The Last Of Us Part II
Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, Mozart, Beethoven and now Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog). All of these artists will be recognised until the end of time as masters of their respective art forms.
For Druckmann his latest work, The Last Of Us Part II, is not only a wonderful piece of storytelling but also a technological wonder which we see it become a game that should be held side by side with other timeless artworks.
The follow up to the 2013 PlayStation 3 exclusive, The Last Of Us, this game sees us continue on the epic journey of Ellie and Joel in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by the cordyceps fungus and warring factions of survivors. Where the original game was all about hope and love this stage of the story instead focuses on hate, obsession and violence.
Many players of The Last Of Us would have told you that they didn't need or want a sequel, but The Last Of Us Part II adds many more layers to this already rich world. And will certainly pluck at the heartstrings with regularity, the game brought a tear to my eye multiple times. Druckmann's writing takes this story in highly unexpected directions, often challenging the player's assumptions and forcing them to grow just like the characters within the game.
We played through this game twice and even on the second play through we discovered more and felt a deeper connection to all of the characters. Throughout the second play through you notice and hints to later parts of the game which weren't picked up the first time, which is a testament to the level of detail within the gameplay and storytelling.
Gameplay wise The Last Of Us Part II iterates and improves upon elements from the original. This time around through the ability to go prone, increased ways to remain hidden, and an increased amount of verticality and traversal options Ellie is more agile in her approach to encounters. This makes The Last Of US Part II compelling in that each encounter can be approach inn a multimedia of ways, whether that be with brutal close quarters violence, sneaky and silent stealth kills or totally non-violent stealth.
On the technical front, this game is truly astonishing. From the visually stunning character models and locations to the astonishing detailed gameplay and audio. This game sets the bar so incredibly high that it is hard to see how it could be exceeded, and most certainly won't be on the current console generation.
The Last Of Us Part II is a masterpiece which should be held in the highest regard.
★★★★★
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