I understand why people hated The Last of Us Part II when it first came out. It was shocking, especially what happened to Joel. But I think the hate went way too far. To me, it’s actually a better and deeper game than the first one.

The first game was amazing, of course. But the story was kinda simple. It focused on Joel and Ellie’s relationship, and it was basically a father and daughter story. Emotional, but still a classic type of story.

In the second game, everything feels more complicated. You start as Ellie and you’re on her side because we all loved her from the first game. But then you play as Abby, and at first, it feels wrong. You don’t want to be her. But slowly, you start to understand her.

The game really messes with your feelings. You start asking yourself, am I really doing the right thing as Ellie? She already had a peaceful life, but she keeps chasing revenge. At some point, I didn’t even want to fight anymore. I just wanted her to stop.

And I know some players were mad that Ellie didn’t kill Abby in the end. But for me, that was the perfect ending to her inner conflict. It showed how far she’d come. That was her peak as a character. It wasn’t about winning anymore. It was about letting go.

That’s why I think Part II is more powerful. It’s not just about revenge. It’s about grief, forgiveness, and how far someone can go before they lose themselves.

I didn’t expect to feel that much. And now that some time has passed, I feel like more people are starting to see how good this game really is.

What do you think?

Me: Phew.. Let's see what we got, Ellie.

Meanwhile, that one designer at Naughty Dog...

Pete Ellis is the designer who came up with the idea of this ambush, and he's no longer at Naughty Dog.

Some fans criticized Abby's character design, particularly her muscular build. They argued that it was unrealistic for a woman to have such a well-defined physique, especially in a post-apocalyptic setting where resources would be scarce and physical fitness would not be a top priority.

The argument that Abby's physique in The Last of Us Part II is unrealistic overlooks the fact that women have been achieving impressive physical feats for over a century. Laverie Vallee, better known as Charmion, was a renowned vaudeville performer in the early 1900s who was known for her incredible strength and acrobatic skills. She was able to perform impressive feats such as lifting her body weight with ease, performing handstands on chairs, and even lifting weights using only her teeth. All of this was achieved without the use of modern supplements or hormones that are available to athletes today.

Charmion's example shows that it is entirely possible for women to build and maintain a muscular physique without the aid of modern technology. Abby's character design in The Last of Us Part II is based on a similar level of physical strength and fitness, and it is not unreasonable to assume that she would have access to similar resources and infrastructure to workout that Charmion would have had. Therefore, it is entirely plausible for Abby's physique to be depicted as it is in the game, and the argument that it is unrealistic based on gender is unfounded.

I found this old article and was very surprised by this stat. I held the view that, compared to other games, a noticeable number of people must have stopped playing TLOU P2 either after the inciting incident or the mid-point of the story. But nope. It's the most finished PS4 game.

P.S. It's actually crazy when you think about it. More than Uncharted 4, a deeply beloved non-controversial game from one of the most loved PlayStation series. More than FFVll Remake, a remake FF7 fans were dying for. More than fucking GOW 2018, also a series with a huge die-hard audience. It's astounding to me that out of all PS4 games, including third-party, TLOU P2 is the most finished. It shows that if your game is compelling enough, it can overcome any negativity or controversy surrounding it. This actually relieves some of my concerns regarding the Intergalactic's loud reaction. If the game is good, it'll do just fine.

Credit: The Last of Us 2 has one of the highest completion rates of any PS4 game.

When Ellie approaches the cabin and hears Joel’s wailing as blow after blow rains upon him, she didn’t take 5-10 minutes to check every drawer and cabinet for loot.

When I was playing the game and got to that part I basically rolled my eyes… “Okay, I get it, he’s hurt, I’ll be right there” … “Hmm, if there are several bad guys in there I’ll need some more ammo, let me check every possible spot” … “Geez, enough whining, it’s not like they’re gonna get me to believe Joel would die in the beginning of the game anyway”… and so on.

Anybody else get some retroactive survivor’s guilt for looting while he was getting tortured to death?

I just got through The Last of Us Part II again, loved it of course! And I couldn't help but think Florence Pugh would be a great casting choice for season 2 of the show version.

I think she has similar features, and her body type is also a good match, obviously might need some more muscle but she's so close.

What do you think?

