If you look at this game as a character study - ie, dissociate yourself from the fandom within you, dispel of the love you have for the characters from the first, and just play the game to get a deeper look into the world that has resulted from the outbreak, this game is riveting, interesting, and will make you feel things that you've never felt before in a game.
I think that's what Naughty Dog was trying to do and have accomplished. The gameplay is vastly improved from the first game, the graphics are next gen level, and the world building is second to none.