Sean Denniston

SPOILER Most bad reviews talk about Joel’s death at the beginning saying that it was too early or that it causes a classic revenge story. There are certain things and cliches that immediately bug people for some reason even if they’re done well. People say that in a word where everyone dies why would you travel across the country to get revenge for someone? Because someone struggle isn’t nullified just because someone else is also having a rough go of it. But then people complain that even when Ellie is winning she lets Abby go. They say that the game leaves you with nothing. Yes, that’s the point. Ellie realizes that in the end of the day, Joel is gone. Nothing she does is going to bring him back. Everyone has already suffered a bough so why create more. She returns home and Dina along with everything is gone. The first game was about hope. This one is about loss. Ellie loses everything, even her ability to play music, the one thing she has from her life with Joel. If you felt empty at the end of the game, it’s not because they did a bad job but the opposite. They wanted you to feel that way, you just didn’t like it. The developers said that we’d see the bond between Joel and Ellie grow. Just because he does doesn’t mean we don’t see that. We have him teaching guitar, her birthday surprise at the museum, going to the music shop just to get trapped with infected, their dynamic in Jackson. Another thing I see is people saying the controls are the same… yea… it’s still the same game just a continuation of the story. They’re not going to add new random controls. Now if you genuinely don’t like the game then you know that’s fine but really ask yourself why. And if you’re one of the people who cry over the LGBT “agenda” then realize the only “agenda” is inclusivity. Nothing get forced to me. Ellie was already established gay isn’t he first game, Dina had a part to play with the plot and helps Ellie and becomes her driving force at times (and becomes part of the “loss” element at the end), Lev being in a crazy cult that doesn’t allow him to be who he truly feels causing him to go on the run is real just not to that extent but it’s a cult so you know. That community is more common than people think and the chances of meeting someone in it is more likely than not meeting someone, whether they’re “out” or not they still exist. The last point I’ll touch on is people complaining about them trying to force you to empathize with Abby by playing as her. Even though I played as Abby and learned her motivations, I still wanted her dead. That doesn’t mean her story isn’t important though. There’s two sides to every war and the devs wanted us to see that. Empathizing with the the “bad guy” is a common thing. Thanos, Anakin Skywalker, Black Panther. It happens more and more as time goes on. Not everyone wants the relatable bad guy but others don’t want some random guy that is evil just cause unless there’s some explanation. So like I said. Experience and form your own opinion. If you left a review on launch day there’s no way there’s substance there. If you didn’t play there’s no substance there. If you played and still didn’t like it I ask that you think about the reason and see if anything I’ve said maybe made you think differently, if it doesn’t then I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it as much as I did. And lastly, if you’re one of the “other” guys, get over it. You can’t hide from inclusivity anymore. It will only become more common.