33. The Last of Us: Part II (PS4)
Since The Last of Us: Part II (TLOU2) came out in 2020, one thing I have never done is play TLOU2 immediately after playing the first game. Perhaps it's for this reason I've always considered the first Last of Us game the best one. This was likely reinforced even more by the fact that the first time I tried playing through TLOU2, I quit halfway through due to a very subversive twist that happens that really changes the tone and plot of the game quite a bit. So yeah, you could say I hated TLOU2 the first time I played it. However, fast forward a year and I decided to give this game another change. I suspended my judgement and decided I was going to finish TLOU2 and then judge the game based on my overall experience. I did precisely this and found a pretty damn good game on the other side of the end credits. Then I beat it again about a year later....and then again a year or two after that.
Much like the first game I seem to like TLOU2 more and more every time I play it, however this time around with me playing the two TLOU games back to back, something very unexpected happened. Somehow, I actually like TLOU2 just a smidge more than the first game. I know, I know, that's blasphemy, but it's true. TLOU2 absolutely has shortcomings compared to the first game, but where it lacks, it makes up for it in some very meaningful ways that go above and beyond anything we got in TLOU.
I don't think it's a controversial statement to say the presentation, story, and audio in these games is practically perfect. Just how TLOU pushed the PS3's hardware to its limits in terms of what it was capable of producing, TLOU2 did the game on the PS4 and then some. The voice acting is just as good with performances that put most blockbuster and high budget Hollywood movies to shame. Whatever the voice cast of TLOU2 was paid for their performances was too little given how amazing every scene and every bit of dialogue is. TLOU2's overall sound design is just as masterfully done as the first game, with noises from infected, the environment, and other aspects doing an amazing job at immersing you in every scene and ever moment this game has to offer.
While this does tie into TLOU2's gameplay which I'll definitely go into more in a bit, Seattle, where the majority of the game takes place, is far and above better than any area or section of TLOU. I LOVE making my way through the various parts of Seattle during both sections of this game and there are always interesting and downright creepy areas you'll have to traverse through to get to where you need to go. More or less, there is never a dull moment or the feeling that you've seen it all when you still have another third of the game to go.
TLOU2's story is one that grows on me more and more every time I play it. It's absolutely a more intense and emotionally taxing game than the first TLOU, which depending on who you are, may or may not be a good thing. Some real crazy shit goes down in this game, often in very graphic detail. However, it's all part of a general plot and elements of world building that I feel surpass the first game in terms of depth and complexity. That's not to say, the plot and story in TLOU is inferior to its sequel, but it just doesn't hit those same emotional valleys like the second game does. However, one aspect of the writing I will say is definitely better overall in the first game is the characters.
Characters in TLOU2 are absolutely a mixed bag. There are some characters I absolutely love, some of which surprised even me. However, there are other characters in this game that I've despised since the first time I played through TLOU2 despite Naughty Dog's writers probably wanting me to feel the opposite. I can't stand Dina who unfortunately is a fairly big part of this game, and some of Abby's friends are also incredibly stupid and I dare say even cheesy. I will also so, TLOU2 does a fairly good job of making me dislike some legacy characters from the first game more too, but again, not in the way Naughty Dog probably intended. The wildly inconsistent character writing in TLOU2 isn't enough for my enjoyment to make a dramatic dip, but it is enough to cause me to roll my eyes and even cringe at various parts of this game. Speaking of cringe...
I think TLOU2 has finally been getting more of the love and recognition it deserves in recent years, however one thing I will fully admit is in the long run, it will age itself way more than the first game will or has. Some of the writing in TLOU2 is so painfully late 2010s/early 2020s it freakin hurts. While it is fairly easy to gloss over given how good the rest of this game is, the ever present corporate ESG checklists as well Abby's character design do a good enough job undermining my suspension of disbelief that it does somewhat diminish my enjoyment of TLOU2 each time I play it, but not enough to make me feel like this game is anything short of a masterpiece. Had Naughty Dog tried virtue signaling just a little less, especially with Abby, This game might be a top 5 game of all time for me. Still, even with its fair share of modern dayisms, it's not that far off.
The gameplay in TLOU2 is definitely a step above what was in the original TLOU, and even in the first game's remake on the PS5. I said in my TLOU Remake review several days ago that I felt like that game took a lot of TLOU2's gameplay to improve its own. That's still a statement I stand by, but unfortunately it didn't go all the way. TLOU2's gameplay is outstanding, albeit not perfect. The character and weapon leveling system, while similar to that in TLOU, is undeniably better, as is the combat, stealth, and area balancing in terms of enemy placement, obstacles, and resources availability. There are very few parts in TLOU2 that I felt were annoying or frustrating for the wrong reasons. Enemy AI is improved quite a bit too, which makes for a more challenging and interesting game. I also like the weapons in TLOU2 more than the first game, especially since you more or less get double the amount of them to play around with. One other thing I'm pretty sure I've mentioned in every TLOU2 review I've ever written is there's a boss towards the end of the game which still stands as my all time favorite TLOU boss, period! It gives me massive Resident Evil vibes and if we ever do get a TLOU3, I hope there are more bosses and enemies like the one I'm referring to.
Again, I cannot believe I've saying this, but I now like TLOU2 more than the first game. The real tie breaker here comes down to how much I love playing through the various areas in Seattle you find yourself in and also the noticeable improvements to gameplay. The end result is a game and world I feel like I can't get enough of each time I play these games. I want to go on more adventures as Ellie, Abby, or hell, even some new character that has never appeared in any previous game. I just want to experience more of TLOU's world, learn more about its lore and origins, and just experience how fleshed out Naughty Dog has made this franchise. What's even crazier than everything I just said is yeah, I'm thinking TLOU2 might be a top 10 game for me now. I'm constantly drawn towards the game and feel the urge to beat it again almost annually. It's hard for me to recommend a game more highly than TLOU2. (4/30/26) [46/50]
