The Last of Us 2 is the best piece of content that I’ve ever consumed (Today is its 5th Anniversary June 19th 2020)

If that's your best, then I envy you, because oh boy you have such a world of discoveries before you.

:messenger_musical:It's a whole new world...!:messenger_musical:

Might I suggest painting fences? Watching grass grow? Petting dogs? Playing videogames?
 
Last edited:
Walliwallipaloo said:
If that's your best, then I envy you, because oh boy you have such a world of discoveries before you.

:messenger_musical:It's a whole new world...!:messenger_musical:

Might I suggest painting fences? Watching grass grow? Petting dogs? Playing videogames?
Click to expand...

If it ain't your thing then that's fine, but "watching grass grow"? Did you play the game?
 
Topher said:
If it ain't your thing then that's fine, but "watching grass grow"? Did you play the game?
Click to expand...
I think pretty much everyone has a reasonable idea of what TLOU 2 is at this point, wouldn't you agree? It seems rather redundant to ask, I would posit.

It is utterly repellant to me, and at least I can be gratified knowing that this isn't yet another case of Me vs. the World. I'm on the "the game is a laughingstock" side of the fence.
The original wasn't very good, either, but at least I could get through parts of it without my eyes rolling up in the back of my head.

The first was a mid zombie game in a time where everything was a mid zombie game. Then they tried to spice things up. And they did so... very poorly.

So I'm not kidding when I laugh at the notion that this is the "best piece of content" a person has consumed. That is a genuinely disturbing notion. It actually scares me.
 
Walliwallipaloo said:
I think pretty much everyone has a reasonable idea of what TLOU 2 is at this point, wouldn't you agree? It seems rather redundant to ask, I would posit.

It is utterly repellant to me, and at least I can be gratified knowing that this isn't yet another case of Me vs. the World. I'm on the "the game is a laughingstock" side of the fence.
The original wasn't very good, either, but at least I could get through parts of it without my eyes rolling up in the back of my head.

The first was a mid zombie game in a time where everything was a mid zombie game. Then they tried to spice things up. And they did so... very poorly.

So I'm not kidding when I laugh at the notion that this is the "best piece of content" a person has consumed. That is a genuinely disturbing notion. It actually scares me.
Click to expand...
What is this? Shit take Wednesday?
 
Pedro Motta said:
What is this? Shit take Wednesday?
Click to expand...
I'm sorry that I'm not sorry I dislike the thing you like.

Or are you trying to tell me that TLOU 1 wasn't a banal zombie game in a sea of banal zombie games? Or that TLOU 2 really is the best "piece of content" that a person can "consume?" Which part, and we can go from there.
 
Walliwallipaloo said:
If you have, like, a point to make, or an argument to offer, that's fine. I'll save you some time, though - I'm not doing anything with this rage bait. It doesn't work on me. I'm too old.
Click to expand...

There was no rage in my post. I asked a question and you answered it. The end
 
R6Rider said:
Do you know who you are talking to? Topher Topher is 25 but has Prestiged 18 times.
Click to expand...

Bill Hader Lol GIF by Saturday Night Live

fucker
 
Topher said:
That and some folks genuinely hate the story. The vast majority, however, say that the gameplay is excellent.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm sure there are some who genuinely do hate the story, but I stand by what I said for the most part.
For me it's a masterpiece of interactive storytelling.
It's the perfect story about the futility of revenge, and the human cost of the violence
 
gerth666 said:
Yeah, I'm sure there are some who genuinely do hate the story, but I stand by what I said for the most part.
For me it's a masterpiece of interactive storytelling.
It's the perfect story about the futility of revenge, and the human cost of the violence
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I loved every bit of it both times I played it. Thought the dual revenge tale was nicely done. Gameplay wise, a really great stealth game (that's how I played it anyway). Love the bow mechanics. Every area my goal was to silently kill everyone. It was great.
 
gerth666 said:
Easily a top 10 game of all time for me, and most of the hatred for it sadly comes from the silly culture wars.
Click to expand...

