Eden Senior

+ Spoiler Free Review + Whilst I have seen the various spoilers floating around since the leak, I can say that the game itself has far exceeded my expectations. First of all, the game mechanics are extremely smooth and a lot better than the original game, and even Uncharted 4 (which had some pretty stellar mechanics), you're introduced straight into pretty much what happened after the first game through a cutscene which just sets the scene. The further I got into this game, I realised that it isn't "Fun" per-se, but it is incredibly good to play. I loved every moment of the story and feel that the portrayal of the plot and characters introduced was spot on. Like the first game, there is a main "bad" guy who reminds me of David from TLoU, in that the character is one that you root for during certain aspects, but one that also terrifies you when you realise what's going on. Once again, the voice acting and the motion capture is stunning. It literally makes the game look like a movie – to the point where you don't even realise if you're playing or still watching one of the cutscenes. My only issue with the game, as tiny as it is, is that some of the conversation feels forced between allies and protagonist. In the first game, you're introduced to two characters who (at first) seem like stark contrasts of each other but they have a constant chatting between themselves. Obviously, the first game ends with Joel telling Ellie a significant lie, and the second game is really about how that sort of thing changes relationships and causes a shift between the two protagonists in the first game. The game itself is focused around the theme of revenge, and the whole time you're exposed to the infected, one military styled group, and one religious cult-styled group in an attempt to get the bloodthirsty revenge the protagonist seeks. It is completely raw and complicated, it even has you question if what you're doing is right. The game has you gripped from the get-go, you're introduced to old characters and new characters alike, and are forced into situations that you never anticipated happening. It really is a beautiful game, and the story is raw and rips you apart at times, but I would say this is one of Naughty dog's best games, and for that reason I think every fan of the first game should buy this one.