Damian Binkley

This game is an absolute work of art

The plot is a bit confusing, but I thought it was a pretty good movie nonetheless

The Last of Us Part II is a game with incredibly solid gameplay, stunning visuals, and immersive mechanics, but its narrative is riddled with major flaws that overshadow the parts it does well. The most glaring issue is how the story handles Joel’s death—rushed, unearned, and lacking the buildup or emotional weight a character of his importance deserved. Rather than expanding on his character development or repairing his relationship with Ellie, the game uses his death as a cheap tool to build up Abby, a new character introduced in the most brutal and unlikable way possible. Abby’s arc feels forced, with the game spending half its runtime trying to make her sympathetic after an unforgivable introduction, while her personality remains cold, emotionless, and often selfish. The story contorts beloved characters like Ellie and Tommy to fit a predetermined plot rather than their decisions feeling authentic to their characters . What could have been a powerful story about forgiveness and grief ends up feeling disjointed and manipulative—an example of lazy writing hidden behind a strong presentation. This games story is a slap in the face to everybody that loved the first one IMO. (if you enjoyed this game great, but it’s storytelling is deeply flawed)