Repeated criticisms have come up for it (many in this very topic):

1. Pacing
2. Treatment of characters (Joel, Ellie, etc.), uninteresting characters, etc.
3. Misery porn
4. Story doesn't resonate
5. Unfulfilling ending
6. Changes to characters/events from the first game done in order to make this game's plot work
7. Characters and events which interfere with suspension of disbelief - thereby impacting immersion

These are just off the top of my head. Saying "silly culture wars" is very disingenuous.
 
Walliwallipaloo said:
Okay, and why?
Click to expand...
Production value's through the roof.
Almost perfect blend of action, stealth, horror and survival gameplay.
Brilliant level design and enemy encounters.
Story is brilliant in my opinion, ended loving Abby by the end even though I hated her at the start for what she did.
The locations are excellent.
I could go on, but I'm not going to because you don't like it, and that's okay with me. I'm not going to change your mind.

My only gripe is with Abby's appearance, I don't know why they built her like a bodybuilder.
She looks more realistic by the end when she's all athletic and lean looking.
I only take gripe because I've competed in powerlifting and have been interested in strength sports for 14 years.
Bottom line is women don't produce enough testosterone to build muscle like that without taking crazy amounts of anabolic steroids.
But that is me hang up
 
It's definitely one of the greatest stories told in a video game. It took a lot of risks and probably, because of the backlash, we won't see another bold video game story like that from a major studio again.

It's also not a perfect game, but the criticisms about the few flaws it has are so overblown that they're not worth taking seriously.
 
Last edited:
gerth666 said:
Production value's through the roof.
Almost perfect blend of action, stealth, horror and survival gameplay.
Brilliant level design and enemy encounters.
Story is brilliant in my opinion, ended loving Abby by the end even though I hated her at the start for what she did.
The locations are excellent.
I could go on, but I'm not going to because you don't like it, and that's okay with me. I'm not going to change your mind.

My only gripe is with Abby's appearance, I don't know why they built her like a bodybuilder.
She looks more realistic by the end when she's all athletic and lean looking.
I only take gripe because I've competed in powerlifting and have been interested in strength sports for 14 years.
Bottom line is women don't produce enough testosterone to build muscle like that without taking crazy amounts of anabolic steroids.
But that is me hang up
Click to expand...
Well, I suppose those are some pretty specific points, and that makes them rather difficult to argue. But I'll say this:
- Production value is not a pro in and of itself. In fact, I find it extremely irritating when a huge amount of money is spent on something amateurish. Case in point: MGS V.
- Gameplay. Ehh. It strikes me as fairly simplistic and unsatisfying. It has a lot of carnage, so I guess that's a plus. But the gameplay itself is nothing revelatory. Pretty standard hide-and-seek AI that seems highly exploitable.
- Some of the locations do look fine, sure. I just wish they were in literally almost any other game.
- I think the story is one of the biggest things wrong with it, so...
- Abby is thoroughly ridiculous. No arguments there.
 
laynelane said:
Repeated criticisms have come up for it (many in this very topic):

1. Pacing
2. Treatment of characters (Joel, Ellie, etc.), uninteresting characters, etc.
3. Misery porn
4. Story doesn't resonate
5. Unfulfilling ending
6. Changes to characters/events from the first game done in order to make this game's plot work
7. Characters and events which interfere with suspension of disbelief - thereby impacting immersion

These are just off the top of my head. Saying "silly culture wars" is very disingenuous.
Click to expand...
As I replied to topher I'm not disputing people have valid criticisms. Most of the hatred I've seen stems from culture wars nonsense. You know, muscle girl kills man, trans, cuckmans woke etc.
All I'll say is I disagree with your list, and am leaving it at that
 
Walliwallipaloo said:
Well, I suppose those are some pretty specific points, and that makes them rather difficult to argue. But I'll say this:
- Production value is not a pro in and of itself. In fact, I find it extremely irritating when a huge amount of money is spent on something amateurish. Case in point: MGS V.
- Gameplay. Ehh. It strikes me as fairly simplistic and unsatisfying. It has a lot of carnage, so I guess that's a plus. But the gameplay itself is nothing revelatory. Pretty standard hide-and-seek AI that seems highly exploitable.
- Some of the locations do look fine, sure. I just wish they were in literally almost any other game.
- I think the story is one of the biggest things wrong with it, so...
- Abby is thoroughly ridiculous. No arguments there.
Click to expand...
Well I didn't make those points to try and argue anything, I was simply answering your question as to why it's in my top 10 games.
Your opinion is as valid as anyone's and you don't have to like a game. It doesn't upset me that you don't like something I do. You most likely like games I dislike.
And we probably agree on some.
 
