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[BluRayHiDef]

little later after Joel got killed.

I know I’m very slow gamer.

Well, that depends on how long you've been playing.

 

[Geki-D]

Why not depict excitement when something is based on hopes & prayers? Are you a writer? Is this a hard, fast rule? Do people never feel nervous excitement?

& it doesn't matter if they saw it as a cure, because there was no proof it was a cure. They wanted it to be a cure. They desperately needed it to be a cure. They tried to tell themselves it was a cure. But the fact is there was no guarantee.

Dude... You're literally slating the sequel because it doesn't match up with your own headcanon of how you think the first one went down. You've been shown that actual quotes said to Joel but can't actually point to any moment where Joel says what you think he was *really thinking*.

You're letting fan theories tar your opinion but you're ignoring what the actual game said...

 

[TissueBox]

Played 4-5 hours. Graphics are fantastic. Parts of it really come alive when gunfire, sunlight, grass, and clickers come together. Gameplay wise it’s solid, but nothing incredibly new.

Pressing triangle on every object and opening doors is a nice feeling to come back to. Pressing X (cross) a lot makes a difference after a while.

I’d say it’s very well put together game. I have a sense of deja vu. If you really compared this game to a lot of AAA games you’d find TLoU2 achievement in the scale of their design. God of War probably touched on it, but on a smaller scale. Death Stranding did it, but it was broken up (in some ways) with smaller missions. The real meat and bones of it are treated like Game of Thrones. A lot of satisfaction to whatever bad thing that happens. I am just waiting for more shit to hit the fan.

Has a very post-Game of Thrones aura. After all, we must recall, (*beatboxes*), in the 7 years since 2013, there have been new figureheads of pop culture and no doubt some small traces of them could have wormed their way into the influences behind the creative process. TLOU was shadowed by No Country For Old Men and The Walking Dead. TLOUPII by the likes of Game of Thrones and, fittingly, considering its co-writer, Westworld, for one.

 

[PanzerAzel]

I like it when their body stands straight up because they think someone is behind them. It’s like their spine is having a spasm.

Yeah that’s given me a jump more than one time sneaking up on them. Their speed running at you looks to have been doubled as well.

As many gripes as I have with this game, the combat isn’t one of them. I never tire of it and it’s incredibly well done. This badly needs a horde mode; using Seattle and trying to last as long as you can against endless and increasing waves.

 

[Balducci30]

Gameplay - better than the last of us in many ways. Production value - maybe the highest of any game I’ve seen - Story - eh so far. Hope to change my mind only at Seattle day 3

 

[scalman]

In first hrs i thought mehh it doesnt match visually rdr2 or days gone but then snow stage was over and it was like different world...and game with its story just takes you to another level. Now for me its must be best story for now at least, and characters doesnt bother me at all. All are good even small ones in stages with its own dialogs that are not empty or stupid.
Just great thing lots emotions.
Plays very similar as first game but much better with all new stuff in it thats lets you interact with world more. Sometimes exploration is so much that im starting skipping some building not checking them. But just couple.

 

[Collin]

8hrs deep. I’m loving it so far with a few gripes. It’s arguably the prettiest game I’ve played and a handful of these cutscenes i’ve seen already have really blown me away. The opening 2.5-3 hrs is just about perfectly paced and a killer opening to the game.

The combat feels cinematic and gritty as ever and it feels so fun to brutally murder your way through crowds of people and infected. That’s where some of the flaws come in a bit though, because at times there are such long stretches of combat encounters that they get a bit tedious. I feel like they could just shorten some of that shit and the pacing would be better. Ultimately a minorish gripe though.

I know this game is significantly longer than TLOU1 but at this rate it seems to be that way more because of elongated exploration sections and extra combat encounters vs significantly more story scenes.

My second minor gripe is that while the opening 3 hours of story is fucking strong as can be, the last 5 hours or so that of I’ve played so far has been noticeably weaker in the story department. I’m sure plenty of wild shit is ahead of me but as of right now the plot points are moving a bit slower than I’d like.

