I don’t really understand why people were surprised that Joel died. It seemed so inevitable to me; when he lies to Ellie at the end of the first game, it becomes clear that the next game is gonna be about Ellie dealing with that. Joel’s story is over in Jackson. Him dying due to his gruesome past was the most narratively logical course of action. I loved Joel, but I didn’t find it surprising he died as the inciting incident. If you hate if for that, what story did you want? Them going across the country again? To what end? What’s the goal? What’s the inciting incident? What’s the meaningful character struggle?
The game's marketing advertized Joel and Ellie going on a journey together by putting him into cutscenes that in the final game have another character instead of him
i agree with your statement, but during the height of the trailers and advertising of Part 2 there were a lot of deceptive trailers edited together to make it appear that Joel was going to be at the very least alive during the events of Part 2. in fact, i remember one trailer where they changed the cinematic where Jesse pulls Ellie away while covering her mouth to stop her from stirring suspicion into Joel for that scene. that was a 2019 trailer if i remember correctly? while there were a lot of fans who were upset about Joel's death. this was a criticism coming from multiple angles
@@tyrannosarcophagous3447 I can understand feeling a bit let down at first, but if you still feel this way for the whole game, I would argue the real problem is not that the trailer hid the true nature of the game. It's that the person doesn't agree with the choice itself and they aren't able to buy anything the story is trying to sell. So I would say it's the same ''angle'' as the other ones.
I expected him to die, but probably at the end as some sort of sacrifice for Ellie. Killing him as the inciting incident took me off guard and I think it will for most when you go in expecting Joel to be playable throughout the game.
1:32:00 I saw someone point out that as a medic, Mel would have been a pupil of Abby's dad, and she may have even felt like a second daughter to him. So there is that tension of jealousy surrounding the others' relationship with their father/father figure as well
one of my favorite parts of the end was Abby saying 'there's boats this way' It almost seems like Abby thought Ellie was captured by them too. Idk. Good moment. I love Abby.
Abby maybe didn't forgive Ellie but she was able to see past revenge and know why it happened and understand Ellie was a person to. Abby was willing to help her. Abby matured from her revenge and got better unlike Ellie who matured late but still isn't better I love Abby
I'm so glad that someone talked about how Abby's section of the game mirror's Joel's from Part 1, I haven't seen really any video essays on the game that have mentioned this and I've been confused on how others have missed it, or if they just figured that that they din't have to mention it.
I just wanna say it’s always been a point that Ellie has ALWAYS been the main character, she shares this spot with Joel in the first game, the only difference between Ellie and Joel in the first game is that you PLAY as Joel. Other than that Ellie has always been main character or at least one of the main characters, the first game is about Joel AND Ellie not just Joel and not just Ellie. That’s why she’s the main focus on both game cover artworks
First of all 🚤 but I must be the only player who liked Joel and still thought he got exactly what was coming to him. Of course his allies will never see it that way, since Tommy and Ellie know the truth and that doesn't change anything. Death is forever and you never get over it, and in a world where everyone has seen a very violent death of a loved one, it's hard to just try and be bigger than that. Everyone in the game is a piece of shit in one way or another (except Jesse he's such a sweet boy) and I'm sure they've all done something that ruined someone else's life. I really like how Lev, Owen, Abby and Dina all show the effects of violence on the psyche.
I did too, and I wanted to see him face harsh consequences. The problem is that people waited years for a sequel so they could play as Joel and Ellie, watching their story continue. Not having a beloved character die immediately after waiting all of that time to play as him again. The 2nd game should’ve just been Joel and Ellie, with Ellie discovering the truth of St. Mary’s, and likely ending when they try to rekindle their relationship on the patio. Then the part 2 as we know it is the 3rd game.
@@christiancorley4309 I feel like this version would have made part 2 into a very long tv show episode where they need to resolve 1 conflict.. As you said we were waiting a long time for it so I was very happy when in the very first scene of TLOU2 we see Joel talking about what he did with Tommy. When the first game ended, I actually thought ''either I don't want a sequel, or if there is a sequel, Joel is going to be the bad guy''. Now they didn't go that way but it goes to tell not every player had the same wants and expectations for the second game. Also I would argue that he doesn't actually ''dies immediately'', we still have about 1h-2h of Joel at the start + multiple flashbacks.. it's not as if the game starts with his death and we don't hear from him gain..
@@crazyneonate8626 well, the best stories usually do only solve 1 over arching conflict, as it helps to keep the story focused and cohesive. Subplots in a second game that I mentioned could include Ellie learning to love again after the loss of Riley, continuing to see Joel become more compassionate and willing to let his guard down to help people (like he did for abby), Jackson beginning to expand and what that expansion means in terms of incentivizing raiders, establishing abby and foreshadow her, and so on. And again, most people did not want only 1-2 hours and a couple of flashbacks with Joel and Ellie. They wanted another whole game with Joel and Ellie.
@christiancorley4309 mmh im not sure about most people but I like your idea, although it would be a completely différent game at this point.. I guess we will have to see what the third part offers us, I expect a final chapter that gives peace to Ellie in the end. No matter how bleak this world is Ellie deserves a good ending hahah
@@crazyneonate8626 yeah. This is not to say I didn’t like part 2, because I loved it and its concept. But I do fully understand the criticism. I’m glad it’s seemed to be seen in a more positive light as time has passed
Oh. Well I know what I'm watching tomorrow. I loved and hated the fans reaction to this game's story. I will forever call it art. It evoked too strong a reaction from everyone not to be called art.
I have played the game three times, and thrice it has been an emotional journey that i loved. i genuinely think this game could've been made in a whole different manner, telling the same story, while fixing parts of the pacing, but that is just my overly logical and critical me talking. I have no words over how TLOU has impacted my life and how much TLOU II is a masterpiece in terms of its message, story, characters and gameplay. thank you for doing this analysis, it is insanely well done
I get why people have issues with the pacing, but I think the most popular fixes for it would have had a negative impact on the story Naughty Dog wanted to tell. In TLoU podcast, they talk about what they were trying to achieve with it and wondering if they could push the player so far down a dark path (Ellie's path) and then bring them back. They knew it would be divisive well before the leaks, and they knew a lot of people would not be willing to play as Abby or try to see things from her point of view. The entire game is kind of an experiment in empathy.
To what you were saying about Mel, Mel definitely is a strange character to analyze since we don't quite see what she is thinking a lot of the time and we don't know a lot about her background. I think she is a complex character, and the reason she acts the way she does is to protect what she has. With Tommy and Ellie, I don't think she was genuinely rooting for their murder in a cold way but was scared of what could happen if they were kept alive, she clearly doesn't like hurting people considering how she felt tourniquetting Joel's leg and how she felt after Jackson. With the scars, she only wants to hurt them because they want to hurt her family from what I see, and when Abby brought these two scars back she was willing to perform the operation to save Yara's life, and how she talked about the WLF killing those scar kids. I believe she really cares and loves but when pushed to the boundaries can show a different more cruel side. Even before her death, she was willing to sacrifice Abby, one of her closest friends, to ensure that she, her baby, and Owen lived. There is a really good analysis of the scene with Mel and Abby from the channel TLOU Explained which might explain what I'm trying to say better than what I can. I think the reason Mel feels the way she does is a growing hatred toward Abby that has been progressing, from everything that happened in Jackson, her perceived notion of Abby trying to get close to Owen, and the fact that Owen clearly loves Abby in a way he doesn't love Mel. I wouldn't boil it down to just jealousy, which makes it seem dumb and frivolous, but when you take a look from Mel's side I think you can clearly understand how she feels and why she does. Anyway, super great analysis!!! I always love seeing love for this game. It is one of my favorite games ever if not my favorite. I'm happy to see love and appreciation for a game that is way too overhated in my opinion.❤❤❤
When I played this game for the first time I felt like I was Ellie. When Joel died I literally had to walk away for two weeks to just be able to play again. At first I was so angry and it upset me in how violent Joel’s death was. I wanted to get revenge for Joel because he was my favorite character. As Ellie’s story progressed I started to understand how destructive this path was not just physically but emotionally. It was really hard to move past it but you just had to keep going. When we finally switch to Abby, I was pissed let me tell you. But for some reason I couldn’t put it down. I had to keep going no matter how much I hated her. It took me so long to realize that just because I hated her doesn’t mean I couldn’t understand her. I believe that you can understand why someone did something even if that’s not what you would do. Abby is not evil, she is in pain. Just like Ellie. Now don’t get me wrong, I hate Abby for what she did, but I can forgive her just like Ellie does to Joel. In the end I feel like Ellie was choosing to understand Joel and the last part in Santa Barbara when she’s hunting Abby, it’s not so much about revenge against Abby but about forgiveness with Joel. Ellie is such a complex character. This game is not about revenge but just like the first game, it’s about love. What we as humans are willing to sacrifice to have it. What parts of ourselves we lose without it. I find this game a piece of art. It’s a game of empathy. It’s a game that shows the real power of love and hate. It wasn’t perfect but it was a masterpiece. Thanks for listening to my Ted talk
Ya know, there's no reason Ellie couldn't learn to play guitar left handed. Finger picking would be limited but she'd be fine with a guitar pick with her remaining three fingers. I'd love to see that in pt. 3.
You're the only other person I've ever seen say this. It was one of the first things I said when my girlfriend was watching me play and I got to that part; she was sad Ellie could never play again. Even picking wouldn't be too bad. It would just require more practice. I don't think I've ever used more than Mt thumb and first two fingers for that personally, but I'm by no means a professional or anywhere near that. Still, I can't recall ever seeing anyone else use their little fingers either.
she will have to relearn it will no longer be a string between her and Joel she lost everything she had from her parents her mothers knife and the ability to play guitar from her father
@@Ananasik_Evgeniy the knowledge is all still there. She would just have to develop new muscle memory. I agree that it's symbolic of her lost connection to Joel, but I disagree that it's a complete severance of that bond.