gerth666 said:
As I replied to topher I'm not disputing people have valid criticisms. Most of the hatred I've seen stems from culture wars nonsense. You know, muscle girl kills man, trans, cuckmans woke etc.
All I'll say is I disagree with your list, and am leaving it at that
Click to expand...

It's not 'my' list - it's literally criticisms of the game that people have had. Hand waving it to focus on "culture wars nonsense" is being transparently dismissive of said criticism. It's fine that you think it's a great game, but I've never understood the impulse to dismiss or generalize other people who do not share your opinion.
 
laynelane said:
It's not 'my' list - it's literally criticisms of the game that people have had. Hand waving it to focus on "culture wars nonsense" is being transparently dismissive of said criticism. It's fine that you think it's a great game, but I've never understood the impulse to dismiss or generalize other people who do not share your opinion.
Click to expand...

This thread is full of folks doing just that with the opinion of the OP.

Like this....

Walliwallipaloo said:
If that's your best, then I envy you, because oh boy you have such a world of discoveries before you.

:messenger_musical:It's a whole new world...!:messenger_musical:

Might I suggest painting fences? Watching grass grow? Petting dogs? Playing videogames?
Click to expand...
 
Walliwallipaloo said:
Or are you trying to tell me that TLOU 1 wasn't a banal zombie game in a sea of banal zombie games?
Click to expand...

I was in the same place in 2013 you are. Then I bought the game cheap so I could hateplay it. And to my disappointment, I didn't hate it. In fact, it was kind of not bad at all. Then I replayed it on max difficulty and greatly enjoyed it. Then I played the DLC and loved it. It's kind of basic compared to Part II, but Part I remains a very rewarding, well paced stealth horror title.

Part II is a legit masterpiece.
 
Topher said:
This thread is full of folks doing just that with the opinion of the OP.

Like this....
Click to expand...

I don't think that's okay either. However, that's in response to the stated opinion of the OP - a sort of one on one communication. In order to attribute all the hatred of the game to culture wars, it is required to ignore every single post offering criticism in this topic. It's a wide-sweeping generalization that does not apply to "most" of the criticism whatsoever.
 
laynelane said:
I don't think that's okay either. However, that's in response to the stated opinion of the OP - a sort of one on one communication. In order to attribute all the hatred of the game to culture wars, it is required to ignore every single post offering criticism in this topic. It's a wide-sweeping generalization that does not apply to "most" of the criticism whatsoever.
Click to expand...

Eh....that post was just flatout mocking the OP my man. I get your point about generalizing the criticism though.
 
If this game is considered "best piece of content that I've ever consumed" then it kinda explains why I'm losing interests in majority of western games.
 
Topher said:
Eh....that post was just flatout mocking the OP my man. I get your point about generalizing the criticism though.
Click to expand...

Yup, it was and I don't get that either. I may not agree with someone's taste, but always try to remember that it's normal for people to have different preferences than me (thankfully so since the world would be boring if it was an echo chamber). I think the other issue I have with blaming the 'anti-woke' is that too many games use it as a shield from legitimate criticism - and it has been used that way in this case too.
 
Play more games bro. I'll give the game this. ND hired a world class director for the TV adaptation (Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin) and the plot, scenes and art direction still barely changed. Sometimes I caught myself watching the TV show and thinking "oh that's just like in the movie" before correcting myself to "just like in the game". I think that says it all.
That being said it's nowhere near perfect. You picked the most praising sentence that Xbox had for the game but they also criticised the gunplay and to be honest it's a very depressing game. Not what you need if you want to be in a good mood.
 
laynelane said:
Yup, it was and I don't get that either. I may not agree with someone's taste, but always try to remember that it's normal for people to have different preferences than me (thankfully so since the world would be boring if it was an echo chamber). I think the other issue I have with blaming the 'anti-woke' is that too many games use it as a shield from legitimate criticism - and it has been used that way in this case too.
Click to expand...

