THE BORE

General => Video Game Bored => Topic started by: Tripon on April 27, 2020, 12:00:55 PM

Title: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tripon on April 27, 2020, 12:00:55 PM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Aerith dies

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X3J7zZ6K20g/maxresdefault.jpg)
[close]

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out!
Post by: demi on April 27, 2020, 12:02:54 PM
Not in Nomura's timeline, boyo  8)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out!
Post by: nachobro on April 27, 2020, 12:09:58 PM
tlou2 spoilers: what if we were the real monsters all along?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out!
Post by: demi on April 27, 2020, 12:12:31 PM
Spoilers: Game releases June 19
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on April 27, 2020, 12:20:58 PM
Actual real spoiler comment:
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Not sure if they went woke or redpilled. Sure that people are gonna be mad.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on April 27, 2020, 12:52:28 PM
They should've just released the damn game already.  Whatever... Their fault.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
still gonna play it.  :yeshrug
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Nintex on April 27, 2020, 12:56:36 PM
lmao get in payment disputes with your workers and have your AAAA+ woke fiction leaked all over the internet  :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: EchoRin on April 27, 2020, 01:08:33 PM
Aside from skimming over the spoilers in the other thread (to the point where I'm not exactly sure what is happening and all, except that a few specific folks die that as a player you might be affected)
spoiler (click to show/hide)
I assume Joel dies if that spoiler was true. Gonna be a bummer in a good way. Shit I thought he was dead after the college town bit in the first game which had me thinking "this poor girl is gonna have it really rough now." though I was glad he was able to heal up.
[close]
.

I guess I'll see how those plot points play out in the game. I don't know. Maybe it is a thousand times worse than the original. I thought the first game was no better or worse than The Walking Dead tv show (which I checked out of before the lady with the swords was introduced and thought the show was no longer worth watching at the conclusion of whatever season that was). Shit, it's not like the story in the first was detrimental to the game. I guess if it's a backlash at people losing their shit and throwing around Citizen Kane like nerds do every 3 or 4 years at something, I mean alright I guess. Wouldn't let gushing nerds taint my experience just cause they were overzealous.

About the release date. Is that something to do with these leaks at all, or was this general release date expected?



Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on April 27, 2020, 01:19:41 PM
It's official by Sony
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: EchoRin on April 27, 2020, 01:23:00 PM
It's official by Sony

Sorry, probably wasn't clear with my post. Was the release date influenced by various leaks or was the game expected to release in the summer all along?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: nachobro on April 27, 2020, 01:29:58 PM
the first delayed release was end of may so i think they were just waiting for shipping stuff to get a bit better so retailers could sell physical copies, doubt it was related to the leaks at all.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on April 27, 2020, 01:38:21 PM
So it’s been pushed back a month? That’s a pretty standard delay anyway, unless it’s a call of duty of sportz game that make their dates without fail :trumps

Epsecially when you can’t lock you’re employees in the office for 20 hours per day and make them crunch :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on April 27, 2020, 01:43:57 PM
Going from "DELAYED INDEFINITELY" to "haha just kidding a couple months" is peak CORONA
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on April 27, 2020, 02:49:01 PM
the first delayed release was end of may so i think they were just waiting for shipping stuff to get a bit better so retailers could sell physical copies, doubt it was related to the leaks at all.
Maybe it was an incentive, but yeah i agree.
In May plenty of countries are starting to (slowly) reopen things up.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on April 27, 2020, 02:53:28 PM
It means it was definitely delayed. Don't you know that?

Also nobody likes you man, can you indefinitely vanish?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: nachobro on April 27, 2020, 03:01:20 PM
Going from "DELAYED INDEFINITELY" to "haha just kidding a couple months" is peak CORONA
not even a couple months, just 20 days lmao :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: recursivelyenumerable on April 27, 2020, 08:52:38 PM
it's not called II Last II Us?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on April 28, 2020, 01:07:33 AM
The game loop is still going to be completely uninteresting, but now the story is attempting to be even more depressing!
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on May 01, 2020, 03:41:47 AM
I actually really liked Last of Us back when it came out. My GOTY for 2013 even  :doge

It did the whole explore shit with your fake daughter genre of game way better than Bioshock Infinite. As far as core gameplay is concerned, it was pretty tense when you alerted enemies, and really came together on higher difficulties. If they make the stealth more dynamic, compared to how weird it was in the original (human enemies were piss easy to stealth kill, while the infected were way more difficult and frustrating to get), I'll enjoy it. And I know ND is gonna put a whole bunch of walk-slow so we can have two characters talk type situations - as we've seen in the leaks. They better keep that shit to a minimum.

As far as the actual leaks are concerned, glad ND isn't shying away from giving us the Manhunt sequel we deserve :rejoice
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: EchoRin on May 01, 2020, 10:45:24 AM
One of the more intense gameplay moments of last gen - When you had to go power the generator knowing that as soon as you made noise the uglies were gonna come storming in.

This person plays it nice and slick. Me? Not even close. I was shitting bricks before and during this part haha.

https://youtu.be/GB07Ey0uSg4
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: EchoRin on May 04, 2020, 01:07:46 PM
Yuuuuge spoiler gif from an unrelated show. Though I did not see it leak in video form. Only saw it referred to in text, but I guess it's been unofficially confirmed it happens?
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/844/258/bec.gif)
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 10, 2020, 02:53:45 AM
https://twitter.com/viperwave/status/1270568318450020354

:dead
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 10, 2020, 05:16:24 AM
The meme is real  :lol :lol :lol :gun
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: curly on June 10, 2020, 03:15:59 PM
Quote
“I was like, oh we can make the player feel that,” he explained. “We can make you experience this thirst for revenge. This thirst for retribution, and having you actually like commit the acts of finding it. And then showing you the other side to make you regret it. To make you feel dirty for everything you’ve done in the game, making you realize ‘I’m actually the villain of the story.’”

Personally I think it's time for a story that shows us the positive side of revenge

Quote
Druckmann also says The Last of Us is a kind of love letter to American landscapes, as seen through the eyes of an immigrant. “I have a certain affinity and certain love for the United States that’s in some way unique to an immigrant,” he said. “I remember the first time we arrived, a couple of days later we drove through Manhattan. And I’m like ‘oh my god I’m in one of the many movies I’ve seen that have taken place on this street!’ For me, a lot of The Last of Us has an Americana vibe that is a love letter to these landscapes.”

So it's inspired by Druckmann's love of American landscapes, which is actually his love of how American landscapes remind him of movies he's seen before. Kewl
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 10, 2020, 08:04:24 PM
What's controversial about that (landscape) statement?
-
Anyway, his reasoning of revenge i hope isn't predicated on
spoiler (click to show/hide)
me giving a shit when they kill Joel, because as a character he isn't very likeable, which is fine, but i also won't exactly cry my eyes out for him.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 11, 2020, 01:19:57 AM
What's controversial about that (landscape) statement?
-
Anyway, his reasoning of revenge i hope isn't predicated on
spoiler (click to show/hide)
me giving a shit when they kill Joel, because as a character he isn't very likeable, which is fine, but i also won't exactly cry my eyes out for him.
[close]

I don't think the statement is controversial, just funny. And reinforcing that most game writer "auteurs" are just dudes who's artistic influences don't really stretch beyond popular movies they grew up watching.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I think Joel dies relatively late in the game. If that's the case, it might be a moment for no return for Ellie, but may be intended to give the player an opposite feeling? Subverting the Ludonarrative Dissonance tropes  :brain Well played Mr. Druckman
[close]

One thing I definitely will give Druckman credit for is knowing his limits when it comes to writing.

The thing about TLOU that separated it narratively from every other AAA game in that era is that it knew when to STFU.

Bioshock Infinite pissed me the fuck off because the plot was ambitious, but the moment to moment writing felt cheap, hollow, or just award-baity. Yes, please have Elizabeth sing with a bunch of poor children in the slums when you randomly pick up a guitar. This will be a moving moment that will show how forward the medium of gaming has come. Problem is, that scene was so damn out of place considering I shot some guy in the head like a minute before.

So then TLOU comes out and we get a story that stays stays in its lane that wasn't half bad. I was extremely surprised how crazy people got over it. I thought it was a competent zombie story wrapped up in a really good game, but no Citizen Kane lol. I still can't fathom people comparing TLOU to anything beyond...like a Starz original in terms of writing.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 11, 2020, 02:03:29 AM
Most gamers only consume anime and vidya is your answer :snob
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 11, 2020, 08:09:24 AM
https://twitter.com/viperwave/status/1270568318450020354

:dead

So they've moved on from copying Children of Men to LiveLeak videos?

 :juchesad



 :juche
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 11, 2020, 08:12:38 AM
What's controversial about that (landscape) statement?
-
Anyway, his reasoning of revenge i hope isn't predicated on
spoiler (click to show/hide)
me giving a shit when they kill Joel, because as a character he isn't very likeable, which is fine, but i also won't exactly cry my eyes out for him.
[close]

I don't think the statement is controversial, just funny. And reinforcing that most game writer "auteurs" are just dudes who's artistic influences don't really stretch beyond popular movies they grew up watching.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I think Joel dies relatively late in the game. If that's the case, it might be a moment for no return for Ellie, but may be intended to give the player an opposite feeling? Subverting the Ludonarrative Dissonance tropes  :brain Well played Mr. Druckman
[close]

One thing I definitely will give Druckman credit for is knowing his limits when it comes to writing.

The thing about TLOU that separated it narratively from every other AAA game in that era is that it knew when to STFU.

Bioshock Infinite pissed me the fuck off because the plot was ambitious, but the moment to moment writing felt cheap, hollow, or just award-baity. Yes, please have Elizabeth sing with a bunch of poor children in the slums when you randomly pick up a guitar. This will be a moving moment that will show how forward the medium of gaming has come. Problem is, that scene was so damn out of place considering I shot some guy in the head like a minute before.

So then TLOU comes out and we get a story that stays stays in its lane that wasn't half bad. I was extremely surprised how crazy people got over it. I thought it was a competent zombie story wrapped up in a really good game, but no Citizen Kane lol. I still can't fathom people comparing TLOU to anything beyond...like a Starz original in terms of writing.

I genuinely enjoy Bioshock Infinite because it's like a brutally violent Disney movie. At the time, it was certainly hyped up for it's story. As a game, I'd say it's a pretty fun and colorful amusement park ride thru a hyper racist American utopia.

If you could decapitate Disney characters in Kingdom Hearts,I'd probably be a bigger fan of that series tbh.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on June 11, 2020, 09:47:22 AM
Quote
"Some of [the fans of the original game] are not going to like this game, and not like where it goes, and not like what it says or the fate of characters that they love," Druckmann said. "I'd rather have people passionately hate it than just be like, 'Yeah, it was OK.'" 
  :lol  :doge
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on June 11, 2020, 11:55:32 AM
The journo reach-arounds for this game are gonna be so trill!  :lawd
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Ghoul on June 12, 2020, 03:43:16 AM
The reviews have started and IGN Japan are the best.

Quote
"The Last of Us Part II tries too hard to differentiate itself from its predecessor. While astonishing cityscapes and more varied combat options are great evolutions, Part II lacks the poetic serenity that made the original road-movie-like epic such a masterpiece. On top of that, uninteresting new characters burden the story, making Ellie's journey feel conventional and not nearly as captivating as the original."
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 12, 2020, 04:03:57 AM
This game looked like it was up it's own ass every time it was shown. It would not surprise me if it lacks the "charm" of the first game. Rarely does a sequel to a game I liked look so whatever to me.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 12, 2020, 07:28:45 AM
Loving the review scores so far. Pretty excited for friday.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 12, 2020, 09:19:48 AM
It looks more interesting than the first one to me, from what i've seen.
It's darker, so YMMV, but the first one was so incredibly predictable in following genre clichès... this one i'm not saying revolutionizes anything, but seems to take at least a few spins here and there.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 12, 2020, 11:09:40 AM
I'm imagining the same overblown nonsense reviews the first one got and I can't wait to get mad at the video game.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 12, 2020, 11:39:41 AM
I mean every other game gets a 9 anyway, i don't think i've seriously taken into consideration a game review in the last 15 years.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 12, 2020, 08:07:32 PM
Here's a review from someone that primarily reviews the gameplay, particularly from someone who played the last game the same way I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI2LyO9PPzY

Looks like I got most of what I wanted for a sequel. Enemy AI doesn't necessarily seem smarter, judging the clips from the above review, but they seem to offer more of an organic challenge from the way they designed the encounters.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 12, 2020, 09:12:22 PM
I played the original on Hard no listen mode, then on Survivor the second go.

I found the core gameplay loop to be pretty fun, which was made even better by the overall pacing. The encounters against human enemies were tense when you were alerted, but the AI could get unbelievably dumb once they lost sight of you.

I respected NDs attempt at trying to make dynamic emergent scenarios, but the weird dichotomy between how the AI operated between stealth and combat oftentimes killed the immersion. And if you knew how, you could break the game pretty easily. And after playing MGS V, other third person stealth games just feel clunky lol

Aside from that, playing it on a harder difficulty did make things better. Less resources means crafting decisions become more important. Combined with more tension when you had to make those moment to moment decisions.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: kingv on June 12, 2020, 09:18:15 PM
Think I’ll end up skipping this one. Looks to double down on the stuff I didn’t really enjoy about the first one.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 12, 2020, 09:31:24 PM
I played the original on Hard no listen mode, then on Survivor the second go.

I found the core gameplay loop to be pretty fun, which was made even better by the overall pacing. The encounters against human enemies were tense when you were alerted, but the AI could get unbelievably dumb once they lost sight of you.

I respected NDs attempt at trying to make dynamic emergent scenarios, but the weird dichotomy between how the AI operated between stealth and combat oftentimes killed the immersion. And if you knew how, you could break the game pretty easily. And after playing MGS V, other third person stealth games just feel clunky lol

Aside from that, playing it on a harder difficulty did make things better. Less resources means crafting decisions become more important. Combined with more tension when you had to make those moment to moment decisions.
Same, that should've been the standard option in my opinion.
Uncharted games on hard are just shittier, but Last of Us actually made sense with more scarce resources.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Trent Dole on June 14, 2020, 12:02:01 PM
https://twitter.com/hell0jed/status/1271918076947136513
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 15, 2020, 11:55:50 AM
https://twitter.com/AerospaceCowboy/status/1271882127022460931

Oh man, this better be true.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 15, 2020, 12:43:02 PM
Here's a review from someone that primarily reviews the gameplay, particularly from someone who played the last game the same way I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI2LyO9PPzY

Looks like I got most of what I wanted for a sequel. Enemy AI doesn't necessarily seem smarter, judging the clips from the above review, but they seem to offer more of an organic challenge from the way they designed the encounters.

(https://i.ibb.co/znVk4nx/why.png)

Why ffs is this still a thing? If you are going to make a game based on 'realism' and 'immersion' don't let me aim a gun like this within one second, shoot through obvious barrier and then headshot the guy. How is the crosshair on his head when the gun is stuck in the wooden fence?>

I mean game looks like TLOU 1.5 which I got bombarded for on Reeeeee for saying that but it truly looks to be that way.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bork on June 15, 2020, 02:31:03 PM
https://twitter.com/AerospaceCowboy/status/1271882127022460931

Oh man, this better be true.

 :goty2 :goty :foxx :brazilcry :noooo
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rufus on June 15, 2020, 03:27:25 PM
https://twitter.com/AerospaceCowboy/status/1271882127022460931

Oh man, this better be true.
The enemies react to their friend's deaths by calling out their names and such. Apparently this applies to their dogs as well.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on June 15, 2020, 03:56:26 PM
https://twitter.com/AerospaceCowboy/status/1271882127022460931

Oh man, this better be true.
(https://y.yarn.co/7f126780-5e7b-4052-91cd-082561e5c576_text_hi.gif)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Joe Molotov on June 15, 2020, 05:15:42 PM
Just like when Liam Neeson killed a dog in Schindler's List.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Transhuman on June 16, 2020, 01:14:13 AM
Surely during development someone put their hand up and asked why a player would care about killing dogs. Who cares about dogs, especially when they're trying to bite your throat out.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 16, 2020, 05:11:11 AM
Just like when Liam Neeson killed a dog in Schindler's List.
But then Schindler, after the Weistein scandal, said he "went up and down areas with a cosh (a club), hoping he’d be approached by somebody — he’s ashamed to say that — and he did it for maybe a week, hoping some ‘jewish bastard’ would come out of a pub and have a go at him about something, you know? So that he could kill him"
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 16, 2020, 11:56:58 AM
So you only play as Ellie in this one or?

Seems lame to me
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 06:34:40 AM
spoilers

spoiler (click to show/hide)

(https://i.imgur.com/hJJ9OIb.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/eWzeFQ1.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/PXAkIJa.png)
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 18, 2020, 07:04:57 AM
Man, looking at those spoilers my hype is through the roof. This game looks so good. Schindler's List eat your heart out!
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BisMarckie on June 18, 2020, 07:15:11 AM
Detroit is the true Schindler‘s List of vidya games :hmph
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 07:16:25 AM
Detroit is the true Schindler‘s List of vidya games :hmph

one of the few select souls, who understood david cages metaphor i see. truly amazing the way he showed us racism and genocide in a whole new way. bravo
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 07:17:40 AM



spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EarqWJRWAAIIqs4?format=jpg&name=900x900)


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EarqWJSX0AAyebc?format=jpg&name=large)
[close]




 :lol

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BisMarckie on June 18, 2020, 07:21:12 AM
Detroit is the true Schindler‘s List of vidya games :hmph

one of the few select souls, who understood david cages metaphor i see. truly amazing the way he showed us racism and genocide in a whole new way. bravo

David Cage‘s subtlety flies over a lot of people‘s heads. The only true auteur in this medium.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 18, 2020, 07:21:57 AM
Based fucking Druckmann, spitting on Sonyponies.
"The hopes and wants of the fanbase" :lol Suck my dick.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 07:23:16 AM
All this actually makes me more excited to play it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 07:27:42 AM
I have zero interest in playing it but god damn I’m here for the backlash :hyper

I’m kinda getting GTA 4 vibes here :doge
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 18, 2020, 07:40:42 AM
everything i've heard makes it sound like the game exists in the game writer's uncanny valley, inbetween telling a simple functional story to link setpieces together and actually good writing.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: benjipwns on June 18, 2020, 07:46:25 AM
I hope it breaks new ground.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Transhuman on June 18, 2020, 08:21:16 AM
I don't mind stories about the futility of revenge or cycles of violence or the sanctity of human life, but I can't stand when the writer feels the need to hit you over the head over and over with an idea like you're an idiot. If it's heavy-handed enough that multiple reviewers felt the need to comment on, I can't imagine how overbearing i'd be for me.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on June 18, 2020, 08:33:47 AM
Y'all have fun  :lol   I can't pay $60 for a feel like a piece of shit simulator.  I'd rather have angry dad.  :doge
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bork on June 18, 2020, 08:40:29 AM
"Just like Schindler's List"

 :nsfw
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxiB8vXYAEFs5R?format=jpg&name=large)
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxlM1CXgAMl1Ut?format=jpg&name=large)
[close]
[close]
:marimo
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 08:42:28 AM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
is that just sexy time or has the druckster dropped in a (I’m sure tasteful and classy :girlaff ) rape scene :doge
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 08:44:01 AM
well they never explicitly asked for consent  :social
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 18, 2020, 08:47:10 AM
I don't mind stories about the futility of revenge or cycles of violence or the sanctity of human life, but I can't stand when the writer feels the need to hit you over the head over and over with ...
...a golf club.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 18, 2020, 08:48:08 AM
i remember really enjoying Oz when i first starting watching it for the misery porn it was, but it got too predictable in that every single plotline that was set up could be second guessed with "what is the most shitty and depressing way this could turn out?"
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 18, 2020, 08:50:10 AM
I unironically look forward to the misery porn.
It's my favorite shit.
From Bergman to Martyrs.  :lawd

Even better if it's hostile towards the former fanbase, killing off beloved characters (see: Johnny in GTAV).  :whew
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 18, 2020, 08:54:00 AM
but you'll have to do it while wiping druckman's self aggrandising precum from your eyes while the quotes of dozens of game journalists about how it's the most important story since gilgamesh ring in your ears.

