The original game on the PlayStation 3 was nothing short of amazing; revolutionary in fact.
The introduction was perfectly scripted and the artwork was sublime, especially for its time.
After watching the relationship between Joel and his daughter like a fly on the wall, the game throws you into the deep end quickly and suddenly.
The familiar setting is relatable; a suburban home, the television flickering in the background, the reassuring, albeit annoying, sound of sirens in the distance.
It appears to be business as usual until a frenzied neighbour runs straight through the patio doors at an unsociable hour, breaking the glass, clearly disturbed and highly aggressive, forcing you to shoot him.
On any normal day the potential legal implications would be daunting, but it is immediately obvious that something has changed on a scale far beyond courts and paperwork. This is something different, something terrible and unprecedented.
It is the presentation of normality and familiarity mixed with confusion and dystopia that makes the world of The Last of Us so immersive. As time progresses the prominent emotion becomes poignant reminiscence. We are forced to watch as nature reclaims the concrete jungle and to realise that this new state of affairs is permanent. Any excitement is now nostalgic longing; a hopeless desire to go back to the way things were, safe and secure in the boredom that was. But still we must survive, move forward.
I laughed and cried throughout the entire journey. I was left moved and never the same. It played on my mind for days after I had completed it.
The gameplay is superb with top notch physics and mechanics and overall I expect it will go down in history as one of the best games ever made; an interactive cinematic masterpiece, much like Halflife in its respective era.
This brings me onto The Last of Us Part 2, which I recently completed for the second time.
The gameplay is again flawless and the storyline equally as immersive, but there are some major problems with the sequel that loyal fans should never have been subjected to. Yes the psychology behind the script is genius, but it left me feeling betrayed and morally torn on multiple occasions. There are better ways, more honest ways to execute what was ultimately a forced real-world agenda and I have a revolutionary idea which would change the future of the gaming industry in that respect. I will share it with you now and I hope Neil Druckmann takes it on board.
How about offering the player a list of script / storyline options from the beginning. The LGBTQ+2IA agenda (yes that is the acronym as it currently stands) has invaded our society and culture. It accounts for a only a small minority of the population, but by adding groups such as "2 Identity" and "Allies" (+2IA) it is being deliberately and artificially increased.
This is a forced real-world agenda and the vast majority of people still do not care about it. Others are disgusted by it and angry at the way it is being pushed down everyone's throat.
Entertainment, especially gaming, is supposed to offer escapism and adventure away from the concerns and stresses of real life and real-world politics. Controversial sensitive issues such as homosexuality, lesbianism and even transgenderism have no business being in a computer game, certainly not one that has amassed a loyal following from a prior installment. It is a Trojan Horse tactic and even I, as tolerant as I am, felt manipulated.
How about providing choices before you start playing? The script could be heterosexual or homosexual. The transition of Lev could have been left at long hair being sacred on a female in the eyes of the Seraphite cult, rather than making it an issue of gender identity. I for one would have related far more to the story had Ellie been straight and Lev a true boy. I don't think I will be alone on that. By all means cater for the other crowd too, but do not make the majority pander to the interests of the minority or funnel the player into situations that make them uncomfortable on real-world concerns. A game should not be used as a political tool for liberal wokeism, which is what undeniably happened here.
It is also obvious that the Seraphite cult, who were portrayed as religious fanatics, were a kick at fundamental Christians and preppers who seek to grow their own food and live independently, away from the hustle, bustle and corruption of fast-paced city living.
Christians and Muslims were the target of this, particularly their views on homosexuality and gender identity. Lev was victimised and the Seraphites were demonised. This is a manipulative and dangerous agenda and again, it should not be in a computer game, especially when the intent behind it was so obvious. Regardless of age classification, young impressionable people will play this game and grow up viewing all religious folk as zealous nutcases, when that is not true at all. It is inception at its finest.
All that said and done, The Last of Us Part 2 is another masterpiece, there is no doubt about it and the scene which really solidified that for me was the horse ride to the docks.
As the island burned and I galloped toward the boat I knew that Naughty Dog had smashed it out of the park once again. I was nowhere else at that very moment but on the horse with Lev. The burning buildings, the general chaos and the people in absolute disarray all contributed to a veritable cacophony of visuals, sounds and emotions.
In addition to the planting of real-world political issues there were manipulative storyline arcs and moral dilemmas too, which as players we were forced to endure. I would far rather have completed the game as Ellie alone and then be offered the option to play as her arch enemy Abby. That would have been a fair and honest way to deliver the perspective change. My conclusion would have been the same.
The storyline should always have been in favour of Ellie due to legacy and loyalty. I found myself wanting to stop playing as I was forced to attack Ellie in the back of the theatre. I have an affinity for this character due to hours and hours of gameplay. I watched her grow from girl to young woman and feel protective over her like a father.
The theatre fight was awkward, difficult and annoying. I noticed myself turn on a coin and attack the elusive Ellie only to then shout, "get off her" at the screen as Abby broke her nose. It was a roller coaster of conflicting emotions and it could have been orchestrated in a more coherent and organic manner.
When it comes to storylines I personally prefer to start where I mean to begin and then keep going forward in time. I am not a fan of the "three weeks earlier" type setup. On the second play through (New Game+) the memory missions should have been skippable.
Finally, to round off, the death of Joel was tragic. The scene was superbly executed but gut wrenching and brutal. The voice actors did a fantastic job. Only something as powerful as this could have fuelled Ellie's relentless quest for vengeance, but after investing hundreds of hours in the first game it was too abrupt and I felt betrayed. Most of the friends I have spoken too felt exactly the same.
