The Last of Us 2 Cut Content - Director & Lead Writer Explains Concept Art, Had a Different Ending

Game director, Niel Druckmann and lead writer, Halley Gross opens up a bit on The Last of Us Part 2 cut content. Possible spoilers ahead.

[-Foxtrot]

Seems odd they'd give him a girlfriend after what happened, it feels like it wasn't supposed to go down like that and they switched it up. I wouldn't have liked a happily ever after ending but I would have liked to see some chapters with his girlfriend, the chemistry he had with Tess in the first game, even with the small amount of time we had with her, was great.

They could have easily given Joel a full story in this and switched between him and Ellie.

[ColdSin]

I honestly don't know why this story was needed. I hope Naughty Dog's next game is Savage Starlight. Not Part 3.

[excaliburps]

It's a revenge story, and yeah, it's a story that's not really needed. I assumed we were going to meet someone who can help cure the virus, and go from there or something. Something bigger.

[bloop]

I'm not finished the game yet but I've just found Abby and up to this point the story is very, very disappointing, especially comparing it to the first game. There's so many other places they could've taken the plot if Joel had a bigger part.

[darthv72]

@excaliburps... that is presumed to be the basis for the climactic part 3 finale. This is the usual middle cliff hanger sequel.

[Christopher]

Going to have to live with what there is. This whole thing about belaboring what could have been, it drags on.

And I think your idea of "they switched it up" is kind of off as their production is more like a movie which many end up with a ton of things on the cutting room floor to make what they feel is the better experience. It's not like they just decided to get rid of Joel for good. They even said it would have been "five days for each girl in Seattle instead of three." Do you think that means Joel would have suddenly popped up somehow? They just completely changed the story even though their initial designs still revolved around Ellie and Abby?

[Nitrowolf2]

Oddly they have a few alternative designs to Abby that appear to be the same women seen with Joel in the unused concept, but you are right. Going based on whats early in the concept art, the only thing that seems to change is how not when. Maybe the why, but that's all concept art which I assume never made it past planning, versus what they confirmed actually did like the extra hunting segment and the additional days.

At the end of the day, the story is what it is. They were clear not everyone would like it, but most seem to. I just hope that we get some of the stuff they didn't have time to finish as DLC at some point. Obviously not the major plot change where it changes everything, but stuff that they can fit within the current one.

[AnnaDea]

You're always cutting stuff for a reason. See Scorsese that just cuts out whole scenes he has filmed just so it would suit his final product in the end.

[neutralgamer1992]

Let's be honest here there was going to be no way for them to do a sequel and make everyone happy. I think the message in the story is in anger/emotions we make wrong decisions. Joel made one in the first game with the way it ended

Spoiler alert

The plot made sense that people wanted revenge for what he did in the first game. I think he made the right decision as a dad myself I understood why he did what he did, in a world where he lost all hope he found hope

Ellie lost it and people tried to talk her out of it but she wanted nothing more than revenge and in anger she lost all relationships that mattered to her that's why to me once again the ending made sense. Like kratos says the cycle of killing has to stop somewhere

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured

This sums up TLOU2 plot. I lost my best friend and my friend when someone else decided to act stupid and take their lives. At that time anger and revenge sounded like the only option but as time passes I realized I was hurt and hurting others wouldn't bring them back not would it give me peace and start the healing process

In high emotional situations where people may feel like all hope is lost and they have to find closure they end up hurting others, feeling worse and empty inside and realizing in the end that 2 wrongs don't make it right

People are so busy bashing the game they don't realize the message in the story. Yes I agree we could have been fine without a sequel because the first game ended up being amazing but if you actually play the game with an open mind and not what others are saying you maybe able to connect more with the story on a personal level

We all have lost loved ones and we all go through differentstages of grief everybody deals with it differently. Ellie wanted what joel wanted when he did what he did in the first game peace and happiness. She thought if she got her vengeance she would find peace and be able to forgive joel and in return herself

Maybe that's just me but this story made sense if you looked at it from a mature point of view and I definitely can see people not liking it. So we have to accept it's not for everyone

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured

[Veneno]

I believe that the one element that was missing in Tlou 2 that worked so well in Tlou 1 was a strong plot device that connects the player to the world for the whole ride of the game. In Tlou 1 it was the mission of Joel bringing Ellie to the fireflies because of her immunity. That was the players mission. It had weight to it. It was important to all those involved. The characters in the story and the player.

In Tlou 2 there is no connection between the player and the game itself. You might argue that it's the war between the wolves and seraphites but that isn't introduced until well past half of the game so there is not enough weight to it. The games overall plot motivations do fluctuate often and asks alot of the player to care about all of them. And to a high point, the game succeeds at this! But where as In Tlou 1 all of the eggs went into one basket, in Tlou 2 they go in many baskets with not as much pull for the player to get invested. It feels more spread thin.

[lellkay]

I totally agree with everything you said.

My problem with the game is how long is spent playing as Abby. I didn't find her sections enjoyable, they were paced awful and I just wanted them over with. To realise almost half the game was going to Abby just ruined the game for me.

[Jon_Targaryen]

This games advertisement lied so bad....

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Just finished the game this morning and loved it but even I agree that the trailers obviously lied. Showing Joel instead and Jesse and whatnot. Even I can't defend that.

[Jon_Targaryen]

Im sure I read back in 2017...ish where Neill said that TLOU will ALWAYS just be about Joel and Ellie. This is THEIR story, and nobody others.. guess he lied.