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 18, 2020, 08:54:40 AM
come and see is the pinnacle of the genre, but it's less misery porn and more misery rape.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 18, 2020, 08:55:49 AM
come and see is the pinnacle of the genre, but it's less misery porn and more misery rape.
What's non-misery rape?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 18, 2020, 08:58:59 AM
watching a transformers film in IMAX.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 10:58:45 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/cm4xg6X.png)

you know what ellie

we really are the schindlers list of vidya
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BisMarckie on June 18, 2020, 10:59:59 AM
I call bullshit on people being able to trace back their ancestry to the Inquisition :hmph
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 11:05:31 AM
that holocaust pic has to be fake :dead

i think i'm gonna need to watch a vid with all the cutscenes to see the fuckery for myself :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 11:12:36 AM
see the fuckery for myself

and the fucking :shaq
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 18, 2020, 12:35:50 PM
"Just like Schindler's List"

 :nsfw
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxiB8vXYAEFs5R?format=jpg&name=large)
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxlM1CXgAMl1Ut?format=jpg&name=large)
[close]
[close]
:marimo

Oh exploitable:

(https://i.imgur.com/brl0FV2.png)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 18, 2020, 03:17:38 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/cm4xg6X.png)

you know what ellie

we really are the schindlers list of vidya
This is Netflix show levels of cheese.
This and that "bigot sandwich" line doing the rounds.  :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 03:24:20 PM
"Just like Schindler's List"

 :nsfw
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxiB8vXYAEFs5R?format=jpg&name=large)
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxlM1CXgAMl1Ut?format=jpg&name=large)
[close]
[close]
:marimo

Oh exploitable:

(https://i.imgur.com/brl0FV2.png)


spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://i.imgur.com/MnuNqxd.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/2jf56Mp.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/ER24Heq.png)


(https://i.imgur.com/GCSq6NZ.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/3yTR1T7.png)



(https://i.imgur.com/MKbGJP9.png)

..



....

(https://i.imgur.com/ZT38b2G.jpg)
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 05:17:08 PM
The cutscenes are on YouTube if any haters want a larf
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 18, 2020, 05:40:32 PM
The cutscenes are on YouTube if any haters want a larf

I watched the ending and felt nothing, but the comments are filled with people that are PISSED  :lol :lol :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on June 18, 2020, 05:45:40 PM
I'm so glad they refunded my pre-order.

 :rejoice
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 05:49:23 PM
I’ve watched 35 mins, nothing outrageous so far, just of the quality of a mediocre tv series :doge

I had a look at some of the comments and :whew
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 18, 2020, 05:55:44 PM
ENDING SPOILS

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ellie kills tons of people, gets to the point to avenge Joel, as she's drowning the villain, she sees a vision of Joel, and let's her go.
[close]

If any of you thought Niko Bellic's hypocrisy was bad...

 :-*
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 18, 2020, 05:57:08 PM
Detroit is the true Schindler‘s List of vidya games :hmph

one of the few select souls, who understood david cages metaphor i see. truly amazing the way he showed us racism and genocide in a whole new way. bravo

David Cage‘s subtlety flies over a lot of people‘s heads. The only true auteur in this medium.

You might not know that, but the cyborg slaves are a metaphor... for real slaves.

Also, you won't believe what this stands for:
(https://imgur.com/kwZi8JB.png)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 18, 2020, 06:01:32 PM
I might need to watch a cutscene comp of Detroit, I tried playing it when it was on Ps+ but :hhh

It’s shame cages genius doesn’t extend to gameplay :stahp
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 18, 2020, 06:07:58 PM
ENDING SPOILS

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ellie kills tons of people, gets to the point to avenge Joel, as she's drowning the villain, she sees a vision of Joel, and let's her go.
[close]

If any of you thought Niko Bellic's hypocrisy was bad...

 :-*

There's also apparently a

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Martha why did you say that name moment in it.

 :doge
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 18, 2020, 08:50:08 PM
"Just like Schindler's List"

 :nsfw
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxiB8vXYAEFs5R?format=jpg&name=large)
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaxlM1CXgAMl1Ut?format=jpg&name=large)
[close]
[close]
:marimo

Oh exploitable:

(https://i.imgur.com/brl0FV2.png)


spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://i.imgur.com/MnuNqxd.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/2jf56Mp.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/ER24Heq.png)


(https://i.imgur.com/GCSq6NZ.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/3yTR1T7.png)



(https://i.imgur.com/MKbGJP9.png)

..



....

(https://i.imgur.com/ZT38b2G.jpg)
[close]

(https://i.imgur.com/KQtfeDR.png)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 18, 2020, 11:21:07 PM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/135549103810543617/723312490682777670/1592519217817.png)



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/135549103810543617/723310776005427271/1592520923751.png)






(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/135549103810543617/723311769602490408/1592518184805.jpg)
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 19, 2020, 12:37:46 AM
Doesn't like Foucault too  :snob
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 12:48:33 AM
I might need to watch a cutscene comp of Detroit, I tried playing it when it was on Ps+ but :hhh

It’s shame cages genius doesn’t extend to gameplay :stahp
Akchtually... Detroit is the best example of the interacting movie (or whatever you want to call it) genre.
Those type of games like Man of Medan, Until Dawn, to an extent Life is Strange, i'd probably put in even Shenmue, etc.

The story is hilaroiusly bad (which of course is a plus) but the branching stuff is realized pretty well.
Certainly not a genre for everyone, but within it, i think it's the best example of it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 19, 2020, 12:54:44 AM
They added film grain.  :neogaf
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: remy on June 19, 2020, 01:04:06 AM
You know, now I reflect on what I know about TLOU2, it really does seem like the kind of game a bastard boss that makes his employees crunch for months on end in unpaid overtime would make. The self insert stuff is the icing on top.

No, the real evil isn't the garbage situation you've been placed in by men in a position of power other than you, it's what you humans are doing to each other in your endless cycle of asking for a fair wage committing horrible violence

Not the systems inherit in naughty dogs society that has lead to you to have to be this way to survive.

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 19, 2020, 01:12:26 AM
Early in-game collectible:
https://twitter.com/TimeCommando/status/1273736445610676224/photo/
messed up embedding so there would be no spoilers  :doge

He pushed human society forward and everyone hated him for it-- gives himself a perfect brain and above-average physique :neogaf

""creating super-AI"

Psh, like I didn't play the first game."

:dead
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 01:21:18 AM
You know, now I reflect on what I know about TLOU2, it really does seem like the kind of game a bastard boss that makes his employees crunch for months on end in unpaid overtime would make. The self insert stuff is the icing on top.

No, the real evil isn't the garbage situation you've been placed in by men in a position of power other than you, it's what you humans are doing to each other in your endless cycle of asking for a fair wage committing horrible violence

Not the systems inherit in naughty dogs society that has lead to you to have to be this way to survive.
We're reaching Resetera-level galaxy brains takes.  :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: remy on June 19, 2020, 01:38:18 AM
 :stahp
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 01:41:37 AM
:stahp
I'll let you guys have your catharsis.  :doge
The hate boner gave you massive blue balls, and you need to release.  :-*


spoiler (click to show/hide)
But if this post sounds patronizing, it's because it is.  :snob
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 19, 2020, 01:58:08 AM
This game sounds amazing.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 19, 2020, 02:05:22 AM
It's Naughty Dogs. For all the snark we know it will have great production value, slightly more sophistication in actual film savviness (not that I really care in vidya but heh) and the gameplay will be well above average.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 19, 2020, 02:36:55 AM
It's Naughty Dogs. For all the snark we know it will have great production value, slightly more sophistication in actual film savviness (not that I really care in vidya but heh) and the gameplay will be well above average.

Gameplay above average? Which Naughty Dogs games have you been playing?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 19, 2020, 02:49:46 AM
I didn't say it explicitly but the sophistication is basically everything "technical" except the overall writing. It's also a relative statement to vidya.

How serious the pre-talk of this takes itself is hilarious.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 03:16:59 AM
It's Naughty Dogs. For all the snark we know it will have great production value, slightly more sophistication in actual film savviness (not that I really care in vidya but heh) and the gameplay will be well above average.

Gameplay above average? Which Naughty Dogs games have you been playing?
Uncharted has good 3rd person shooter mechanics, especially how it mixes the platforming with the shooting/fighting (as the multiplayer demonstrates).  :yeshrug
I'd take that over Gears and most 3rd person shooters i can think of, off the top of my head (aside from maybe Vanquish and a few others).

Their problem is they let the story get in the way (especially in 4) with endless, dull, platforming parts.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 19, 2020, 03:45:11 AM
I don't want to spoil things, but the first 3 hours I've watched have been really grueling. Did TLOU 1 have the same writing team? It doesn't feel like it.

There was Bruce Straley who co directed with the druckster, who probably reigned in some of his excesses in hindsight but that’s just me speculating :yeshrug
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 19, 2020, 06:52:08 AM
Last of Us 2 truly the Deliverance of videogames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gLN3QoN-q8
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: benjipwns on June 19, 2020, 06:59:15 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr01s3BC_Z8

filler's preorder cancelled
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 19, 2020, 08:17:22 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr01s3BC_Z8

filler's preorder cancelled

This doesnt even make sense  :-\
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 19, 2020, 08:40:27 AM
mental that even the reliable shill bases are turning on this game, proper GoT S8/last jedi tier fanbase immolation.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 19, 2020, 09:00:46 AM
mental that even the reliable shill bases are turning on this game, proper GoT S8/last jedi tier fanbase immolation.

Really? Got any examples?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 19, 2020, 09:06:06 AM
mental that even the reliable shill bases are turning on this game, proper GoT S8/last jedi tier fanbase immolation.

Really? Got any examples?

The spoiler thread on resetera is in meltdown mode.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 19, 2020, 09:08:57 AM
Poggggers

(https://i.imgur.com/ZEjo7ie.png)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 19, 2020, 09:10:31 AM
even the PS4 subreddit is dunking on it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 19, 2020, 09:31:41 AM
Y'all got some non spoilerish quotes? Interesting to hear that the hardcore fanbase isnt liking it.

I mean to me it always looked like TLOU 1.5

Im really interested in what happened with Joel. Not so much about Ellie and her girlfriend. To be honest I thought the DLC was the absolute weakest part in TLOU 1
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 19, 2020, 09:38:29 AM
Let's just say, a large, very large chunk of the game is not sitting well with people because it's not what you'd expect in a sequel with Ellie and Joel. It's less about being upset at specific story bits, and more about the entire structure of the story.

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 19, 2020, 09:41:05 AM
Very interesting
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 19, 2020, 09:41:22 AM
Y'all got some non spoilerish quotes? Interesting to hear that the hardcore fanbase isnt liking it.

I mean to me it always looked like TLOU 1.5

Im really interested in what happened with Joel. Not so much about Ellie and her girlfriend. To be honest I thought the DLC was the absolute weakest part in TLOU 1

it just sounds like they've tried to be too smart to give the standard last of us fanthing anything they want, while being too dumb to execute it well.

seems a bit of a trend.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 19, 2020, 09:41:38 AM
A few hours in and really enjoying it so far.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Raist on June 19, 2020, 09:46:40 AM
Y'all got some non spoilerish quotes? Interesting to hear that the hardcore fanbase isnt liking it.

I mean to me it always looked like TLOU 1.5

Im really interested in what happened with Joel. Not so much about Ellie and her girlfriend. To be honest I thought the DLC was the absolute weakest part in TLOU 1

From a quick scan of that thread, it seems that a fuckton of the whining is about something gender something something race something sexuality.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 19, 2020, 09:57:36 AM
Y'all got some non spoilerish quotes? Interesting to hear that the hardcore fanbase isnt liking it.

I mean to me it always looked like TLOU 1.5

Im really interested in what happened with Joel. Not so much about Ellie and her girlfriend. To be honest I thought the DLC was the absolute weakest part in TLOU 1

From a quick scan of that thread, it seems that a fuckton of the whining is about something gender something something race something sexuality.

Absolutely pathetic if that's the case

MUH SJW

MUH TRANSGENDER

MUH FORCED LESBIANS

Fucking incel distinguished mentally-challenged fellows with the empathic ability of a cooked sock
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Coffee Dog on June 19, 2020, 10:01:46 AM
Imagine taking a dozen hours just to say the same thing the Sorrow from MGS3 did in like ten minutes

kojimbo fifteen years ahead of his time  :bow :bow2
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 19, 2020, 10:05:01 AM
Gamers are trash, and when you hype up.a game as being a reason why you bought a console, expect every passionate idiot to bitch.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 19, 2020, 10:12:41 AM
A lot of the complains is certainly about #forceddiversity. But there is also Druckmann nearing Kojima levels of cringe and thinking he is an amazing writer. It doesnt take long before Joel is doing some James from twin peaks impresisons with the guitar and it's incredible levels of cringe.

But well he is pretty much about to be a movie writer I guess, with hbo giving him money. Must feel bad for Kojimmy that this guy got to make a tv show before him. :(

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 19, 2020, 10:36:00 AM
Played the first hour. Punched some zombies to death as Abby. Pretty cool.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 19, 2020, 11:07:30 AM
Just like GTA4, 10/10 scores across the board, 'pushes the medium forward' type full gushing praise from the 'press'. Then the general public is all like shit sux tho :rage

 :lol :lol :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 11:22:52 AM
Let's just say, a large, very large chunk of the game is not sitting well with people because it's not what you'd expect in a sequel with Ellie and Joel. It's less about being upset at specific story bits, and more about the entire structure of the story.
Is this because the they fail to properly service their fan-base, and their beloved heroes? I think Last Jedi and GoT8 sort of betrayed their characters at times, but their real failures were elsewhere, even though many fanboys & girls, were just mad that their heroes just didn't look good enough.
Like having Daenerys not burn down the city and be a QUEEN SLAY with her happy ending would've been just as shit, and wouldn't have saved season 8 (and 7 and 6 and 5) from being mediocre to bad TV, but you can bet in that case, you wouldn't have had nearly as many meltdowns.
Same for Last Jedi with how they handled Luke, though there i find the critique more justified.

For example many came away from Last of Us 1 fetishizing Joel as their videogame daddy, forgetting how the game itself tells you he's actually kind of a cunt who was jumping/killing people.

I don't know, personally i always thought that a Last of Us sequel needed to move away from Joel and Ellie entirely, and having them return was a big disappointment, so at least if they can manage to carve something else than just plain fan-service out of them, i see it as a positive.

Whether it's well told or not, it's a different story, and of course i'll see for myself as soon as i have time to play (game came in today).
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 11:23:48 AM
Just like GTA4, 10/10 scores across the board, 'pushes the medium forward' type full gushing praise from the 'press'. Then the general public is all like shit sux tho :rage

 :lol :lol :lol
GTA4 was genius, an people were distinguished mentally-challenged as usual, and should've stuck to Saint's Row.
Now enjoy your GTA Online, morons! :ufup.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 19, 2020, 11:52:58 AM
From what I got of the story, it's also my impression they would have been better served by not having the characters return. It was a good conclusion to that story with some amount of ambiguity and a little food for thought. Now I read on ERA "Oh it makes sense for it to be a trilogy now". ND seems overtly self conscious about ludonarrative dissonance and some of the critical discourse levied at them but at the same time can't help to follow gaming/Hollywood's shadow, chasing two hares at once.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 19, 2020, 12:08:09 PM
From what I got of the story, it's also my impression they would have been better served by not having the characters return. It was a good conclusion to that story with some amount of ambiguity and a little food for thought. Now I read on ERA "Oh it makes sense for it to be a trilogy now". ND seems overtly self conscious about ludonarrative dissonance and some of the critical discourse levied at them but at the same time can't help to follow gaming/Hollywood's shadow, chasing two hares at once.

new characters and maybe cameos from the main two and a few fan favs would have probably been a better idea, its very much the kind of series that can take in different stories with different characters, but idk i hated the first game so i don't really give a fuck, i just wanna lol at the meltdowns :idont
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 19, 2020, 12:17:41 PM
Poggggers

(https://i.imgur.com/Jzm0WhT.jpg)

P-P-Poggers????

From what I got of the story, it's also my impression they would have been better served by not having the characters return. It was a good conclusion to that story with some amount of ambiguity and a little food for thought. Now I read on ERA "Oh it makes sense for it to be a trilogy now". ND seems overtly self conscious about ludonarrative dissonance and some of the critical discourse levied at them but at the same time can't help to follow gaming/Hollywood's shadow, chasing two hares at once.

new characters and maybe cameos from the main two and a few fan favs would have probably been a better idea, its very much the kind of series that can take in different stories with different characters, but idk i hated the first game so i don't really give a fuck, i just wanna lol at the meltdowns :idont

What folks wanted: The continuing adventures of Joel and his adopted Lesbian Daughter, Ellie.
What folks got: Druckmann going "DID YU RIKE IT!?" at killing Joel and doing a revenge tale that nobody cares about.

PS: Joel was in the wrong completely.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 19, 2020, 12:40:22 PM
could have said likes like final fantasy bro, new characters n shit and the nerds would have had to take it :rash

going the "lol ur favs get bodied by buff girlwell suck it h8rz" route is asking for trouble :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 19, 2020, 01:27:52 PM
Imagine taking a dozen hours just to say the same thing the Sorrow from MGS3 did in like ten minutes

kojimbo fifteen years ahead of his time  :bow :bow2

Even MGS1. I played it a couple of years back and went  :doge :doge :doge when it goes into "You have fun killing all those soldiers!?!?". Now all these failed film students act pretentious with their hamfisted copy 20 years later. Except they added sad little girls and killing dogs for the cheapest kind of emotional manipulation. When you can't even be as subtle as goddamn Kojimba, go fuck yourself out of this industry please. :goldberg Also watch how the next Uncharted remains a murder simulator with a quirky hipster paint anyway. Because they simply can't tell this stuff through adequate gamedesign. I mean, why does a stealth game like TLoU only have kill options? Idiotic and cheap.

Still Nier 1 is the best misery porn in games, which also happens to respect the medium it tells it in. Also includes transgender but doesn't make a big deal out of it for marketing. A shame the remake seems to double down on the animu after the inferior sequel :picard
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 19, 2020, 01:41:45 PM
Playing some more, and man, I really like it, but a lot of the dialogue is full on life is strange bad.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on June 19, 2020, 01:53:37 PM
Just the thread title alone is  :reeeee  in a nutshell.  :rofl

https://www.resetera.com/threads/the-last-of-us-part-2-is-getting-review-bombed-on-metacritic-and-i-m-pretty-pissed-about-it.231031/

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 19, 2020, 01:55:47 PM
Playing some more, and man, I really like it, but a lot of the dialogue is full on life is strange bad.
Sounds hella dope
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 19, 2020, 01:57:10 PM
life is strange bad.

 :existential

Take the writers from that abomination plus Naughty Dog's and shoot them to the moon. Keep David Cage, his failings still have a comedic value at least.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: brob on June 19, 2020, 02:14:56 PM
Still Nier 1 is the best misery porn in games, which also happens to respect the medium it tells it in. Also includes transgender but doesn't make a big deal out of it for marketing. A shame the remake seems to double down on the animu after the inferior sequel :picard

nier1 is good at this, but I might still hold cart life above it. simply because cart life is set in the real world and features the unceasing misery of being a lowly wage worker in the U.S.

