I've played the first multiple times and loved when the second was announced and have waited a long time for it to come. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, some people love the game and some not so much. Me, I loved the game.
***SPOILERS***
Yes it gets hate for killing off one of people's favourite characters, Joel. But he had done many bad things in the past in order to survive for as long as he had after the initial outbreak. He murdered a child's dad and of course that child went looking for revenge years later when she got word of his whereabouts. You instantly hated her for this but you get to play as her later on in the game which I personally enjoyed seeing it from another perspective and seeing how she grew as a person and you even become to like her, especially after she saves a couple of seraphites (scars) who are her groups enemies and you see her take on a big sister kind of role to Lev. You get to see how her character develops just like you saw Joel & Ellie in the first game.
ND took the risk in making you playing as her after what she had done but I think it has paid off as you get more gameplay, more characters to get attached too and all round it is brilliant.
You also get to play as Ellie on her revenge mission to get Abby and you get to see everything she goes through all the way until the end.
Even at the end of the game you are still left with questions of what next which leaves you wanting more from it.
Graphics and audio are superb 10/10
Story is great 8/10
Gameplay 9/10
Overall rating 9/10
It is definitely a game that I would happily play through again and again just like the first one.