To answer how I felt playing the game? For me I always loved it. Coz it's such a painful but beautiful storytelling and combination of great gameplay to go with it. So for as divisive as people were on the treatment of Abby and Joel for me the writers had me in the palm of their hands coz it was easy for me to empathize with the other side. Coz as the saying goes even tho it's cliché at this point, "Just because you are the hero in your own story doesn't mean you aren't a villain in someone else's story." And that's something I've always lived life by. And especially seeing how hostile people become these days on any topic it takes empathy to be able to reason and see down that middle where things often are. And even tho I understand why people would've felt a way, I struggle to see how people couldn't just put themselves in someone else's shoes and realize that we are all able to see things thru a different lens and so for all the bad actions we did in the first game, there was consequences to it and often video games don't make you face them, so having to face them was slightly exciting for me not because I didn't care for Ellie and Joel but because again that motto of heroes and villains I could easily put the foot on the other shoe and be like oh snap we are the villain's to someone else if we flipped the lens. And the characters they introduced weren't just boring cliches they were actually characters who were as well written and fleshed out as the cast of the first game. So yeah enough of my ramble, but for me I will always hold Naughty Dog in a special place in terms of writing coz it takes a lot to be able to throw something new at us especially in a world where things are getting so repetitive so anytime games like this or Red Dead Redemption 2 and all sorts come out I'm always super happy coz I absolutely adore diving into those experiences and knowing that I'll likely get something that sticks with me or has me explore so many things beyond some of the shallow writing that we see these days. Loved this video ❤, keep up the great work
Great analysis! As I commented on another TH-camr's video just yesterday, the break-up scene between Dina and Ellie is one of my favorites. The acting is great and it's heartbreakingly well captured and animated. The game's ending had me thinking for days and weeks with conflicting thoughts about what could and should have been. ⛵ For me, personally, TLOU1 was always about Ellie the moment we met her, about protecting and caring for, even though Joel tried to deny these feelings as long as possible. By the end of TLOU1, Joel's story was finished and in the last scene Ellie became the protagonist, so it felt natural to continue as her in TLOU2. The decline of their relationship due to Joel's lie and him getting killed by someone he had crossed in the past were logical continuations from the first game. It made even more sense that it'd be someone from Salt Lake (not that I would've guessed it at the time). I'm glad they dared to create something new instead of repeating the same formula, even knowing that they'd upset a lot of people. The happy adventures of Joel and Ellie part II were never in the stars, though I might not have complained about something more uplifting. What we got instead is now one of my favorite stories ever. That being said, I find it perfectly fine to dislike the game. It can feel very bleak and that may be the opposite of what people seek in a game. I've even watched a playthrough of someone who appreciated the game but who expressed that she'd never want to play it again because of how depressing it was.
@beauhancock4922 RDR2 is goat but TLoU 2 is a tighter experience. Also shooting a gun is actually fun in TLoU 2 lol. Rockstar needs to update their shooting mechanics
Idealistic how? It got pretty bleak at some points and represented some of the worst of humanity. And I'd say the ending is more bittersweet than anything else, even without the sequel, and knowing where it goes.
Really great video! Stumbled upon your channel randomly, and you have a new subscriber! 🙂 The Last of Us 2 will have a special place in my heart, probably more so than than the 1st game. My dad was killed about a year and a half before this game came out and I feel this game perfectly portrayed the anger and grief that you feel and carry when a loved one dies, especially when that death is sudden and tragic. It portrayed the weight you carry with you, and how tired that weight makes you, until you finally try to move on and let go of some that anger. It was brutal, visceral and beautiful. From someone who left things unsaid when their loved one was still around, that last scene with Joel and Ellie absolutely destroyed me.
Glad you could put your biases aside and actually enjoy the story for what it was. There are very few us out there that can appreciate the bold choice Naughty Dog took to tell a story.
16:30 I do like that you pointed that out! I've been wonderig wether it was a good or a bad decision to make him so trusting, but from the way you put it, it sure sounds like the best way to end his character. Afterall, he was practically took in by those people for a bried moment so, even if he naturally had his doubts and walls up, I do believe that the simple fact that they seemed kind enough was just enough to make him lower his guard.
Me to im so excited and hyped for part 3 as a 11 year true fan boy of the last of us im excited for part 3 i love the first game and the second game and im excited for part 3 and a Tommy dlc game 🩷🌿🩷🌿🩷
@@PlayStationgamer-t9w hell yes the Tommy dlc would be incredible and so fun especially with their improved gunplay mechanics. Part 3 is gonna deliver BIG time for both gameplay and story, nothing better happen to me before now and when it comes out finally haha
Great video as always! 🚢❤ I have to admit, you’re one of the first ones that I’ve seen who have actually addressed how the switches between the characters are meant to create empathy in more depth than just “it’s hard to switch.” I think that the writers and the game is literally FORCING you to have empathy, to develop empathy in the face of a tragedy. And that’s really, really hard. You don’t WANT to like Abby, you don’t WANT to empathize with her. You want to turn away. But by the end, not only do you empathize to at least some degree, but you are right there with the characters. You’re just as tired as they are with the senseless violence. You don’t want either to die, you don’t understand why you’re still fighting - and neither do they, but that feeling of “she killed Joel” still keeps popping up. It’s a game that manages to break you alongside its characters, and that’s REALLY impressive. I can understand why people can’t finish it, but god, it’s unmatched.
The writing for this is amazing. Every line every word is so real and so relatable. They poured so much emotion in it. They dont write block buster movies this well
40:02 fun fact stalkers were in the first game they were in the hotel basement as well as the sewers they were just combined with other infected so you couldn’t really tell them apart
At first I was surprised and a little heartbroken when Joel died, but then I remembered something He old Ellie in the first game. After the escape the office building through the subway Ellie told Joel and Tess you guys are pretty good at this. Joel said It's called luck, and it is going to run out. Joel did prepare her for how how harsh this world is now. Joel knew one day someone would probably come after him. Im glad Tommy had his back. Ellie saved Joels life in Pittsburgh PA. If she wasmt there he would have died. Whether Joel wanted her oround or not he was teacher her everyday how to survive.
Amazing video honestly you said this so beautifully and explained it so well i love watching these types of videos to see everyone's pov and see how everyone takes in certain events.
The only point that originally irritated me was the game putting me in Abby's shoes, not because I didn't understand or accept what she did but because I felt like the game was far to forcefully demanding I relate to her and I just couldn't, I trudged through begrudgingly and at some point that feeling faded as I became invested in Lev and Yara. It's difficult to say that it was the intent but looking back I feel like the gameplay before then was me going through the motions just to finish Abby's section, kind of like how she had gained no happiness or goal after killing Joel and at this point without a purpose was also just going through the motions. Regardless I loved the game start to finish, with that being the only moment that was too much for me, but thankfully only briefly.
i honestly kinda just wanna go on a tangent on how abby was introduced to the story because i loved it SO MUCH. my personal interpretation of why they introduced her as the murderer of joel is solely for moral greyness, one of the more overarching themes of this game. in part 1, joel is introduced as a father who lost his daughter and is trying to regain that chance with ellie. it makes us view him as some pitiable false hero who people will defend no matter what. plus, it often takes away from the greyness of his actions/past. this ultimately made us view joel differently in part 2 as naughty dog forces us to view joel as this dude who has also done bad/unjustifiable things. with abby we essentially get the reverse of joels introduction. abby tortures our favorite character and makes our 2nd favorite character watch (ellie). she is automatically shown as this callous and evil individual until, we get to her section of the story. we realize that she was once a young girl with a father whom she loved. we watch that love be taken from her by joel when he kills her father. sure, we finally get a reason as to why she had to kill joel but, does that mean it was justified to torture him like that? that question is what made her arc so much more realer than joels. we didn’t look at as ‘oh, she’s doing what any daughter would do for their father’ like we did with joel but, in a more greyer/human-like sense with the ‘yeah, i understand why she did it but, did she have to brutally kill joel like that?’ questioning her actions as a character instead of a robotic defense is what makes her so interesting to me. it makes her far more human to me rather than just some ‘false hero’ that joel was. i often ponder on what could’ve been had joel been introduced into part 1 as someone brutal killer and then we slowly were dissolved into his past and why he did what he did. it definitely would have given his character more nuance and greyness to the story
I do believe that a big theme of Part 2 is perspective, in Ellie's perspective just after the death of Joel she doesn't get the chance to forgive Joel and especially herself to taking him for granted, in Abby's perspective she finally avenged her father's killer but she experiences the nightmares of her dad's corpse in the hospital now trying to save 2 Seraphite kids not knowing why but others (mel only) thinking it was to win over, but really in her words "I had... to, I needed to, you both don't deserve this." Owen's perspective where he now tired for fighting for a land he doesn't give a f**k about anymore and want to have the Abby he knew back. I appreciate Naughty Dog giving us a chance to hear different characters perspective in this game.
@@jordanthompson8268 small minded, you didnt even watch the video at all. like if you're incapable of understanding the game, fine, we get it, you cant think beneath the surface. but watch someone elses explanation and try to understand.
@@ezra5737 I've watched plenty of people's videos on the game, seen the game's story several times, and watched the bulk of the video. The game is painfully simple. It's easily understood. It just sucks. Stop huffing your own farts, it's not deep.