Also the dev has spent most of the decade since it came out being intermittently homeless and vague posting about depression/ideation on twitter, which truly adds to the stifling dreariness whenever I think of the game.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rufus on June 19, 2020, 02:32:17 PM
Brob! :gladbron
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: brob on June 19, 2020, 02:38:48 PM
I am a gamer again, so I have returned to post

spoiler (click to show/hide)
also I finally managed to find the email that had my log-in info  :-[
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 05:33:24 PM
Imagine taking a dozen hours just to say the same thing the Sorrow from MGS3 did in like ten minutes

kojimbo fifteen years ahead of his time  :bow :bow2

Even MGS1. I played it a couple of years back and went  :doge :doge :doge when it goes into "You have fun killing all those soldiers!?!?". Now all these failed film students act pretentious with their hamfisted copy 20 years later. Except they added sad little girls and killing dogs for the cheapest kind of emotional manipulation. When you can't even be as subtle as goddamn Kojimba, go fuck yourself out of this industry please. :goldberg Also watch how the next Uncharted remains a murder simulator with a quirky hipster paint anyway. Because they simply can't tell this stuff through adequate gamedesign. I mean, why does a stealth game like TLoU only have kill options? Idiotic and cheap.

Still Nier 1 is the best misery porn in games, which also happens to respect the medium it tells it in. Also includes transgender but doesn't make a big deal out of it for marketing. A shame the remake seems to double down on the animu after the inferior sequel :picard
They still need miles of road to even approach the hamfisted halls, of Kojima's palace of bullshit, let's not get crazy here.
This is a guy that needed 50 minutes CODEC conversations, to tell you war is bad, with phrases like "can love bloom on the battlefield?".
And shit, we wanna talk about pretentious, the guy even gave his face to Too Old To Die Young, one of the most vapid wastes of hard drive space of the last 10 years.

Last of Us (1) was bland by design, in the sense that ND are Sony's flagship team, they need to release products that anyone can understand and digest - Seems like LoU2 moves from that a bit, but still has to abide by those rules.
Kojima, for better or worse (and there's a lot of worse here, let's remember the abject failure of storytelling that was MGSV) is allowed by circumstances to be more of an auteur, and be more creative and daring.

Regardless, I like it when people, forced to do a sequel (this, MGS2, Hotline Miami 2), decide to use that opportunity to shit on the former fanbase, so if LoU2 does that, much respect.
Gamers (or nerds in general as seen in recent cinema trends) are sick in the head with their obsession for endless sequels (to narrative games anyway, it makes sense to iterate from a mechanical POV) and should be pissed on.

Haven't player Nier1, so i can't comment on that (but seeing all the wanking weebs do about Automata, i can't say i'm chomping at the bit to see it).

All that said, i tend to hate meta commentary in fiction, it's usually cheap and adds very little to the overall conversation anyway.
Couldn't stand Spec Ops the line (speaking of subtle  :lol), hated the twist in Bioshock, don't even like DeadPool; so i'm never too impressed with the "look you're moving the guy, isn't that crazy?", whether it comes from Naughty Dog or Kojima.
Hopefully it's more of a secondary flavour, and not the main course.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 19, 2020, 05:57:33 PM
At least MGS said this from the beginning. ND pushed for bland murder simulators for a decade and only now try to challenge their own trash, which even a hack like Kojima already did on PS1 on this kind of surface level. And even now they have to force it by crippling mechanics and channeling cliche indie movies instead of creative game design. Meanwhile, MGSV has some of the best gameplay of the gen. Don't think I even watched any cutscene after the intro, my playstyle was my narrative.

Nier didn't go for the weebs like Automata, which is why it sold like 50k worldwide. The remaster seems to homogenize it with Automata, but the og shits over most try-hard videogame narratives.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: tiesto on June 19, 2020, 06:18:03 PM
What was super weeb about Automata? Aside from 2B's ass ofc.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 19, 2020, 06:45:08 PM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ellie singing A-ha 
[close]
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

God this is full cringe at times.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 07:32:03 PM
At least MGS said this from the beginning. ND pushed for bland murder simulators for a decade and only now try to challenge their own trash, which even a hack like Kojima already did on PS1 on this kind of surface level. And even now they have to force it by crippling mechanics and channeling cliche indie movies instead of creative game design. Meanwhile, MGSV has some of the best gameplay of the gen. Don't think I even watched any cutscene after the intro, my playstyle was my narrative.
I'll reserve judgment on how LoU2 handles that stuff until after i play it, but look, i agree with the eye roll at the usual meta commentary on game violence, from designers who can't do anything but violent games.
I don't even think it's that interesting of a theme in general, since non-violent videogames aren't exactly a rarity, FIFA, MADDEN and GRAN TURISMO aren't niche products.
I especially found their tonal shift in Uncharted 4 comically misguided, but i take issue with the argument made using MGS, because those games said everything and its opposite, and are no stranger to tonal inconsistencies themselves.
Kojima was prepping people on how gut-wrenching and morally obscene MGSV would've been, remember that? From a series that has always been essentially a comedy.

Beyond that hey, i'm also in love with MGSV's gameplay, even though i think the game does everything in its power to hinder that fun (as opposed to a pristine experience like Ground Zeroes was) with constant cutscenes, wait times, development costs, back and forths, pointless loading screens.
It's really a fundamentally different approach to creating a game.

Naughty Dog are the fancy showroom car, they are a team that has seen countless people come and go, and are essentially there to produce Sony's showpiece/console seller.
They HAVE to be palatable by a large audience, while showing the greatest amount of polish possible (since they are synonymous with graphical excellence).
Kojima is one guy, albeit with a massive amount of clout, partially known (and expected) to create weirdness; it's a very different position to be in.


It'd be like expecting someone working on the next Star Wars Trilogy, to approach it like a Jodorowsky movie.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 19, 2020, 07:56:51 PM
I don't think highly of Kojima. That's the point. You can feel the vain self-importance throughout the entirety of games like TLOU. And for what? Something that even the writer of MGS4 already found out 20 years ago. :lol And contained within MGS1 it was still less preachy and at least trying to do unique things with game mechanics.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on June 19, 2020, 08:09:29 PM
What was super weeb about Automata? Aside from 2B's ass ofc.

Nothing in my opinion. Seems like some people just want to hate on it for one piece of the presentation. It's still superior to TLOU or a Kojima game in terms of mixing narrative and gameplay. Not relying on bullshit QTE or cutscenes to tell your story >>>>
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 19, 2020, 08:16:54 PM
What was super weeb about Automata? Aside from 2B's ass ofc.

Nothing in my opinion. Seems like some people just want to hate on it for one piece of the presentation. It's still superior to TLOU or a Kojima game in terms of mixing narrative and gameplay. Not relying on bullshit QTE or cutscenes to tell your story >>>>
I liked Automata.
But it uses both cutscenes and (sort of) QTEs as narrative devices.  ???
I think it was undeniably anime in many ways, from the writing to the characterization, whether that's good or bad, it's a personal preference.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 19, 2020, 08:28:27 PM
2B and 9S were pretty crap and tropey compared to the OG cast.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 19, 2020, 09:03:09 PM
4.5 hrs in

Pretty good so far
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on June 19, 2020, 10:34:05 PM
I love how they just brazenly lied in a lot of the trailers.  :lol

They basically understood what people wanted from this game, made the pre-release marketing echo that desire, and gleefully pull the rug out early on.
Im really interested in what happened with Joel. Not so much about Ellie and her girlfriend.
You might want to wait for a deep, deep discount my dude. 
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 19, 2020, 11:02:03 PM
Hating Kojimbo... :wag :wag :wag

Say what you want about his melodrama, but at least it's entertaining melodrama. You can't say the same for The Last of "Ellie Standing In Front of Clickers That Do Jackshit To Her But If Joel Does Insta-DEATH" Lesbians.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 19, 2020, 11:16:00 PM
For you maybe.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BisMarckie on June 19, 2020, 11:32:14 PM
Unless Joel isn‘t revived in Ellie‘s arm, I don’t think I want anything to do with the Last of Us sequels :hmph
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 20, 2020, 01:09:55 AM
This actually has the best opening to a ND game since they started doing these non mascot games. The first few chapters of modern ND games aren't that interesting to me. The opening of Uncharted 1 was actually my favorite of the bunch since it was quick, and engaging enough before you got thrown into the action.

Subsequent ND games since just opened slower and slower to the point where the fucking melee system had to be introduced into the game with a 5 minute long flashback scene.

My point is, the mechanics and narrative are introduced a little more organically, and the gameplay becomes more engaging quickly compared to the previous games. As far as the story

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Just fought my first human enemies. I knew that Joel already died, but the way it just hits you with it surprised me. As far as the story so far, I expect to be talking to the zombie mushrooms the same way Raiden talked with the Patriot AI at the end of MGS2 the way you fucks are talking about it
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 20, 2020, 03:03:41 AM
The first 4 hours of the game bored me to death. Mainly because the two enemy types you fought so far are runners and clickers.

Clickers are extremely easy to stealth kill.

The runners got ruined by the inclusion of a dodge button. I literally just kite the fucks around a room and then just melee them to death since the tells for their attacks are so easy to see it doesn't require any skill at all.

The forest area looked really nice I guess?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on June 20, 2020, 03:05:21 AM
Hating Kojimbo... :wag :wag :wag

Say what you want about his melodrama, but at least it's entertaining melodrama. You can't say the same for The Last of "Ellie Standing In Front of Clickers That Do Jackshit To Her But If Joel Does Insta-DEATH" Lesbians.

Kojima's melodrama got so poorly paced the more games he made. Like MGS3 (the version with the decent controls) was relatively balanced in terms of cutscenes and gameplay, and then... you get MGSIV. And then he goes even stupider with Death Stranding. Cutscenes are already a crime in and of themselves, but having them be more than, I dunno, 2 minutes, is an abomination.

What was super weeb about Automata? Aside from 2B's ass ofc.

Nothing in my opinion. Seems like some people just want to hate on it for one piece of the presentation. It's still superior to TLOU or a Kojima game in terms of mixing narrative and gameplay. Not relying on bullshit QTE or cutscenes to tell your story >>>>
I liked Automata.
But it uses both cutscenes and (sort of) QTEs as narrative devices.  ???
I think it was undeniably anime in many ways, from the writing to the characterization, whether that's good or bad, it's a personal preference.

I don't remember QTEs? It does have cutscenes though, but I still think that a lot of the really good stuff is done through gameplay.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 20, 2020, 06:28:22 AM
This is what the gameplay looks like for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9HidRlKx2s&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 20, 2020, 06:32:29 AM
I remember it having some kind of cinematic button press when you killed bosses, maybe i remember wrong.
-
Just started the game (stopped right after *that* moment).
Graphics, especially of the character models, are truly mind blowing.  :leon

Some sections i found a bit long in the tooth (patrolling with Ellie & Dina, maybe it's on purpose  :lol), i suppose they were trying to establish character bonds, but the banter isn't the best.
They all tend to make the same sort of lame quips, which flattens them all as one voice (the writer's).

Other than that i'm liking it,
SMALL SPOILER
i'm curious to see more of Abby, Dina instead is pretty much a walking clichè atm, so she isn't saying much to me.
She makes Ellie come across as less annoying by comparison though, so she has a purpose.   ::)
[close]
BIG SPOILER
I think Joel's death was handled well though, although spatially it's not very clear what happens to Tommy.
[close]

Also if you did get spoiled, when you play the game you realize, it's not a big deal at all.  :yeshrug
Anyway, hopefully the game goes in interesting places from here on out.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 20, 2020, 10:39:52 PM
(https://i.redd.it/t25sk3j885651.jpg)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 20, 2020, 11:39:36 PM
One of the quirks I like is that you have to manually load every bullet you acquire into your gun. Seems like busy work in most games, but the low ammo count, and the fact that you're installing along with expelling each bullet has me keenly aware of my munitions at all times.

Playing on Hard and the fact that the game is way more hesitant in handing out ammo from dead enemies compared to the last game is nice.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 21, 2020, 12:03:45 AM
https://livestreamfails.com/post/85280
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: toku on June 21, 2020, 12:12:48 AM
(https://i.redd.it/t25sk3j885651.jpg)

https://clips.twitch.tv/AssiduousFurtiveMangoNerfRedBlaster
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 21, 2020, 12:32:04 AM
One of the quirks I like is that you have to manually load every bullet you acquire into your gun. Seems like busy work in most games, but the low ammo count, and the fact that you're installing along with expelling each bullet has me keenly aware of my munitions at all times.

Playing on Hard and the fact that the game is way more hesitant in handing out ammo from dead enemies compared to the last game is nice.
I'm also playing on hard.
This game needs to be played on hard if not survivor, for sure.

I just finished Seattle Day 1:

Graphics continue to be incredible, the whole Seattle area especially, is really massive not only in explorable area, but visually, and filled up with details (i can see how they crunched, when you have to create 70000 different rooms all filled with details  :lol)

I'll say if you hated exploring empty rooms checking cupboards in RDR2, this'll game will also drive you crazy, i think you can B-line for the next storybeat, more or less, but exploring extra rooms got me a shotgun and an extra holster for rifles (to equip two rifles at once), so not exactly pointless shit.
I think it's the problem LoU1 suffered from, the first chapter (Summer?) in Boston and then Bill's town, just went on forever, room after room, but here, with more open areas and even less enemy encounters, it feels even more stretched out.
Again, if you're someone impatient it'll drive you nuts.

Encounters with Clickers are pretty much the same (which is to say, not very interesting) you have a dodge and infinite "shivs" but they also seem more aware now... i guess it balances out? I dunno i died here more times than in LoU1 though.

Encounters with humans instead are very fun (at least on higher difficulties) they react very naturally, scream names of dead comrades when you kill them, constantly flank you and check every nook and cranny when searching for you, it's very fun, when you're fighting large groups, and the areas are usually very large and varied.
You have the occasional "i'm right next to them and he doesn't see me" moments, especially in grass, but that is expected from any stealth game and tbh, it's more of a design concession than an AI one (otherwise the game would be impossible).

It still has the problem of your companion sneaking around with invisibility on, looks just as stupid as it did in the first game, but at least they're more efficient in combat (if you played Lost Legacy, it gives you a good idea).

Storywise nothing particularly interesting happened yet, Dina and Ellie are sort of bland so far, but i didn't see much of the cringeworthy stuff i was expecting: "Bigot Sandwich" was the most cringy line i've seen so far, so nothing too horrible, but as i said, the constant banter does get old after a bit.

I'll close with a positive, saying the Wyoming Museum sequence was really cute and well done, and i liked it a lot, so i have faith for the rest of the game, in terms of storytelling.  :doge
Let's hope the pace speeds up a bit though, exploration is fine and all, but getting ping ponged from one macguffin to the next, isn't all that brilliant of a way to increase your game length.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: EightBitNate on June 21, 2020, 12:56:32 AM
I actively dread the combat in this game :/
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: benjipwns on June 21, 2020, 12:59:40 AM
Unless Joel isn‘t revived in Ellie‘s arm, I don’t think I want anything to do with the Last of Us sequels :hmph
She calls him "Ben" after kissing him back to life. Then she adopts his last name as hers and it turns out they really were the last of us.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 21, 2020, 02:22:38 AM
Probably around the end of day 2

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Holy fuck that truck sequence was insane. ND does the best car chase sequences and I'm pretty sure they've just topped themselves there.
[close]

Games's been good and pretty intense so far.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 21, 2020, 08:01:13 AM
I love how there's 50 accesibility options but not a single one to turn the chromatic aberration off. Imagine spending 7 years crunching on this shit and then actively make it look worse with a shit effect.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 21, 2020, 08:04:41 AM
At least it isn't as bad as it was in BloodBorne, it made that shit near unplayable.
Also forgot to mention, camera zoomed all the way out and MAX FOV should've been the standard in my opinion (at least you can change it)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 21, 2020, 10:01:31 AM
I swear to God I saw chromatic aberration in those options somewhere, but cant find it now.

and yeah, it doesnt annoy me that much. Bloodborne gave me a headache in comparison, this I dont notice it that much.

Also auto pick up of items is really good. I hate having to press triangle all the time, especially when it doesnt register or you have to be in a right spot sometimes to do it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 21, 2020, 10:24:14 AM
I swear to God I saw chromatic aberration in those options somewhere, but cant find it now.

and yeah, it doesnt annoy me that much. Bloodborne gave me a headache in comparison, this I dont notice it that much.

Also auto pick up of items is really good. I hate having to press triangle all the time, especially when it doesnt register or you have to be in a right spot sometimes to do it.
Gotta try this.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 21, 2020, 01:22:25 PM
https://twitter.com/RLewisReports/status/1274197145441013760

Comments say this was after [the scene] lmao
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 21, 2020, 01:57:45 PM
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheLastOfUs2/comments/hcedkg/angry_joe_reaction_to_joels_death/

The header. :dead
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 21, 2020, 04:44:02 PM
It really feels like people went into this game wanting to hate it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Nintex on June 21, 2020, 04:50:24 PM
https://twitter.com/dhindes/status/1273825630123986944 (https://twitter.com/dhindes/status/1273825630123986944)

 :doge
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: headwalk on June 21, 2020, 04:54:20 PM
It really feels like people went into this game wanting to hate it.

sounds more like it got last jedi'd in that it's both divisive and done in a cack-handed way, which would've been fine if that was reflected in the reviews, but the unanimous praise and assertions that if you don't like it you're clearly a bigot set it up to fail and now the narrative has been set there's no stopping it.

its whole launch hype is now just big stinky turd that anyone looking for a few easy clicks can roll in.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 21, 2020, 05:12:43 PM
It really feels like people went into this game wanting to hate it.

People here that are actually playing it seem to enjoy it so far.

I think it's a pile of shit, but I knew it would most likely be like that for me before it even released. The setpiece Bebpo called one of the best they made. Only thing I thought was: "This is a turret section."  Those kinds of differences in thought is honestly what makes it interesting for me to play it anyways.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Boredfrom on June 21, 2020, 05:18:20 PM
It really feels like people went into this game wanting to hate it.

sounds more like it got last jedi'd in that it's both divisive and done in a cack-handed way, which would've been fine if that was reflected in the reviews, but the unanimous praise and assertions that if you don't like it you're clearly a bigot set it up to fail and now the narrative has been set there's no stopping it.

its whole launch hype is now just big stinky turd that anyone looking for a few easy clicks can roll in.

Is also partially because  console wars stuff, the perception that Naughty Dog is underserving of the acclaim they usually get and Druckmann being pretty opinionated about a lot of social stuff while his studio is accused of crunch.

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 21, 2020, 06:03:37 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT_eqWEXy8M
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on June 21, 2020, 06:05:53 PM
Ocarina of Time is great. Lots of people love it. Nintendo makes a sequel to this much beloved game, continuing the adventures of our time traveling hero.  Link and Epona, together again this fall! Everyone is big excited!

Now imagine if in 2 hours into Majora's Mask, skull kid beats Link to death with the Ocarina of Time while the Happy Mask Salesman pins Epona down and forces her to watch.

...the rest of the game is just a misery porn version of Barbie Horse Adventures with a horrific ending. Majora slips away. The moon kills everyone in Termina. Epona makes it back to Hyrule but all her friends are dead and no one is left to love her.

This has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, of course, but can you even imagine a dumb game like that?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on June 21, 2020, 06:08:13 PM
It really feels like people went into this game wanting to hate it.
I was super excited for the game before the leaks.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 21, 2020, 06:09:54 PM
Please post more meltdowns :rejoice
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 21, 2020, 06:30:56 PM
I'm just about halfway through (i think) and the game has its share of problems (mostly pacing ones) while being the best in class under many other aspects (which may be expected but still impressive work).
However most of the critique ive seen are from:

1. People that dont like this type of cinematic movie games, like ND has been doing for the last 13 years or so.
2. Contrarians who havent played the game but are annoyed by the usual journalist hyperbole (or have a bone to pick w/ Druckmann).
3. People who did like LoU1, angry about the missing fan service.