Also anyone complaining that there are too many cutscenes and too little gameplay clearly hasn’t played a Metal Gear Solid game lol. Cutscenes are punchy, effective and almost never overstay their welcome in this game so far. In fact, I wouldn’t even mind if they were a tad longer.

 

[TissueBox]

I know this game is significantly longer than TLOU1 but at this rate it seems to be that way more because of elongated exploration sections and extra combat encounters vs significantly more story scenes.

Uh-huh. There's a bit more dead air here that TLOU sometimes danced into, but never for too much.

 

[scalman]

Opening in snow is like weakest visually part of game, later all becomes much better.

 

[decisions]

Played first three hours and have super mixed feelings. The gameplay improvements are nice but I thought the story was sort of awful? Found myself laughing at multiple scenes that were supposed to be serious, characters feeling tonally very off/strange, and absolutely giant plotholes. Never felt this way about any other ND game, something is just really off about the way characters interact in this game. And also I feel like at this point the plot has absolutely no theme/message. Like I don’t know what sort of thematic discussion the game is having rn.

Still excited to play more but definitely mixed first impressions.

 

[Cybrwzrd]

Druckman season eighted this game, because he thought he could write a red wedding.

 

[BluRayHiDef]

@DutchDirectness and JimiNutz : I'm no longer stuck at the second WLF building. I managed to progress further without lowering the difficulty or starting over.

 

[Secret_Lover]

Survivor difficulty just feels poorly designed to me. For a game about scavenging what little you can find to be used as makeshift weaponry, it seems odd that I can take out an entire patrol of gun-toting bad guys and get exactly 0 ammo. The game just shoehorns you into a stealth-only play style which doesn´t necessarily make it more difficult so much as it just makes it more one-dimensional. Especially since stealth is considerably easier than gunfighting.

I also find it baffling that a game with so much visual polish felt it was adequate to just have the one fucking sneak-kill animation. I´m about 5 hours in and the 'crouch-walk, triangle, repeat' loop is starting to wear pretty thin.

 

[BluRayHiDef]

Survivor difficulty just feels poorly designed to me. For a game about scavenging what little you can find to be used as makeshift weaponry, it seems odd that I can take out an entire patrol of gun-toting bad guys and get exactly 0 ammo. The game just shoehorns you into a stealth-only play style which doesn´t necessarily make it more difficult so much as it just makes it more one-dimensional. Especially since stealth is considerably easier than gunfighting.

I also find it baffling that a game with so much visual polish felt it was adequate to just have the one fucking sneak-kill animation. I´m about 5 hours in and the 'crouch-walk, triangle, repeat' loop is starting to wear pretty thin.

Reads to me that you're very good at Survivor mode; however, I'm struggling. I've reached the part where you hide in tall grass outside of a school cafeteria to take out WLF members, which is just after you take out about five of them in a part of the school where there's a library on one side of a hall and a class room on the other side. What part have you reached?

 

[RPS37]

I’m probably a little over a couple hours in and I’m obsessed.

 

[Secret_Lover]

Reads to me that you're very good at Survivor mode; however, I'm struggling. I've reached the part where you hide in tall grass outside of a school cafeteria to take out WLF members, which is just after you take out about five of them in a part of the school where there's a library on side of a hall and a class room on the other side. What part have you reached?

Not that far I think. Just saw dogs for the first time.

 

[BluRayHiDef]

Not that far I think. Just saw dogs for the first time.

Then you must be farther, because I've

 

[Business]

Then you must be farther, because I've yet to encounter dogs. I'm essentially at a part just after you free yourself from being held captive by WLF members by cutting yourself free and rescuing Dina.

You didn’t spoil anything to me as I’m a bit further away but why don’t you just edit this.

 

[PanzerAzel]

I don’t think I’ve seen one black infected (or human enemy) in all my hours of playtime.

 

[Hostile_18]

Oh, man, my opinion of this game is going to make me so unpopular. Let's just say that I'm typing this because I thought I'd find something to do after turning the game off for the third time ... The bottom line is, I don't like the story, don't like the stealth and don't like the characters. So far I've only enjoyed ONE level and I can't remember which one because I just want to finish and have it done with. The first game walks all over this in every department except graphics.