@@jordanthompson8268see, the story itself is simple, but what’s complex is the emotions it brings and all the themes people miss because they’re too busy filled with hate. It’s perfectly fine to not like Part 2 even if you fully understand the context, sub context, themes, etc, but unfortunately many who say they do understand actually missed so much.
Amazing video essay LOVED IT! When it comes to Mel I can't help but to empathize with her. I mean, she gets pregnant (we all know it wasn't planned) by this guy who's still hung up on his ex, tries so hard to make it work with him, cares about him, decorates their "place"... and then Abby, her supposed "friend", just sleeps with him like he isn't taken. Abby AND Owen are both at fault for this, I'm not only blaming Abby, I'm talking from Mel's pov when it comes to Abby. So when Mel went off on Abby, I agreed with averything she said cuz, to Mel, Abby's been an awful person... she smiles to her face and tries to not be awkward but it wouldn't be awkward if she hadn't tried to take her man, if she just moved on or accept the reality... it sucks but she lost her shot with Owen over her obsession with Joel. I wouldn't classify Abby as a girl's girl as people say. If Mel and Owen had survived, she'd be miserable, with a cheating partner or an all together absent father figure for the child. As long as Abby's in the picture it would've never worked for Mel.
The last of us pt 1 was my favorite game ever ....then this came out ...and I hated it soooo much .... But after some time . I realized...how freaking amazing this game is ...and it's now my favorite game ever .
This games one of the few where I genuinely felt worse after playing it. 😂 I cant say its in a bad way, but definitely in a ...mixed feelings way. Its good to see people looking back at it in a variety of ways.
I don't think anyone is upset about playing as Ellie. No one has an issue with that, it was all about Joel's death. The jump between main characters argument doesn't really apply as a bad descision here. The simple fact that joel died as early as he did & especially in the way he did is what people had a problem with. Something I don't see people talk about is that this whole development was leaked, which i think severely affected the reception of this whole thing
It is a little hard to pull the rug out from the audience when they can see you're going to pull the rug out from them. People wanted a sequel to the first game, they didn't want Neil Druckmann's rejected pitch so he could have a do-over to tell the story he wanted.
From a purely gameplay perspective, the shift to a new character mid game jarred me way more than Joel dying because I had fully leveled up Ellie’s weapons and skills. That bugged me but I quickly got over it once I started with Abby. I personally don’t understand the surprise at Joel’s death. It was inevitable; I don’t really see where Ellie’s story would go otherwise? At least not as a personal character driven story. Joel’s story was done when he got to Jackson. His arc was complete.
🛳️ absolutely love this game and ur analysis, it’s such a bummer so many people didn’t get the point of the plot cause it really is such a beautiful story
Yeah I hate that people shat on this game because it is SO good and bold in it's decisions and because it's a game and not a movie it makes things even harder to play because we literally assume the roles by playing the characters.
I thought this game was pretty good as a huge fan of the first game. As much as I didn’t care for Abby, the more I played the game, I started to understand why she did what she did although I still don’t like her. It also hurts that Ellie isn’t her optimistic and gleeful self in this game. She definitely turned into someone unrecognizable, but I love the game regardless. S.N. Your video editing has gotten so good! And your storytelling is so well done! Keep up the good work! 🛶
Tbf, you can blame Joel and the events of the first game as to why Ellie isn’t her gleeful self anymore. She lost Tess, bonded with a kid near her age in Sam but then he and Henry died. She gets tricked by David and eventually captured by him, he was gonna do some awful things to her, she has to kill him and is very brutal in doing so. That’s a lot to take in as a 14 year old. Now add in that she’s been told she’s special and she can change the world, she had purpose. Now Riley, Tess, Sam and Henry’s deaths weren’t gonna be in vain. She couldn’t save them but she can save many others. Joel then takes that away from her and then lies about it. That’s a fuckton to take in at any age, let alone a 14 year old. And one of the themes of Last of Us is that grief, trauma, and PTSD changes people
42:50 I really do hate that Nora said that last line. Because at first she did sound remorseful. Infact many of the characters regret being involved with Joels death So I think Nora did acutally get haunted by his screams but couldnt shake the fact they they did it for Abby and it was the "right" thing to do
Of course Joel was honest before his death and didn’t give a fake name, he literally never was the type to do that even in first game, not sure why people invented that non existent aspect of his character. Random people in Boston called him by his name for gods sake.
Great video so far!! Just want to say to the haters who think Joel was out of character before his death etc etc that HE WASNT. Joel says “Tommy!” numerous times (who Abby is looking for to get info about Joel) whilst Tommy moves the gondola. Tommy then formally introduces himself and Joel to Abby during the escape, and Abby stares at Joel in shock. She then takes them to the Baldwin place knowing who they are and with the plan to kill Joel. There, an unaware Mel introduces herself to an unaware Tommy and Joel says his name. People who bash this don’t realise Joel’s fate was already sealed way back when Abby realised her final target (Joel) is stood next to her current target (Tommy). Edit: 🛶
i heard some people say that the scene of her coming back wasnt her coming back from abby, but from jackson. her and dina living together. people pointed out that she is still wearing dinas bracelet. and that she is missing the weapons she had on her during santa barbara. for my sake i'd like to go with that idea
Wanted to say a few things about Mel and also say you did a great job with the video. When it comes to Mel, I believe that her character more so steams from the well-being of her unborn child rather than her jealousy of Owen and Abby's relationship. While it's probably a small part of it, I don't think it's the main driving force around her contradicting character. She wanted to kill Joel because of the fact that he decided to go back on the deal with The Fireflies that also cost her baby a potential future without the infection, Abby was willing to keep going even if it meant Mel would lose the baby or if anyone in the group died, after she got her revenge, everyone was traumatized by the torture and death of Joel and couldn't get pass it, everyone except seemingly Abby. To the player, we know Abby hasn't been able to move on from her father's death, but to everyone else in Abby's friend group, she did. She never talked to them about what happened or tried to make amends for basically using them as canon fodder for her revenge quest and basically going about her life like nothing happened. As for Mel wanting to kill Tommy and Ellie after killing Joel, she was afraid that if they let them go, they would kill her baby and Owen, that's all. So when she has a chance to tell off Abby and burn that bridge, she took it. I know this explanation was long, but this is what I took away from the game and it kinda drives the idea of the fact that after Joel was killed by Abby, all of her friends hated her and just wanted to move on from the war, joel, revenge and especially Abby.
I think some of the major writing choices make a lot more sense when you consider how heavily the conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, specifically, influenced the narrative. With the creative director and creator of the series having grown up with his particular experiences there, it's easy to see how "breaking the cycle of violence" is such an important theme toward the end. And then taking the time to humanize and allow the player to empathize with what would traditionally be the antagonist is so much more effective than if Ellie's story had been the only one told. I have some criticisms for some of the writing, but I think they largely accomplished what they set out to do.
I saw another good video where they explained how it's also about empathy, I wish I had the link but the explanation was fantastic. Surface level it's about revenge and where it leads but can also be about learning empathy. There's so many themes. I'm not saying you're wrong or anything just, adding a bit.
My favorite game of all time. It was RDR2 for so long, but TLOU2 took that spot so quick as the story unfolded I realized this story is quite a masterpiece. If you havent played this game DONT listen to the hate online. The hate does not reflect the quality of the game and its story.
This is a very well made video I really liked it but just so you know stalkers aren’t a new type of infected they were in the first game (they were mainly seen in the hotel basement and the sewers)
I’m curious how people feel about Owen. For me, him NOT killing the seraphite when he wanted to die, but then being fine killing young ones who want to live, then abandoning Mel because “she’ll be safer here” during a war? She’s pregnant with your child….. Then endangering his life and by extension Mel’s by trying to go after Abby on the island, which is selfish to Mel and the baby. Anyone have different thoughts? I can’t see it any other way help me out
i feel the same way. wanted to like owen but it felt like he was meant to serve as abbys moral compass even though he planned to abandon his pregnant girlfriend for abby, who despite sleeping with him, was very adamant that he get his shit together even if she wanted to be with him too. we were meant to hate abby in the beginning and grow to love her, whereas i think they intended on owen being more likable because he was partly the reason for tommy and ellie being spared. but i guess everyone in tlou is messy lol all of my favorite characters are mass murderers 😭
I agree. I think he was supposed to be a lot more likeable. I didn't really _dislike_ him, tbh. I actually felt pretty bad for him. It seemed to me like he really wanted to be with Abby, but she chose her obsession for vengeance over him. I think he was just with Mel out of obligation, because he got her pregnant and was trying to do right by her and his child. He just wasn't very good at it. Personally, Mel was more annoying. They could have done a lot better for her character. I couldn't even feel bad for her that she was with a guy who clearly didn't want to be with her because I just found her so incredibly unlikeable. Her jealousy was warranted in general, but I feel like they didn't give her very many redeemable qualities so I cared more about Alice dying than I did Mel. It's kind of a shame because I like Ashley Burch as a voice actor.
@@chuidumathey couldve done so much for Mel as a character bc who was she? I've played the game so many times and i still don't really know exactly such a shame bc there was so much potential..
I think Owens story about not killing the seraphite ties in directly to the main themes of the game. He’s had enough, he has killed plenty, he’s done, he’s tired, he just wants to live his life.
