TLOU2 Review Thread

blackdiamond

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This is why I hate the naming of running series repeating the same title, because I can't tell if you're talking about the first God of War game (probably not), the initial God of War trilogy (your description could fit God of War 3) or the latest entry in the series from 2018 (my most likely guess).
I'm talking about the new GOW, Caddicarus had the same problems with that game that I did.
 

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Isn't that kind of what you're doing though? You're saying "oh Japan hated therefore their opinion on the game is the ONLY correct one!", which is utter nonsense. It hardly invalidates the people in other countries that did like it.

I'm kinda wondering if the reason Japan wasn't fond of it is because of the prominence of LGBTQ characters as they aren't exactly known for being enlightened in that regard, just look at the creepy bigoted shit in Persona 5 to see what I mean: https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/31/2...ts-changed-scene-ryuji-homophobia-controversy
You're putting words in my mouth. All I did was point out how shocked I was. I knew they wouldn't like it as much compared to the first game, because Japan has a habit of hating things that are super grimdark, unless it's coming from them some of the time. So you can stop with the whole accusing the person doing this or that. I barely gives a rat's ass about last of us 2. I already mentioned made its money, but I'm more worried about the long-term ramifications with everybody acting up in this shitstorm. if you love it more power to you but don't go overly defensive with the game. There are people with legit criticisms love it or not. And I already know about the ones who are just hating it for the sake of it. So don't even bother or get started. It's an unfortunate reality of life, but I tend to ignore the people who act like idiots.
 

hanselthecaretaker

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that's the thing, what worked for you is not working for a lot of people right now. It is even worse with a Japanese, and they love the first last of us game. I know someone mentioned in on the form earlier, and I was shocked that happened. They love the new God of War more than this game.

I know the game is still making sales, but I'm worried about the long-term after effects. global corporate circle jerking, anti-sjw fans, most of the game critics care more about tearing at each other's throats than having fun orplaying the actual game. All of this and most of these people will learn nothing from it. Only for the dumb process to start all over again.

It does kinda speak to on our own social issues, and reflects it back in a way. Not sure how much of it is passion or just an outlet for other personal misery. The game seemed like it was designed to be a shit magnet though. Pretty unfortunate since it is made exceptionally well from a technical/artistic standpoint. The design choices involving story beats, structure, characters and pacing are what mainly bog it down. I don’t mind the dark brooding tone, but it could’ve used some more levity besides smalltalk banter about angry wives and such. For all the excellence in character performances they don’t have much personality on display, which would’ve also been nice. I’m spoiled by the camp life of RDR2 I guess.

Having said that, in terms of story I always try to go in with a grain of salt, and realize that it’s art like anything creative. It’s technically not there to please me or even agree with how I think it woulda/coulda/shoulda been, so to help preserve my sanity whether it’s books, movies, TV, games, etc. I try to make sense of it from the writer’s perspective and ultimately accept it for what it is, good or bad. For instance I don’t feel the characters can be specifically faulted for behaving as they do, because they are written to be flawed. At most I can lay criticism down for how their individual threads are tied together.
 
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hanselthecaretaker

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What statement would that be, I wonder?

It seems like, in their quest to bash stereotypes, break the glass ceiling, and avoid unrealistic body standards for women, they ended up making a man named "Abby".
I’d like the full story to eventually surface sooner than later about the reasoning behind her character model. IIRC they’ve only said it was to help LGTBQ’s feel comfortable, which is understandable. But whether she was always intended to be designed as cis or not isn’t entirely certain. Her voice hadn’t deepened at all from the four year gap before and after her traumatic experience, which would’ve suggested hormone therapy might have contributed to her appearance.

I’ll have to take it for how I see/hear it until more is revealed, if ever.
 

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The design choices involving story beats, structure, characters and pacing are what mainly bog it down. I don’t mind the dark brooding tone, but it could’ve used some more levity besides smalltalk banter about angry wives and such. For all the excellence in character performances they don’t have much personality on display, which would’ve also been nice. I’m spoiled by the camp life of RDR2 I guess.
Hence why I prefer evil within 2 and many others over that.
Evil Within 2 does better
  • In story characters, themes, and grey areas. Like actual grey areas with people who work within Mobius.
  • At balancing the seriousness, goofiness, and levity that feels honest. The game knows how to make fun of itself despite being a horror game.
  • Creatures and monster design that actually make more sense compared to the mushroom zombies. This one is more of a personal thing, so I won't go in to details.
  • Semi-open world with options. Compared to the Part II, it's narrow corridor disguised as semi-open. Evil Within 2 has linear moments, and walking sections too, but the latter is far rarer compared to Part II. Also, you get actual story, lore, and reward with items for completing actual side objectives or exploring the off beaten path
 

blackdiamond

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You're putting words in my mouth. All I did was point out how shocked I was. I knew they wouldn't like it as much compared to the first game, because Japan has a habit of hating things that are super grimdark, unless it's coming from them some of the time. So you can stop with the whole accusing the person doing this or that. I barely gives a rat's ass about last of us 2. I already mentioned made its money, but I'm more worried about the long-term ramifications with everybody acting up in this shitstorm. if you love it more power to you but don't go overly defensive with the game. There are people with legit criticisms love it or not. And I already know about the ones who are just hating it for the sake of it. So don't even bother or get started. It's an unfortunate reality of life, but I tend to ignore the people who act like idiots.
and now you're putting words in mine.