Sorry to hear that man. Sometimes a second play through really elevates the whole thing once you know the entire games pacing (for example Uncharted 4 having the last third be nearly all action).

I personally think this game is great so far but also it does have a few flaws. It may be the only Naughty Dog game I won't give a 10 to since Uncharted 1.. but it's still going to be at the very least a high 8. I'm still in Seattle day 1 so got loads to go. It could well hit that 10 sweet spot.

The trophy list is so small but I think they haven't rewarded story beats on purpose to ruin the mood (Silent Hill 2 trophy for killing your dead wife, I'm looking at you).

 

[GribbleGrunger]

All you can do is give it a fair shake... nobody should feel any different towards you for being honest.

I'm so angry with Neil at the moment. He's taken one huge dump on every TLOU fan in EVERY conceivable way. It's as if he had a checkbox and has systematically covered it all. Once again I've just turned it off because I can't stand playing anymore right now. The dodge is a pointless and irritating addition. The story is plot driven and not character driven. The sound when people are about to see you has been enhanced to such a degree that it's of no use. The listen mode isn't anywhere near as good as it was in TLOU. The dogs are annoying and stop you playing as you'd like. Collecting provisions and upgrades is tedious. I don't care about any of the characters, unfortunately, even Ellie after a while. I've upgraded stacks of stuff and it makes no difference at all. It's now a pew pew Uncharted wanna be. Yep, I'm pissed, largely because I bought it digitally and can't sell it. It took me 3 months to save the money to buy this ...

 

[Balducci30]

Gripe regarding up to Seattle day 3 (story spoilers) Is anyone else bothered by this whole idea that there was only ONE surgeon in the world who could have made a vaccine? It’s a small detail in the flashback when Ellie’s listening to the recorder - but why is there so much certainty in this game around A. She is the only immune person B. That killing her would have undoubtedly lead to a vaccine and C. Now it doesn’t matter though because the one surgeon who could’ve made one is dead? Like in the real world wouldn’t you treat all these ideas as only possibilities? Hypotheticals? Rather than absolute fact?

 

[GribbleGrunger]

You got swept up in the hype and the actual product isn't matching your standards I'd say.

I found the prologue in this game to have much better pacing and a stronger impact than the first game and the first games prologue is by far the most gripping thing in the game. lol.

EDIT: The ambient/drone OST is by far better than the first games too. I didn't fuck with all that acoustic type music in the first game.

No I didn't my man. I judge for myself and expected it to be in the ball park of the first game. It's not even close.

 

[Keihart]

I'm so angry with Neil at the moment. He's taken one huge dump on every TLOU fan in EVERY conceivable way. It's as if he had a checkbox and has systematically covered it all. Once again I've just turned it off because I can't stand playing anymore right now. The dodge is a pointless and irritating addition. The story is plot driven and not character driven. The sound when people are about to see you has been enhanced to such a degree that it's of no use. The listen mode isn't anywhere near as good as it was in TLOU. The dogs are annoying and stop you playing as you'd like. Collecting provisions and upgrades is tedious. I don't care about any of the characters, unfortunately, even Ellie after a while. I've upgraded stacks of stuff and it makes no difference at all. It's now a pew pew Uncharted wanna be. Yep, I'm pissed, largely because I bought it digitally and can't sell it. It took me 3 months to save the money to buy this ...

i'm playing on survivor and dodge is far from useless and when timed correctly gives you one hit kills wich you end up apreciating when you spend most of the time with 1 or 2 bullets per gun...
I try not to use listen mode because it's too convenient when the sound desing it's so good, but your gripe it's solved with upgrades, listen mode needs to be upgraded to be nearly as effective as before.
Nothing to say about the plot since i'm not too deep story wise because i'm taking my time with it(i'm in Seattle leaving the school), but combat it's top notch.

Talking about combat, i know that this was in the first one, but i didn't expect to trigger it while doing cqc.