WOW. I wanna say I loved this video to the start till the end it was such a great analysing and I loved it watched the whole thing super underrated and for Mel in my opinion she’s been always this joules person that craves validation and love from others especially from the way she acted when Abby told her she was Jerry’s favorite student and I think that’s like the one or top reason she felt targeted especially after Joel death she knew that Owen and Abby were never really over eachother and that they would eventually get back with eachother and that’s why she got really angry at Abby and called her out thinking she was helping the kids to get back with Owen but that was never the case Abby just wanted to do the right thing for once in her life which impacted her a lot for the better otherwise Mel isn’t really a bad cold hearted person she’s nice but she’s indeed joules and digs into stuff deeply and wrongly a lot of the time I’m sorry for my bad English I tried to word it as perfect as I can for anyone reading thanks for listening to me yapping!
loved the game since it first released and i think most gamers got spoiled by the leaks or were simply too low IQ to understand the story, wanting joel to go out like a hero etc. i definitely think it pushed the medium forward overall
For Mel i recomend dor you to watch the video from the chanel tlou explained as well as their other videos you can also do reaction videos if you want to.
Was devastated when Joel died because the first game makes us emotionally attached to both characters but none the less tlou2 was still a masterpiece & I actually found myself liking Abby & would love a spinoff with her & Lev
Banger video! 🛥 I find Mel interesting because she's more anti-violence than Abby (mostly) but rational enough in the scene with Ellie and Tommy to know they're a threat if left alive. I personally don't think she'd be as willing to kill them both if she were the one to pull the trigger though. Moreover I think Mel also just wants to be happy with Owen, but it's hard to know your partner is more in love with their ex than with you when you're already pregnant with his child. Owen is the one she should really be mad at but she lashes out at Abby because that's easier. I think it also mirrors Dina's frustration and grief with Ellie when she leaves to kill Abby at the end, in the sense that both Mel and Dina just want their partners to let go of the past and move forward, hell they even both give an ultimatum.
🚤 RAAAH I fucking hated TLOU2 when it first came out, obviously just from the fact that Joel straight up dies and the game made us play as his killer but after watching some videos about it and also my partner explaining it to me, I realized that it is lowkey one of the best story driven game I’ve played. Still mad how Neil tricked us into thinking Joel was gonna be alive longer 😭
🛶 I have always felt that anyone who played this game and hated it just because they had to play as Abby completely missed the point. It's a story about what holding bitterness in your heart does to you, even if it is totally justified. Ellie allowed her bitterness to destroy her, and if you can't get through the game because you hate Abby that much... then you have the same problem.
I didn’t have a problem empathizing with Abby at the end both of their drives for revenge led to them losing loved ones and losing a chance at a romantic relationship and a family.
I dont think people didnt like switching main character they disagreed with the death being too early after 8 years of anticipation and then playing as abby nothing to do with ellie until later on in the game where obsession gets the best of her... I hear arguments about it all the time its about abby and the death being too early oh and also the ending...
Yeah I think if we played as Abby a bit more before she used Joel as a golf ball we maybe would have struggled more to dislike her But her killing him so early on makes it easy to hate her and look past her character development.
@@OrangecatenergyI think that was the point. Make the players hate her because all they initially see is the horrible act she committed against a beloved character, and then show them that even if her actions weren't justified, her motivations and experiences before and after she gets her revenge make sense. She's just a person who's just as fucked up as anyone else in that world, but doesn't want to be.
@obsequiarch7271 i think its more if you can get on board with ellie's journey then you could do the same with abby challenging our biases which are surface views that were shown in p1 e.g. (marlene's talk with joel in the parking lot) but were easily sidelined because we was joel and ellie in p1. i dont think this game is solely about revenge and thats due to how they structured the game...
@@obsequiarch7271yeah sure it was their point but as you can see a lot of the fans and people who played the first game and this don’t get that. They don’t really have any reason to be rooting for Abby. If we had connected with Abby first, just for a little while, it would have been much harder to play as her SERIOUSLY and not just see that part of the game as a hassle and to be unsatisfied with that part of the game.
@@obsequiarch7271what I’m trying to say is, a story like that works out fine in theory, but not in practice and with the context of this game, if it had been a sequel to a game that hasn’t been out as long as TLOU 1, maybe it could have worked. But with how long TLOU 1 had been out prior to part 2, people only had Joel and Ellie to connect for and root for. Throw a random character in the second part with the intention to make us qeustion Joel when all these years we never had to is hard. We played the game multiple times, killed Marlene and the fireflies multiple times. It’s hard to see Abby as the interesting character she is when she’s introduced like this.
I had a bad opinion of this game, even before playing it, took me 4 years to play it. I was biased by all those other players who hated it after Joel's death. Then I started to watch game plays and I got curious by Abby. I liked Abby a lot. I enjoyed playing her story more than Ellie. I felt she lost much more than ellie. Hopefully, in the series, she wont be played as the "villian".
one of the things about this game, is that it asks you to remove your biases, to humanize the other, in real life it’s very obvious tons of people don’t do that, hence a lot of the hate for the game
Man, I really wanted to like this game as much as the first one, and while it’s definitely not as good as Part 1, it’s still kept me busy for quite some time.
My Top 10 Favorite Video Games of All Time 1. The Last of Us Part II 2. Red Dead Redemption II 3. Batman Arkham City 4. The Last of Us 5. GTA IV 6. Portal 2 7. Red Dead Redemption 8. Super Mario 64 9. Gears of War 2 10. Uncharted 4
Loved the video, always enjoy watching peoples opinions on the game. Got to play last of us 1 and two recently and it was amazing. I had prior to playing the game already had watched a ton of content on the game. With playing the game it allowed me to come to terms with what happened with Ellie Joel and Abby. Actually really enjoyed Abby’s section. Also, I believe If we don’t get a Tommy game before or after last of us 3 where he finds peace like Ellie and Abby I’m gonna feel pretty disappointed and like the story is a bit unfinished. He’s the last character who hasn’t gotten peace. I’ve seen a few people seem to now highly dislike Tommy because of how he’s dealing with grief just boxing him into the section of toxic masculinity instead of understanding what he’s been through aswell. I think a Tommy game prior to lou3 will lead perfectly into a final game to sum up the franchise. There is a fan made Tommy dlc story made by MegaDan (malpasdan) and the video is called Tommy dlc? What it would look like? The last of us part 2 expansion idea (unbroken - part 1) there is a part 2 aswell. It’s a great story. I’m taking it as canon for now until we get an actual game 😭.
TLOU2 was, what I think, a great expansion of the universe. Yes, Joel is a likeable morally grey character, but so is literally every other character you come across. Fan favorites are not going to make the choices you want them to make. Revenge is all-consuming, and your favorite character (from this universe at least) will eventually fall victim to it as well.
No one minded playing as Ellie, we love her. It’s Abbie everyone hated. I personally liked Abbie’s story with Lev. It’s hard to match that Abbie with the one from the beginning.
I don’t have a problem with Joel dying or the fact that Abby kills him the problem I have is HOW and WHY to me it’s such a ridiculous and unbelievable cause to effect that even with being spoiled on what happens I completely disagreed with the direction ND took and to me this is the game that broke Naughty Dog and I honestly think their next game will take a significant financial and critical decline because of the decisions they made with what I and many others consider to be the definitive example of an unnecessary sequel
Just wanna say with all the complaining ND got for remaking or reworking part 1 I now cant imaging how weird it would be looking at the ps3 clips comparing to lou2 clips
I ain't never gonna miss a 2 hour video essay on tlou
The most immersive commentary I have ever found regardless of the creator tbh
But did you watch the 5 hour from luke?
@@elizaofelia1881 you need to tag me in this I BEG YOU OMG
@@elizaofelia1881 twice
I don’t really understand why people were surprised that Joel died. It seemed so inevitable to me; when he lies to Ellie at the end of the first game, it becomes clear that the next game is gonna be about Ellie dealing with that. Joel’s story is over in Jackson. Him dying due to his gruesome past was the most narratively logical course of action. I loved Joel, but I didn’t find it surprising he died as the inciting incident. If you hate if for that, what story did you want? Them going across the country again? To what end? What’s the goal? What’s the inciting incident? What’s the meaningful character struggle?
The game's marketing advertized Joel and Ellie going on a journey together by putting him into cutscenes that in the final game have another character instead of him
100% agree with William
i agree with your statement, but during the height of the trailers and advertising of Part 2 there were a lot of deceptive trailers edited together to make it appear that Joel was going to be at the very least alive during the events of Part 2. in fact, i remember one trailer where they changed the cinematic where Jesse pulls Ellie away while covering her mouth to stop her from stirring suspicion into Joel for that scene. that was a 2019 trailer if i remember correctly? while there were a lot of fans who were upset about Joel's death. this was a criticism coming from multiple angles
@@tyrannosarcophagous3447 I can understand feeling a bit let down at first, but if you still feel this way for the whole game, I would argue the real problem is not that the trailer hid the true nature of the game. It's that the person doesn't agree with the choice itself and they aren't able to buy anything the story is trying to sell. So I would say it's the same ''angle'' as the other ones.
I expected him to die, but probably at the end as some sort of sacrifice for Ellie. Killing him as the inciting incident took me off guard and I think it will for most when you go in expecting Joel to be playable throughout the game.
This game is honestly *DESTROYED* me, but I love every second of it.
A 3rd game was pretty much confirmed by Druckmann in the TLOU2 documentary from February
@@Washanugatrue and i can’t wait
You forgot the "ing" in destroyed but dont edit the comment cause you'll lose the heart from the creator
This
@@Washanuga If we play as Ellie first in the 3rd game I'm going to shed some tears
1:32:00 I saw someone point out that as a medic, Mel would have been a pupil of Abby's dad, and she may have even felt like a second daughter to him. So there is that tension of jealousy surrounding the others' relationship with their father/father figure as well
this is a theme explored by the channel TLOU Explained, it is pretty interesting :D
@@ajellyfishstealingidentities thank you, that's who I watched it from !
it's outright said that Mel was her dad's best student
But her dad was shot when she was like 12, assuming they're a similar age?