Which is why I pointed out the story. I don't really like to argue the "woke" angle because I really get sick of that stuff across the board. It is a factor for a lot of folks, but it really isn't worth getting into, imo. Culture war discussions are a rabbit hole in themselves.
 
Topher said:
Which is why I pointed out the story. I don't really like to argue the "woke" angle because I really get sick of that stuff across the board. It is a factor for a lot of folks, but it really isn't worth getting into, imo. Culture war discussions are a rabbit hole in themselves.
Click to expand...

I do and I don't - it depends on the game. Something like Veilguard lends itself to such a discussion whereas something like Ghost of Yotei does not, for example. Since ideology can and does impact game quality, I believe it's worth discussing - especially in a case like Veilguard when it negatively impacts a long-standing franchise. However, for TLOU2, I don't think it needs to be part of the conversation - and doesn't seem to get brought up as much as it once was too.
 
laynelane said:
I do and I don't - it depends on the game. Something like Veilguard lends itself to such a discussion whereas something like Ghost of Yotei does not, for example. Since ideology can and does impact game quality, I believe it's worth discussing - especially in a case like Veilguard when it negatively impacts a long-standing franchise. However, for TLOU2, I don't think it needs to be part of the conversation - and doesn't seem to get brought up as much as it once was too.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%. When a game like Veilguard or Dustborn takes things to another level, that shit releases my inner Kraken. Thankfully, those seem to be rare. Would be happy never to have to discuss shit like again
 
Last edited:
Topher said:
Agree 100%. When a game like Veilguard or Dustborn takes things to another level, that shit releases my inner Kraken. Thankfully, those seem to be rare. Would be happy never to have to discuss shit like again
Click to expand...

I still can't believe Dustborn wasn't a meme game. They were dead serious with that shit. :messenger_grinning_sweat:

Agreed on the rarity and it seems like there's been a bit of a shift that will make such games even rarer still. It's a welcome development, for sure.
 
laynelane said:
I still can't believe Dustborn wasn't a meme game. They were dead serious with that shit. :messenger_grinning_sweat:

Agreed on the rarity and it seems like there's been a bit of a shift that will make such games even rarer still. It's a welcome development, for sure.
Click to expand...

Wait.....did they try and claim it was a meme game?
 
gerth666 said:
Yeah, I'm sure there are some who genuinely do hate the story, but I stand by what I said for the most part.
For me it's a masterpiece of interactive storytelling.
It's the perfect story about the futility of revenge, and the human cost of the violence
Click to expand...
What I find absolutely hilarious is that due to the way it's structured the game actually tries to "teach" to some extent empathy. So I find all the childish takes with regards to Abby and playing as her absolutely hilarious imagineign toddlers throwing their toys out of their pram over it but then they'll turn around and say that some JRPG has the best story and writing they've ever experienced...
 
Well since I can't beat them, I may as well join them.

I am one of those people who hates this game and didn't even have the decency to play it. I would not play it if you gave it to me for free. I enjoyed the first game well enough. Not as much as the Uncharted games, but I had some fun.

Reasons this game sucks.

  1. They killed off Joel. Seems pretty fucking stupid to kill off the main protagonist from the first successful game and the whole thing wreaks of "kill the patriarchy".
  2. Ellie is a lezbian. Who has time to be a lesbian during the apocalypse? Ellie, that is who. The whole "every chick is a lesbian" is just overplayed now. I just roll my eyes and laugh every time I hear that a character is a lesbian. Pretty much just the default these days. Let me know when a chick is straight. Now that is interesting.
  3. Abby. She hulk is so damn fake and listening to people trying to justify her character design is something else. They could not decide if Abby is a man or a woman, so they made "her" both. They literally changed the character design to make her more masculine to fit an agenda. No fucking thanks.
  4. Gore Porn. All of the promotional videos showed nothing but blood and gore. It seemed to be the main selling point. This was going on when the show The Walking Dead was peak popularity. So they loved to show off brutality and torture. I had a hard time watching the videos and thought, if that is what you are showing me to promote your game, I guess I am not interested. So I was not interested in this game well before I knew about Abby, Ellie and Joel. Then when it came out and people could not shut up about it, nothing I heard made it sound good. But But, it has amazing graphics and gameplay. Maybe it does. So what.
  5. And the main reason this game sucks? Because it is a 5 year old game that still produces fresh threads and relentless discussion around here. Damn. I guess all of the BS I mentioned above really makes for an interesting game to talk about. Great job Neil.
 