The game is far from perfect and, in some aspects, arguably worse than the first one, but there is a lot of BS critique thrown at it.
Which is not uncommon for super popular games.

And yes, also a lot of BS praise, we knew that already, but the two arent mutually exclusive.
BS comes feom all sides.  :doge

But maybe i'll change my mind once i finish it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 21, 2020, 06:41:25 PM
It really feels like people went into this game wanting to hate it.
I was super excited for the game before the leaks.
I mean I don't want to be all "sony pony" about this, thats not my take. I haven't even played the game yet and I'm sure there's some actual good takes on it. But I have had a friend that sense the leaks has been all "this game is garbage, it shits on the fans and pushes an agenda". Probably based on youtube videos from dudes who make comments about how the women in this game have too much testosterone and there's too much lesbian stuff.

The same dude called me up to talk about how everyone shitting on it on meta critic and how bogus the actual reviews are because they were bought.

I've seen plenty of reviews just lambasting the game and calling it pathetic. One review talked about how the ending sucked because it would be like not killing Zeus in God of War 3. Which is to me a very dumb comparison.

Maybe I wont like the game either, but the review period for this game has been honestly fairly obnoxious. .......

ON BOTH SIDES!
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Boredfrom on June 21, 2020, 06:55:54 PM
Kinda hilarious that people feel this game has a political agenda when the story beats seem to indicate to be “humans are shitty. So be super excellent to each other or else.”

I don’t even think is a invalid message, but is kind of silly how many people are triggered because there is LGBT characters or that those LGTB suffer in this world like everyone else, therefore AGENDA.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 21, 2020, 07:10:28 PM
Is there really a buttfucking scene in this game


lol prestige gaming
The bore should love this game then!
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 21, 2020, 07:13:20 PM
No one ever got arse raped on world championship wrestling Monday nitro aka the only legit prestige entertainment in history :woooo
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 21, 2020, 07:14:48 PM
Not on camera at least :rash
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on June 21, 2020, 07:28:08 PM
Also I wouldn't really consider treating the characters and mythos from the first game with consistency to be fan service. Whether it's Ellie's characterization or lack of pushing the zombie stuff forward in an interesting way, the story and world building miss the mark.

 It's probably short-circuiting reviewers brains when they see one of the most technically impressive games console of the generation have poorly thought out themes, nonsensical character motivations and bland dialogue with really amazing performances by the actors. Tons of effort and talent put into something with little nutritional value. This game is gourmet Cheetos.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Boredfrom on June 21, 2020, 07:29:04 PM
Is there really a buttfucking scene in this game


lol prestige gaming

Anime tiddies are still prohibited by Sony. :fbm

Awkward hate sex with realistic characters is okay, artsy stuff.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 21, 2020, 07:32:12 PM
https://twitter.com/dhindes/status/1273825630123986944 (https://twitter.com/dhindes/status/1273825630123986944)

 :doge

That is pretty damn impressive.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 21, 2020, 07:35:06 PM
Is there really a buttfucking scene in this game


lol prestige gaming
The bore should love this game then!

Sex between a man and a woman :scust

Sex between a man and a woman with the anatomy of a man  :brain
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 21, 2020, 07:37:46 PM
Is there really a buttfucking scene in this game


lol prestige gaming


(https://i.imgur.com/os6pKta.png)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 21, 2020, 07:41:34 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e59LGuZg5Lc

spoiler (click to show/hide)
"George Floyd of gaming" oh my gawwd :walkaway
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Nintex on June 21, 2020, 07:47:57 PM
If you want to play torture porn you can just play Pro Wrestling on the NES.
(https://media1.tenor.com/images/062c3be4531ecb16cfffedde00ca6454/tenor.gif?itemid=9188001)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 21, 2020, 08:33:52 PM
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheLastOfUs2/comments/hdb1za/has_anyone_noticed_how_owen_is_a_doppelg%C3%A4nger_of/

OwO, wutz dis? Cuckmann is into incest?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 21, 2020, 08:42:14 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs7SgS5Pqyk

All the doctor had to do was:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPY5P0TaC4k

Instead "NO I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER!" *knife to the throat*
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 21, 2020, 08:52:44 PM
Is there really a buttfucking scene in this game


lol prestige gaming


(https://i.imgur.com/os6pKta.png)

(https://i.redd.it/6at812znw7651.jpg)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 21, 2020, 11:41:58 PM
I gotta say, a good amount of the way into this now


And this is the new Silent Hill game I never knew I wanted.

Like outside the lack of SH supernatural stuff, gameplay-wise/level-design-wise this is the closet game to Silent Hill since Downpour. Feels kinda like a halfway between RE and SH survival horror, but leans a lot closer to SH. I really do not remember the original giving me this feel. Feels like ND was purposely going for a SH vibe. All its missing are more maps with crossing off Xs for locked doors.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 01:50:28 AM
Also I wouldn't really consider treating the characters and mythos from the first game with consistency to be fan service. Whether it's Ellie's characterization or lack of pushing the zombie stuff forward in an interesting way, the story and world building miss the mark.

 It's probably short-circuiting reviewers brains when they see one of the most technically impressive games console of the generation have poorly thought out themes, nonsensical character motivations and bland dialogue with really amazing performances by the actors. Tons of effort and talent put into something with little nutritional value. This game is gourmet Cheetos.
Again, i'm still halfway through, but i didn't see particularly nonsensical character development so far.
I have no problem shitting on technically super impressive games (i hated God War 2018 and have no interest in The Order) but i just don't see a lot of the shit people complain about.
Ellie's motivations so far have been perfectly reasonable, given her character in the past game and her role models, Joel's too.
The new characters are also acting in an understandable manner so far.
And the theme of not being able to let go, being overwhelmed by a trauma, isn't far off from what the first game dealt with, with Joel and his daughter.
It's well treaded ground, but i'm not claiming LoU2 reinvents the wheel.

Without going too much into spoiler, because i don't want to fuck with the spoiler tag, the approach of having you see multiple POVs is more effective in doing what the first game failed miserably to do, which is humanize more all partie involved, which in turns makes everybody's actions make more sense.
The first one used a more classical structure of story propulsion, so it was easier for them to maintain a decent pacing, but definitely felt (even more) clichè and predictable.
Yes, this one doesn't go where fans who were looking for "Joel & Ellie summer adventures" wanted, but given the events of the first game, it wouldn't have made any sense; it was a good choice.

So far, pacing problems aside, the one big issue i have is that they mimic the issue i just mentioned (enemies being faceless baddies) with the 3rd faction they introduced, the Seraphites/religious nuts.
Aside from being a generally terrible idea in itself (religious cults always look stupid and comical in general) they feel tonally very out of place, and so far they aren't given much of a depth, like the Jackson people & the WLF are.

That said, i'm not saying this is Bresson, but even if more messy, this at least tries to tell what is a very clichè story, moving things around a little bit, unlike the first one.

Ofc. people can keep harping on that Schiendler's List quote, like they did back in the day for GTA4, but that's not really the game's fault. :yeshrug
There's plenty to criticize, but distinguished mentally-challenged fellowed journalist praise is not really anything they had any control over. 

I gotta say, a good amount of the way into this now


And this is the new Silent Hill game I never knew I wanted.

Like outside the lack of SH supernatural stuff, gameplay-wise/level-design-wise this is the closet game to Silent Hill since Downpour. Feels kinda like a halfway between RE and SH survival horror, but leans a lot closer to SH. I really do not remember the original giving me this feel. Feels like ND was purposely going for a SH vibe. All its missing are more maps with crossing off Xs for locked doors.
I wouldn't go that far, but i did feel some similarities in the vibe, while exploring.
Compared to a Resident Evil they still need to integrate better enemies and exploration though.
You'll be exploring for 40 minutes, and then immediately will become obvious when an arena is going to have enemies; not so much because of chest high walls, like the last one, but because encounters are still very much "contained" in XYZ area.
They should find ways to have a bit more organic enemy patrols, or random clickers around, it happens here and there, but rarely enough where you don't really feel the tension of having to make no sound, for example.
If i lived in that world, i don't think i'd just trot around smashing glass and talking out loud, when a horde of zombies or a group of scavengers could be around the corner.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Freyj on June 22, 2020, 03:25:36 AM
Not really sure what people were looking for with a sequel to The Last Of Us, but this is basically what I expected.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
And it’s fine. A good, narrative-heavy ND take on Survival Horror as was the first game. The pacing takes a huge hit when the POV switched to Abby, but it’s still fine. Nonlinear storytelling is rarely pulled off well, but it’s clear what the purpose of it was.

Comparisons to TLJ are kind of hard to separate from big dumb internet guys that will view every piece of media and culture they consume for the next 30 years through the lens of their hatred for it. It wasn’t a very good movie but move on with your life.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on June 22, 2020, 03:42:07 AM
You're saying that the writing makes sense but Joel gets killed after saving a random girl, agreeing to meet with her group and then immediately telling the group of 8 strangers his real name.  :doge 
He does this while doing his job, which is literally to patrol and clear outside threats to the community.  :doge
The only other scene with him before that is of him telling his brother about killing all those people at the end of the first game and he says he doesn't know if anyone would come after him. lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 22, 2020, 03:51:03 AM
I think people are angry cause some of it feels really contrived. When your big moments depend on smart characters suddenly acting like complete dumbasses, that's not great.

They also pull the "character off camera coming in to save the day" multiple times. Just feels cheap.

Gotta say that even though the game is obviously not for me, it's not a bad product.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 04:02:16 AM
You're saying that the writing makes sense but Joel gets killed after saving a random girl, agreeing to meet with her group and then immediately telling the group of 8 strangers his real name.  :doge 
He does this while doing his job, which is literally to patrol and clear outside threats to the community.  :doge
The only other scene with him before that is of him telling his brother about killing all those people at the end of the first game and he says he doesn't know if anyone would come after him. lol
They're clearing the area from clickers, not necessarily people; there's plenty of notes of the Jackson folks trying to get people to stay with them, in the game.. they're not really the shoot-on-sight kind.
They run back to her shed, because they're in a literal snow storm and chased by a horde of zombies.
Tommy is the one saying their names, and it's clearly played in a way where Joel is already nervous about it (you can hear it in his voice when he goes: "You people know us?" or something of the sort) plus they found Abby (as she was about to die) not the other way around, which would lower their guard as well.
They managed to track Joel down all the way to Jackson, name or no name they were fucked the moment the gate closed.

:ufup

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on June 22, 2020, 04:23:09 AM
In the log thing that Ellie has to sign into one of the previous days somebody had written "killed 3 hunters" or something similar, so they would also be on the lookout for grifters or raiders or w/e.

I totally forgot about those extra contrivances you mentioned, Joel dies because he finds the daughter of a guy he killed that tracked him down across the country, on the same day that a blizzard happens, and a massive horde of zombies show up at the same time that a blizzard shows up. The conversations with Dina right before also imply that zombies have become less common and Ellie says that the most they had previously killed in one day was like 12?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 22, 2020, 04:42:37 AM
You forgot that the zombies can suddenly run as fast as horses even though in the scene before a human outpaced them.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 04:45:56 AM
If you consider those contrievances a problem, almost no work of fiction works. :lol
"there just happens to be bad weather in this very dramtic moment?!"
The game has constant hordes of zombies (the first one did too) chasing you every other moment, how is them being chased by one any more absurd? They're not really bending any of their established rules.
Tommy even mentions, in a subsequent flashback, that "hordes travels through there in the winter".

Joel and Tommy are clearly nervous when entering the room, seeing all those people (even though one is a visibly pregnant woman, so probably eased them up somewhat) but again, they were under pressure. People under pressure will make mistakes.

And they ran into her because she specifically goes out looking for them, it's not like she's just wandering the area at random.

Sure instead of Joel and Tommy, another crew could've been doing the rounds, but that is really reaching at straws, fiction is built on these contractions of chance by design.
You watch Belle De Jour and go "Oh my God, her husband's friend just happens to show up when she's on duty"?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 22, 2020, 05:26:33 AM
Don Rumata ? More like Don... Druck... mann. Yeah.
 :karen
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on June 22, 2020, 05:34:44 AM
Your soft condescension doesn't strengthen your argument. Using every plot convenience in the book to justify a well-defined character contradicting their nature is lazy writing, and it's a weirdly sloppy, rushed setup to use for the most important scene in the story.

Quote
Sure instead of Joel and Tommy, another crew could've been doing the rounds, but that is really reaching at straws, fiction is built on these contractions of chance by design.
You watch Belle De Jour and go "Oh my God, her husband's friend just happens to show up when she's on duty"?

I don't know why you're saying any of this because I didn't say any of this. Yeah the straw you just reached for is reaching at staws, agreed.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 05:54:46 AM
Don Rumata ? More like Don... Druck... mann. Yeah.
 :karen
Someone gotta defend the game here, to balance things out.  8)
I still think the game is barely at mediocre-Netflix-show levels in terms of story, i just don't agree with some of the criticism.

Your soft condescension doesn't strengthen your argument. Using every plot convenience in the book to justify a well-defined character contradicting their nature is lazy writing, and it's a weirdly sloppy, rushed setup to use for the most important scene in the story.

Quote
Sure instead of Joel and Tommy, another crew could've been doing the rounds, but that is really reaching at straws, fiction is built on these contractions of chance by design.
You watch Belle De Jour and go "Oh my God, her husband's friend just happens to show up when she's on duty"?

I don't know why you're saying any of this because I didn't say any of this. Yeah the straw you just reached for is reaching at staws, agreed.
Soft? I was going for strong condescension. :fbm

Again, it's not "every contrievance in the book". Pretty much every element is either explained or plausible (Joel and Tommy happened to do that route that day, but they did do that route routinely).
And using narrative elements, like characters running to safety from a horde, that have been established and used over and over in this and the past game.
That Belle De Jour example was to say that artifice in narrative happens, but not every contrievance is a sign of bad writing, again, in Children of Men the girl happens to have the baby right as they're about the get murdered by the army and have no way out, it's a (reasonable) dramatic license.
Fiction is artifice, and artifice is contrieved by design, it comes off more or less natural but it is nonetheless.

I also call bullshit on Joel "contraddicting his nature" just because you choose to ignore the whole character development of the first game.
He was jaded and caged, Ellie softened him up, this is 4 ulterior years past that point, they routinely go out exploring for bullshit reasons (like getting new guitar strings), because he's not the same survivor he was at the start of LoU1.
And again, he isn't giving the nuke codes out, he's deciding to follow a woman to safety, in a moment of extreme pressure.  :yeshrug
spoiler (click to show/hide)
But really, i wasn't trying to be condescending, sorry bb.  :-*
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 22, 2020, 06:48:48 AM
Yeah I dont really think that first part with him was too crazy. Overall the story is also fine, but there is some hilarious cringy lines and scenes, not to mention the ending is absolutely shit. But it's a vidya game with vidya game writing, so didnt expect much more. Now for his hbo show... that could be a sensational disaster.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 06:54:24 AM
Yeah I dont really think that first part with him was too crazy. Overall the story is also fine, but there is some hilarious cringy lines and scenes, not to mention the ending is absolutely shit. But it's a vidya game with vidya game writing, so didnt expect much more. Now for his hbo show... that could be a sensational disaster.
HBO had Westworld, True Detective and Game Of Thrones, so he may be able to pass by, if the Chernobyl guy can have enough of an input.  :lol
I still have no idea why they'd want to produce a TV show about the most basic post apocalypse plot there is.  :doge

Like if Last of Us (1 and 2) were a TV show, i don't i would've made it past episode 1. :thinking
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 22, 2020, 06:59:34 AM
The game itself is really good. ND finally got puzzles fucking right, the combat is tense and the human AI isn't dumb as rocks. At least when alerted.

Too bad people are gonna be mad at everything else lol

Edit: putting on my Druckmann hat

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I can see Joel being truthful to the group that ended up killing him. Character wise, he's been on the run more or less for 20 years after the outbreak. We know he was a decent guy but turned into a killer. Living a more honest, relatively peaceful life dulled his senses and mistrust of people, at least enough to finally get him killed
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bork on June 22, 2020, 07:46:09 AM
https://twitter.com/nintenmau5/status/1275003369992716288
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Boredfrom on June 22, 2020, 08:51:15 AM
https://twitter.com/nintenmau5/status/1275003369992716288

Isn’t this true for the first game?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 22, 2020, 09:23:53 AM
Honestly this feels so fucking far removed from SH, that my brain must have blocked out that post the first time.  It's horror (with limited supplies making everything feel intense) and the story is very personality driven, that's about the extend of the SH comparisons for me.

Silent Hill never had stealth or crafting (thank God, crafting is so boring at this point), and the combat was never really the focus of the games at all either. It's just kind of there. Everything related to the creatures is about the characters psyche, and not a zombie pandemic. It's aiming for such different things when it comes to atmosphere and the scares as well, and both do it very well, but Silent Hill is so much more moody and with very little jump scares in the series. The SH puzzles are mostly amazing, while it's hard to even call the stuff in TLOU2 puzzles. But it also never feels like a focus of TLOU2, so it doesnt really matter. The setting in SH always feels kind of dreamy, while TLOU very much feels like the real world.

Two good but very different horror games for me.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 09:44:21 AM
Honestly this feels so fucking far removed from SH, that my brain must have blocked out that post the first time.  It's horror (with limited supplies making everything feel intense) and the story is very personality driven, that's about the extend of the SH comparisons for me.

Silent Hill never had stealth or crafting (thank God, crafting is so boring at this point), and the combat was never really the focus of the games at all either. It's just kind of there. Everything related to the creatures is about the characters psyche, and not a zombie pandemic. It's aiming for such different things when it comes to atmosphere and the scares as well, and both do it very well, but Silent Hill is so much more moody and with very little jump scares in the series. The SH puzzles are mostly amazing, while it's hard to even call the stuff in TLOU2 puzzles. But it also never feels like a focus of TLOU2, so it doesnt really matter. The setting in SH always feels kind of dreamy, while TLOU very much feels like the real world.

Two good but very different horror games for me.
I don't know what Bepbo referred to, but i did think of Silent Hill in a couple of moments here and there, while exploring Seattle.
For me, it was mostly down to the silent, abandoned pacific north west city, that sometimes would trigger that vibe, but yeah beyond that really they share little to nothing.
I guess both games have a sense of sustained dread and a lot of diaries to read (the last thing anyone in the world of the Last of Us does before dying, is write a vague note to their loved ones, often with the code for a safe on it.  :lol)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 22, 2020, 09:48:30 AM
Yeah exploring abandoned buildings/streets is another thing they share. But even then, in SH you will usually find quite a few characters just wandering around or chilling with their own strange problems, when you are wandering around exploring a building or the streets.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bork on June 22, 2020, 11:48:01 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wt4Q6AnhLk
Quote from: Jim Sterling
"I played The Last Of Us Part II for two days straight and beat it.  And let me tell you- if you're one of those people who are playing it, and you think it's a 'masterpiece of fiction,' just you wait until you read books or watch movies!  Because you've been missing out and I am envious of you!

.....

Fucking video games suck!"
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 22, 2020, 11:51:17 AM
(https://i.imgflip.com/45yvv2.jpg)

 The only winning move, is not to play. :-*
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 22, 2020, 01:09:19 PM
Depends on the difficulty you put it at. On moderate there seems to be at least some things in each room. If it's like the first one, it's equivalent of Survivor/Grounded difficulty might cut out a lot of items. They have sliders in place for most of the mechanics so you can mix and match for the style you find enjoyable.

There's also letters and trinkets to find.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Boredfrom on June 22, 2020, 01:12:03 PM
I take Jim “Vanquish is a shitty game” Sterling so seriously.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 22, 2020, 01:41:56 PM
Man, this comment in the ResetEra spoiler thread is damn good.

