Chloe Lian – Google

spoilers I get why people hated this, I was one for about 60% of my playthrough yet 2 days post completion this game is on my mind 24/7. This is simply a story of what revenge can do to a person and how when faced with the worst situations imaginable and in our darkest moments, our ability to forgive is what can save us. I understand the story ND are trying to tell and forcing you to play as Abby, the character who brutally murders Joel in the first 2 hours of the game, for about 50% of the game initially is awful. I'm sure I'm not the only one who spent more time then is healthy walking Abby into infected and throwing her of ledges. What this does though is force you as the player to see how being consumed by a need for revenge can cost you. Ellie lost Jesse, Dina, JJ and her chance of a peaceful happy life in her pursuit of revenge and Abby lost Owen, Yara, Manny, her steady life and her dog in hers. All this stems from avenging their surrogate and actual fathers respectively and the way ND makes you see this from both perspectives in uncomfortable however a genius and bold move. I hated Abby after she killed Joel, i absolutely despised her yet in the final showdown I did not want to kill her. For those who say Abby lost nothing, im sorry but no. All her close companions are dead, unlike Ellies (Dina, Tommy and JJ are alive at the end) and where she and Lev ended up, i would not wish that on my worst enemy and that resort haunts me at the thought of the horrors that occurred there. Ellie showed little character growth until the very end but that was the perfect moment for her to realise, her killing Abby would not bring Joel back nor would it undo the horrors she has both faced and inflicted. She made a decision to let go and to finally give herself a chance to grow and to heal and I dont know where she will end up, but I'd like to think she is back in Jackson with JJ and Dina and happily letting Tommy think Abby is dead. This is not a pretty game but it never pretended to be in terms of story. It is bleak, it is uncomfortable and it forces you to ask and answer difficult questions. What other form of entertainment can do that for you? Pacing can be a bit of a mess at times and certain bits can drag out, you spend a lot of time questionning the point of it all and it can be glitchy in parts. I also absolutely bloody hated having to kill Alice, Abbys dog and in combat you will probably have to kill many more pooches which a lot of people will hate but in this world its kill or be killed. The flashback scenes are heartbreaking and poignant and serve a purpose as well as providing more insight into the events that occurred over the 4 year gap. Overall, play this game I urge you and come to your own conclusion. If you arent sure you want to drop this much money on a game you think you really really wont like, wait until it drops in price but it deserves to be experienced and doesn't deserve the hate it is getting elsewhere.