I enjoyed the first game well enough. I thought it was a good evolution of what they were doing with Uncharted in terms of gameplay. I didn't think it was the best game I ever played or anything but thought it was good fun and an enjoyable time.

I did buy the sequel at some point at Walmart for $20, but that was years ago and I still haven't played it. It's sitting on the shelf now, just never made it to it never had the impetus or urge and then of course I continued to read the crazy drama online about it. One day I plan to get around to it.
 
Topher said:
Eh....that post was just flatout mocking the OP my man. I get your point about generalizing the criticism though.
Click to expand...
The OP's hyperbole was rather flagrantly ridiculous. So sure, I ribbed them a little. I tried to use a little humor instead of what I really feel, which is something close to "your taste in games is bad and you should feel bad." But not quite!

I think TLOU 2 is far from deserving that sort of praise. Far, far from it. Its silly, out-of-place woke pandering. And no, it's not a bad thing to point that out. It's just so tiresome.
And its attempts to spice up its rote, generic zombie apocalypse story by shock-killing the first game's main character. Again, it's my opinion, but I feel like this game is completely amateur hour stuff, with a budget it just does not deserve.

People probably have warm-fuzzy feelings about it because father-daughter stories are heartwarming and far too rare, basically across all forms of media. But nothing I saw in the second game screams "masterpiece" and I frankly find such claims mind-boggling. I get it. People liked Joel. The first game didn't really do anything for me, personally, but I get that. But that guy up there is right: the second game is nothing more than torture porn, gross and mean-spirited, and spliced with a healthy serving of gayness for the sake of it because it's the popular thing to do, and it wins pandering directors awards. "Gross" sums up the whole thing.

And before people get the notion that I hate it just for that aspect, let me clear the air right now: I dislike the Uncharted franchise and have since day one. I really just dislike Naughty Dog's entire creative output, I suppose.
 
JayK47 said:
  1. They killed off Joel. Seems pretty fucking stupid to kill off the main protagonist from the first successful game and the whole thing wreaks of "kill the patriarchy".
  2. Ellie is a lezbian. Who has time to be a lesbian during the apocalypse? Ellie, that is who. The whole "every chick is a lesbian" is just overplayed now. I just roll my eyes and laugh every time I hear that a character is a lesbian. Pretty much just the default these days. Let me know when a chick is straight.
Click to expand...
Also don't like Last of Us 2 at all but I'm not sure about some of your reasoning.

The first point…when I played and finished game the first game back in PS3 I knew right away we gonna play as Ellie in the next game, when they showed teaser for Part 2 I assumed Joel was already dead…..I wasn't shocked Joel killed, if want us care about revenge then it was right choice.

On the second point…I don't mind Ellie was gay and in fact I thought both Ellie and Riley in Left Behind had great chemistry, but my issue is Ellie has no chemistry with new girl and they shoe horned love triangle drama which was pointless because the guy gets killed right away.

My biggest issue The Last Us part 2 is had more characters, more deaths and more gore but none of them felt impactful compared to to the first game and it felt like Part 2 mostly was trying to shock us with all violence and sex more than trying engage us with any of the characters.
 
Last edited:
laynelane said:
Repeated criticisms have come up for it (many in this very topic):

1. Pacing
Click to expand...
Pacing was amazing. Just because its not linear doesnt mean its bad.
laynelane said:
2. Treatment of characters (Joel, Ellie, etc.), uninteresting characters, etc.
Click to expand...
Chracters die in movies and games. This is not a valid criticism. Nt even close to one.
laynelane said:
3. Misery porn
Click to expand...
Misery porn????? Have you not watched any other violent media? Hostel, SAW, whatever game from the studio that makes HATRED (The Steam game) thats misery porn. If you cant spot the difference between that and The Last of Us - Its a you problem.