"This is my exact worry. tlou2 combat encounters are a little too good. I feel like I'm going to be complaining about level design and enemy variety in GOT but we will see."

(https://i.imgur.com/pzOu7Gm.jpg)


Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 22, 2020, 02:02:38 PM
Vanquish is shitty. PlatinumGames usually is.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: paprikastaude on June 22, 2020, 02:10:37 PM
I take Jim “Vanquish is a shitty game” Sterling so seriously.

Not everyone is right all the time. Fatquisition is very often annoying and loves to hear himself just as much as these goofy videogame auteurs. But this is a video with a good argument.

Vanquish is shitty. PlatinumGames usually is.

(https://i.imgur.com/a7ZngCe.gif)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 22, 2020, 02:28:16 PM
Vanquish is shitty. PlatinumGames usually is.

Bayonetta  I could see the case for.

But Vanquish? :jeanluc
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 22, 2020, 02:32:28 PM
Vanquish still has the best TPS combat 10 years later :rejoice
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 22, 2020, 03:10:43 PM
Scalebound is their best game. Cause it was cancelled.  :miyamoto
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Boredfrom on June 22, 2020, 03:13:41 PM
I take Jim “Vanquish is a shitty game” Sterling so seriously.

Not everyone is right all the time. Fatquisition is very often annoying and loves to hear himself just as much as these goofy videogame auteurs. But this is a video with a good argument.

I will not give him a click, thought.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Raist on June 22, 2020, 03:48:37 PM
I honestly don't get why people are so fucking mad that Joel got off'd. It's not exactly utterly unexpected.

Kinda similar to what happened to Ned in GoT, although somehow that was cool? I suppose you weren't then expected to like or understand the characters responsible for his demise, but GoT had a fuckload of characters that started super evil and then were written to be "likable". Or at least, understandable.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 22, 2020, 03:56:52 PM
They aren't mad about the fact that he died. It's the way they did it.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: recursivelyenumerable on June 22, 2020, 04:52:02 PM
https://twitter.com/IRHotTakes/status/1275164886419595267
https://twitter.com/IRHotTakes/status/1275166514077937667
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: DJ Bedroom on June 22, 2020, 11:55:32 PM
It's a better GAME than anything ND has done before, in that the combat encounters are more interesting and better paced with their usual setpieces to change things up BUT
spoiler (click to show/hide)
I didn't give a fuck about Abby or her annoying friends in the slightest and was almost relieved when they all got brutally murdered. Her section of the game goes on for far too long, and if they wanted you to empathize with her, it was a dismal failure. Hell, at the beginning of her section there's a conversation where she's rationalizing shooting a bunch of kids, but BOTH SIDES(tm) right
[close]

Also does anyone else think people who cry during video games are maybe a little too invested in their shootbang vidya?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bork on June 23, 2020, 12:34:06 AM
https://twitter.com/DanRyckert/status/1275234839684419584
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: DJ Bedroom on June 23, 2020, 01:09:14 AM
It's almost like breaking glass hasn't been a thing for like four console generations but hey what do I know
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 23, 2020, 01:43:57 AM
Nah this game does legit have the most satisfying glass breaking in any game bih
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 23, 2020, 02:42:00 AM
14 hours in now, absolutely stellar game so far. I went in totally blind and expected a weaker game like many sequels are (plus U4 was a weaker Uncharted), also TLoU was a story that didn't need a sequel. But damn, I am impressed and happy with this so far.

In a year with Half-Life Alyx, FFVIIr (and for me RDR2 since I played it this year) it's hard for games to stand out as goty 2020 tier stuff, but this is definitely a contender for me.

I never replay games, but I feel like I might jump back in for a second run after. The open combat environments and amazingly visceral combat (probably best sound effects ever in a game. The crack of those gunshots goddamn) make it so satisfying to play. Some of the sandbox combat vs people gives me MGS3 flashbacks (and monsters in the dark with a shitty flashlight SH).
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on June 23, 2020, 02:47:45 AM
https://twitter.com/DanRyckert/status/1275234839684419584

If you're gonna post one ridiculous piece of tech that has almost no function in this game, at least post the rope video!
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 23, 2020, 03:06:31 AM
So is there much reward for exploration in this game?  Like is there a reason to check out every room?  Loot?  (ammo at least?)
It's pretty much like Last of Us 1, you get ammo and crafting stuff (bandages, alcohol, etc) and various notes (that however all read somewhat the same, tbh).
The problem is that this seems to have 10x the amount of rooms/environments LoU1 had, so it feels more stretched out at times.
Personally i find a modicum of enjoyment just looking at places in games (hell, i even find enjoyment cruising around places in Google Street, if they're cool anough) and the enviroinmental artists in this game have arguably done one of the best jobs i've ever seen, but i hardly think that's something anyone can get enjoyment out of.

https://twitter.com/DanRyckert/status/1275234839684419584

If you're gonna post one ridiculous piece of tech that has almost no function in this game, at least post the rope video!
That's cool and all, but Tomb Raider Underworld already had puzzles with that idea using the zipline wrapped around objects (though the tech was a bit less complex, as the rope wasn't a soft body).  ;)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on June 23, 2020, 03:08:43 AM
I have a very special relationship with Tomb Raider and its ropes.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The first company I worked at was contracted to do work on Lara Croft ATGOL. I was in charge of making the spears and ropes work in multiplayer.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 23, 2020, 03:15:17 AM

Also does anyone else think people who cry during video games are maybe a little too invested in their shootbang vidya?

Look up Dom's sacrifice from Gears of War 3 on youtube and look at the comments. I used to go through those comments to laugh at it with friends.

My favourite one was some guy saying that it made him cry harder then when Soup died in Call of Duty.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 23, 2020, 03:31:45 AM
I have a very special relationship with Tomb Raider and its ropes.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The first company I worked at was contracted to do work on Lara Croft ATGOL. I was in charge of making the spears and ropes work in multiplayer.
[close]
Damn bro, congrats, that game was fantastic (both of them, actually).
Super fun in coop.


Also does anyone else think people who cry during video games are maybe a little too invested in their shootbang vidya?

Look up Dom's sacrifice from Gears of War 3 on youtube and look at the comments. I used to go through those comments to laugh at it with friends.

My favourite one was some guy saying that it made him cry harder than when Soup died in Call of Duty.
There was also that one super cheesy letter in Lost Odyssey everyone kapt crying about, back in the day.  :lol
About some blind girl, or something like that?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 23, 2020, 09:02:06 AM
My favorite one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG9r4sR0ZIo
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thisismyusername on June 23, 2020, 09:11:22 AM
I have a very special relationship with Tomb Raider and its ropes.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The first company I worked at was contracted to do work on Lara Croft ATGOL. I was in charge of making the spears and ropes work in multiplayer.
[close]

Thank you for your service. It was a pretty amazing co-op game.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 24, 2020, 05:52:40 AM
Finished.

I've already spent too many words talking about this game, so don't want to write too much, but in short, the game has serious issues, but i liked it quite a bit.
I saw Mr Gilhaney hated the finale, and i'm curious to read why, i liked it actually, it was fun and found it more or less fitting.

I'll skip over detailing what i did or didn't like about the nitty gritty of the gameplay and all the various minor plot details, again, to keep it contained.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I didn't mind the second half on principle, as i said it's there to counteract the major problem of the first game, while making clear how it isn't a simple matter of good guys vs bad guys.
The problem with it is that one of its crutches, the conflict with the Seraphites, doesn't really work well, because they don't register as reasonable at all.
This game lives in that limbo of "gritty comicbook" type of art, where it's serious enough, but the world and design still have to bend to its rules of engagement, so to speak -- so the final confrontant HAS to be a fist fight after  the biggest enemy encounter in the game, because that's the most satisfying solution from a game standpoint -- in a way you could say similarly to a Nolan's Batman, the themes are there, and the craft in the storytelling as well, but it has to play by the rules of a guy with a cape doing martial arts, it's inherently ridiculous.
Within those terms, i think they did a good job humanizing most characters but, even within this "pop" tonal range, the Seraphites stick out as way too fucking corny, and are hard to mentally accept as belonging to that world, for me.
(i have a similar problem with the RattleSnake at the end, but less so).

The Abby/Lev dynamic is of course crucial to the whole plot, and works more or less (though it feels a bit rushed through) but it could've been done with a more sober world building as a backdrop.

The other major problem i had with it, is the way the story is paced out; this is thankfully curbed in the epilogue chapter, but for example with Abby: You're asked to get some medical supplies from the hospital, allegedly only 2 hours away through a shortcut.
Ok, this is a simple plot point: Abby gets to bond with Lev by exposing one of her fears, while they go get this Macguffin-- this should've been 10/20 minutes at best, but instead you're zig zaging around to get across arbitrary structural obstacles, going through room after room after room (with or without enemies); it just dilutes everything, and makes no sense.
This is a common problem with the game, and by far my biggest gripe with it.

Final complaint is that a lot of the writing is just fucking bland; as i said i didn't mind Abby, or the macro structure of the plot itself, but all the inbetween banter and 90% of the notes were just mind numbingly boring to listen to, all of the characters, even lovers or lifelong friends, seem to have little chemistry, they all do the same types of akward shitty puns, and all seem to speak with the same "voice".
The few glimpses of Joel/Ellie interactions, do nothing but underline this issue, as their dynamic feels much stronger.

As for the notes, in the first LoU you had a fraction of them, but they were used to (usually) detail the world and its events prior to the game's, they also often connected to one another creating various throughlines (like the infamous one about the community living in the sewers.
In this one they're so fucking generic, you could probably write a template that adapts to every single one:
"Dear Betty, i fucked up, i thought i could escape but i was stupid, i'm gonna die here, my stuff is in the safe, the code is 34-56-78. I love you. - Seth".
[close]

Anyway, the positive outweight the negative for me, and ultimately i liked it quite a bit.
It's more messy than the first one, but also more narratively ambitious, although i'm not sure the pacing problems allow it to be as replayable.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 24, 2020, 06:32:55 AM
As if you read lore notes :girlaff
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 24, 2020, 06:58:47 AM
I usually try to read files in the these type of games. :ufup
Unless they're taking the piss, with multi paged bibles every other room.
Like those immersive sims and their 50 email chains at every terminal.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Fuck Stasis for having me read 500 pointless crew logs talking about buying cigarettes and other bullshit when i just need the solution to the puzzle.  :stahp
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BIONIC on June 24, 2020, 07:21:24 AM
You always read the lore  :bolo

Except for Skyrim. Fuck reading literal (shitty) novellas in the middle of an already 200 hour game  :yuck
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 24, 2020, 07:30:53 AM
I only "read" lore notes if you get xp for doing so :smug
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 24, 2020, 12:46:05 PM
I really dislike Dina and think Ellie and her have zero chemistry and thier relationship is super lame. I don’t have a good feeling of why these two like each other. She also goes from just kind of flirty girl to “I’m with you Ellie with your super dangerous revenge quest”. I don’t really buy it.

Before anyone makes any “you’re anti gay and lesbian”. No I enjoyed their banter, but the game gets super dark super quick that it’s jarring to me that she went from simply flirting to I’m with you no matter what.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 24, 2020, 01:59:49 PM
maybe you just hate women
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 24, 2020, 02:34:36 PM
i only like the asian cuck
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BisMarckie on June 24, 2020, 02:57:50 PM
As if you read lore notes :girlaff

I kinda wanted to read all the lore notes in Oblivion or Skyrim(I forgot), I gave up after two of these boring ass stories. :stahp
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 24, 2020, 03:05:03 PM
I take Jim “Vanquish is a shitty game” Sterling so seriously.

He also gave Assassins Creed 2 a 4??
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 24, 2020, 03:07:22 PM
Nah this game does legit have the most satisfying glass breaking in any game bih

Hahahahahahahahhaahahahahahaha thats supposed to be impressive or satisfying? 😂😂😂😂😂

This looks more realistic

https://youtu.be/1Lh8C5O-Zwg
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 24, 2020, 03:38:31 PM
maybe you just hate women
Then I should really like this game!

spoiler (click to show/hide)
No, I just think Dina is a poorly written character
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 24, 2020, 03:53:13 PM
I take Jim “Vanquish is a shitty game” Sterling so seriously.

He also gave Assassins Creed 2 a 4??

Seems a bit high
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: MMaRsu on June 24, 2020, 05:15:43 PM
Quote
Assassin's Creed 2 has tried all sorts of tactics to improve upon the original, but none of these attempts have worked. The game's variety and length come across as nothing more than smoke and mirrors, the endless, grinding busywork that contributes nothing to the overall gameplay is inexcusably plentiful and mind-numbingly repetitive, and to top it all off, the game can't even compete in the visuals department and somehow looks worse than the original.

Or was he talking about the latest Assassins Creed games?

 :brain
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 24, 2020, 06:33:13 PM
Finished.

I've already spent too many words talking about this game, so don't want to write too much, but in short, the game has serious issues, but i liked it quite a bit.
I saw Mr Gilhaney hated the finale, and i'm curious to read why, i liked it actually, it was fun and found it more or less fitting.

I'll skip over detailing what i did or didn't like about the nitty gritty of the gameplay and all the various minor plot details, again, to keep it contained.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I didn't mind the second half on principle, as i said it's there to counteract the major problem of the first game, while making clear how it isn't a simple matter of good guys vs bad guys.
The problem with it is that one of its crutches, the conflict with the Seraphites, doesn't really work well, because they don't register as reasonable at all.
This game lives in that limbo of "gritty comicbook" type of art, where it's serious enough, but the world and design still have to bend to its rules of engagement, so to speak -- so the final confrontant HAS to be a fist fight after  the biggest enemy encounter in the game, because that's the most satisfying solution from a game standpoint -- in a way you could say similarly to a Nolan's Batman, the themes are there, and the craft in the storytelling as well, but it has to play by the rules of a guy with a cape doing martial arts, it's inherently ridiculous.
Within those terms, i think they did a good job humanizing most characters but, even within this "pop" tonal range, the Seraphites stick out as way too fucking corny, and are hard to mentally accept as belonging to that world, for me.
(i have a similar problem with the RattleSnake at the end, but less so).

The Abby/Lev dynamic is of course crucial to the whole plot, and works more or less (though it feels a bit rushed through) but it could've been done with a more sober world building as a backdrop.

The other major problem i had with it, is the way the story is paced out; this is thankfully curbed in the epilogue chapter, but for example with Abby: You're asked to get some medical supplies from the hospital, allegedly only 2 hours away through a shortcut.
Ok, this is a simple plot point: Abby gets to bond with Lev by exposing one of her fears, while they go get this Macguffin-- this should've been 10/20 minutes at best, but instead you're zig zaging around to get across arbitrary structural obstacles, going through room after room after room (with or without enemies); it just dilutes everything, and makes no sense.
This is a common problem with the game, and by far my biggest gripe with it.

Final complaint is that a lot of the writing is just fucking bland; as i said i didn't mind Abby, or the macro structure of the plot itself, but all the inbetween banter and 90% of the notes were just mind numbingly boring to listen to, all of the characters, even lovers or lifelong friends, seem to have little chemistry, they all do the same types of akward shitty puns, and all seem to speak with the same "voice".
The few glimpses of Joel/Ellie interactions, do nothing but underline this issue, as their dynamic feels much stronger.

As for the notes, in the first LoU you had a fraction of them, but they were used to (usually) detail the world and its events prior to the game's, they also often connected to one another creating various throughlines (like the infamous one about the community living in the sewers.
In this one they're so fucking generic, you could probably write a template that adapts to every single one:
"Dear Betty, i fucked up, i thought i could escape but i was stupid, i'm gonna die here, my stuff is in the safe, the code is 34-56-78. I love you. - Seth".
[close]

Anyway, the positive outweight the negative for me, and ultimately i liked it quite a bit.
It's more messy than the first one, but also more narratively ambitious, although i'm not sure the pacing problems allow it to be as replayable.

Games should probably have stopped notes after Itchy. Tasty., it was kind of one and done with that really.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: naff on June 24, 2020, 08:41:40 PM
https://twitter.com/IRHotTakes/status/1275164886419595267
https://twitter.com/IRHotTakes/status/1275166514077937667

 :lol

if there's any way to colonise intersectionality, as a successful cishet white dude ima figure it out  8)

spoiler (click to show/hide)
jk, we already figured it out  :success
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 24, 2020, 08:49:54 PM
Asscreed 1 prob aged better than any other game in the series since its main gameplay was so much different from the others.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 25, 2020, 03:07:24 AM
Why do people keep going on about killing the dogs? It's a game. They're pixels and an annoying enemy type. I take them out first cause they're annoying to stealth. Then you can just do a cleanup run of the rest of the combat arena.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BIONIC on June 25, 2020, 03:20:27 AM
Why do people keep going on about killing the dogs? It's a game. They're pixels and an annoying enemy type. I take them out first cause they're annoying to stealth. Then you can just do a cleanup run of the rest of the combat arena.

I started every encounter that has dogs by torching them and their owner with a molotov since they’re always bunched together. Fuck them fleabags  :pimp
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 25, 2020, 03:22:28 AM
I shot them with arrows cause the devs kept going about the reactions the enemies would have to their best friend dying.

*insert a single voice line*

*Instantly back to the standard patrol AI*

Love it. Making you have feelings for these NPCs failed really damn hard.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 25, 2020, 04:04:19 AM
I shot them with arrows cause the devs kept going about the reactions the enemies would have to their best friend dying.

*insert a single voice line*

*Instantly back to the standard patrol AI*

Love it. Making you have feelings for these NPCs failed really damn hard.
Nah, it's pretty good, better attempt than any other game i've played on that side, maybe RDR2 is kind of on par.
I like them screaming their buddies names and shit, makes it more satisfying to kill them off, especially after you died a couple of times, and the frustration starts to mount up.  :doge

Anyway, was having a laugh at AngeryJoe's meltdown at the finale on Twitch.
He really took his boy Joel death bad.  :lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: curly on June 25, 2020, 05:30:42 AM
gamers...
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on June 25, 2020, 05:57:39 AM
I shot them with arrows cause the devs kept going about the reactions the enemies would have to their best friend dying.

*insert a single voice line*

*Instantly back to the standard patrol AI*

Love it. Making you have feelings for these NPCs failed really damn hard.
Nah, it's pretty good, better attempt than any other game i've played on that side, maybe RDR2 is kind of on par.
I like them screaming their buddies names and shit, makes it more satisfying to kill them off, especially after you died a couple of times, and the frustration starts to mount up.  :doge

Anyway, was having a laugh at AngeryJoe's meltdown at the finale on Twitch.
He really took his boy Joel death bad.  :lol

got a link m8?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 25, 2020, 06:05:29 AM
I shot them with arrows cause the devs kept going about the reactions the enemies would have to their best friend dying.

