That is typically what happens with many of these progressive entertainment projects. People complain about bad writing, going against previous storylines and plots, and in this case even game play. But the very fact that it's agenda driven lets them say all these people are against my progressive ideas and they are all haters. That's all they seem have to say to get out of it. And if you try to discuss it further there is something evil about you and you are not progressive enough. Then they say it enough that they get scores of people to believe and repeat them. So it becomes and argument neither side can win. But as usual people can see what is really going on and the product loses long time customers who may never give you another chance. It's the new go to excuse in media. Call people evil haters and try to shut them up. Meanwhile these same groups are free to complain and try to get pictures of anime girls and other similar things cancelled because it offends them. But talk about how their progressive product offends you and you are an ignorant hater.
So, who here has played TLOU2 and how are you enjoying it so far? Good? Bad? Mixed? It's okay if you're only a couple of hours in, I'm just interested to hear an opinion that has some substance.
So you refuse to even acknowledge literally any other points I bring up beyond the one that is rooted in conventionally accepted physiological differences?
I am playing it and about four hours in. It’s everything I loved about the first game amplified. Tense, immersive, compelling. I adore it so far.
Play it. Then talk. Cool, let me know if anything changes as you move along in the story. I heard good things about the gameplay and level design so that's a plus. Glad you're enjoying it!
I’m going to play some more tonight and will let you know if the game suddenly breaks but I sincerely doubt that’s going to happen. For now, I’m checking out of this thread.
I've seen streams. Its a story driven game and the story is basically a really, really, really awful Penny Dreadful.
can i ask what agenda they are pushing and what they have to gain by it lmao replying to your other points doesn’t make that not misogynistic lmaooo
Well I actually beat the game today, so I guess I'll provide some thoughts from that perspective, instead of just reading some spoilers and watching some streams. I'm gonna spoiler the whole thing just so I don't have to think about what should be and what's not. Spoiler In short, I think this game is a modern masterpiece, the best game on PS4 (previously I have had God of War 2018 on the top of my list), and one of the best gaming experiences I've had from multiple levels. The gameplay is very refined, with some of the best third person stealth mechanics in a game to date. It works wonderfully, I don't find a lot of bugs. It might help the AI is still kinda dumb, but cheesing ND enemies is par for the course at this point. Graphically it's beautiful, with the Scar camp burning and the escape from it not only the best looking video game moment I've ever seen, but one of the most engaging and tense sequences I've ever played. Also, shout out to the soundtrack, which is absolutely perfect and gives with you exactly what you'd expect to feel in that moment. But let's be real, none of the discourse about this game has been about the game. It's been about the story and characters. And in short? It succeeds so very very well. And I get it. And to a degree, when the leaks first hit, I agreed with everyone. Why the fuck am I wanting to play as the person that kills Joel, a character I love, even with all his flaws? And the answer is, there isn't a good guy in this story. And I know people don't agree with that idea. But spending 10 hours with Abby, you see it happen. Yes she killed Joel. But Joel killed her father. And if Joel had been given a quick death, this shit would be easy to accept. But Ellie fucking killed her best friend and ex-lover, her Firefly friend, her best friend's pregnant girlfriend, her dog, and then, to get her to fight her in the end, threatens the kid that Abby risked everything for to save. Ellie isn't a good person. Being raised by Joel, being born into that world, it's hard to find genuinely good people. And so what if we're playing as someone that wasn't? They're still interesting. A game doesn't have to make someone feel comfortable. It's a tough game emotionally to play, the final fight is utterly the most tragic final fight in a game to date, cause Ellie should never have gone in the first place. That was her biggest sin. And she didn't deserve a happy ending. Cause she had it, and she threw it away. I don't have an issue with where the left her. Playing with Abby for 10 hours, experiencing her trauma, it does sympathize her. A lot. But the game never makes Abby out to be an innocent good guy. And it questions her actions the entire way. The same way Dina does Ellie. Neither of them are good people, that's the point. But at the end, when you convince Abby to fight you by putting a knife to Lev's neck, that was it. There was nothing to feel good or righteous about anymore. It was very successful in that front. A few more quick thoughts. 1. The flashbacks for both Ellie and Abby were incredible, they hit the correct emotional cord, and I hope that we get more of these in DLC in the future. 2. There was a discussion about Abby fucking a Druckmann stand in right after she killed Joel. Completely false. There is hardcore fucking but it's with Owen not Manny. 3. It took me about 22 hours to complete, and low key the Abby sections were better than the Ellie sections if you ask me. 4. I want a third game in the trilogy, it can be Ellie and Abby, I do not care, but I want Joel retired from it all. It's a 10/10 for me, by far the best game I've played this year, and reaffirms Naughty Dog is the developer to beat in almost all facets of third person linear games. They're just unrivaled. And yes, the plot has a ton of tropey bullshit, but so did the first TLOU, almost to a worse degree. Anyway, that's my piece on all of it. I'm sure there will be some responses to this.