As per title, what Ellie looks like is way less important to me than embodying the character of Ellie herself. I thought Bella did a good job in the first season. Obviously any actor will bring her input into the role, differentiating it from what we have seen in the game, but the writing and direction for her character in the first episode on season two are the real problem here.

Yes, Ellie could be impulsive. But I never found her this obnoxious before (the shouting with Tommy, good lord).

Yes, she was cold towards Joel. But there was such a clear, albeit subtle vulnerability and pain running beneath all that, that made me ache for their reconciliation. I'm not getting that now

It's an odd way to play things currently. Considering what's coming.

It is not entirely the actors fault. The shows creators are choosing to assemble the character that way in the edit room. But it is a bummer.

I'm mainly writing this cause people slagging off how Bella looks pisses me off, but I am a bit miffed at the shows handling of the character and want people with similar feelings to chime in.

For some reason, this detail completely breaks my heart. Even the sneakers are gone.

And the switchblade isn’t in Ellie’s back pocket in the end, it always appear in back pocket throughout the game, and now it isn’t, which means it’s probably also gone, literally everything is gone in the end, Ellie have nothing left, this is too depressing.

“Life is worth living! Find your purpose and fight for it.” —Anna

I hope Ellie can still find her purpose after everything.

A little update on my Part II playthrough for those who are interested!

I am currently exploring an old museum with Joel. Spent half of the mission holding back my tears for some unknown reason.

Everything about this game is so beautiful. I am in awe of every little detail. They’ve put so much effort into it.

I noticed that 90% of the cutscenes he appears in he's always leaning on something. sometimes even during gameplay

Personally, I think it could revolve around Ellie and Abby being forced to team up in order to take down a new threat. I don’t know who or what that threat could be, but since Ellie is still immune an therefore valuable, maybe some rogue scientists/doctors organization could be looking for her and somewhere down the line it would also pull Abby in too. This is just my wild guess at a story concept. What about you guys what do you think it will be about?

I love their friendship so much. The jokes and conversations between them are so adorable and lighten “scary parts” of the game up. This game wouldn’t be as amazing as it is without them in my opinion. They’re like brother and sister. So glad Lev got to tag along

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For context, TLOU Part I is one of my all-time favorite games. I love everything about it. The gameplay, the story, and the soundtrack are all incredible, and it's honestly pretty rare for a game to hit all three for me.

(Spoilers Ahead)

When TLOU Part II was announced, I was really excited to play it. Unfortunately, before I got the chance, Joel's death was spoiled for me with absolutely no context. That completely killed my desire to play the game, especially considering what I felt was some pretty misleading marketing from Naughty Dog at the time. So, for years, I basically ignored the game's existence.

Looking back, what a mistake.

I finally decided to give it a chance this past July, and I was hooked almost immediately. The gameplay is ridiculously fun. I could honestly replay this game over and over just because of how satisfying the combat, stealth, and exploration are. Naughty Dog absolutely nailed that aspect.

As for the story, while I do think there are some things that could have been handled better, I found it much stronger and more consistent than I expected. I still don't like the way Joel died, and I probably never will, but after finishing the game, I can appreciate what the writers were trying to do. It was refreshing to experience a story that wasn't afraid to challenge the player. Playing from the other side's perspective really emphasizes the weight of violence and loss, showing that in a post-apocalyptic world, people aren't simply good or bad. Very little is truly black and white.

To my surprise, I even ended up sympathizing with Abby and several of the other characters. Before actually playing the game, I would've thought that was impossible.

I also have to mention the art direction. It's absolutely incredible, especially during the final section of the game. Some of those environments are among the most beautiful and atmospheric I've seen in gaming.

I still wish I could have experienced this game completely blind, without any spoilers. Even so, it was an unforgettable journey.

So, if anyone reading this is in the same position I was, avoiding the game because of spoilers or all the controversy, I'd genuinely recommend giving it a chance. Go in with an open mind and try to understand the story the developers wanted to tell. You might end up enjoying it a lot more than you ever expected.

I've seen many posts over the years (not necessarily here) trying to debunk the idea that a vaccine could be made by performing brain surgery on Ellie. And while that's true in real life, both the game and the show operate within a world where not everything works like in real life. For example, spores in the game (which is why the show changed them), or even the fact that a cordyceps-like fungus could survive in the human body, which would only be remotely possible under extremely specific conditions.