*insert a single voice line*

*Instantly back to the standard patrol AI*

Love it. Making you have feelings for these NPCs failed really damn hard.
Nah, it's pretty good, better attempt than any other game i've played on that side, maybe RDR2 is kind of on par.
I like them screaming their buddies names and shit, makes it more satisfying to kill them off, especially after you died a couple of times, and the frustration starts to mount up.  :doge

Anyway, was having a laugh at AngeryJoe's meltdown at the finale on Twitch.
He really took his boy Joel death bad.  :lol

got a link m8?
Dunno if it's on youtube yet.
Someone linked his twitch while he was live, and i had it in the BG screaming while working.  :-*

Although it was mostly a repeat of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqKYxhRQIfo

In a different flavor and with a bit more screaming.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 26, 2020, 09:24:37 AM
Astounded at the gamers that attached to Joel

Also up to Day 2.2, they really could have cut like 10 hours from this and have the same exact story lol
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bork on June 26, 2020, 12:19:53 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiFqEZ_Vw-I

The Last Of Us Part II: Remastered coming soon to PS5!
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Raist on June 26, 2020, 01:35:50 PM
B-but there's more plants in that one shop tho.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: toku on June 27, 2020, 12:44:06 AM
didnt know where to post this spoilers

spoiler (click to show/hide)
https://twitter.com/DesutroyedMe/status/1276468349220913153
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: benjipwns on June 27, 2020, 12:55:34 AM
Why do people keep going on about killing the dogs? It's a game. They're pixels and an annoying enemy type. I take them out first cause they're annoying to stealth. Then you can just do a cleanup run of the rest of the combat arena.
always gotta kill dogs first in games, always been annoying and overpowered, Wolfenstein, Medal of Honor, etc.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 27, 2020, 01:31:27 AM
didnt know where to post this spoilers

spoiler (click to show/hide)
https://twitter.com/DesutroyedMe/status/1276468349220913153
[close]
If this had spared us everything that happens after the Church arc, i would've taken it.
Stick that D&D shit up your bum, Miura.  :'(
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 27, 2020, 08:18:10 PM
why is there almost 300 trinkets to find in this game what the fuck man
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 27, 2020, 08:21:22 PM
like what hte fuck is the relevance of super hero trading cards
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on June 28, 2020, 01:14:41 AM
I gotta say, the second half of the game is better designed and paced than the first half. More fun set of weapons too.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The fact that both half-campaigns feel different thematically, and the way ND expresses it through gameplay is pretty lit. Ellie is a lone survivor, while Abby is Rambo (Rambo 1 Rambo). The weapon/crafting selection, and the game giving you way more ammo with Abby illustrates it pretty well. Playing Ellie's first 3 days in Seattle had me stressed for ammo till the end, while with Abby, I'm not having as much stress about having ammo, but way more stressed about making every shot count since there are more enemies you have to deal with in any given encounter.
[close]

like what hte fuck is the relevance of super hero trading cards

Dev self inserts
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 28, 2020, 03:03:08 AM
Just beat it.

That was an interesting movie.


I feel like the first game was a traditional adventure story of getting the princess to her castle while fighting monsters and the bad men, but done gritty and morally grey with a focus on pushing a "who really are the bad guys in this scenario" angle which leads up to the extremely morally grey, but well built up and satisfying finale.

The first game I would call a crowd pleaser because it's basically just a traditional story that everyone likes but with some added depth and an interesting ending built upon the depth. Basically to me it felt like a Cormac McCarthy version of a traditional adventure tale. The fact that it was very well written and the the ending was good puts it up high on my personal top game narratives list.

Otoh, TLoU2's narrative tries to be much more non-traditional and complex and tries to do more, but it also loses a lot of the crowd pleasingness of a simple tried & true narrative and instead ends up with an auteur narrative something along the line of Inarritu's The Revenant. And like what happens when you try to handle a lot more thematically and break down traditional formulas, you get something that is kind of messy. Some of it really works, but some not so much, and overall you end up with less of a crowd pleaser and a narrative that's less satisfying but gives you more to think about when you walk away.

Gameplay-wise, I thought the gameplay was really good, but the game is too long and the narrative is much more interesting than the gameplay. I found in the first half of the game that I'd clear out every enemy in every encounter using stealth and then scavenge all the loot taking my time. By the last 1/3rd of the game I would just throw a molotov and sprint the fuck past everyone shooting down anyone between me and the exit door to the encounter a lot of the times because I was more interested in progressing the story than "ugh, another gameplay encounter". The encounters were still good, it was just after 20 hours of them, I didn't want to play encounters anymore, I just wanted to see the rest of the story play out.

The game looks amazing and has like the best sound design ever.

In terms of where the story ends up:

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I was fine with everything, the one change I would've made and I'm surprised for a game they say they focus tested the shit out of that they didn't do this, is during the first Abby v Ellie encounter I walked away feeling it was pretty unsatisfying because they had like zero dialogue exchange to talk at least for a bit and realize how similar they were and that have an effect on them.

Then we get the epilogue and I'm like oh, ok they're saving that for Abby v Ellie part 2, and then you get to the fight and they fight again and they still don't have any fucking lines at all and then it ends. Like from Abby's point of view after she gets on that boat and leaves what does she think of Ellie? Does she think "man, that is one crazy bitch wtf" or does she leave having gotten the understanding that Ellie's loss was as heavy as her own loss of her father and that need for revenge damaged her even more than Abby's revenge on Joel?

I'm surprised the focus tested audience didn't feel it was unsatisfying that the two never had a real verbal conversation. Because I found that unsatisfying and the ending was fine but overall the narrative isn't that satisfying to me just because of it missing that one scene of the two having dialogue and understanding each other. The kind of messy narrative reminds me a lot of RDR2, but RDR2's final showdown on the mountain is done in a more satisfying way so it ends better imo.

Also I felt that 2-3 month jump to Abby/Lev tied up and basically at the point of death kinda did those two characters dirty after having the player played through their campaign. That was basically just fucking up characters for fucking them up sake. Also when Ellie released the prisoners right before the final fight and asked where Abby was, I thought the person said Abby was bit? Maybe I just misheard that.

The Joel stuff was fine at the start, I can't believe people got worked up about that. It fit narratively. Reminded me of Silent Hill 3.
[close]

Anyhow, I hope they don't make a Last of Us 3. This is a great game and glad they made it, but the original already didn't need a sequel and this sequel having to figure out what story to tell kinda seemed a result of that. Now there really doesn't need to be another one. But since the game is going to sell ridiculously well I guess it's money left on the floor if they don't keep the franchise alive so

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hopefully a Last of Us III takes place elsewhere with a completely different cast of characters.
[close]

Also, yeah I was surprised at all the dog killing in this game. Playing it I was wondering if dog owners can't play this game because of that. I know some dog owners that I can see them not being able to play it once the dog killing starts.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 28, 2020, 04:23:35 AM
like what hte fuck is the relevance of super hero trading cards
It's really a stupid amount.
The coins at least are more reasonably spaced.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 28, 2020, 04:55:41 AM
Also, yeah I was surprised at all the dog killing in this game. Playing it I was wondering if dog owners can't play this game because of that. I know some dog owners that I can see them not being able to play it once the dog killing starts.

They are pixels. The game is not real. Imagine being a turtle owner and not being able to play Mario cause he jumps on the koopas. Come on...
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 28, 2020, 05:43:21 AM
Also, yeah I was surprised at all the dog killing in this game. Playing it I was wondering if dog owners can't play this game because of that. I know some dog owners that I can see them not being able to play it once the dog killing starts.

They are pixels. The game is not real. Imagine being a turtle owner and not being able to play Mario cause he jumps on the koopas. Come on...
Watch Salvatores' Nirvana (or at least Toy Story). :ufup
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: curly on June 28, 2020, 09:26:44 AM
Also, yeah I was surprised at all the dog killing in this game. Playing it I was wondering if dog owners can't play this game because of that. I know some dog owners that I can see them not being able to play it once the dog killing starts.

They are pixels. The game is not real. Imagine being a turtle owner and not being able to play Mario cause he jumps on the koopas. Come on...

Big difference between violence that presents itself realistically and that which doesn't. This is like saying it's ridiculous to have an emotional reaction to a story because it's not something that really happened, it's just words or a series of images.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 28, 2020, 09:42:33 AM
Enemy npc #24 isn't exactly the same as a character that actually has a backstory and general character building.

The ones they actually tried to do it for in the game, they bungled so hard it's laughable.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
They actually tried with Abby's dog. But because they decided to split up the game into two 10 hour chunks seeing two sides of the story, the stuff actually building up the dog happens like hours after you already killed it in some QTE.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on June 28, 2020, 10:03:02 AM
The double standard when it comes to animals and humans is older than videogames.
:trumps

I've seen a guy say he wasn't too thrilled about the enemies begging for their life while the game never offered any choice on the matter. Both on moral grounds but also a weird pacing issue in encounters which breaks the flow.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 28, 2020, 10:03:11 AM
Enemy npc #24 isn't exactly the same as a character that actually has a backstory and general character building.

The ones they actually tried to do it for in the game, they bungled so hard it's laughable.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
They actually tried with Abby's dog. But because they decided to split up the game into two 10 hour chunks seeing two sides of the story, the stuff actually building up the dog happens like hours after you already killed it in some QTE.
[close]
That's why it's interesting.  ???
spoiler (click to show/hide)
You kill what comes off as a random dog and then it's given depth, making you reflect on (the character's) past actions.
It's like, the whole point of the game's structure, to see the two sides.
[close]
Not gonna work on everyone, as everybody's different, i suppose.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Raist on June 28, 2020, 11:32:20 AM
"Both sides" :wag
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 28, 2020, 11:33:03 AM
There's too much downtime in between the two storylines robbing it of the emotional impact they were obviously shooting for.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Doesn't help that killing Abby's dog is literally a retread of the central catalyst the game is built around. Killing the random doctor in part 1 turning out to be Abby's dad. Did this even need to be there?
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 28, 2020, 02:01:55 PM
I agree there's too much filler (mainly gameplay encounters that could've been cut) in general, but
spoiler (click to show/hide)
to a degree, i think you're supposed to forget what you've done, until you're reminded, it makes it more powerful, when you come back with Abby from Haven.
That is, if you empathized with her by that point (which i did, but others didn't).

For her father being that one surgeon, i kind of agree, i find it hacky to tie it back to the one single most important victim of Joel's action.
To me, symbolically, it would've meant much more if she was the daughter of a random someone that Joel had killed during his bad boy days (implied but not shown, in the first game).
This is partly a problem with the first game and its lack of nuance, something the second game works on, at least.

However it needs to be said that for most people, the link to a scene directly in the first game was important, and this does tie back to what they felt was a central element of Ellie's story (which i find of little interest): Her role as humanity's denied savior, and therefore her frustration for a lack of purpose (also related to the death of Riley).
So yeah it ties in, in that sense.

I find the whole immunity aspect somewhat superfluous and hacky in general, but of course it's too late to ignore now.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 28, 2020, 04:15:35 PM
I think the biggest offender in too many gameplay encounters is

spoiler (click to show/hide)
in the epilogue in Santa Barbara. Yeah it's nice to run around a different looking location, but once we changed to Ellie there it should've been cutscenes or exploration straight to the final encounter. Going through a few areas again with dudes (who now were a helmet!) was just "ugh, come on, let's get this over with"
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 28, 2020, 05:15:37 PM
this game is boring and the characters are extremely uninteresting

i dont think Dina could be any worse of a character, but then she decides to pull a Maury with the random "i'm pregnant" OOOOOOOOOOK sure Dina
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: toku on June 28, 2020, 06:47:03 PM
https://youtu.be/Bat38vErWr4
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Ghoul on June 28, 2020, 07:06:33 PM
For a game about strong women, sure fucked that up after making Dina a damsel literally 10 mins after announcing so boldly that she was a pregnant lesbian.

I’m currently
spoiler (click to show/hide)
on what seems like the 20th hour of playing as Abby she’s just been fucked and just gone over the massive bridge and fallen into the swimming pool the scar sub story has been an absolute waste of time, but at least I’ve seen the attempted hanging scene now. Just need to get the meds then I assume I’ll be nearly at the end, the game feels lost within itself, it’s given up trying to be woke and it’s almost as if it’s got to a well we killed Joel off far too early what the hell we gonna do now?
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 28, 2020, 08:13:00 PM
I'll give you that they didn't do enough with Dina, though she still has some moments past where you are. As much as the side characters are likeable, the focus is so much on Ellie/Abby that everyone else is whatever.

I think I'd have liked it better if Dina was Ellie's sidekick the whole way. Like Jesse was cool, but making room for Jesse was at the expense of Dina.


I disagree with your spoiler bit though. The main story concept is good and in a lot of ways more interesting than the original story concept. It's just the execution is debatable.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on June 28, 2020, 08:56:44 PM
So... do you all feel this is a 10/10 Must Play GOTG?  Asking for a friend.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 28, 2020, 09:06:34 PM
Hell no lmao
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on June 28, 2020, 09:35:45 PM
Needed more diversity to be a 10 for me
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 28, 2020, 10:20:59 PM
what the fuck

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Jesse literally appearing out of nowhere "OH HI HAHA XD"
[close]

the nostalgia bits with Joel just cement that he is easily the best character

people wanted Tommy as a lead? he would be even worse, i would go insane listen to this yokel talk
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on June 28, 2020, 11:05:34 PM
I really dislike Dina. There is nothing believable about her character and she feels rather pointless.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on June 28, 2020, 11:16:28 PM
i dont think Dina could be any worse of a character, but then she decides to pull a Maury with the random "i'm pregnant" OOOOOOOOOOK sure Dina
This dumb game pulls this lazy plot device out of the hat
spoiler (click to show/hide)
MULTIPLE FUCKING TIMES
[close]
. And love triangles. Love triangles everywhere.

Druckmann has brain rot from watching too many daytime soaps and lifetime original movies.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 29, 2020, 02:00:37 AM
Where'd Abby get the steroids in the post-apocalypse?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 29, 2020, 02:23:21 AM
So... do you all feel this is a 10/10 Must Play GOTG?  Asking for a friend.
Nothing is a "must play".
I think it's better than the first one in many respects (some obviously due to tech advancements) and worse in others ( mainly pacing and some extra story stuff, like notes and optional banter).
So i'd put it on a similar level.

Not my GOTG, not even my GOTY (that'd be Alyx) but still a great piece of work under many POVs.
Number scores are distinguished mentally-challenged, so i dunno about that.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on June 29, 2020, 05:34:32 AM
As someone that adored the first game: I detested this pile of shit.


If you’re looking to play a 3rd-person zombie apocalypse-em-up, pick up the much-superior-in-nearly-every-way Days Gone instead of wasting your time with this public-access dollar-general version of a bad episode of The Walking Dead.  Or maybe a replay of the first Last of Us or its DLC.  Either way, please don’t spend money on this and make Sony think we want more.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 29, 2020, 05:55:40 AM
Endgame
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Abby Christ on the cross was a good touch.
[close]

Absolute masterpiece.

6/10
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 29, 2020, 11:40:35 AM
like what hte fuck is the relevance of super hero trading cards
It's really a stupid amount.
The coins at least are more reasonably spaced.

Do they do anything for you gameplay wise or is it just pointless achievement type stuff?
AFAIK just fluff, like the comics in 1.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 29, 2020, 04:15:11 PM
So... do you all feel this is a 10/10 Must Play GOTG?  Asking for a friend.
Nothing is a "must play".
I think it's better than the first one in many respects (some obviously due to tech advancements) and worse in others ( mainly pacing and some extra story stuff, like notes and optional banter).
So i'd put it on a similar level.

Not my GOTG, not even my GOTY (that'd be Alyx) but still a great piece of work under many POVs.
Number scores are distinguished mentally-challenged fellowed, so i dunno about that.

Yeah, it's probably not my GoTY, and I don't think it's as good as Red Dead 2 and I think those two games are very comparable in very long messy narrative AAA movie/games with top-notch graphics/presentation.

But it's a great game that every person with taste should play and enjoy. Does everything work? Nah, but enough works that it's worth playing and experiencing.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 29, 2020, 04:15:59 PM
I disagree, you could spend your time on other things instead

This game doesn't really need to exist, just play the first one and leave it at that
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 29, 2020, 04:21:43 PM
I don't really understand how people could like the first game and not this. This isn't as good in some stuff, but gameplay-wise it's more of the same but better. Story-wise it's a completely different beast, but if you liked the characters of the original, you'd probably want to see this through, right?
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 29, 2020, 04:43:59 PM
Nope

What exactly does this game do better?

From what I can see it's the same rag-scavenging bullet-picking batman-vision playing game as before
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 29, 2020, 05:34:28 PM
More weapons/tools and better designed larger encounter fields with dozens of ways to have emergent gameplay encounters in them. Slightly more enemy types (slightly only because they really should've had a few more enemy types).
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on June 29, 2020, 08:57:41 PM
I don't really understand how people could like the first game and not this. This isn't as good in some stuff, but gameplay-wise it's more of the same but better. Story-wise it's a completely different beast, but if you liked the characters of the original, you'd probably want to see this through, right?
I wish I hadn’t.  The Last of Us games are so reliant on their narrative storytelling that I don’t believe the marginal improvements to controls and encounter designs are even close to balancing out the poor pacing and wretched story, and I know that if I were to go back and play the first game knowing how they handle the sequel, my whole experience with it is very likely to be soured.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 29, 2020, 10:53:00 PM
FOUR years earlier? this bitch got roided up in 4 years? in the apocalypse? what the fuck
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 29, 2020, 11:03:26 PM
also LMFAO

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Jesse getting noscope'd like some noob in CSGO
[close]

Like what was the point of this character? What the fuck
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on June 29, 2020, 11:18:20 PM
Do characters have to have a point? It's a story, there's various people and things happen to them.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 29, 2020, 11:36:05 PM
Even your average rote JRPG has more depth to their characters than Jesse

This game is so bad lmfao
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Trent Dole on June 29, 2020, 11:51:38 PM
like what hte fuck is the relevance of super hero trading cards
Maybe the devs are big fans of Rare's collectathon shit. :teehee
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 30, 2020, 12:10:43 AM
why is a pregnant lady fighting the hordes of infected
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on June 30, 2020, 01:06:10 AM
i dont think Dina could be any worse of a character, but then she decides to pull a Maury with the random "i'm pregnant" OOOOOOOOOOK sure Dina
This dumb game pulls this lazy plot device out of the hat
spoiler (click to show/hide)
MULTIPLE FUCKING TIMES
[close]
. And love triangles. Love triangles everywhere.

Druckmann has brain rot from watching too many daytime soaps and lifetime original movies.

They also had a writer from quality tv show WESTWORLD to help. Also writing for TV and movies is nothing like writing for games.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 30, 2020, 01:51:05 AM
Do characters have to have a point? It's a story, there's various people and things happen to them.
Ideally yes.
When you write a story everything needs to have a common goal, characters (like any other element) are cogs in a larger machine.

Jesse is probably the weakest link in the whole game for me, but he does have a purpose, and it's to underline the cost of Ellie's crusade.
Especially when at the end,
spoiler (click to show/hide)
she decides to leave Dina alone to raise Jesse's child, to keep pursuing her revenge, which is one way the love triangle is shaken up a bit.
[close]

However i agree he's not a very interesting character, and being Asian is probably the only element of his that one can remember.
It's one of the reasons i like Abby's side of the story better, she's got more going on with her cast.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 30, 2020, 04:30:38 AM
why is a pregnant lady fighting the hordes of infected

It's a game about strong women. But in the most hamfisted way possible.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 30, 2020, 04:52:59 AM
> Couple of weeks preggo fighting some zombies.
 :nope

> Guy who got impaled, mowing through a cannibals camp and resuming his journey West after popping an antibiotic.
 :ohyeah



 :gurl
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 30, 2020, 07:19:45 AM
Didn't the winter chapter imply Joel was down for a while, hence Ellie having to fend for herself?

I think Demi was also talking about bringing Mel along and not Dina.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 30, 2020, 08:22:36 AM
The guy was nearly comatose (as seen in Left Behind as well) and then reverts back to perfect form as you go through the winter resort.
It's gameplay concession, arguably they could've made something that included some gameplay handicap, but we can understand why they they didn't want to bring that aspect to impact the gameplay (same reason why companions are invisible in both games: It's fucking annoying to get spotted because of dumb AI).
The same is true for Mel, story wise they mention how she shouldn't have come, how she's putting herself/her baby in danger, but gameplay wise you don't want some annoying fucking mechanic where the pregnant lady trips and dies at the first problem.
Again, a gameplay concession.


