[Walkthrough] Twelve hours Last of Us 2 - Thoughts and Expectations

 This is the second part of a walkthrough containing my honest thoughts about the Last of Us 2, you can find the first part here. I'm about twelve hours in the game now and just as last time, I recorded a german podcast with my friend about our thoughts. In this part of the walkthrough, I will summarize my own thoughts again. 

Disclaimer: 

I'm at the scene where Dina reveals something to Ellie and Ellie reveals something to Dina in the theatre. I will spoil everything up to that scene, so please refrain from reading if you might be bothered by that. Thank you!






My impression of the game is still good. Still not eye-opening or breath-taking, but that isn't necessary anyways. And I dont think LoU2 will turn towards that in its course anymore. Which is fine, if its stays at its 'good' level till the credits roll, but as the fan-echo suggests, maybe that wont be the case. 

There was a lot of gameplay going on for me the last 5-6 hours and not so much story, but this way I could experience the changes from the combat system and the general feeling of stealth in LoU2.


There were some points in the first, 'open' section of the game that extremely annoyed me, while I was over-enthusiastic about others. Let's try to go through them chronologically, while I share some screenshots. 


First things first - I need to get something off my chest. I have a theory to make, one which I will mark as highly spoilicious because I think of it as so incredible likely to happen that you've been warned. This theory is about Dina and I will write it in small letters now. Skip the section if you believe I could be right.
Dina has a baby in her belly. There can't be a more obvious Red Flag. It isn't enough of a Red Flag that she is Ellie's only left companion, her love, her anchor in this world, now she is PREGNANT TOO. There is absolutely no doubt for me that she will be killed, and not in the too distant future, sending Ellie on another rampage. And who will be the one doing it? Of course - Abby. Now the pieces are slowly coming together for me - What is the most disgusting shock value you can still reach in such a postapocalyptic, ruthless, brutal drama? Killing off a pregnant, loved woman, done by an already controverse character, HOURS after she revealed she is pregnant and has a baby inside her. You CANT possibly get more cheap shock value out of a game as by doing this. Well yes, you could - Dina could get raped by four men in front of Ellie before she's killed, but well, I'm sure none of us wants to see that. But that would be another explanation for the Abby-hate. I'm 99 % sure this will happen, and when the time comes, I'll happily jump on the hate-train if this dead isn't very, VERY smart planned out and necessary for the plot. 

 






Chronological thoughts:

- I was quite happy that there was no real 'How could you?!"-Drama between Dina and Ellie when they revealed their secrets to each other. A cheesy hollywoodmovie would have done exactly that.


- The semi-open world section was all in all pretty fun and a nice refreshment, and I appreciate the optionality of things. Although it isn't really optional, is it? One can assume that 70 to 90 percent of LoU-Players would make sure to do EVERYTHING there is to do in this section before they move on. Therefore, actually none of this is really optional, but Naughy Dog is leading us to believe it is, which is really already enough.


On the other hand, the sheer fact that you CAN miss those events means some players DID miss them - There are always a few players who rush through, and this is fine as long as it only concerns stuff like items, but if you miss the guitar-scene for example, you just haven't experienced LoU2 as you should, if you ask me. Making such an impactful, essential scene optional is a risky gamble from Naughty Dog, even in this obvious section.


- The Take on me-scene was nothing short of beautiful and fantastic. It looked and sounded terrific, there were so much emotions going on between Ellie and Dina, everything about this section was perfect. With scenes like this, I will never understand how so many players can claim LoU2 is complete garbage. It isn't. And no matter how shitty the story will turn from now on, this can't change how great some of the scenes so far were. 

I think it was absolutely brave from Naughty Dog to let Ellie sing this song. Take on me is one of the most meme'd songs of the internet. To take such a comical song and implement it into the hopeless, postapocalyptic world of Last of Us, and let it sing Ellie in a truly emotionbal fashion, takes GUTS. And it actually WORKED. I respect that. 


Especially Naughty Dogs eye for details - Ellie isn't a singer and no voice actress either, so she doesn't cover the song perfectly. Ellie's voice actress had to breath in between the lyrics, was a note too high here and there, and I'm certain all of that was intended. Respect.


The only way Naughty Dog could have shown even bigger balls, taking the greatest, imaginable risk, BUT immortalizing themselves for all times in the hall of fame of legendary mad lads if it worked out, would have been by letting Ellie sing 'Never gonna give you up.' Yes, laugh. Yes, mock. But to take this song which represents the whole meme-culture and finally turn it into a serious ballade again, would have been incredible anarchistic and insane. Well, close enough. 