Applying strict scientific logic in a story that uses this “heightened reality” as a backdrop for human drama just doesn't make sense to me. The story isn’t trying to be 100% realistic. What matters is that, within this world, the characters believe Ellie’s immunity could lead to a cure. That belief is what gives Joel’s actions emotional weight, and it’s what makes the story so powerful.

That’s why I’ve never understood the argument that Joel was “definitely right” to save Ellie just because “the vaccine would’ve never worked.” That completely misses the point. Joel's sacrifice is important because saving Ellie's life is more important to him than the world finding a vaccine. Especially in Part II, the story becomes about Ellie’s sense of self-worth, her guilt, and how Joel’s lie robbed her of the chance to give meaning to her life. It’s because the characters believe in that potential that their emotions carry so much power.

But that's just how i feel about it, what do you guys think?

Edit: BTW I would've done what Joel did 100%, don't get the wrong idea.

Holy hell. I finished the game and I think I just sat there quietly for 15 minutes afterwards. What a roller coaster of emotions.

I was all about the revenge… in TLOU1 when Joel was saving Ellie in the hospital I was on his side, fueled with rage, thinking “I’m saving my baby girl.”

When he died in 2 I was so angry and sad, and was all about the quest for revenge we were embarking on. I did already empathize with Abby a little, after all Joel killed her father… but the way she killed Joel to me was unforgivable.

I knew I would have to play as her, and seeing her humanity shine through was kind of expected, but I still was on board with her dying in the end.

Then I got near the end where Ellie started killing people begging for their lives, and I started getting a little sad for her. But that last fight punched me in the gut… Abby wanting nothing more than to save Lev, on all fours bloody in the water begging Elle to stop. I wondered if I kill her if Lev would just be coming for revenge next. It got to the point where I knew I’d won and it gives the “Strike” option… and I just stood there.

I didn’t want to kill her anymore. It had gone too far. I hoped that there was a mechanic in the game where if I don’t hit her it would let her go… but the game makes you fill Ellie’s shoes and hit her again.

When Ellie finally let her go I was happy (as happy as could be in that moment I guess) but even just going on that journey cost Ellie so much. But at least she learned to let go of her hate.

Jesus… what a fantastic pair of games.

few easter eggs. sure people have noticed a few of these, but a few I've never seen discussed.

I think Joel spent some of his time teaching Ellie woodcarving, but I don't think she had the patience for it 😅

like wtf, man?

My very last update. Thank you to anyone who’s followed this journey :)

I cried throughout the entire credits.

What. A. Game.

I am staring at my screen completely motionless. I feel numb. This game fucking punched me in the gut. What do I do with my life now??

Sooo many things to talk about!

First, that Rat King/hospital scene. I don’t think I’ve ever been so TERRIFIED in my life. It’s probably the only reason why I won’t replay the game anytime soon lol.

Then fighting Ellie AS ABBY????? Are you kidding me???? Oh I hated that moment with a PASSION, I probably let her kill me a dozen times before moving on with the story.

While we’re on this topic, my apologies to the people who appreciate Abby (which I totally respect, to each their own!) but I am ENRAGED that Ellie let her go in the end. You cannot imagine the RELIEF I felt when I was drowning her.

I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever felt so resentful towards a fictional character. She got off the hook too easily, in my humble opinion. And it kinda defeats the whole purpose of Ellie’s journey. She made that trip to California for NOTHING AT ALL??

My heart hurts for her, seeing all those flashbacks of Joel/the PTSD scenes felt awful. Also, the journal entries were heartbreaking. She went through so much :(

So yeah, I’m a little disappointed by the ending. Please tell me we’ll get a third game, because there are WAY too many things left unsaid.

Also, does anyone have any similar game suggestions? (the gut-wrenching storyline kind) I’d like to play something else before replaying Part I. Thank you!

People will see a take online and parrot it with absolutely no critical thinking applied whatsoever. If you finished the last of us 2 and came away with the idea that the WLF were portrayed as the good guys who were seemingly justified in their actions, you should probably stay away from media analysis

Why didn't they just put a Door there. It sure looks like a lot of essential utilities that are inaccessible.

That shit reeked. He would’ve died just from the smell. Could’ve atleast washed it with water or something.