 

[PanzerAzel]

i'm playing on survivor and dodge is far from useless and when timed correctly gives you one hit kills wich you end up apreciating when you spend most of the time with 1 or 2 bullets per gun...
I try not to use listen mode because it's too convenient when the sound desing it's so good, but your gripe it's solved with upgrades, listen mode needs to be upgraded to be nearly as effective as before.
Nothing to say about the plot since i'm not too deep story wise because i'm taking my time with it(i'm in Seattle leaving the school), but combat it's top notch.

Talking about combat, i know that this was in the first one, but i didn't expect to trigger it while doing cqc.

Yeah, dodge is far from pointless. It’s one of the most effective new mechanical additions in the game.

 

[Balducci30]

Yeah, dodge is far from pointless. It’s one of the most effective new mechanical additions in the game.

Dodge is awesome. Far more an evolution of the gameplay than jump and prone for me so far. (Jump being the least)

 

[scalman]

you can hide , you can run, but she will find you , she is coming for you

 

[PanzerAzel]

Dodge is awesome. Far more an evolution of the gameplay than jump and prone for me so far. (Jump being the least)

Jump is what I see as pointless, in fact I’ve forgotten it’s even possible unless I mistakenly hit the button. Everything works fine contextually to overcome obstacles as the first game did, and for how much it’s used, they wasted an entire button on it.

Prone though I’m finding invaluable in heated firefights with many enemies. It allows a way to quickly hide and evade (unless a dog’s nipping on your heels). Speaking of which, killed the owner of a dog a watched it whine and try to wake up its master. Genuinely felt like shit.

So I had to put it out of its misery.

 

[Ryuji Goda]

When I read the leaks I hated it. But now I really like

Spoiler

Abby

I stopped playing at the start of day 2

Btw, I love killing dogs with mines.

 

[Ryuji Goda]

It took me 3 months to save the money to buy this ...

Wait what?

 

[Hostile_18]

I'm so angry with Neil at the moment. He's taken one huge dump on every TLOU fan in EVERY conceivable way. It's as if he had a checkbox and has systematically covered it all. Once again I've just turned it off because I can't stand playing anymore right now. The dodge is a pointless and irritating addition. The story is plot driven and not character driven. The sound when people are about to see you has been enhanced to such a degree that it's of no use. The listen mode isn't anywhere near as good as it was in TLOU. The dogs are annoying and stop you playing as you'd like. Collecting provisions and upgrades is tedious. I don't care about any of the characters, unfortunately, even Ellie after a while. I've upgraded stacks of stuff and it makes no difference at all. It's now a pew pew Uncharted wanna be. Yep, I'm pissed, largely because I bought it digitally and can't sell it. It took me 3 months to save the money to buy this ...

They seem quite minor gripes on the whole, are you sure you haven't just let all the negativity get to you bud? I find it very much in line with previous games (but then I also love Uncharted as well so maybe that's the difference).

 

[Balducci30]

Jump is what I see as pointless, in fact I’ve forgotten it’s even possible unless I mistakenly hit the button. Everything works fine contextually to overcome obstacles as the first game did, and for how much it’s used, they wasted an entire button on it.

Prone though I’m finding invaluable in heated firefights with many enemies. It allows a way to quickly hide and evade (unless a dog’s nipping on your heels). Speaking of which, killed the owner of a dog a watched it whine and try to wake up its master. Genuinely felt like shit.

So I had to put it out of its misery.

yeah the enemy interactions are great - I also use prone a lot - mainly jump is the one that for some reason doesn’t feel any different from the first game really because the only legitimate jumpable things are contextual for the most part anyway

 

[DragoonKain]

edit: nevermind

 

[Balducci30]

Wait what?

Ok if it took you 3 months to acquire the funds - I urge you to wait until it’s cheaper. I made more than that panhandling when I was homeless.

 

[JimiNutz]

Jump is what I see as pointless, in fact I’ve forgotten it’s even possible unless I mistakenly hit the button. Everything works fine contextually to overcome obstacles as the first game did, and for how much it’s used, they wasted an entire button on it.

Prone though I’m finding invaluable in heated firefights with many enemies. It allows a way to quickly hide and evade (unless a dog’s nipping on your heels). Speaking of which, killed the owner of a dog a watched it whine and try to wake up its master. Genuinely felt like shit.

