The Last of Us Part II (PS4) Review | VGChartz

VGChartz's Lee Mehr: "The Last of Us Part II is one of the most fascinating blockbusters of the year. It refashions its predecessor's templates, in narrative and gameplay, with greater complexity. But the dare is an uneven success. Naughty Dog has created another technical marvel that can be so easily appreciated during gameplay or cinematics, and is sure to take home end-of-year awards in that department. It's tougher to admire artistic elements, such as great actor's performances, when they're bogged down by such a frustrating narrative. It's a story trying to plunge into bleak territory and take cherished characters down creative avenues, but disrupts that endeavor with a disjointed structure, less-consistent side characters, inconsequential plot threads, lethargic pacing, and some sophomoric methods of addressing player violence. It's impossible to forget how annoying those issues are, but the net positives made me willing to forgive."

[anast]

I would have compared "pacing" and "non-linear" story telling to almost anything but your "Niel Breen" link. But props is do for even attempting to dig a little deeper. I give this review a 7/10 easily and a nod to comma flow and technical attention.

[coolbeans]

The focus is more on whom I'm comparing Neil Breen to, not those specific storytelling issues. Since Beyond: Two Souls is brought up, it's like "of course you'd expect a game writer like David Cage to have such issues, considering he's the equivalent of French Neil Breen after all."

-"I give this review a 7/10 easily and a nod to comma flow and technical attention."

I shall treat this like a gold star. :)

[anast]

So you are comparing personalities of people not the quality and structure of their work?

You should, I would rate most reviews in the 0-5 range. A 7 is actually an attempt even if I somehow didn't quite understand what you were going for with the Niel Breen reference. I laughed, but I don't know why.

[coolbeans]

The latter. It was more of like a flippant remark tying my frustration with this structure as I did with Beyond: Two Souls years ago. But it's stranger in this context b/c you wouldn't expect it here like you would with someone as clumsy & goofy of a writer as David Cage.

[anast]

The writing wasn't clumsy. Was it as good as Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs or Pulp-Fiction, or, Nolan's Memento, in the way of non-linear story telling? No. While some of the exposition was a bit heavy handed, it wasn't clumsy.

The issue, to me, is that the story told too much and didn't show enough. One example is Yara and Abby's dialogue about Lev. At any rate, the game wasn't great at either exposition or showing, but above average. The game as a whole is an 8-9 and a 7 if you hated it.

[coolbeans]

Well now you lost me here. lol

Let me try to make my point as succinctly as possible with the Neil Breen stuff: "I don't find it all surprising that "French Neil Breen" has done it again in respect to a mismanaged structure, as he's just as clumsy & goofy of a writer in respect to other aspects such as dialogue & heavy-handedness (at least quite often)." Those adjectives were aimed at him in my previous comment.

-"The issue, to me, is that the story told too much and didn't show enough. One example is Yara and Abby's dialogue about Lev."

Well, I'm with you on exposition although I think I'm being more critical than you overall. At the same time, I disagree in respect to Lev. I thought explaining Lev's "issues" as Yara did was one of the more artful dialogue choices. I like those side characters the most b/c of how that was explored. Because explaining the messiness makes sense for 2 children who'd been exclusively raised in a quasi-theocratic/quasi-pagan cult. The vernacular is lost on them, but Abby & Yara understand it emotionally.

[anast]

I still don't get clumsy, I mean the story wasn't falling all over itself. You might have to stop quoting yourself , because I don't get it, and I probably won't get it from something I don't get.

The strangest thing is people are talking about the story without explicitly mentioning the structure, it's non-linear. Therefore, I would first compare it to other stories with similar structures...Maybe you did that with the Two Souls reference, but it isn't clear to someone that know nothing about Breen or the other guy or the game. If so, you wrote that for yourself and a very small crowd, which isn't helpful or informative.

Yara/Abby dialogue is a personal choice. I think part of it could have been shown and some told, but each "side" character seemed to have these dumps.

[coolbeans]

No, no. Clumsy is being associated with David Cage. And when it comes to Beyond: Two Souls, I think that applies. I'm having the same "What?!?!" reaction while events transpire as I have with Breen's movies. And I'm laughing along with a lot of the dialogue there too. I think we are getting lost in the weeds. I'll just say this: seeing how I'm playing the comparison game here, look at the part as a conversation part. In hindsight, it seems like it was done in a roundabout way, but I left the hyperlink to explain my niche joke.

I'll definitely keep that mind about how limited the comparison may be for those who didn't play Beyond: Two Souls or QD games as opposed to something like Pulp Fiction. I hyper-focused on that comparison b/c it frustrated me in similar ways, which is why I was shocked to see it done here.

Well, I'd argue there was a decent amount of showing by the Scars' viciousness ("clip her wings"). The disrespect Lev made against the tribe broke every tie they knew, including family. Granted, it was overboard during some walking sections though.

[Sunny_D]

Seems like everyone and their mother wants to review this game lmao. It has 113 reviews on metacritic when most other big games barely hit over 100 review. I guess everyone wants to cash in on the controversy even though I think VG charts isn’t on metacritic.

[coolbeans]

Yes...one of the most popular games of this year means every outlet wants to review it.

"I guess everyone wants to cash in on the controversy even though I think VG charts isn’t on metacritic."

So, that means cashing in doesn't apply here?

[Babadook7]

Will it bring in clicks? ‘cashing in’

[coolbeans]

@Babadook7

Every review brings in clicks though.

[anast]

I'm not hatin', people got to eat.

[Germaximus]

cuzzzz 113 is so much more than 100...

[Sunny_D]

Welp if it’s not that much, why don’t other games have 113 then?

[SethBrundlefly]

No worries. VGChartz is known for being 70 percent accurate.

[coolbeans]

"70% of the time they're right every time."

[WelkinCole]

VG not impressed with a Sony exclusive. Totally didn't see that coming.

[coolbeans]

WelkinCole having this line prepared for anyone going against the status quo on a Sony exclusive. Totally didn't see that coming.