What "long-term ramifications"? LOL if this is another nonsense conspiracy theory about how all the positive reviews were paid off or something like that i'm out.


I'll definitely ignore the people acting like idiots starting with you.

Sounds like you're the one getting "overly defensive" here bub.

If you "barely give a rat's ass" then why are you even bothering to post on a dedicated thread for the game at all? That makes zero sense, i truly don't give a rat's ass about Madden, but you don't see me on the dedicated forums for it.
 

blackdiamond

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I’d like the full story to eventually surface sooner than later about the reasoning behind her character model. IIRC they’ve only said it was to help LGTBQ’s feel comfortable, which is understandable. But whether she was always intended to be designed as cis or not isn’t entirely certain. Her voice hadn’t deepened at all from the four year gap before and after her traumatic experience, which would’ve suggested hormone therapy might have contributed to her appearance.

I’ll have to take it for how I see/hear it until more is revealed, if ever.
I highly doubt Abby was originally trans, that's just another dumbass conspiracy invented by chuds on 4chan.
 
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blackdiamond

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It does kinda speak to on our own social issues, and reflects it back in a way. Not sure how much of it is passion or just an outlet for other personal misery. The game seemed like it was designed to be a shit magnet though. Pretty unfortunate since it is made exceptionally well from a technical/artistic standpoint. The design choices involving story beats, structure, characters and pacing are what mainly bog it down. I don’t mind the dark brooding tone, but it could’ve used some more levity besides smalltalk banter about angry wives and such. For all the excellence in character performances they don’t have much personality on display, which would’ve also been nice. I’m spoiled by the camp life of RDR2 I guess.

Having said that, in terms of story I always try to go in with a grain of salt, and realize that it’s art like anything creative. It’s technically not there to please me or even agree with how I think it woulda/coulda/shoulda been, so to help preserve my sanity whether it’s books, movies, TV, games, etc. I try to make sense of it from the writer’s perspective and ultimately accept it for what it is, good or bad. For instance I don’t feel the characters can be specifically faulted for behaving as they do, because they are written to be flawed. At most I can lay criticism down for how their individual threads are tied together.
i thought they had a decent amount of personality on display, I liked Manny's "latin lover" stuff(especially that embarrassing love note that he snatches away from Abby as soon as you try to put it in your pack LOL) and I liked hearing Dina talk about her religion.
 

hanselthecaretaker

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This is my headcannon for the ending:
To me God of War had a WAY worse ending, it was the biggest middle-finger to an audience i've ever seen(well since the LOST series finale anyways)- "Oh you want a satisfying boss fight and conclusion?" "HAHAHA fuck you!"

I for one never got tired of the message, I think those last few hours were very much necessary to have Ellie finally face her demons due to her severe PTSD, and I liked going up against the Rattlers as they were the most evil group in the game, and I liked the irony of how Abby would've been dead if Ellie hadn't set out after her.
Has God of War ever had a satisfying boss fight and conclusion? They’ve only ever seemed to nail the openings.
 

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and now you're putting words in mine.

What "long-term ramifications"? LOL if this is another nonsense conspiracy theory about how all the positive reviews were paid off or something like that i'm out.


I'll definitely ignore the people acting like idiots starting with you.

Sounds like you're the one getting "overly defensive" here bub.

If you "barely give a rat's ass" then why are you even bothering to post on a dedicated thread for the game at all? That makes zero sense, i truly don't give a rat's ass about Madden, but you don't see me on the dedicated forums for it.
I like discussing with the people who are sensible on this thread. I do healthy discussion, not pointless back and forth arguments. How about you worry about you, and you worry less about me.
 

Casual Shinji

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She didn't feel out of character to me at all and If or one found Abby very interesting, i'm glad the game took itself seriously, not EVERY single piece of media has to have constant wisecracking ala the MCU films, it would've sounded especially out of place in this setting, if I want a funny game set in a post-apocalypse, i'll play Sunset Overdrive or the Borderlands games. Let me have my serious game dammit. I didn't find it overbearing at all, I thought it had enough funny and cute moments to balance out the darkness. Ellie technically is a teen in this game so her character makes total sense, and of course she's pissed off, who wouldn't be?
I think Ellie finds her feet as a character near the end, but I really didn't like how she was written right after Joel's death. That moment is so traumatic to her yet that same night she's already talking about going after the people who did it. This feels out of character. Ellie was never someone who would be out for blood, or to let her emotions totally get the better of her. Even more out of character is for her to drag someone she loves into this, and abandon a community that partially depends on her. Ellie is more responsible than that.