So I had to put it out of its misery.

There are sections now where you can use jump to access parts of the level that were not possible in the previous game and it makes the level design feel more organic.

For examples, you may come to a dead on a balcony but can run and jump across to the next balcony and enter a different building. It's a small change but it's the kind of thing that wasn't in the previous game. To cross gaps like that in the first game you'd have to go and find a ladder or something that you could use to cross which felt really cumbersome and 'gamey'.

Being able to break glass windows, jump, climb and swing on ropes all makes the environment feel more realistic and allows for more interesting level design. These abilities do definitely enhance the gameplay in my opinion. It may feel subtle but I've noticed it a lot as I very recently played the first game which feels very antiquated in comparison now.

 

[Balducci30]

There are sections now where you can use jump to access parts of the level that were not possible in the previous game and it makes the level design feel more organic.

For examples, you may come to a dead on a balcony but can run and jump across to the next balcony and enter a different building. It's a small change but it's the kind of thing that wasn't in the previous game. To cross gaps like that in the first game you'd have to go and find a ladder or something that you could use to cross which felt really cumbersome and 'gamey'.

Being able to break glass windows, jump, climb and swing on ropes all makes the environment feel more realistic and allows for more interesting level design. These abilities do definitely enhance the gameplay in my opinion. It may feel subtle but I've noticed it a lot as I very recently played the first game which feels very antiquated in comparison now.

The breaking glass is DEFINITELY welcome

 

[DForce]

Here's my impressions after playing 13 hours of the game, without spoiling anything.

This is just my personal opinion.

- The graphics are great, but my biggest issue is that the scene from the 2018 trailer was downgraded.

- The gameplay is fun, but I do prefer the linear style. After the first 3 hours, I just started skipping exploration started taking a more linear approach.

- The first 3 hours was entertaining, but then I started to get this feeling that the story was going to be worse than the first game. I just wasn't really feeling the story.

- Then I got State of Play gameplay section and that's when the story just started coming together for me. During the first 8 hours, I was going to give this game like a 7.. Now I'm at a 9. The story is not as good as the first, but it's becoming one of my favorites.

Maybe I started feeling disinterested early on because I read too many spoilers, but I guess context really matters, even if I know what's going to happen at the end. I played this game nearly all day and It's hard for me to put the game down.

 

[PanzerAzel]

There are sections now where you can use jump to access parts of the level that were not possible in the previous game and it makes the level design feel more organic.

For examples, you may come to a dead on a balcony but can run and jump across to the next balcony and enter a different building. It's a small change but it's the kind of thing that wasn't in the previous game. To cross gaps like that in the first game you'd have to go and find a ladder or something that you could use to cross which felt really cumbersome and 'gamey'.

Being able to break glass windows, jump, climb and swing on ropes all makes the environment feel more realistic and allows for more interesting level design. These abilities do definitely enhance the gameplay in my opinion. It may feel subtle but I've noticed it a lot as I very recently played the first game which feels very antiquated in comparison now.

Ah, that’s a valid point, I forgot about the sprint+jump combo. Good call.

Still, those parts are fairly few and far between, and there’d be no real loss to player freedom to have the game automatically make the leap upon running to the edge. My problem is that for the usefulness of its utility, it doesn’t warrant an entire button dedicated to something so seldom used and that the game could do, leaving it open for something more pertinent (like quick tossing the brick/bottle without having to have it selected).

 

[PanzerAzel]

The breaking glass is DEFINITELY welcome

Can bust car windows too. I’ve spent too much time smashing every one I see. Damn OCD.

 

[Esppiral]

So I wasn't very found about the first game, I liked the story but the gameplay was kind of boring and repetitive, I was decided to not buy the secuel, then, yesterday, I watched some gameplays, and here I am enjoying the ride so far with Ellie and co.

 

[nowhat]

I'm still not too far into the game (about seven hours I think), so I'll reserve my final judgment for later (and not discuss the story), but two points.