@@jscene17 Abby is a couple/few years older than Ellie
one of my favorite parts of the end was Abby saying 'there's boats this way' It almost seems like Abby thought Ellie was captured by them too. Idk. Good moment. I love Abby.
ur 1 of 10 ppl who like abby
@ A lot mature adults quite like Abby as a character.
@@7emhosiks167 1/10 adults
Abby maybe didn't forgive Ellie but she was able to see past revenge and know why it happened and understand Ellie was a person to. Abby was willing to help her.
Abby matured from her revenge and got better unlike Ellie who matured late but still isn't better
I love Abby
@@lilmother4492 Make that 3/10 adults. I liked abby's character as well
I'm a simple man, i see TLOU2 commentary, I click. My all time favorite game 💙
I'm so glad that someone talked about how Abby's section of the game mirror's Joel's from Part 1, I haven't seen really any video essays on the game that have mentioned this and I've been confused on how others have missed it, or if they just figured that that they din't have to mention it.
Glad to see as the years pass more people understand how masterpiece this game was in storytelling
I just wanna say it’s always been a point that Ellie has ALWAYS been the main character, she shares this spot with Joel in the first game, the only difference between Ellie and Joel in the first game is that you PLAY as Joel. Other than that Ellie has always been main character or at least one of the main characters, the first game is about Joel AND Ellie not just Joel and not just Ellie. That’s why she’s the main focus on both game cover artworks
You made me love a game that I hated due to a death I chose to not let go. Bravo!! 👏 🚤
You must suck to watch movies with
First of all 🚤 but I must be the only player who liked Joel and still thought he got exactly what was coming to him. Of course his allies will never see it that way, since Tommy and Ellie know the truth and that doesn't change anything. Death is forever and you never get over it, and in a world where everyone has seen a very violent death of a loved one, it's hard to just try and be bigger than that. Everyone in the game is a piece of shit in one way or another (except Jesse he's such a sweet boy) and I'm sure they've all done something that ruined someone else's life. I really like how Lev, Owen, Abby and Dina all show the effects of violence on the psyche.
I did too, and I wanted to see him face harsh consequences. The problem is that people waited years for a sequel so they could play as Joel and Ellie, watching their story continue. Not having a beloved character die immediately after waiting all of that time to play as him again.
The 2nd game should’ve just been Joel and Ellie, with Ellie discovering the truth of St. Mary’s, and likely ending when they try to rekindle their relationship on the patio. Then the part 2 as we know it is the 3rd game.
@@christiancorley4309 I feel like this version would have made part 2 into a very long tv show episode where they need to resolve 1 conflict..
As you said we were waiting a long time for it so I was very happy when in the very first scene of TLOU2 we see Joel talking about what he did with Tommy. When the first game ended, I actually thought ''either I don't want a sequel, or if there is a sequel, Joel is going to be the bad guy''. Now they didn't go that way but it goes to tell not every player had the same wants and expectations for the second game.
Also I would argue that he doesn't actually ''dies immediately'', we still have about 1h-2h of Joel at the start + multiple flashbacks.. it's not as if the game starts with his death and we don't hear from him gain..
@@crazyneonate8626 well, the best stories usually do only solve 1 over arching conflict, as it helps to keep the story focused and cohesive.
Subplots in a second game that I mentioned could include Ellie learning to love again after the loss of Riley, continuing to see Joel become more compassionate and willing to let his guard down to help people (like he did for abby), Jackson beginning to expand and what that expansion means in terms of incentivizing raiders, establishing abby and foreshadow her, and so on. And again, most people did not want only 1-2 hours and a couple of flashbacks with Joel and Ellie. They wanted another whole game with Joel and Ellie.
@christiancorley4309 mmh im not sure about most people but I like your idea, although it would be a completely différent game at this point.. I guess we will have to see what the third part offers us, I expect a final chapter that gives peace to Ellie in the end. No matter how bleak this world is Ellie deserves a good ending hahah
@@crazyneonate8626 yeah. This is not to say I didn’t like part 2, because I loved it and its concept. But I do fully understand the criticism. I’m glad it’s seemed to be seen in a more positive light as time has passed
"It is a complicated perfection"
But it is also a perfect complication in full circle, so beautiful and haunting and heartbreaking
I just love it so much man.. even the freaking flaws make me love it
10/10 made me feel like shitty in a good way
Oh. Well I know what I'm watching tomorrow.
I loved and hated the fans reaction to this game's story. I will forever call it art. It evoked too strong a reaction from everyone not to be called art.
I have played the game three times, and thrice it has been an emotional journey that i loved. i genuinely think this game could've been made in a whole different manner, telling the same story, while fixing parts of the pacing, but that is just my overly logical and critical me talking. I have no words over how TLOU has impacted my life and how much TLOU II is a masterpiece in terms of its message, story, characters and gameplay. thank you for doing this analysis, it is insanely well done
I get why people have issues with the pacing, but I think the most popular fixes for it would have had a negative impact on the story Naughty Dog wanted to tell. In TLoU podcast, they talk about what they were trying to achieve with it and wondering if they could push the player so far down a dark path (Ellie's path) and then bring them back. They knew it would be divisive well before the leaks, and they knew a lot of people would not be willing to play as Abby or try to see things from her point of view.
The entire game is kind of an experiment in empathy.
To what you were saying about Mel, Mel definitely is a strange character to analyze since we don't quite see what she is thinking a lot of the time and we don't know a lot about her background. I think she is a complex character, and the reason she acts the way she does is to protect what she has. With Tommy and Ellie, I don't think she was genuinely rooting for their murder in a cold way but was scared of what could happen if they were kept alive, she clearly doesn't like hurting people considering how she felt tourniquetting Joel's leg and how she felt after Jackson. With the scars, she only wants to hurt them because they want to hurt her family from what I see, and when Abby brought these two scars back she was willing to perform the operation to save Yara's life, and how she talked about the WLF killing those scar kids. I believe she really cares and loves but when pushed to the boundaries can show a different more cruel side. Even before her death, she was willing to sacrifice Abby, one of her closest friends, to ensure that she, her baby, and Owen lived. There is a really good analysis of the scene with Mel and Abby from the channel TLOU Explained which might explain what I'm trying to say better than what I can. I think the reason Mel feels the way she does is a growing hatred toward Abby that has been progressing, from everything that happened in Jackson, her perceived notion of Abby trying to get close to Owen, and the fact that Owen clearly loves Abby in a way he doesn't love Mel. I wouldn't boil it down to just jealousy, which makes it seem dumb and frivolous, but when you take a look from Mel's side I think you can clearly understand how she feels and why she does.
Anyway, super great analysis!!! I always love seeing love for this game. It is one of my favorite games ever if not my favorite. I'm happy to see love and appreciation for a game that is way too overhated in my opinion.❤❤❤
When I played this game for the first time I felt like I was Ellie. When Joel died I literally had to walk away for two weeks to just be able to play again. At first I was so angry and it upset me in how violent Joel’s death was. I wanted to get revenge for Joel because he was my favorite character. As Ellie’s story progressed I started to understand how destructive this path was not just physically but emotionally. It was really hard to move past it but you just had to keep going. When we finally switch to Abby, I was pissed let me tell you. But for some reason I couldn’t put it down. I had to keep going no matter how much I hated her. It took me so long to realize that just because I hated her doesn’t mean I couldn’t understand her. I believe that you can understand why someone did something even if that’s not what you would do. Abby is not evil, she is in pain. Just like Ellie. Now don’t get me wrong, I hate Abby for what she did, but I can forgive her just like Ellie does to Joel. In the end I feel like Ellie was choosing to understand Joel and the last part in Santa Barbara when she’s hunting Abby, it’s not so much about revenge against Abby but about forgiveness with Joel. Ellie is such a complex character. This game is not about revenge but just like the first game, it’s about love. What we as humans are willing to sacrifice to have it. What parts of ourselves we lose without it. I find this game a piece of art. It’s a game of empathy. It’s a game that shows the real power of love and hate. It wasn’t perfect but it was a masterpiece.
Thanks for listening to my Ted talk
Ya know, there's no reason Ellie couldn't learn to play guitar left handed. Finger picking would be limited but she'd be fine with a guitar pick with her remaining three fingers. I'd love to see that in pt. 3.
You're the only other person I've ever seen say this. It was one of the first things I said when my girlfriend was watching me play and I got to that part; she was sad Ellie could never play again. Even picking wouldn't be too bad. It would just require more practice. I don't think I've ever used more than Mt thumb and first two fingers for that personally, but I'm by no means a professional or anywhere near that. Still, I can't recall ever seeing anyone else use their little fingers either.
she will have to relearn
it will no longer be a string between her and Joel
she lost everything she had from her parents
her mothers knife and the ability to play guitar from her father
@@Ananasik_Evgeniy the knowledge is all still there. She would just have to develop new muscle memory. I agree that it's symbolic of her lost connection to Joel, but I disagree that it's a complete severance of that bond.
Played both games about 100 times each. Biggest fan here. It's absolutely life changing. Beautiful video!!!
To answer how I felt playing the game? For me I always loved it. Coz it's such a painful but beautiful storytelling and combination of great gameplay to go with it.
So for as divisive as people were on the treatment of Abby and Joel for me the writers had me in the palm of their hands coz it was easy for me to empathize with the other side.
Coz as the saying goes even tho it's cliché at this point, "Just because you are the hero in your own story doesn't mean you aren't a villain in someone else's story."
And that's something I've always lived life by. And especially seeing how hostile people become these days on any topic it takes empathy to be able to reason and see down that middle where things often are.