It's the good ol' ludo-narrative dissonance people get (selectively) up in arms about.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Ghoul on June 30, 2020, 10:33:26 AM
So I'm done! Spoilers from here on out

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The last section just felt childish, Ellie going there to "Kill" Abbey that had already spared her life twice along with that dumb bitch Dima. The end fight I wanted Ellie to die, but nah she just loses a couple fingers so she can't play guitar anymore, the scar sub story sucked, it was just thrown in to be like well you don't want to hate trans people do you? Dima the lesbian child birther is just the ultimate damsel and a waste of space and time, I missed actually having Joel in it other than just the flashbacks, IMO it should have gone, Ellie and Joel section, Joel dies, Ellie and Jesse section with Dima chasing them inti seattle then finding out she's pregnant and race to get back after killing friends of abbey, abbey section catching upto them with wolves, take it back to Jackson war between Wolves and Ellie clan, would have made for a much better section, fight scene etc then go off for boohoo ruined lives
[close]

I looked at the number of collectables thinking if there's a few sure will go grab them, but there's too many and I really can't be bothered anymore. if anyone is yet to start/but wait for a sale and also don't play anything above moderate I played above it and completed it that way but it was an absolute shit show.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 30, 2020, 03:37:56 PM
Playing through the section with Joel getting up in the winter chapter. They actually did change the gameplay for a section of it. Joel is holding his wound and your movement speed is slowed down.

Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 30, 2020, 04:10:35 PM
Playing through the section with Joel getting up in the winter chapter. They actually did change the gameplay for a section of it. Joel is holding his wound and your movement speed is slowed down.
Isn't that, like, 2 screens? (basically the area immediately out the house he's sleeping in).
Hardly any kind of realistic recovery, dude's acting like he slept on his bad side and got some back pain.

Not that i'm complaining, as i said i'm ok with that kind of bullshit, since Last of Use isn't really all that realistic, more grounded than usual action games (especially Uncharted), but still essentially a comic book reality, with cults, colorful factions, and all that nonsense.

Though in both cases, they miss the opportunity to remove a couple of rooms, for something more creative.
Since Naughty Dog is kind of famous for their scripted "interactive" set pieces, those could've been opportunities to stretch that muscle.
Same with the finale of
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ellie in California, i get that they wanted the gameplay climax (equivalent to the first game's hospital) but by then, most people just want to get to the resolution of the plot, and they could've used the slavers idea to come up with some kind of (faster to go through) scripted section, maybe involving those chained infected they use in the area.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on June 30, 2020, 04:42:33 PM
Isn't that, like, 2 screens? (basically the area immediately out the house he's sleeping in).
Hardly any kind of realistic recovery, dude's acting like he slept on his bad side and got some back pain.

Which is still 100% more than Part 2 does to establish any of it's storybeats.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 30, 2020, 05:28:52 PM
Isn't that, like, 2 screens? (basically the area immediately out the house he's sleeping in).
Hardly any kind of realistic recovery, dude's acting like he slept on his bad side and got some back pain.

Which is still 100% more than Part 2 does to establish any of it's storybeats.
Getting impaled and being near comatose for weeks (months?) is also significantly worse than being pregnant, but now i feel like we're really splitting hair, and going in circle.
I think Part 2 establishes most of its story beats just fine, and comes off a bit more messy than 1, just because it's using a less safe approach in structuring its story (which also made it more interesting, in my opinion).

However i'm not here to change your minds about it, so to each their own.  :yeshrug
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: mormapope on June 30, 2020, 05:33:22 PM
Half of Resetera's userbase are paid astroturfers for Sony's products. Many those Instagram likes are probably Sony bots or accounts well (millions of people going apeshiit over a controller reveal?)  :lol

Microsoft and Nintendo more than likely do similar things, but Sony is far more aggressive when it comes to this shit.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on June 30, 2020, 05:38:08 PM
Half of Resetera's userbase are paid astroturfers for Sony's products. Many those Instagram likes are probably Sony bots or accounts well (millions of people going apeshiit over a controller reveal?)  :lol

Microsoft and Nintendo more than likely do similar things, but Sony is far more aggressive when it comes to this shit.
"Paid".
You wish!  :neogaf
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on June 30, 2020, 09:15:07 PM
Shit if you paid me I'd gladly lie and say this game is good

Imagine not being paid and still admitting that you think this game is good haha

Couldnt be me
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 01, 2020, 01:04:27 AM
The game is too long and the more ambitious story of this game is really messy and at sometimes simply boring.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on July 01, 2020, 01:57:32 AM
Getting impaled and being near comatose for weeks (months?) is also significantly worse than being pregnant, but now i feel like we're really splitting hair, and going in circle.
I think Part 2 establishes most of its story beats just fine, and comes off a bit more messy than 1, just because it's using a less safe approach in structuring its story (which also made it more interesting, in my opinion).

However i'm not here to change your minds about it, so to each their own.  :yeshrug

That you don't like the way they explained it doesn't change the fact that they actually explained why stuff happens.

The only reason I can think of why they would take Mel along is
spoiler (click to show/hide)
so she could be killed by Ellie. Setting up Abby's redemptive arc later on.
[close]

Which once again feeds into why I find the game so contrived. They couldn't be arsed to give even the smallest bit of information as to why stuff happens. Stuff just happens because of shock value.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on July 01, 2020, 02:25:31 AM
Getting impaled and being near comatose for weeks (months?) is also significantly worse than being pregnant, but now i feel like we're really splitting hair, and going in circle.
I think Part 2 establishes most of its story beats just fine, and comes off a bit more messy than 1, just because it's using a less safe approach in structuring its story (which also made it more interesting, in my opinion).

However i'm not here to change your minds about it, so to each their own.  :yeshrug

That you don't like the way they explained it doesn't change the fact that they actually explained why stuff happens.

The only reason I can think of why they would take Mel along is
spoiler (click to show/hide)
so she could be killed by Ellie. Setting up Abby's redemptive arc later on.
[close]

Which once again feeds into why I find the game so contrived. They couldn't be arsed to give even the smallest bit of information as to why stuff happens. Stuff just happens because of shock value.
I'm not understanding what you're referring to, evidently.
The only instance where Mel is seen "fighting zombie hordes" I can think of, is when you go to the FOB, and you get ambushed by Scars.
And my argument being, it's no more bullshit seeing her fighting and jumping around (during those gameplay phases) than Joel and his magical healing potion.

If you're referring to her being in the revenge posse at the very start, when is she shown fighting hordes of zombies there? Are we arguing about the same thing?

Anyway, the character explanation of why she's there at the start:
spoiler (click to show/hide)
She's shown to be very jealous of Abby.
She's stuck to Owen's ass 100% of the time.
She's shown to be willing to get and put her baby in harm's way multiple times.
Plus it's plausible to think she was butt-blasted by Joel's actions as well.
And they weren't expecting Jackson to be as big as it is, since Owen calls off the whole thing once they see it.
[close]
Doesn't seem that absurd to me.

Moreover, her being there isn't at all needed for
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ellie killing her when she does, remember:

Ellie goes to the Aquarium thinking she'll find Abby.
She finds Owen and her.
Gets "assaulted" by the two, and kills them in "self defense" during a struggle.

She could've just as well only recognized Owen in that scene, and you could've played it out just the same.
[close]

So i think the reason why she's there at the start is partly so you get to see the whole cast, kinda like a Kill Bill, as well as the character reasons mentioned above.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: bluemax on July 01, 2020, 02:43:45 AM
So I'm done! Spoilers from here on out

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The last section just felt childish, Ellie going there to "Kill" Abbey that had already spared her life twice along with that dumb bitch Dima. The end fight I wanted Ellie to die, but nah she just loses a couple fingers so she can't play guitar anymore, the scar sub story sucked, it was just thrown in to be like well you don't want to hate trans people do you? Dima the lesbian child birther is just the ultimate damsel and a waste of space and time, I missed actually having Joel in it other than just the flashbacks, IMO it should have gone, Ellie and Joel section, Joel dies, Ellie and Jesse section with Dima chasing them inti seattle then finding out she's pregnant and race to get back after killing friends of abbey, abbey section catching upto them with wolves, take it back to Jackson war between Wolves and Ellie clan, would have made for a much better section, fight scene etc then go off for boohoo ruined lives
[close]

I looked at the number of collectables thinking if there's a few sure will go grab them, but there's too many and I really can't be bothered anymore. if anyone is yet to start/but wait for a sale and also don't play anything above moderate I played above it and completed it that way but it was an absolute shit show.

I feel like you have to be a masochist to play a Naughty Dog game on anything above normal. They don't do the kind of balancing where a harder difficulty is more interesting.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on July 01, 2020, 02:50:41 AM
So I'm done! Spoilers from here on out

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The last section just felt childish, Ellie going there to "Kill" Abbey that had already spared her life twice along with that dumb bitch Dima. The end fight I wanted Ellie to die, but nah she just loses a couple fingers so she can't play guitar anymore, the scar sub story sucked, it was just thrown in to be like well you don't want to hate trans people do you? Dima the lesbian child birther is just the ultimate damsel and a waste of space and time, I missed actually having Joel in it other than just the flashbacks, IMO it should have gone, Ellie and Joel section, Joel dies, Ellie and Jesse section with Dima chasing them inti seattle then finding out she's pregnant and race to get back after killing friends of abbey, abbey section catching upto them with wolves, take it back to Jackson war between Wolves and Ellie clan, would have made for a much better section, fight scene etc then go off for boohoo ruined lives
[close]

I looked at the number of collectables thinking if there's a few sure will go grab them, but there's too many and I really can't be bothered anymore. if anyone is yet to start/but wait for a sale and also don't play anything above moderate I played above it and completed it that way but it was an absolute shit show.

I feel like you have to be a masochist to play a Naughty Dog game on anything above normal. They don't do the kind of balancing where a harder difficulty is more interesting.
Uncharted in shit on hard, but Last of Us (1 and 2) are better.
I played on hard, and thought it was fine (was always loaded with stuff), Survival would've probably been better.
Meanwhile i've seen some people play on normal on Twitch, and you can just punch your way through encounters.  ???

And i'm not even someone that likes hard games in general.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BIONIC on July 01, 2020, 03:50:51 AM
So I'm done! Spoilers from here on out

spoiler (click to show/hide)
The last section just felt childish, Ellie going there to "Kill" Abbey that had already spared her life twice along with that dumb bitch Dima. The end fight I wanted Ellie to die, but nah she just loses a couple fingers so she can't play guitar anymore, the scar sub story sucked, it was just thrown in to be like well you don't want to hate trans people do you? Dima the lesbian child birther is just the ultimate damsel and a waste of space and time, I missed actually having Joel in it other than just the flashbacks, IMO it should have gone, Ellie and Joel section, Joel dies, Ellie and Jesse section with Dima chasing them inti seattle then finding out she's pregnant and race to get back after killing friends of abbey, abbey section catching upto them with wolves, take it back to Jackson war between Wolves and Ellie clan, would have made for a much better section, fight scene etc then go off for boohoo ruined lives
[close]

I looked at the number of collectables thinking if there's a few sure will go grab them, but there's too many and I really can't be bothered anymore. if anyone is yet to start/but wait for a sale and also don't play anything above moderate I played above it and completed it that way but it was an absolute shit show.

I feel like you have to be a masochist to play a Naughty Dog game on anything above normal. They don't do the kind of balancing where a harder difficulty is more interesting.

TLOU games are great on hard without listen mode. Decently intense, but perfectly fair. Could even stand to be a bit less forgiving.

Uncharted games are shit on hard or crushing though. No argument there.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on July 01, 2020, 04:04:44 AM
I'm not understanding what you're referring to, evidently.
The only instance where Mel is seen "fighting zombie hordes" I can think of, is when you go to the FOB, and you get ambushed by Scars.
And my argument being, it's no more bullshit seeing her fighting and jumping around (during those gameplay phases) than Joel and his magical healing potion.

If you're referring to her being in the revenge posse at the very start, when is she shown fighting hordes of zombies there? Are we arguing about the same thing?

Anyway, the character explanation of why she's there at the start:
spoiler (click to show/hide)
She's shown to be very jealous of Abby.
She's stuck to Owen's ass 100% of the time.
She's shown to be willing to get and put her baby in harm's way multiple times.
Plus it's plausible to think she was butt-blasted by Joel's actions as well.
And they weren't expecting Jackson to be as big as it is, since Owen calls off the whole thing once they see it.
[close]
Doesn't seem that absurd to me.

Moreover, her being there isn't at all needed for
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ellie killing her when she does, remember:

Ellie goes to the Aquarium thinking she'll find Abby.
She finds Owen and her.
Gets "assaulted" by the two, and kills them in "self defense" during a struggle.

She could've just as well only recognized Owen in that scene, and you could've played it out just the same.
[close]

So i think the reason why she's there at the start is partly so you get to see the whole cast, kinda like a Kill Bill, as well as the character reasons mentioned above.

I never said fighting zombie hordes. That was Demi. I have problems with the trip to the FOB.

The intro was fine.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Abby's crew are members of the Fireflies from Salt Lake City. Mel herself was a medical student under Abby's dad. Abby's dad even called her one of his best students.  There's obvious connections there.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: remy on July 01, 2020, 05:04:34 AM
Half of Resetera's userbase are paid astroturfers for Sony's products. Many those Instagram likes are probably Sony bots or accounts well (millions of people going apeshiit over a controller reveal?)  :lol

Microsoft and Nintendo more than likely do similar things, but Sony is far more aggressive when it comes to this shit.

Both my resetera warnings were posts suggesting someone was astroturfing for sony, hours after I made them  :doge
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on July 01, 2020, 05:33:44 AM
This belongs here  :lol

https://youtu.be/aUSGFaC39R4
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 01, 2020, 11:35:09 PM
whyyyyy is there a stupid resident evil boss
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 01, 2020, 11:40:17 PM
i just want this game to be over and IT KEEPS FUCKING GOING
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on July 02, 2020, 04:42:30 AM
I'l never understand this kind of masochism.  :lol

Like people that hate open world games, but platinum them every time.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BIONIC on July 02, 2020, 05:19:29 AM
whyyyyy is there a stupid resident evil boss

That was a great part  :ufup
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 02, 2020, 09:37:16 AM
what? how and why? it was completely unnecessary

like who the fuck cares about Lev and Yara i dont think they could beat it over your head any more about Lev's "secret" like who the fuck cares can we get back to the main story here where is Ellie
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on July 02, 2020, 10:31:37 AM
Abby is the main story tho.
That fight was dope, the only problem is that comes after 40 minutes of going through buildings.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on July 02, 2020, 04:32:32 PM
That boss fight was actually pretty cool but Abby day 2 is an endless slog of boring combat encounters.
Abby is the main story tho.
This is why the first game was better. Abby's campaign is boring.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 02, 2020, 04:37:35 PM
I didn't like that boss fight because I was shooting and then I'd get grabbed and die in 1 hit
Then I learned to just run away and take pot shots and run some more and repeat and it was ok.

That being said, I kept wondering why the final boss fight of the game was not at the end of the game.


Also I don't remember if I've mentioned it, but the game needed way more enemy types. For the budget they had they absolutely should've had another 1-2 types of infected, bosses like this, and 1-2 types of human enemies. Although I fucking hate the silent infected. They are so bullshit because they are invisible on radar and then they alert every enemy in the area and you're fucked. Not fun enemies at all and should've been replaced with something better in a stealth game.

Also Also, going from that I hate the way you can't recover from an alert and once it goes off you just have to kill or run from every enemy in the area and your stealth chance is over. As a stealth player I find these kind of systems stupid and I do a lot of pause -> restart checkpoint. There should be a way to escape and then hide and then stealth again.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on July 02, 2020, 04:50:26 PM
Checkpointing after you fail stealth is a holdover from the first game. I do like it because it forces you to improvise and role-play the character but I think it made a lot more sense in a 13 hour game instead of a 30 hour one.

Agreed on the lacking enemy variety also, I was waiting for some more weird shit like this
spoiler (click to show/hide)
(https://gamespot1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/1535/15358365/2979926-0374745303-PS3_T.jpg)
[close]
so I was actually pretty hype for the boss fight.

Game also needs more guns, why did we get 2 characters if they're just going to use the same weapons with minor aesthetic differences.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 02, 2020, 05:21:25 PM
But like it doesn't even make sense in the game's world logic. Like the clickers that are blind and hear. If you trigger an alert and they run at you, if you get away quietly (say cause an explosion elsewhere or other loud noise) and then hide they should go back to wandering around searching for you. Instead they just home in on wherever you are for the rest of the encounter no matter what like they have a tracking chip on you which makes no sense.

It reminds me of the early MGS games where once you trigger an alert you're fucked and have to shoot your way out. The later games are more flexible iirc and you can trigger an alert, take out the alerted guard and then hide somewhere when everyone else runs over and is searching and then the alert will go off. That's exactly what I wish this game's stealth mechanic did.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: BrokenVerses on July 03, 2020, 12:54:52 AM
I’m starting the Abby section and I’m already feeling the game is dragging. It shouldn’t have been this long.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 03, 2020, 01:31:05 AM
Imagine dedicating a whole section of the game

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Only for Yara to get noscoped like a noob in CSGO anyway
[close]

Thanks for wasting my time I guess
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 03, 2020, 01:34:00 AM
Yeah I thought that too when that happened. Seemed kinda dumb.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on July 03, 2020, 02:02:17 AM
I liked that the shot from off-screen happened. Another great moment.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 03, 2020, 02:15:23 AM
Oh yeah can't forget about

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Manny getting noscoped like a noob in CSGO
[close]

"what should we do about this character?"

"i dont fucking know just shoot him i guess we need to tell these people about Lev"

good ol fuckin Lev
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 03, 2020, 02:38:37 AM
Actually that bit was good, especially when you find out who the sniper is.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 03, 2020, 02:59:07 AM
But we know who the sniper is already, they spell it out 15 hours ago

The entire first ... third? Of the game hammers it home who the sniper is
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on July 03, 2020, 03:42:14 AM
Man I just remembered that Abby decides to help Yara and Lev because she had a guilt dream about them dying after banging Owen.  :snoop

After the controversy/politicizing of this game dies down I think it’ll be seen as the second coming of Bioshock Infinite. It even goes for the same both sides shit.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on July 03, 2020, 05:03:48 AM
I was thinking Highlander 2, but Bioshock Infinite also works.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HaughtyFrank on July 03, 2020, 12:07:05 PM
Man I just remembered that Abby decides to help Yara and Lev because she had a guilt dream about them dying after banging Owen.  :snoop

After the controversy/politicizing of this game dies down I think it’ll be seen as the second coming of Bioshock Infinite. It even goes for the same both sides shit.

That was corny as hell. I don't think they were really equipped to tell the story they were going for. Just like the stuff that was there to humanize Abby, whenever that came around I couldn't help but imagine a smirking writer thinking that they're so damn clever.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 03, 2020, 01:56:15 PM
Damn, a lot of y'all didn't like this one.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HaughtyFrank on July 03, 2020, 04:59:36 PM
Damn, a lot of y'all didn't like this one.

This game really lives and dies with the narrative. I wanted to like it but it just didn't click.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 03, 2020, 06:53:14 PM
The final sequence is just as terrible as I read. Glad it's over, fuck this game
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 03, 2020, 08:17:19 PM
Damn, a lot of y'all didn't like this one.
Ive liked it so far. It’s just really messy.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on July 04, 2020, 08:53:26 AM
Finished it. Around 30 hours clocked. Really good game. Story works on a scene by scene basis but gets messy af if you try to piece it all together again. Thought it was way too long for its own good. The gameplay loop of combat, explore, scavenge got old after like hour 18. :doge

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Most of the second half encounters were way better than the ones in the first half (considering a lot of those were tutorials, it makes sense), but the game could have gotten some serious time in the cutting room floor. And ND should have given Ellie a few of Abby's encounters to compensate. Day 2 Seattle with Abby was the best stretch of gameplay, even if it ended up being a massive waste of time lol

I also liked the last stretch of gameplay with Ellie against the infected and regular enemies, because they were in intricately crafted environments that gave you a shit ton of ammo and supplies, allowing you to hunt down enemies with Ellie in a way you weren't given a chance with her in Seattle.