First of all, the animations. They are insane. Sure, it's not 100% the E3 demo (which I don't think anyone expected), but at the same time, not so far off either. And not just combat, but simple things like world traversal, it's so fluid. Or something completely unnecessary and superfluous, like the way Ellie interacts with a rope (starts bundling it up automatically, with proper rope physics). But unlike RDR2, this doesn't really interfere with gameplay. The looting animations, while meticulous, are quick enough that they just look good. And that rope juggling, you don't have to wait for Ellie to finish, you can throw a rope the moment you grab it. Amazing stuff.

And then the sound design. The first game already had terrific audio, but this one goes to 11. The music gets (deservedly) a lot of praise, but there's so much more to the audio here. Among Sony's first-party studios ND has had very good competition this gen in graphics (arguably they put up a very good challenge in that department here though), but when it comes to audio, they are unparalleled.

 

[toker818]

Gripe regarding up to Seattle day 3 (story spoilers) Is anyone else bothered by this whole idea that there was only ONE surgeon in the world who could have made a vaccine? It’s a small detail in the flashback when Ellie’s listening to the recorder - but why is there so much certainty in this game around A. She is the only immune person B. That killing her would have undoubtedly lead to a vaccine and C. Now it doesn’t matter though because the one surgeon who could’ve made one is dead? Like in the real world wouldn’t you treat all these ideas as only possibilities? Hypotheticals? Rather than absolute fact?

The game is full of plot holes and stupid decisions that all characters make its so Walking Dead style its ridiculous how many 10 out of 10 it got

 

[JimiNutz]

Ah, that’s a valid point, I forgot about the sprint+jump combo. Good call.

Still, those parts are fairly few and far between, and there’d be no real loss to player freedom to have the game automatically make the leap upon running to the edge. My problem is that for the usefulness of its utility, it doesn’t warrant an entire button dedicated to something so seldom used and that the game could do, leaving it open for something more pertinent (like quick tossing the brick/bottle without having to have it selected).

Yeah I see your point in the sense that jump isn't used that frequently. Vault is also on X though and that is maybe used a bit more frequently? Some of the chase sequences wouldn't have worked as well without the vault mechanic and I do vault up onto things quite frequently when exploring the levels.

I do definitely see your point but I think the combination of vault, jump, run+jump etc. adds enough value to warrant the X button being used for this.

Also, to quick toss a brick it's really just down on the dpad (to quickly select it) and then R2 to quickly throw it, so it is pretty quick and easy to pull off when you're in a pinch.

 

[tassletine]

But that's the thing, Joel is not acting in character during that "confession". Apart from his sad tone regarding his lie to Ellie & how she feels about it. That I can believe would weigh heavy on his conscience. But he knew what we knew. The "cure" was nothing but hopes & dreams.

He's worrying about what he did though. If you, even potentially had the chance of saving humanity but you chose a selfish action, you would probably do the same thing.
It's not about the truth of the story, which is that it was a desperate, messy act that probably would have had little consequence for humanity either way --- but what the years of thinking about that have done to him. Remember Joel and Ellie aren't exactly getting along at the beginning of part 2, so he's weighing whether or not it was all worth it.
That sort of thing happens to people a lot when they make a crucial decision. They begin to resent making it and start fantasizing about what could have been.

There are a few clunky moments in the second one. But I'm about halfway through now, and I'm starting to feel like Druckman is deliberately setting us up for something. He knows very well that people will be triggered by the language and is playing with it.

I do have a bit of a problem with how seriously he wants us to take the game, that does have it's downsides as ANY digression from believably sticks out there -- Diving underwater with a walkman for one!

I would also say that given Druckman's SWJ credentials he's walking a tightrope regards race in this game, which could get some backlash.
The most glaring problem with it (on that front) is that Ellie's sidekick Dina is fantastically uninteresting compared to the odd couple of Joel and Ellie -- Dina could either be Jewish or Arabic on first glance (she's Jewish) but it voiced by an actress that sounds almost indistinguishable from Ellie. This is a bizarre choice storytelling wise as not only is it confusing (as you can't tell who's speaking) but it plays into the trope of having a non white sidekick, but here with a very white voice. So Dina's been kind of focus tested into a whitewash.

None of these things would really be an issue if the game didn't try and be as political as it is.

