video game consoles preparing to emerge by year’s end, it’s still incredible that Sony’s Playstation 4 has unleashed one of its greatest exclusive achievements at the end of its run. After much delay and postponement, the action/survival horror epic The Last of Us: Part II has finally arrived, and the experience is nothing less than a, forgive me for saying, masterpiece.
Game developers Naughty Dog created one of the most heralded games of the previous decade with its predecessor, so the bar had always been set exceptionally high for a sequel. Improving in every major technical category (and with an amazing story full of emotional moments, both heartfelt and horrific), the company should consider the challenge met, exceeded, and then some.
Set about five years after where the original game left off, Last of Us’ Joel and Ellie have now made their home in the post-apocalyptic world in a fortified settlement in Jackson, Wyoming. The surrogate father/daughter bond between the two that developed over the previous game’s cross-country trek has helped make Ellie more hardened and prepared for what awaits her here. Due to tragic circumstances (no spoilers), she embarks on a dangerous and violent mission of revenge in the now-deteriorated city of Seattle. On her Kill Bill-esque rampage, Ellie must fight through a renegade militia group, a fanatical religious cult, and of course the zombie-like Infected that have overrun civilization.
In terms of graphics, The Last of Us: Part II may be one of the most breathtaking games you’ll ever see. Like in the first game, Naughty Dog has established a world in which nature has retaken society, with flora and fauna running rampant over corporate buildings left and right. Your surroundings are both beautiful and depressing, and honestly a little scary considering our own current pandemic situation and what the near future may look like.
But to digress, the graphically rendered Pacific Northwest of the game also offers some fantastic environmental effects to behold. From beams of sunlight through lush treetops and rippling water from rivers and streams, to snow-covered plains and hills and even the thick vegetation rustling from your interaction are all lovely little touches. Not to mention the motion-capture acting and facial and body movements of the characters are second to none.
The graphical power of the PS4, however, has also enabled Naughty Dog to present the gritty violence of the combat as realistically as ever. While the player may have no qualms about blasting their way through a horde of fungus-covered Infected, it’s the human vs. human bloodshed that may deter some folks. Enemies writhe and convulse in pain from a well-placed gunshot or trap bomb, and nearby walls will be covered in spatter from a melee weapon swing to the head. Even stealth kills, which are always handy in any given encounter, will result in your target choking and gurgling on their own blood from Ellie’s switchblade. The action is as brutal as expected in a world such as this with questionable decisions throughout. Oh, and if you’re a dog lover…well, I’ll let you figure that part out on your own.
Navigating these combat scenarios would mean little without the superbly tight and fluid controls. Much more agile and nimble than Joel was in the first game, Ellie is able to traverse her environments with ease, which assists her in fights due to her sometimes needing to run and hide. The new jumping and dodging features are welcome additions, and being able to switch weapons, and aiming and firing them are a breeze. Not to mention the crafting system has been overhauled with a new, more aesthetic design and there are new tools you can make for combat such as pistol suppressors and explosive arrows. Just make sure you explore and ransack as much as possible, as items can be scarce and resource management is crucial.
Like the original, however, The Last of Us: Part II is a game that thrives on story and Naughty Dog deserves enormous credit yet again. The climactic scene of the last game and Joel’s fateful decision has set the events in motion here. The combination of the game’s writing and voice acting are what weave this epic tale of moral ambiguity. While the creature-like infected roam this world, it is the choices and actions of some of the human characters that are truly monstrous. There are plenty of heartfelt and touching moments throughout, but the duality of revenge and the theme of vengeance being a never-ending cycle is at the forefront here. The atmosphere is only heightened with a mesmerizing and haunting score from Oscar-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain). Make no mistake, this is as close to perfection as video game storytelling can get and is on par with or even better than the elite tier of television or cinema.
As with those other mediums, the story only works due to its well-drawn, multi-faceted protagonist. The Last of Us: Part II cements Ellie as one of the great video game characters of the twenty-first century. The first game established her as a rebellious and inquisitive adolescent girl learning to survive in the treacherous world she was born into. Five years later, she’s now a strong-willed, capable young woman who’s still discovering herself as a person in the chaos. This includes her sexuality and her relationship with her girlfriend Dina, who accompanies her on her journey. It’s also extremely harrowing to see Ellie go to such extreme lengths on her quest for revenge, such as torturously interrogating an enemy. But her angry, hate-filled moments are often broken up with tender moments and times, like her soulfully strumming a guitar in self-reflection. Walking that fine line between role model and anti-heroine is what makes Ellie one of the truly intriguing and memorable characters in gaming.
Sony may be getting ready for its next gen console to debut, but they should be proud of how they’ve sent the Playstation 4 off in style. Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us: Part II is a thrilling and masterful achievement that any gamer should behold if given the chance. From visuals and controls to sound design and motion capture, all technical categories are superb from top to bottom. And while dark and violent at times, the incredible story and characters are the proverbial cherry on top of the entire presentation. At the tail end of its run, the PS4 rightfully has one of its all-time greatest games, exclusive or otherwise.
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