Okay, honest question. Spoiler What was Ellie’s reaction to the whole truth of what really happened in that hospital?
I think my wife and I (She's kind of just watching at the moment she'll be playing on her own soon enough) are about the 5 hour mark. To be honest plot wise nothing has been surprising or devastating, I've honestly enjoyed the dialog in some places but find it a bit hokey in the others. My only real complaint is its a bit to focused when it's coming to level design right now, like here is the area look around in just this are and explore nothing else. I know it'll expand soon enough but it just feels very constricting in my opinion, not a deal breaker more of a frustration I'm just going through cause it's training mode right now. As for plot without spoiling anything kind of surprised it happened that earlier but I knew something was gonna happen. My wife was more surprised how soon it happened is all. But that is about it so far.
Spoiler Fury. She never forgave Joel once she found out until the night there was a party in town. It hurt, especially replaying the first game this week.
Alright good to know. Yeah, the levels may open up later and that'll be pretty fun then. Let me know how the later parts compare when you get there.
I’m now about seven hours in and I’m doubling down on my opinion. This is a brilliant game. I’ll reserve full judgment until I’m done but it’s amazing. It’s The Last of Us. You explore abandoned houses scavenging for ammo and supplies to upgrade your abilities or weaponry. There’s some light puzzling elements as you try to work out how to reach the next area. And when you encounter enemies, you try to take them down by stealth and if you fail you’re in a firefight. The fundamentals of the game are extremely similar to the first one. The environments are more open and expansive, and you have new abilities. But it tells its story in a very similar way and the game feels much like its predecessor. For that reason, if you told me you hated the first game, I’d understand you hating this one. Likewise, I might understand the critique that the game feels too familiar and doesn’t introduce enough new elements (although that’s not uncommon in successful gaming franchises, and why mess with perfection?). Other than that, I can’t imagine anyone who has actually played the game thinking its anything other than incredible. It’s probably the most beautiful game I’ve seen. The NPCs are possibly the most developed I’ve seen (they call each other by their first names and react when one of their teammates goes down). I think the stealth is excellent (I see ZERO evidence of it being “broken” as suggested in this thread - it’s very similar to the first game, and I’ve been killed by several clickers already). The dialogue is good. And the story is fantastic. Literally the only major difference from the first game is that you’re playing as a different character, in different circumstances. Essentially, at this stage of the game it’s up there with the best of this generation and probably all time. I understand why some people are upset at the story. Some of it is maybe understandable (for reasons I can’t talk about without spoiler tags). Some of it unequivocally is not. Anyway, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a fantastic game and a brilliant creative and technical accomplishment.
I don’t think this game is *perfect*, but it still has so much to appreciate about it and I think it’s really good. I think after replaying I may like it even more, maybe as much as the first game. There are people with genuine criticisms that I understand, but a lot of the complaints I’ve seen are from people who only read leaks and I just don’t find some complaints valid (similar gameplay from the first game), (just a playable movie). But the vocal minority of the haters are just overreacting. The game is by no means “bad”, at least in my opinion.