BUT -- All the above is really nitpicking and given that game development is a long hard process that revolves around focus groups, I'm willing to bet she is a causality of that.
Dina is the only real complaint I have about the game --Although I did get the idea that all this could be intentional and we will see her break away from Ellie later. Ie: Ellie has fallen for her because they are similar. -- but lets see.

 

[tassletine]

The game is full of plot holes and stupid decisions that all characters make its so Walking Dead style its ridiculous how many 10 out of 10 it got

Yeah, but if you were to play it real you wouldn't have a game at all. It's still the best zombie game by a half mile. I was playing Days Gone last week and really enjoyed it but this is one another level. The gameplay and AI are fantastic.

 

[PanzerAzel]

Dina is low-key thicc

She’s a healthy girl for sure, very easy on the eyes. Love it.

Yeah I see your point in the sense that jump isn't used that frequently. Vault is also on X though and that is maybe used a bit more frequently? Some of the chase sequences wouldn't have worked as well without the vault mechanic and I do vault up onto things quite frequently when exploring the levels.
Also, to quick toss a brick it's really just down on the dpad (to quickly select it) and then R2 to quickly throw it, so it is pretty quick and easy to pull off when you're in a pinch.

Difference with vault is it’s used contextually, just like squeezing through tight spaces. Jump is always there, contextual or not.

I’m just finding a need for quick brick/bottle button (or being able to assign Molotovs/grenades/traps to it) far more than I am needing to jump whenever I want. Engagements are always under pressure and wasted time is punished severely. It may seem like throwables are quick to select and use, and they are, but when turning a corner and coming face to face with an unexpected enemy, the extra one to two seconds it takes to select and toss them is enough to take a shot, if not two.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I just killed what feels like my hundredth brainless AI enemy, and I'm about 4 hours into the game.

Each kill they force me to watch a 6 second animation.

6 x 100 = 600.

That's 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back. When does this game become a 10/10?

 

[Steve.1981]

Dude... You're literally slating the sequel because it doesn't match up with your own headcanon of how you think the first one went down. You've been shown that actual quotes said to Joel but can't actually point to any moment where Joel says what you think he was *really thinking*.

You're letting fan theories tar your opinion but you're ignoring what the actual game said...

Everything I've stated is what happened. I love the first game. I played through it more than once. I watched the cutscenes & listened to the characters. I collected all the diaries & recordings.

Marlene told Joel they could make a cure, not because it was an absolute factual guarantee, but to placate him & calm her own feelings of guilt at killing an innocent child she had promised to protect. She needed her actions to be justified. She needed it to be about "the greater good". She had to tell herself it was all meant to be. Joel very simply told her what he thought of her bullshit.

In her note private note damn near begging Anna's forgiveness, Marlene wrote "We have a chance to save everyone". In the Surgeon's tape recording, he said "We have to try & replicate the immunity under lab conditions"

It wasn't a guarantee. It wasn't a definite. It was desperate people clinging to a faint chance of justification for the horrifying act of murdering an innocent child based on hope.

I'll say it clearly, nobody's ever going to change my mind about this. We can go round in circles all day long if you want.

 

[shubik]

I´m at that part of the E3 Demo where Ellie meets the whistling fraction. Man, this shit is tense. I barely have any ammo or arrows left and as soon as you get spotted shit is on and you gotta run and hide again to gain a tactical advantage. The bow feels great but it´s so easy to fuck up a clean shot. Especially lying on the back with barely any health left.

 

[Steve.1981]

He's worrying about what he did though. If you, even potentially had the chance of saving humanity but you chose a selfish action, you would probably do the same thing.
It's not about the truth of the story, which is that it was a desperate, messy act that probably would have had little consequence for humanity either way --- but what the years of thinking about that have done to him. Remember Joel and Ellie aren't exactly getting along at the beginning of part 2, so he's weighing whether or not it was all worth it.
That sort of thing happens to people a lot when they make a crucial decision. They begin to resent making it and start fantasizing about what could have been.

I stand by everything I've said about the end of part 1, but I admit that this interpretation of Joel's words at the beginning of part 2 has merit. This is interesting, you could be on to something here.