And even tho I understand why people would've felt a way, I struggle to see how people couldn't just put themselves in someone else's shoes and realize that we are all able to see things thru a different lens and so for all the bad actions we did in the first game, there was consequences to it and often video games don't make you face them, so having to face them was slightly exciting for me not because I didn't care for Ellie and Joel but because again that motto of heroes and villains I could easily put the foot on the other shoe and be like oh snap we are the villain's to someone else if we flipped the lens. And the characters they introduced weren't just boring cliches they were actually characters who were as well written and fleshed out as the cast of the first game.
So yeah enough of my ramble, but for me I will always hold Naughty Dog in a special place in terms of writing coz it takes a lot to be able to throw something new at us especially in a world where things are getting so repetitive so anytime games like this or Red Dead Redemption 2 and all sorts come out I'm always super happy coz I absolutely adore diving into those experiences and knowing that I'll likely get something that sticks with me or has me explore so many things beyond some of the shallow writing that we see these days.
Loved this video ❤, keep up the great work
This game really changed my perspective on a lot of things in both gaming and life. 10/10 series and I love it to death.
Great analysis! As I commented on another TH-camr's video just yesterday, the break-up scene between Dina and Ellie is one of my favorites. The acting is great and it's heartbreakingly well captured and animated. The game's ending had me thinking for days and weeks with conflicting thoughts about what could and should have been. ⛵
For me, personally, TLOU1 was always about Ellie the moment we met her, about protecting and caring for, even though Joel tried to deny these feelings as long as possible. By the end of TLOU1, Joel's story was finished and in the last scene Ellie became the protagonist, so it felt natural to continue as her in TLOU2. The decline of their relationship due to Joel's lie and him getting killed by someone he had crossed in the past were logical continuations from the first game. It made even more sense that it'd be someone from Salt Lake (not that I would've guessed it at the time). I'm glad they dared to create something new instead of repeating the same formula, even knowing that they'd upset a lot of people. The happy adventures of Joel and Ellie part II were never in the stars, though I might not have complained about something more uplifting. What we got instead is now one of my favorite stories ever.
That being said, I find it perfectly fine to dislike the game. It can feel very bleak and that may be the opposite of what people seek in a game. I've even watched a playthrough of someone who appreciated the game but who expressed that she'd never want to play it again because of how depressing it was.
Best game I’ve ever played. Been playing games since 1991 😅 but never seen so much attention to detail and interwoven story/gameplay. So good
Play Red Dead Redemption 2...
@@beauhancock4922 very boring. Tried 2 times. Did not enjoy it at all
@beauhancock4922 RDR2 is goat but TLoU 2 is a tighter experience. Also shooting a gun is actually fun in TLoU 2 lol. Rockstar needs to update their shooting mechanics
The first game was way too idealistic for it to even take place in an apocalypse. This game is exactly what I wanted in a sequel.
What do you mean? I played it some time ago but don't remember it being idealistic really
Idealistic how? It got pretty bleak at some points and represented some of the worst of humanity. And I'd say the ending is more bittersweet than anything else, even without the sequel, and knowing where it goes.
Few games sum up the “Dig Two Graves” rule of revenge like TLOU2
Really great video! Stumbled upon your channel randomly, and you have a new subscriber! 🙂
The Last of Us 2 will have a special place in my heart, probably more so than than the 1st game. My dad was killed about a year and a half before this game came out and I feel this game perfectly portrayed the anger and grief that you feel and carry when a loved one dies, especially when that death is sudden and tragic. It portrayed the weight you carry with you, and how tired that weight makes you, until you finally try to move on and let go of some that anger. It was brutal, visceral and beautiful. From someone who left things unsaid when their loved one was still around, that last scene with Joel and Ellie absolutely destroyed me.
Glad you could put your biases aside and actually enjoy the story for what it was. There are very few us out there that can appreciate the bold choice Naughty Dog took to tell a story.
I'm biased in favor of good writing which is why I don't like this game.
This video is absolutely amazing. Really heartening to see someone else's love for this absolutely marvelous work of art shine through.
16:30 I do like that you pointed that out! I've been wonderig wether it was a good or a bad decision to make him so trusting, but from the way you put it, it sure sounds like the best way to end his character. Afterall, he was practically took in by those people for a bried moment so, even if he naturally had his doubts and walls up, I do believe that the simple fact that they seemed kind enough was just enough to make him lower his guard.
Best game ever made. I cannot fucking wait to see what part 3 has in store
Me to im so excited and hyped for part 3 as a 11 year true fan boy of the last of us im excited for part 3 i love the first game and the second game and im excited for part 3 and a Tommy dlc game 🩷🌿🩷🌿🩷
@@PlayStationgamer-t9w hell yes the Tommy dlc would be incredible and so fun especially with their improved gunplay mechanics. Part 3 is gonna deliver BIG time for both gameplay and story, nothing better happen to me before now and when it comes out finally haha
same
Perfect video and perfectr game, i watched everysingle second of this video. Thank for making this!
Great video as always! 🚢❤ I have to admit, you’re one of the first ones that I’ve seen who have actually addressed how the switches between the characters are meant to create empathy in more depth than just “it’s hard to switch.” I think that the writers and the game is literally FORCING you to have empathy, to develop empathy in the face of a tragedy. And that’s really, really hard. You don’t WANT to like Abby, you don’t WANT to empathize with her. You want to turn away. But by the end, not only do you empathize to at least some degree, but you are right there with the characters. You’re just as tired as they are with the senseless violence. You don’t want either to die, you don’t understand why you’re still fighting - and neither do they, but that feeling of “she killed Joel” still keeps popping up.
It’s a game that manages to break you alongside its characters, and that’s REALLY impressive. I can understand why people can’t finish it, but god, it’s unmatched.
The writing for this is amazing. Every line every word is so real and so relatable. They poured so much emotion in it. They dont write block buster movies this well
40:02 fun fact stalkers were in the first game they were in the hotel basement as well as the sewers they were just combined with other infected so you couldn’t really tell them apart
At first I was surprised and a little heartbroken when Joel died, but then I remembered something He old Ellie in the first game. After the escape the office building through the subway Ellie told Joel and Tess you guys are pretty good at this. Joel said It's called luck, and it is going to run out. Joel did prepare her for how how harsh this world is now. Joel knew one day someone would probably come after him. Im glad Tommy had his back. Ellie saved Joels life in Pittsburgh PA. If she wasmt there he would have died. Whether Joel wanted her oround or not he was teacher her everyday how to survive.
The Greatest story ever told..this game changed games forever my expectations of what game is has changed technology and storytelling
WHAT?? This channel has only 3.2k subscribers??? This is the best video essay of tlou 2 I've seen, loved it ❤❤❤
Amazing video honestly you said this so beautifully and explained it so well i love watching these types of videos to see everyone's pov and see how everyone takes in certain events.
The only point that originally irritated me was the game putting me in Abby's shoes, not because I didn't understand or accept what she did but because I felt like the game was far to forcefully demanding I relate to her and I just couldn't, I trudged through begrudgingly and at some point that feeling faded as I became invested in Lev and Yara.
It's difficult to say that it was the intent but looking back I feel like the gameplay before then was me going through the motions just to finish Abby's section, kind of like how she had gained no happiness or goal after killing Joel and at this point without a purpose was also just going through the motions.
Regardless I loved the game start to finish, with that being the only moment that was too much for me, but thankfully only briefly.
Loved this analysis and will absolutely love a last chapter from this beautiful story 🛶
I just finished playing it, i feel so empty it was so good. The character writing is so excellent i love Abby and lev so much
Thanks for your story analysis. I really love it. TLOU2 is the most intense game I‘ve ever played in my life. It‘s a masterpiece
I just beat this game like last week. One hell of a game.
i honestly kinda just wanna go on a tangent on how abby was introduced to the story because i loved it SO MUCH. my personal interpretation of why they introduced her as the murderer of joel is solely for moral greyness, one of the more overarching themes of this game. in part 1, joel is introduced as a father who lost his daughter and is trying to regain that chance with ellie. it makes us view him as some pitiable false hero who people will defend no matter what. plus, it often takes away from the greyness of his actions/past. this ultimately made us view joel differently in part 2 as naughty dog forces us to view joel as this dude who has also done bad/unjustifiable things.
with abby we essentially get the reverse of joels introduction. abby tortures our favorite character and makes our 2nd favorite character watch (ellie). she is automatically shown as this callous and evil individual until, we get to her section of the story. we realize that she was once a young girl with a father whom she loved. we watch that love be taken from her by joel when he kills her father. sure, we finally get a reason as to why she had to kill joel but, does that mean it was justified to torture him like that?
that question is what made her arc so much more realer than joels. we didn’t look at as ‘oh, she’s doing what any daughter would do for their father’ like we did with joel but, in a more greyer/human-like sense with the ‘yeah, i understand why she did it but, did she have to brutally kill joel like that?’ questioning her actions as a character instead of a robotic defense is what makes her so interesting to me. it makes her far more human to me rather than just some ‘false hero’ that joel was.
i often ponder on what could’ve been had joel been introduced into part 1 as someone brutal killer and then we slowly were dissolved into his past and why he did what he did. it definitely would have given his character more nuance and greyness to the story
I do believe that a big theme of Part 2 is perspective, in Ellie's perspective just after the death of Joel she doesn't get the chance to forgive Joel and especially herself to taking him for granted, in Abby's perspective she finally avenged her father's killer but she experiences the nightmares of her dad's corpse in the hospital now trying to save 2 Seraphite kids not knowing why but others (mel only) thinking it was to win over, but really in her words "I had... to, I needed to, you both don't deserve this." Owen's perspective where he now tired for fighting for a land he doesn't give a f**k about anymore and want to have the Abby he knew back. I appreciate Naughty Dog giving us a chance to hear different characters perspective in this game.