I see what ND was going for with the ending, but come on. Ellie letting Abby go would have felt more powerful if I didn't slaughter an entire fucking compound before I got to her. And that's the main issue I have with the story as far as main points go. I know they tried to humanize the enemies more in this one, but they felt like dolls reciting human emotion than actual characters. I actually liked the idea of giving Ellie PTSD, only if it explicitly made the player know that the only time she's fine now is if she's in danger. A reflection on the real life PTSD people in the military can go through, where they are "fine" while deployed, but turn into wrecks back home. Something tangible, rather than what feels like a narrative device to get us to feel something for Ellie when we get to control her again. But the game couldn't even do that. In fact, it's way too merciful towards both Ellie and Abby, in terms of the trauma they go through, compared to what they dish out. But then again, they'd probably get killed pretty quickly in a world like that if they played it straight.
[close]

The structure also didn't work IMO and I feel that it reduced the impact of many scenes as a result. Didn't mind the flashbacks with Ellie, some of them were legitimately great. The ones with Abby were straight up momentum killers.

After the controversy/politicizing of this game dies down I think it’ll be seen as the second coming of Bioshock Infinite. It even goes for the same both sides shit.

The gameplay is actually good in this one so at least I personally won't be genuinely mad about it as I was with Infinite.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
As far as the "both sides" shit, it actually makes more sense seeing two tribes going to war, one of which effectively commiting genocide on the other. Also, Slavery being used by the Raiders or Riders, or whoever the last gang you fought were called. This works because civilization already ended, and humanity went back to running their greatest hits - stuck in some weird interregnum between the modern world and the bronze age. Compared to Infinite, where you had to go to a different reality entirely in order for the story to justify that the people you were made to sympathize with are bad too. The only complaint I have in the WLF vs Seraphite conflict, is that the Scars are just some weird ass cult - nothing really interesting behind them.
[close]
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: El Babua on July 04, 2020, 03:43:40 PM
Wait, the Seraphites were supposed to represent Palestinians? Well played Mr. Druckmann lmao

https://twitter.com/KarmicSlingshot/status/1279318021870366722
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 04, 2020, 03:53:05 PM
I thought from the leaks of what seemed like earlier builds the Seraphite cult was supposed to be a take on the bible thumper Christian USA, but they cut going into it either for optics or pacing.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 04, 2020, 04:13:36 PM
I thought from the leaks of what seemed like earlier builds the Seraphite cult was supposed to be a take on the bible thumper Christian USA, but they cut going into it either for optics or pacing.
:D
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Pissy F Benny on July 04, 2020, 04:57:56 PM
The game is zio propaganda then :maduro

:piss :goty2 :piss2
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 04, 2020, 05:13:49 PM
I thought from the leaks of what seemed like earlier builds the Seraphite cult was supposed to be a take on the bible thumper Christian USA, but they cut going into it either for optics or pacing.
:D

There used to be 5 days, lining up with the leaks, at least one day was Dina getting captured by the Seraphites and Ellie going to their island to rescue her and you'd learn more about their background during that section.

also spoilers for beyond halfway:

spoiler (click to show/hide)
It sounds like in that version, whats his name father guy would've died during the rescue saving Dina, but when they cut out that section they moved his death to the climax theater encounter.
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on July 04, 2020, 09:55:56 PM
Speedrunners have got TLOU2 down to about 13 minutes. What the fuck

https://clips.twitch.tv/AbrasiveAntediluvianPoxHoneyBadger
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: benjipwns on July 04, 2020, 10:17:37 PM
quality not quantity
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 05, 2020, 01:34:12 AM
Man a flash forward epilogue was really not needed.

But I guess Rockstar did it so Naughty Dog felt the need to do it too.

Except it did'nt feature the boring characters of Ellie and Dina.

As I finish the game I really think the story is a mess. The game is really long and honestly Naughty Dog just did way too much.

It's such a disjointed narrative that clashes with being a game. I don't even know what you could have done instead.

I like Abby. Her story is the more interesting one, but even then it feels a bit truncated. Like it's pretty much the same shit as Last of US 1. She finds redemption through growing close with someone else. Also the running theme of her revenge being unfuilling, kind of pointless, and ruining/killing her friends. It's kind of ok and it is a good contrast to Ellie....

Except I played a 15 hour game that was pretty boring before I get to it and the story needs that boring part to. Like Ellie's part is so whatever. Nothing really happens of note during her story and her relationship with Dina is so bad. Hell, it starts getting good when she ditches Dina and you have actual conflict with Jesse, as he points out the selfishness of whats going on. Then I'm thrown into Last of Us Part 2 Movie 2 which does honestly do an ok job (if a bit hammy) recontexulizing whats going on.

The thing is I'm not sure as a game this fits. I like gameplay. It's fun and it's tense. Guns feel weighty. It does a good job making it seem like you are always on edge of not having enough stuff. Level design is good and expansive. Naughty Dog has always been good at it's style of simple stealth in that yeah it's not Splinter Cell and it's not supposed to be. It's super basic "if you are hiding behind something your good" and from there it can become a pretty tense game of shoot and try to scramble for hiding relief, at least when fighting humans anyway. And I think that has worked for their Uncharted 2 and so on games. The action scenes feel like action movies. But unlike Uncharted, Last of Us is slower and a bit more gurling and is not big on the set pieces or cinematic platformring. So while Uncharted 4 was also too long, it also has plenty of cool things to take you out of the gameplay loop. This game dosen't and while that loop is sound, I'm not sure it's sound for as long as this game is.

And I feel you have that matched up with a story that tries too much and I don't know, it sure isn't as sound as the first one.

It's like Naughty Dog wanted to address what people criticizes them for.

"Oh our stories are formulaic"

"Well here's this game that plays on perspectives!"

"Ludo disonance whatever"

"Well here's the game that tries to make you feel bad for killing!"

I'm not sure it 100% works.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Bebpo on July 05, 2020, 02:41:10 AM
Epilogue was needed because the ending before it was an unsatisfying conclusion. Yeah, like RDR2.

RDR2 pulled off the better epilogue though.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 05, 2020, 02:45:39 AM
Well I just got to it and maybe I'm more annoyed simply because I want the game to end.

In RDR2 though I felt it was needed as it gave closure to Arthur's sacrifice.

Here, I guess I'll just see what it does for the story.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 05, 2020, 04:52:23 AM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ok I wasn't really impressed with the epilogue. Seemed to be kind of lame and not really satisfying.

I mean as just a game it did'nt really have a punch. The last game ends on a pretty eerie hospital kill spree as joel and then the awkward conversation between the two that really highlights the bitter of this bittersweet ending. This is just "eh here's more of the same in a brighter place". Fight this new generic ass "savage" gang that feels ripped out of  a VHS C grade mad max rip-off. "Oh did you think we could get less lazy then the lame "back to nature" cult in the game? Then it just has a lame MGS4 was a thing ending as it's big end game set piece. It really felt like they ran out of ideas.

Then as a story...like yay Abby and Lev escaped only to get fucked up? Tommy is an asshole who can't understand why someone would want to continue a revenge quest that ended badly for everyone, including him? The casually also depowered Ellie can challenge de-muscled Abby to a fight?

Like at first I thought it could be cool to have Ellie be a "hero" in this little coda. Still return to Dina having left and her fingers messed up to give a cost for revenge. Like she's there to get Abby, but in the meantime take out this new (tacky) enemy and then chose to just rescue them. And I guess it kind of happens, but they just had to have a big olde dumb fight which just felt like no confidence in having a not "epic" scene. I don't know, just wasn't a really interesting last part.

Also in the post Apocalypse can your girlfriend really afford to do the "do this and I'm leaving and taking everything?"
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on July 05, 2020, 06:46:50 AM
The epilogue shares the problem the rest of the game has: too much gameplay (as absurd as it sounds).
Story wise it's necessary, and if you think the story could've been concluded before it, you missed the whole point.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
I also have no issue with Dina's decision. Is she supposed to remain alone in a farm in the middle of nowhere, waiting for Ellie? She's probably back in Jackson with Jesse's parents (as the letters in their house mentions) helping her raise JJ.
And i think Tommy's epilogue was actually a crucial character moment for him, who so far has been a bit of a mary sue of a character, showing that in him there was an underlying moral cowardice of acting reticent while pushing others to do what he wanted, but wasn't willing to admit outright (this ties into his implied past with Joel, in LoU1, where he blames his brother for some of the horrors they committed).
Ellie and Abby aren't the only ones unable to live without catharsis, it makes no sense to look at a story like this from a detached, pragmatic point of view of cost v reward, because the imbalance of that trade is the whole point of every other revenge story, including this one.
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As basic as a story like this is, i see a lot of people still missing really obvious thematic points.

Anyway, introducing the
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Rattlers would've been fine, if they didn't have you go through a whole massive structure with them, the pace of the plot just doesn't call for it, i get doing some world building and implying that California (and the rest of the World) has its own stories and problems, but at that point in the plot, you can't string along players for another 40 minutes of sneaking around a camp, of people that have little to nothing to do with the plot.
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At least they're a bit more reasonably characterized than the Seraphites are (for me, still the lowest point in the game by far, as fun as they can be to fight).
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on July 05, 2020, 03:04:06 PM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Oh no, I think Dina should have left. I feel like that is the cost of Ellie's un-willingness to let go. And while I understand the need of some catharsis, I'm not sure a fist fight is the solution. For gameplay or narrative. The story to me was clearly about the unsatisfying and pointlessness of revenge. Which is why I liked Abby's part more as her arc was interesting. She got her revenge and it did nothing. It wasn't emotionally satisfying, lead to some strange feelings, the only thing anyone can say about it is "yeah I guess Joel deserved it", it leads to a lot more destruction on her end, and honestly pushes her loved ones away from her.  And the same thing happens to Ellie and I guess only at the end does she realize that this is something Joel would'nt have wanted and it sure will do nothing really for her.

But I still find Dina taking everything pretty funny. I would assume "moving" is'nt such an easy thing in zombie Apocalypse world. Thats it.

But I am also more impacted by her losing her figures and not being able to play guitar and thus a connection to Joel then I am Dina leaving as I don't buy that relationship.

But I won't agree on Tommy. While I agree his character has probably always been written as not exactly wanting to owe up to his role in things. I don't know, in the first game he is clearly the brother that has given up that life and found something far more peaceful. To the point that while maybe naive is very welcoming to the strangers of Abby's group in the begining of the game. I did'nt buy him going off to kill a bunch of people and I don't buy him chastising Ellie for being a coward when not only did they get most of the group, but it has lead to disaster for both of them".
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: thetylerrob on July 05, 2020, 08:00:45 PM
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Tommy isn't a mary sue at all lol, that term has lost all meaning.

It's kinda interesting that his arc is exactly the same as Ellie's though. Even down to the disfigurement. I think his scene in the epilogue is more about establishing the weight of her choice, Ellie has literally stared the outcome of revenge in the face but she still needs it, she's completely broken and can't let go of the past.

Did anybody look to see if Dinah left the sheep? She probably hired somebody to take her to Jackson or Jessie's parents helped her move.
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on July 06, 2020, 03:42:49 AM
Yeah true, Mary Sue isn't the right term, but what i meant is it gives his actions a new layer of depth.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Up to that point there was a reticence shown that almost painted him as an unwilling participant, as i said his begrudging with Joel in LoU1,  and his initial rationalization trying to prevent Ellie from going.
Although he is the one sneaking away to go after Abby, he also asks Maria to lock Ellie in and prevent her from going after them.
So it's interesting to see his shift into someone completely consumed by that obsession for revenge, to the point where he berates Ellie for not fulfilling her promise (although this promise is made off screen? I don't remember it ever being shown).
I think it undermines some of the nobility of the character, which makes him more interesting.
to me, it was a sinister tough that was needed for the character.
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: VomKriege on July 10, 2020, 05:45:34 PM
https://thehardtimes.net/harddrive/gamer-goes-on-mission-trip-to-tell-impoverished-communities-the-last-of-us-is-overrated/ (https://thehardtimes.net/harddrive/gamer-goes-on-mission-trip-to-tell-impoverished-communities-the-last-of-us-is-overrated/)
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on July 13, 2020, 12:41:33 PM
finally finished it now.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
would have been a lot better if they just cut the game first time you get to that farm i think. didnt care much for the story in the end, or the 180's a lot of the characters constantly do. first one was a much tighter paced game. but second had the better set pieces for sure. also the game fucking crashed during the very last fight against abby for me... feel like first time i've seen that on ps4. also fell down the ground twice when taking swings at enemies... somehow feels like it could have used a bit longer for bug fixing, which is weird considering they claimed it was done for so long.
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Mr Gilhaney on May 19, 2021, 11:28:27 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj919idPr18

1440p is a bit shit. But 60fps cool.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on May 19, 2021, 12:49:33 PM
Waiting a year to play this at a deep discount and now at 60 fps.

 :checkit
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on May 19, 2021, 03:36:07 PM
May replay this. 60fps should be cool.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on May 19, 2021, 07:09:19 PM
Waiting a year to play this at a deep discount and now at 60 fps.

 :checkit

No matter what level of expectations you have going into this, my recommendation: lower them, like…really lower them.  I don’t know that it’ll help with this game, but if you’re determined to play it then it may improve your experience.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Let's Cyber on May 19, 2021, 08:05:06 PM
oh don't worry, I'm fully spoiled on messy, disjointed story. I hear the combat is improved and Seattle is neat to explore, so I'm down.

It's also going on sale next week.  :P
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on May 19, 2021, 08:42:54 PM
There is one section in the game that I thought was genuinely fantastic and enjoyable to play, to be fair.  It’s just everything else surrounding it that really dragged the experience for me.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on May 20, 2021, 12:17:06 AM
What is really so bad about this game compared to the first? I don't even hold the first game in high regard, but I really have missed what people find so damning about this game.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Don Rumata on May 20, 2021, 02:16:45 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj919idPr18

1440p is a bit shit. But 60fps cool.
Odd how ND is still doing the absolute minimum when it comes to these patches.
Uncharted 4 also just had an upres to 1440p on Pro, which is fine, but from Sony's premiere studio you'd expect some kind of amazing technical push, to show off the new hardware's capabilities, even when it comes to a patch like this.
Meanwhile Insomniac implemented ML muscle deformation in Spiderman.
Still, 60fps is always nice to have.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: HardcoreRetro on May 20, 2021, 05:54:17 AM
What is really so bad about this game compared to the first? I don't even hold the first game in high regard, but I really have missed what people find so damning about this game.

The way it was written. Everything else is of the same quality or even better than the first game. Which then turns into a problem when your game is heavily skewed towards your story/writing and focuses less on the parts of the game that are actually good.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Svejk on May 20, 2021, 07:38:24 AM
ND has some highly talented artists, but Druckman is extremely overrated, imo.  Granted, I have yet to play Part 2, but I've held off because of such a vast amount of folks all claiming the same thing; the story is poorly written.  From reading some spoilers and how it supposedly ends, it sounds to me it literally goes nowhere in the overarching story and things just happen...  ...kind of like the past 7 seasons of TWD.

If this drops to $20 or becomes a PS+ freebie, I may try it then....  Then again, I hear it's awfully bloated and is too long for it's own good.  That's the last thing I need with my backlog. lol
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Honestly, having tried Days Gone not too long ago, it interested me WAY more. lol
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Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: demi on May 20, 2021, 12:07:55 PM
60fps buttsex
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Joe Molotov on May 20, 2021, 03:49:22 PM
60fps buttsex

Naughty Gods have done it again! :lawd
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on May 20, 2021, 05:57:07 PM
Speaking of, I’d give the game a lot more credit had druckmann and crew gone for a full-on gay male coupling and included sweaty, lusty man sex.  The Lesbian couplings of the lead character are much more normalized and nobody really gives much of a shit except for Karen’s wanting to make everything all about them, on any end of the sexuality spectrum.  Hell, go further and try a non-parody bear and cool young dude style coupling, really aim for the stars.

Instead, the game we have feels mostly pandering.  It was asked above what is really so bad about the game and that’s a part of it, pretending you’re some transcendental barrier-breaking juggernaut, when the reality is you told some superficially-progressive revenge yarn where the direction, pacing and scripting are all shit built on a foundation of pretty poor writing.  Anything related to pacing and writing in games aren’t normally the biggest problems for me when paired with gameplay I generally enjoy (else I’d have a much harder time with most RPG’s), but if your game experience leans this heavily on the scripted narrative you want to tell, it damn well needs the writing and direction to back it up.

Last of Us 2 was Druckmann playing at being an auteur with unlimited budget and scope to make his masterpiece, only to instead give us an overly long junior high-school production play with really decent set design and messaging more surface-level than teenage angst in a Linkin Park song.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on May 20, 2021, 06:28:50 PM
I guess I like being pandered too because I didn’t get that all. Nothing seemed overly progressive then simply featuring a  trans character. To the point that whatever Lev’s deal was, I don’t even remember. What felt forced to me was Dina and Ellie, but that’s because their romance was poorly written in general.

But other then that I don’t really pick up on those things. I guess because I already agree with them?

Guess I’ll have to replay the game.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Tuckers Law on May 20, 2021, 06:40:12 PM
I’m not talking about overly progressive though, but instead I don’t think the game is all that progressive despite the impression the devs give of it being brilliantly woke and inclusive of representation.  I feel like they were “Corporately-Approved” soft with the Lev stuff, when I feel they should’ve gone further and more openly explored that part of the story, especially with the significance being placed on it with the discourse surrounding the game.

I don’t know, maybe the well was poisoned from the very beginning because of the shitty conversations around that aspect and the team never intended it to be some Big Thing.  I’ll concede that my perception could be entirely skewed on that.

Edit: also, by that point of the game where you meet Lev I was essentially hate-playing it, so I may have missed things.
Title: Re: The Last of US II Spoilers are out! (spoiler: game out June 19)
Post by: Rahxephon91 on May 20, 2021, 11:18:00 PM
I don't know man. I really try to avoid discussions of what's woke and/or problematic. Do I believe that Druckman and Co decided to lay on "diversity" characters thick? In an effort to appear progressive? Sure, but I believe it's because yeah they probably are left thinking people and maybe their work is trying to punch well above their weight. Yet, I also really did not follow pre-release media, so I don't know what Naughty Dog was pushing.

I simply took this as a story of the cycle of revenge and nothing more. I didn't take most of the game if at all as having statements beyond the surface level. Lev being Trans to me was just an aspect of the plot and story, tied to him being part of a very regressive and troubled cult. Something that is the opposite end of the spectrum compared to their enemy. Maybe making him trans was a rather shallow choice as he simply could have just been a girl who did not want to comply with his cult's ways.

But I didn't read anything into the design of Abby beyond she's someone that has let revenge transform her body into a machine for revenge. Plenty of people look toward bodybuilding after suffering trauma. her not being "pretty" well, the first game and this do go for more "realistic" people. I don't really care about the discussion that a woman couldn't be that biff without modern nutrition and whatnot, that's missing the point.

What I liked about the story was honestly Abby's story. I don't care that she killed Joel. Joel was going to die, I always assumed a sequel would deal with the consequences of his actions. Maybe it did'nt has to be so in your face, but again both these games try to be grim and dark when it comes to this. It also being drawn out is kind of the point. It's pointless and only self-serving and in the end, Abby's compatriots don't care for it either. But from there to me Abby's story becomes more interesting. You see how pointless revenge was. How it didn't help her and really kind of pushed others away and also circles back to them. I liked Owen and I liked most of Abby's supporting cast. How honestly they had more going on and Ellie's revenge becomes a kind of a nuisance.

As a story about the cycle of revenge, I think it works. The pacing is a little off as it feels Ellie's part is kind of boring. Only becoming exciting as it heats up and then switches to Abby. But I think it got its point across. Did it handle woke aspirations well? Maybe not, but I wasn't there for that.