- Now that I talked about a scene I loved so much, let me talk about a whole other corner of the open section: The bookstore.

Jesus, Neil Druckmann. Have you ever heard of the concept of subtility? 


Listen. I wrote in the first part how ridiculous and silly I found the controversy before the Release of LoU2, how much I dislike the dislike and hate against LGBT because 'it doesnt fit the game', like what the fuck. Why do LGBT-characters don't fit in a postapocalyptic world? They exist and have to survive in it just as you would, and probably longer, you fat, entitled gamergate-asshole. I have no issues with incorporating LGBT-propaganda and topics in a popcultural medium, be it shows or games. Legend of Korra is in my opinion an excellent example of how this can be done effective and exemplary. Life is Strange. Steven Universe. I love Ellie and Dina together and I don't give two dusty shits about Abby being trans or not. 


But holy hell, is this bookstore flat and blatant. Like, they really, REALLY overdid it with this one. This isn't subtle political statements in a game for a good cause anymore, this is nothing but insolently blunt.


There is a freakin' Rainbowflag on the street in front of the store, there are rainbowflags hanging outside and inside the building, every single book shows a gay-couple, there are literal copies of Ellie and Dina on one cover, those posters...


As Last of Us 2 goes on, I can more and more understand the controversies surrounding it, and with this store, Neil Druckmann has really overdone it. I'm happy to take your messages and statements, because I support them by all means, but please send them to me with subtility, fitting for the game, and not with a fucking bulldozer. Yes, the bookstore is optional, but if you even come close to it you will be bombed with rainbows and LGBT-propaganda. 
 
We get it. Thank you.
 

- The 'Redlight'-Tunnel was magnificent in the way that it was the first section of Part 2, (and a long time since Part 1) that I would describe as horror-gaming. The atmosphere, the lights, sounds and enemies, and Ellies and Dinas anxiety were connectable. Red lights are always a feast for the eyes in videogames, and LoU2 proved this once again with this insane lightmap. 

I also highly enjoyed that you can FINALLY bait the enemy-groups at each other - throwing a glass bottle directly in the middle of the Liberations and see hell break loose with the infected was incredible satisfying and believable, not least because I was pulled into the chaos too and had to shoot at everything that moved. 

From a horror AND from a gameplay standpoint, with new enemies and new mechanics, this tunnel was perfect.



- The combat system in general seems noticeable better than it was in part one by now. The changes are subtle so it isn't instantly obvious, but as battles go on the improvements really shine through. The stealth is working better with Ellie's different movements, the knive finally doesn't break anymore, the close combat works better with avoiding attacks, different options how to react and deal with enemies, and the certainty that I can't rush a realoading enemy from a hundred meters with my bat anymore to take him out without getting shot down like an idiot. FINALLY. The KI doesn't work perfectly, but then again, I'm playing on normal and find the game challenging. (There are way too many ressources, though.)

What I also find pretty shallow and obvious is the fact that enemies shout their names when I kill them. That was effective and interesting the first few times, but not the thirtieth time. We get it, they're humans. Would have been more interesting if what they shouted varied, like hate towards me, grieving, tears, whatever. 


- There's a small detail I have to highlight - the crafting. Ellie ACTUALLY disassembles her guns, crafts them, improves them and reassembles them again and we can see ALL OF THAT. In most other games, the camera would have been a bit to low so we can't see whats going on and they dont have to animate it, but I highly appreciate that Ellie does it here. It makes it feel far more authentic.


- One last thing I have to rant about enourmesly - the points of no return. They aren't obvious at all in Last of Us 2 so you can't prepare for them, they're hitting you out of nowhere and stop you from going back to take care of the stuff you haven't seen yet - with NO OBVIOUS reason. One example is the door in the hotel, or the grid in the redlight-tunnel. If I only leave items behind it's one thing, but if I actually missed dialogues or scenes I would be furious. The insolence of some of those points is funny in itself too, like the garbage can in front of the WLF-hotel that fell over after Dina and Ellie are done there and of course they're not feeling like going back in again.



While I write this, I'm in the game at about 20 hours. New thoughts and feelings are building up inside me, but those have still time. Last of Us 2 pleases with its gameplay right now, but I'm terrible afraid of the progression of the story. Let's see if all actually is as terrible as they say.


- Yoraiko