Alex Mann

The Last of Us 2 is most correctly compared to Mass Effect Andromeda or Anthem. I know that sounds weird but stick with me. ME Andromeda was a fine game. It played well, the story was there, and the characters were well defined. It is considered a bad game because it is so much worse than all the other Mass Effects. It took a series known for excellence and defiled it. The Last of Us 2 is a well made game. It's fun, thrilling, and polished. But it is so significantly worse compared to The Last of Us 1. The story is pure nonsense with characters making weird decisions and enough plot holes to make Mass Effect 3's ending look good. They dishonor characters you love, they introduce unlikeable characters you hate, and they drag it on WAY too long. This is the end of Naughty Dog. This game sold well but half of their fans now hate them. In 3 years when Uncharted 5 comes out with Nathan Draks daughter in the lead it will sell half the copies the expect- I certainly won't buy it. Then the half of their staff they are forced to lay off will open a new and better studio.

I am a divorce attorney and this movie is great. The acting is fantastic and the overall plot is strong. This movie's commitment to realism really sells it and the message I got from it was valuable. This movie covers a couple going through a divorce and pulls no punches about the hardship of all of it. The core issue is that the breadwinner is Charlie and his wife Nicole wants to move from NY to LA to get a part in a show. Charlies elects to stay in NY and continue directing his successful broadway plays. Both parties here are selfish. Nicole is willing to uproot her child and throw away her marriage because of a dream. Charlie is willing to let this happen and lose his son because of his dream. They are both selfish and equally responsible for their failed marriage. The couple split amicably with no lawyers but eventually, Nicole hires a high priced lawyer and takes it to court. By the end Charlie is destitute, losing his company, and losing his son. In the end, Nicole allows him to have his son over for an extra night and he thanks her sincerely. Charlie thanks her for allowing him to see his son- this is supposed to be sweet but to me it is horrifying. Nicole took all of Charlie's money, his business, his dreams, and his son and then throws him scraps and we are suppose to think she is a good person? I refuse to think this. She is a bitter person that put her son and husband through hell for petty revenge. I guess this is where the film lost me and gained me. I despise Nicole by the end despite the attempts of the movie but I respect its commitment to realism. As stated I am a divorce attorney and I see it every day. I see this exact picture in fact. I see bitter spouses exaggerate every little flaw and desperate spouses who just want to be in their son or daughter's life. I watch people who have spent decades building financial security lose everything and be driven to suicide. Generally, it is the women that are bitter though it is men sometimes too. I have represented both and would say its a 70/30 split. If couples are willing to be civil and kind a divorce can actually be cheap and easy. It can be a couple meetings and if each side is willing to compromise it is often over quick. I always advise this and try this route first. If I am representing women it typically works better. When I represent men it almost never works. I speak from experience, not data but there is almost always a bitter party that aims to ruin their ex and so what could be a civil meeting devolves into name-calling and cruelty- and usually, this pattern starts with the wife. This is the reality of divorce. To everyone reading, I come from 2 parents that are happily married and have been together since high school. Neither are perfect but decades later and I still have never seen them fight. In my own marriage, we are happy as can be years later. Every marriage I have ever seen fail has failed due to selfishness. Simply avoid that and you are great. But humans are naturally selfish so it is hard. Pay extream mind to always take your spouse's feelings into account. My rule is that every day I do 1 thing to make my wives day better- and each day she does the same. It goes a long way to show that you care. If you are getting married understand that it is not about you- it is about them. Your life is their life now and you are not ready for that you are not ready for marriage. Your spouse's life is not meant to just orbit yours and be there for support and if you think this do not get married. I summary- perfect score for being a spot-on depiction of what causes a marriage to fail and what a divorce is like.

Is it perfect? No. Is it fun? Ya, it actually is. In fact it's really fun. But that is the thing-- Subjectively the game is a lot of fun. But objectivity it is very flawed. I do not know if someone else will find it as fun as I did, but I know they will find it as flawed as I did. I don't play video games much but I played this one (being and old bioware fan) and I have to save I am having fun with this game. I am enjoying it and I do not regret buying it. As of right now there are serious technical issues and story issues but the gameplay is fun. It's thrilling, fast paced, addicting, and unique. I think the foundations of Anthem are good and with time and patches the game could evolve into something great.