The game is dark and bleak for a REASON. Its not misery porn. What is it with this soft take?
laynelane said:
4. Story doesn't resonate
Click to expand...
To you. It does for me.
laynelane said:
5. Unfulfilling ending
Click to expand...
Again - To you. I was giving it a fucking standing ovation as the credits rolled.

Ellie lost everything and left the house she helped build. Very realistic. This is not a Disney story with some made up happy ending.
laynelane said:
6. Changes to characters/events from the first game done in order to make this game's plot work
Click to expand...
Such as?
laynelane said:
7. Characters and events which interfere with suspension of disbelief - thereby impacting immersion
Click to expand...
Such as?

JayK47 said:
Well since I can't beat them, I may as well join them.

I am one of those people who hates this game and didn't even have the decency to play it. I would not play it if you gave it to me for free. I enjoyed the first game well enough. Not as much as the Uncharted games, but I had some fun.

Reasons this game sucks.

  1. They killed off Joel. Seems pretty fucking stupid to kill off the main protagonist from the first successful game and the whole thing wreaks of "kill the patriarchy".
  2. Ellie is a lezbian. Who has time to be a lesbian during the apocalypse? Ellie, that is who. The whole "every chick is a lesbian" is just overplayed now. I just roll my eyes and laugh every time I hear that a character is a lesbian. Pretty much just the default these days. Let me know when a chick is straight. Now that is interesting.
  3. Abby. She hulk is so damn fake and listening to people trying to justify her character design is something else. They could not decide if Abby is a man or a woman, so they made "her" both. They literally changed the character design to make her more masculine to fit an agenda. No fucking thanks.
  4. Gore Porn. All of the promotional videos showed nothing but blood and gore. It seemed to be the main selling point. This was going on when the show The Walking Dead was peak popularity. So they loved to show off brutality and torture. I had a hard time watching the videos and thought, if that is what you are showing me to promote your game, I guess I am not interested. So I was not interested in this game well before I knew about Abby, Ellie and Joel. Then when it came out and people could not shut up about it, nothing I heard made it sound good. But But, it has amazing graphics and gameplay. Maybe it does. So what.
  5. And the main reason this game sucks? Because it is a 5 year old game that still produces fresh threads and relentless discussion around here. Damn. I guess all of the BS I mentioned above really makes for an interesting game to talk about. Great job Neil.
Click to expand...
Literally not one good argument.

Can't believe you listed gore in a ZOMBIE APOCOLYPSE game as a negative. Lol... Lmfao even. What? Did you want them to shed sparkles when they got hit like some Nintendo game?

I just watched 28 Years Later and it was gory as FUCK, anyone saying oh the gore made it a shitty movie would be laughed out of the room. Same thing here.

Come on bro.
 
JayK47 said:
Ellie is a lezbian. Who has time to be a lesbian during the apocalypse? Ellie, that is who. The whole "every chick is a lesbian" is just overplayed now. I just roll my eyes and laugh every time I hear that a character is a lesbian. Pretty much just the default these days. Let me know when a chick is straight. Now that is interesting.
Click to expand...
Who has time to be straight?

People are dodging clickers, watching their loved ones die, and this dude's main concern is whether someone's kissing the "right" gender lmfao

You wouldn't last five minutes in the apocalypse if a gay character breaks your immersion
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Today is the 20th anniversary of the passing of Noboru Sugimura
2
488
Red Crayon Aristocrat replied
  • Poll
Neil Druckman is stepping down from The Last of Us - HBO Show
2 3 4 5
232
493
Outlier replied
  • Locked
The Last of Us Season 2 trailer
2
465
Orpheus replied
The Wrap - ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Trailer Is HBO’s Most-Watched Trailer Ever After Just 3 Days
42
2K
mckmas8808 replied
  • Poll
What is the best controller you’ve ever used? Period.
2 3 4 5
235
1K
deeptech replied
Top Bottom