Beautiful, very well edited!
this was such a treat to see in my recommended during my work shift!! ⛵
the amount of people who said the game sucked because "revenge bad" is all it was is crazy. everything must go over their heads
This game is "I'm 14 and this is deep" for people in their 20's.
@@jordanthompson8268 small minded, you didnt even watch the video at all. like if you're incapable of understanding the game, fine, we get it, you cant think beneath the surface. but watch someone elses explanation and try to understand.
@@ezra5737 I've watched plenty of people's videos on the game, seen the game's story several times, and watched the bulk of the video. The game is painfully simple. It's easily understood. It just sucks. Stop huffing your own farts, it's not deep.
@@jordanthompson8268see, the story itself is simple, but what’s complex is the emotions it brings and all the themes people miss because they’re too busy filled with hate. It’s perfectly fine to not like Part 2 even if you fully understand the context, sub context, themes, etc, but unfortunately many who say they do understand actually missed so much.
@@jordanthompson8268also, why do you say it sucks? What makes you think that?
Amazing video essay LOVED IT!
When it comes to Mel I can't help but to empathize with her. I mean, she gets pregnant (we all know it wasn't planned) by this guy who's still hung up on his ex, tries so hard to make it work with him, cares about him, decorates their "place"... and then Abby, her supposed "friend", just sleeps with him like he isn't taken. Abby AND Owen are both at fault for this, I'm not only blaming Abby, I'm talking from Mel's pov when it comes to Abby.
So when Mel went off on Abby, I agreed with averything she said cuz, to Mel, Abby's been an awful person... she smiles to her face and tries to not be awkward but it wouldn't be awkward if she hadn't tried to take her man, if she just moved on or accept the reality... it sucks but she lost her shot with Owen over her obsession with Joel.
I wouldn't classify Abby as a girl's girl as people say. If Mel and Owen had survived, she'd be miserable, with a cheating partner or an all together absent father figure for the child. As long as Abby's in the picture it would've never worked for Mel.
The last of us pt 1 was my favorite game ever ....then this came out ...and I hated it soooo much .... But after some time . I realized...how freaking amazing this game is ...and it's now my favorite game ever .
This games one of the few where I genuinely felt worse after playing it. 😂 I cant say its in a bad way, but definitely in a ...mixed feelings way. Its good to see people looking back at it in a variety of ways.
I don't think anyone is upset about playing as Ellie. No one has an issue with that, it was all about Joel's death. The jump between main characters argument doesn't really apply as a bad descision here. The simple fact that joel died as early as he did & especially in the way he did is what people had a problem with.
Something I don't see people talk about is that this whole development was leaked, which i think severely affected the reception of this whole thing
I definitely agree, but there were plenty of stupid people who were so mad that Ellie kissed someone that didn't have a weiner
It is a little hard to pull the rug out from the audience when they can see you're going to pull the rug out from them.
People wanted a sequel to the first game, they didn't want Neil Druckmann's rejected pitch so he could have a do-over to tell the story he wanted.
From a purely gameplay perspective, the shift to a new character mid game jarred me way more than Joel dying because I had fully leveled up Ellie’s weapons and skills. That bugged me but I quickly got over it once I started with Abby. I personally don’t understand the surprise at Joel’s death. It was inevitable; I don’t really see where Ellie’s story would go otherwise? At least not as a personal character driven story. Joel’s story was done when he got to Jackson. His arc was complete.
@@crazyinsane500aww, is someone still upset?
Great video. You definitely deserve more subs.
🛳️ absolutely love this game and ur analysis, it’s such a bummer so many people didn’t get the point of the plot cause it really is such a beautiful story
Yeah I hate that people shat on this game because it is SO good and bold in it's decisions and because it's a game and not a movie it makes things even harder to play because we literally assume the roles by playing the characters.
I thought this game was pretty good as a huge fan of the first game. As much as I didn’t care for Abby, the more I played the game, I started to understand why she did what she did although I still don’t like her. It also hurts that Ellie isn’t her optimistic and gleeful self in this game. She definitely turned into someone unrecognizable, but I love the game regardless.
S.N. Your video editing has gotten so good! And your storytelling is so well done! Keep up the good work! 🛶
Tbf, you can blame Joel and the events of the first game as to why Ellie isn’t her gleeful self anymore. She lost Tess, bonded with a kid near her age in Sam but then he and Henry died. She gets tricked by David and eventually captured by him, he was gonna do some awful things to her, she has to kill him and is very brutal in doing so.
That’s a lot to take in as a 14 year old. Now add in that she’s been told she’s special and she can change the world, she had purpose. Now Riley, Tess, Sam and Henry’s deaths weren’t gonna be in vain. She couldn’t save them but she can save many others. Joel then takes that away from her and then lies about it. That’s a fuckton to take in at any age, let alone a 14 year old. And one of the themes of Last of Us is that grief, trauma, and PTSD changes people
I couldn't stop thinking about this game for 2 weeks straight when I finished playing it. What a masterpeice
42:50 I really do hate that Nora said that last line. Because at first she did sound remorseful. Infact many of the characters regret being involved with Joels death
So I think Nora did acutally get haunted by his screams but couldnt shake the fact they they did it for Abby and it was the "right" thing to do
Abby & Ellie would be unstoppable together i swear to God I can't stop thinking about a team between the two 😭❤️
Of course Joel was honest before his death and didn’t give a fake name, he literally never was the type to do that even in first game, not sure why people invented that non existent aspect of his character.
Random people in Boston called him by his name for gods sake.
Great video so far!! Just want to say to the haters who think Joel was out of character before his death etc etc that HE WASNT. Joel says “Tommy!” numerous times (who Abby is looking for to get info about Joel) whilst Tommy moves the gondola. Tommy then formally introduces himself and Joel to Abby during the escape, and Abby stares at Joel in shock. She then takes them to the Baldwin place knowing who they are and with the plan to kill Joel. There, an unaware Mel introduces herself to an unaware Tommy and Joel says his name. People who bash this don’t realise Joel’s fate was already sealed way back when Abby realised her final target (Joel) is stood next to her current target (Tommy).
Edit: 🛶
i heard some people say that the scene of her coming back wasnt her coming back from abby, but from jackson. her and dina living together. people pointed out that she is still wearing dinas bracelet. and that she is missing the weapons she had on her during santa barbara. for my sake i'd like to go with that idea
Wanted to say a few things about Mel and also say you did a great job with the video. When it comes to Mel, I believe that her character more so steams from the well-being of her unborn child rather than her jealousy of Owen and Abby's relationship. While it's probably a small part of it, I don't think it's the main driving force around her contradicting character. She wanted to kill Joel because of the fact that he decided to go back on the deal with The Fireflies that also cost her baby a potential future without the infection, Abby was willing to keep going even if it meant Mel would lose the baby or if anyone in the group died, after she got her revenge, everyone was traumatized by the torture and death of Joel and couldn't get pass it, everyone except seemingly Abby. To the player, we know Abby hasn't been able to move on from her father's death, but to everyone else in Abby's friend group, she did. She never talked to them about what happened or tried to make amends for basically using them as canon fodder for her revenge quest and basically going about her life like nothing happened. As for Mel wanting to kill Tommy and Ellie after killing Joel, she was afraid that if they let them go, they would kill her baby and Owen, that's all. So when she has a chance to tell off Abby and burn that bridge, she took it. I know this explanation was long, but this is what I took away from the game and it kinda drives the idea of the fact that after Joel was killed by Abby, all of her friends hated her and just wanted to move on from the war, joel, revenge and especially Abby.
I love part 2 so much. It's one of the most emotional games that I have ever played
I enjoyed the game, the gameplay is great. The story I get it, revenge has consequences.
I think the story is more about grief and how it takes us over
I think some of the major writing choices make a lot more sense when you consider how heavily the conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, specifically, influenced the narrative. With the creative director and creator of the series having grown up with his particular experiences there, it's easy to see how "breaking the cycle of violence" is such an important theme toward the end. And then taking the time to humanize and allow the player to empathize with what would traditionally be the antagonist is so much more effective than if Ellie's story had been the only one told. I have some criticisms for some of the writing, but I think they largely accomplished what they set out to do.
I saw another good video where they explained how it's also about empathy, I wish I had the link but the explanation was fantastic. Surface level it's about revenge and where it leads but can also be about learning empathy. There's so many themes. I'm not saying you're wrong or anything just, adding a bit.
@@AFoxInFlames You're right, I watched that same video I think but i forgot what it was called
@ramondpotter573 I cannot even remember who did it but I watched a couple of these essays, I like hearing what everyone thought about it.
You meant emaciated, not emancipated in 2:04:58.
My favorite game of all time. It was RDR2 for so long, but TLOU2 took that spot so quick as the story unfolded I realized this story is quite a masterpiece. If you havent played this game DONT listen to the hate online. The hate does not reflect the quality of the game and its story.
unbelievable intro well done 🤝
This is a very well made video I really liked it but just so you know stalkers aren’t a new type of infected they were in the first game (they were mainly seen in the hotel basement and the sewers)
What is the music playing in the background?