In the farmhouse chapter near he end it feels way more believeable for her to leave, since we're shown she's suffering from PTSD and that the trauma of losing Joel the way she did is controlling every day of her life and has been for months. But we don't get that near the start of the game, so it just feels like a whim. Had the game given us a timeskip of a month or two showing us Ellie tried to deal with her grief and trauma but just couldn't and decided to set out, I would've had an easier time empathizing with her motivation, but as is, no.

It also feels like she's just instantly in vengeance mode. There's no sense of a decline of her morallity, the only difference between Ellie in Seattle Day 1 and Ellie in Seattle Day 3 being a bunch of dead bodies.
 

blackdiamond

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I think Ellie finds her feet as a character near the end, but I really didn't like how she was written right after Joel's death. That moment is so traumatic to her yet that same night she's already talking about going after the people who did it. This feels out of character. Ellie was never someone who would be out for blood, or to let her emotions totally get the better of her. Even more out of character is for her to drag someone she loves into this, and abandon a community that partially depends on her. Ellie is more responsible than that.

In the farmhouse chapter near he end it feels way more believeable for her to leave, since we're shown she's suffering from PTSD and that the trauma of losing Joel the way she did is controlling every day of her life and has been for months. But we don't get that near the start of the game, so it just feels like a whim. Had the game given us a timeskip of a month or two showing us Ellie tried to deal with her grief and trauma but just couldn't and decided to set out, I would've had an easier time empathizing with her motivation, but as is, no.

It also feels like she's just instantly in vengeance mode. There's no sense of a decline of her morallity, the only difference between Ellie in Seattle Day 1 and Ellie in Seattle Day 3 being a bunch of dead bodies.
I don't see how it's out of character at all, we have no idea how much has passed when she starts talking about going after them, didn't feel on a whim to me or instantly. I did feel like there was a decline.
 

blackdiamond

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I like discussing with the people who are sensible on this thread. I do healthy discussion, not pointless back and forth arguments. How about you worry about you, and you worry less about me.
I don't see how inventing conspiracy theories out of thin air is "healthy discussion" in the least.
 

Houseman

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I don't see how inventing conspiracy theories out of thin air is "healthy discussion" in the least.
I think that a case for reasonable belief can be made for the theory that Abby was originally trans. The evidence is all circumstantial, but that's enough for reasonable belief.

I mean, have you seen her in-game shirtless chest?
 

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I don't see how inventing conspiracy theories out of thin air is "healthy discussion" in the least.
Depends on who you are talking about. I usually avoid that shit. If someone does I call it out when necessary. Even if I agree or disagree with them, that is no excuse to not try healthy discussion. I won't drag this on too long because I'm not throwing this thread off topic. I suggest you channel that passion and put it to better use. If I were you, I be ignoring everyone and just enjoying the game and find out myself. That's how I work. Regardless if it's a game I enjoy or not, I'll play certain sections or the entire game agai, just to see others point of view. It does not matter if I agree or disagree with them.
 

blackdiamond

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I think that a case for reasonable belief can be made for the theory that Abby was originally trans. The evidence is all circumstantial, but that's enough for reasonable belief.

I mean, have you seen her in-game shirtless chest?
Plenty of actual women in real life have chests like that, you're really coming off as a transphobe here, no there's not enough evidence for "reasonable belief", sounds like you've been spending too much time on 4chan.
 

blackdiamond

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Depends on who you are talking about. I usually avoid that shit. If someone does I call it out when necessary. Even if I agree or disagree with them, that is no excuse to not try healthy discussion. I won't drag this on too long because I'm not throwing this thread off topic. I suggest you channel that passion and put it to better use. If I were you, I be ignoring everyone and just enjoying the game and find out myself. That's how I work. Regardless if it's a game I enjoy or not, I'll play certain sections or the entire game agai, just to see others point of view. It does not matter if I agree or disagree with them.
I did in fact finish the game last week.
 

blackdiamond

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Excellent! Now go for the hardest difficulty! Unless you started on the hardest difficulty, then never mind that.
Eh not really a fan of playing games on hard difficulties these days, I just don't have the time or the patience for that most of the time. I traded in my copy of the game recently(I prefer physical copies of games for a number of reasons) for Darksiders Genesis which I do plan on getting around to at some point.
 

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Eh not really a fan of playing games on hard difficulties these days, I just don't have the time or the patience for that most of the time. I traded in my copy of the game recently(I prefer physical copies of games for a number of reasons) for Darksiders Genesis which I do plan on getting around to at some point.
Understandable. when I buy a game I know I'm going to enjoy, I do get my money's worth. Regardless if I paid at full price or not. It does not always work out that way, but when it does, I freaking love it. Especially when I'm playing a stylish action game. I don't have time for 25 to 40+hour games. I'm more of us 6 to the 15-hour person. Even when I had spare time back then, I would usually avoid the overly-long games anyway.