Quinn Darrow

**NO SPOILER JUST CONCEPT REVIEW** I really really enjoyed this game. The first thing I want to say is this story is a tragedy. It is heartbreaking and incredibly sad, and truly pulled an emotional chord with me. It is also, for all intents and purposes, a horror game. If you thought the first game was scary, this one will definitely have you tense, you're heart racing, and jumping at little things, but that's what makes it exciting. I think the gameplay is incredibly smooth, giving you numerous options for dealing with large groups of enemies. There are certain sections I wish I could play again for the first time in order to discover a new way to sneak into an enemy camp, or a better stealth approach. It's a hard game, but by no means impossible, even at the hardest difficulty. I found the main story to be extremely well crafted, giving periodic flashbacks to fill in story gaps, and backstories to help you understand motivation behind certain character actions. You are playing a character you know well, doing things that felt right in the first game, but now the moral line feels blurred. In the middle of the game there is a switch that features a very sobering realization that you will only have to experience for yourself. I truly love stories like this, with it unclear who's the good guy, and shows the depth of human nature. I will say that there are fewer sections involving the infected. There are still plenty, but this is much more about fighting humans, which naturally makes it more challenging. Some people have complained about too much story and not enough gameplay, perhaps they want a fast paced shooting game with no story to accompany it. If that's the case then you're better off not getting this, but if you like a game that has a really interesting and complicated story that goes along with exciting combat puzzles, then I highly highly recommend The Last of Us Part 2 END NOTE: I've read many of the other reviews and it appears to me that most of the people who disliked the game have based a lot of their reasoning on political or social disagreements around some of the characters. I understand that some people want formulaic stories with happy endings, maybe they don't like having women as leading roles, disliked Ellie's sexual preference, and had personal disdain with a trans character in the story. As far as I'm concerned that's a problem with the player, not the game. If that's something you can't get behind, then I'm sorry, you're missing out on a fantastic game with a great story.