⛵ Well put and nicely done 😌
I’m curious how people feel about Owen. For me, him NOT killing the seraphite when he wanted to die, but then being fine killing young ones who want to live, then abandoning Mel because “she’ll be safer here” during a war? She’s pregnant with your child….. Then endangering his life and by extension Mel’s by trying to go after Abby on the island, which is selfish to Mel and the baby. Anyone have different thoughts? I can’t see it any other way help me out
i feel the same way. wanted to like owen but it felt like he was meant to serve as abbys moral compass even though he planned to abandon his pregnant girlfriend for abby, who despite sleeping with him, was very adamant that he get his shit together even if she wanted to be with him too. we were meant to hate abby in the beginning and grow to love her, whereas i think they intended on owen being more likable because he was partly the reason for tommy and ellie being spared. but i guess everyone in tlou is messy lol all of my favorite characters are mass murderers 😭
I agree. I think he was supposed to be a lot more likeable. I didn't really _dislike_ him, tbh. I actually felt pretty bad for him. It seemed to me like he really wanted to be with Abby, but she chose her obsession for vengeance over him. I think he was just with Mel out of obligation, because he got her pregnant and was trying to do right by her and his child. He just wasn't very good at it.
Personally, Mel was more annoying. They could have done a lot better for her character. I couldn't even feel bad for her that she was with a guy who clearly didn't want to be with her because I just found her so incredibly unlikeable. Her jealousy was warranted in general, but I feel like they didn't give her very many redeemable qualities so I cared more about Alice dying than I did Mel. It's kind of a shame because I like Ashley Burch as a voice actor.
@@chuidumathey couldve done so much for Mel as a character bc who was she? I've played the game so many times and i still don't really know exactly such a shame bc there was so much potential..
I think Owens story about not killing the seraphite ties in directly to the main themes of the game. He’s had enough, he has killed plenty, he’s done, he’s tired, he just wants to live his life.
WOW. I wanna say I loved this video to the start till the end it was such a great analysing and I loved it watched the whole thing super underrated and for Mel in my opinion she’s been always this joules person that craves validation and love from others especially from the way she acted when Abby told her she was Jerry’s favorite student and I think that’s like the one or top reason she felt targeted especially after Joel death she knew that Owen and Abby were never really over eachother and that they would eventually get back with eachother and that’s why she got really angry at Abby and called her out thinking she was helping the kids to get back with Owen but that was never the case Abby just wanted to do the right thing for once in her life which impacted her a lot for the better otherwise Mel isn’t really a bad cold hearted person she’s nice but she’s indeed joules and digs into stuff deeply and wrongly a lot of the time I’m sorry for my bad English I tried to word it as perfect as I can for anyone reading thanks for listening to me yapping!
This was great
loved the game since it first released and i think most gamers got spoiled by the leaks or were simply too low IQ to understand the story, wanting joel to go out like a hero etc. i definitely think it pushed the medium forward overall
For Mel i recomend dor you to watch the video from the chanel tlou explained as well as their other videos you can also do reaction videos if you want to.
I wish I could play part 1 and 2 again for the first time tbh
Was devastated when Joel died because the first game makes us emotionally attached to both characters but none the less tlou2 was still a masterpiece & I actually found myself liking Abby & would love a spinoff with her & Lev
Great video!
Banger video! 🛥 I find Mel interesting because she's more anti-violence than Abby (mostly) but rational enough in the scene with Ellie and Tommy to know they're a threat if left alive. I personally don't think she'd be as willing to kill them both if she were the one to pull the trigger though.
Moreover I think Mel also just wants to be happy with Owen, but it's hard to know your partner is more in love with their ex than with you when you're already pregnant with his child. Owen is the one she should really be mad at but she lashes out at Abby because that's easier.
I think it also mirrors Dina's frustration and grief with Ellie when she leaves to kill Abby at the end, in the sense that both Mel and Dina just want their partners to let go of the past and move forward, hell they even both give an ultimatum.
🚤 RAAAH I fucking hated TLOU2 when it first came out, obviously just from the fact that Joel straight up dies and the game made us play as his killer but after watching some videos about it and also my partner explaining it to me, I realized that it is lowkey one of the best story driven game I’ve played. Still mad how Neil tricked us into thinking Joel was gonna be alive longer 😭
🛶 I have always felt that anyone who played this game and hated it just because they had to play as Abby completely missed the point.
It's a story about what holding bitterness in your heart does to you, even if it is totally justified. Ellie allowed her bitterness to destroy her, and if you can't get through the game because you hate Abby that much... then you have the same problem.
I didn’t have a problem empathizing with Abby at the end both of their drives for revenge led to them losing loved ones and losing a chance at a romantic relationship and a family.
🚤 terrific video!
I dont think people didnt like switching main character they disagreed with the death being too early after 8 years of anticipation and then playing as abby nothing to do with ellie until later on in the game where obsession gets the best of her...
I hear arguments about it all the time its about abby and the death being too early oh and also the ending...
Yeah I think if we played as Abby a bit more before she used Joel as a golf ball we maybe would have struggled more to dislike her
But her killing him so early on makes it easy to hate her and look past her character development.
@@OrangecatenergyI think that was the point. Make the players hate her because all they initially see is the horrible act she committed against a beloved character, and then show them that even if her actions weren't justified, her motivations and experiences before and after she gets her revenge make sense. She's just a person who's just as fucked up as anyone else in that world, but doesn't want to be.
@obsequiarch7271 i think its more if you can get on board with ellie's journey then you could do the same with abby challenging our biases which are surface views that were shown in p1 e.g. (marlene's talk with joel in the parking lot) but were easily sidelined because we was joel and ellie in p1. i dont think this game is solely about revenge and thats due to how they structured the game...
@@obsequiarch7271yeah sure it was their point but as you can see a lot of the fans and people who played the first game and this don’t get that. They don’t really have any reason to be rooting for Abby. If we had connected with Abby first, just for a little while, it would have been much harder to play as her SERIOUSLY and not just see that part of the game as a hassle and to be unsatisfied with that part of the game.
@@obsequiarch7271what I’m trying to say is, a story like that works out fine in theory, but not in practice and with the context of this game, if it had been a sequel to a game that hasn’t been out as long as TLOU 1, maybe it could have worked. But with how long TLOU 1 had been out prior to part 2, people only had Joel and Ellie to connect for and root for. Throw a random character in the second part with the intention to make us qeustion Joel when all these years we never had to is hard. We played the game multiple times, killed Marlene and the fireflies multiple times. It’s hard to see Abby as the interesting character she is when she’s introduced like this.
⛵Such a great analysis. Thank you!
thanks for the vid queen⛵⛵
I had a bad opinion of this game, even before playing it, took me 4 years to play it. I was biased by all those other players who hated it after Joel's death. Then I started to watch game plays and I got curious by Abby. I liked Abby a lot. I enjoyed playing her story more than Ellie. I felt she lost much more than ellie. Hopefully, in the series, she wont be played as the "villian".
one of the things about this game, is that it asks you to remove your biases, to humanize the other, in real life it’s very obvious tons of people don’t do that, hence a lot of the hate for the game
Man, I really wanted to like this game as much as the first one, and while it’s definitely not as good as Part 1, it’s still kept me busy for quite some time.
TH-cam suggested this video randomly to me. Thank you for this beautiful work. ⛵
one of the best and most inightful video essays on tlou2! so happy we're past all those awful and hateful right-wing takes from back in 2020
Wee some player's thought Manny was mr Neil druckmans mocap model lol
🚤🚤 great analysis
My Top 10 Favorite Video Games of All Time
1. The Last of Us Part II
2. Red Dead Redemption II
3. Batman Arkham City
4. The Last of Us
5. GTA IV
6. Portal 2
7. Red Dead Redemption
8. Super Mario 64
9. Gears of War 2
10. Uncharted 4
Loved the video, always enjoy watching peoples opinions on the game. Got to play last of us 1 and two recently and it was amazing. I had prior to playing the game already had watched a ton of content on the game. With playing the game it allowed me to come to terms with what happened with Ellie Joel and Abby. Actually really enjoyed Abby’s section.
Also, I believe If we don’t get a Tommy game before or after last of us 3 where he finds peace like Ellie and Abby I’m gonna feel pretty disappointed and like the story is a bit unfinished. He’s the last character who hasn’t gotten peace. I’ve seen a few people seem to now highly dislike Tommy because of how he’s dealing with grief just boxing him into the section of toxic masculinity instead of understanding what he’s been through aswell. I think a Tommy game prior to lou3 will lead perfectly into a final game to sum up the franchise.
There is a fan made Tommy dlc story made by MegaDan (malpasdan) and the video is called Tommy dlc? What it would look like? The last of us part 2 expansion idea (unbroken - part 1) there is a part 2 aswell. It’s a great story. I’m taking it as canon for now until we get an actual game 😭.
TLOU2 was, what I think, a great expansion of the universe. Yes, Joel is a likeable morally grey character, but so is literally every other character you come across. Fan favorites are not going to make the choices you want them to make.
Revenge is all-consuming, and your favorite character (from this universe at least) will eventually fall victim to it as well.
No one in the game is as likable as joel and if they are they have almost no screen time
No one minded playing as Ellie, we love her. It’s Abbie everyone hated.
I personally liked Abbie’s story with Lev. It’s hard to match that Abbie with the one from the beginning.
I don’t have a problem with Joel dying or the fact that Abby kills him the problem I have is HOW and WHY to me it’s such a ridiculous and unbelievable cause to effect that even with being spoiled on what happens I completely disagreed with the direction ND took and to me this is the game that broke Naughty Dog and I honestly think their next game will take a significant financial and critical decline because of the decisions they made with what I and many others consider to be the definitive example of an unnecessary sequel
Just wanna say with all the complaining ND got for remaking or reworking part 1 I now cant imaging how weird it would be looking at the ps3 clips comparing to lou2 clips
Okayyyyy tlou fandom here ahahaha 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