TLOU2 Review Thread

Casual Shinji

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Surprsingly I don't hate 3's story that much. If anything, I hate 4's story because fuck Sam Drake and Nadine. UC4 is great gameplay wise, but story wise a bad fanf fic. I know we had this conversation before on the V1 thread, just thought I reiterate for those that forgot or are new here.
Uncharted 3 has dumb ass spiders; Case closed :p
 
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Hades

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Well here's the thing. The Last of Us 1 wasn't all that remarkable of a game. However it told a decent story, with enjoyable characters. The game succeeds in making us enjoy the character relationship between Joel and Ellie. Everything else is basically window dressing to allowing the player to enjoy a relationship building journey. Which is why people love Ellie and Joel despite the fact they are obviously terrible people. It doesn't matter to the player by the end, because the building of the relationship between them wins the player over.

Thelma and Louise are shitty people, but beloved characters in cinema history because they are written so well. They have a genuine relationship and youend up rooting for them even though they are the bad guys.

The same thing in the first The Last of Us.

It's this relationship that people love the characters, and also why people are so upset that Naught Dog has decided that they don't give a shit about what they've built. They destroy the characters within the first 90 minutes of the game and the rest of the game spends so much time trying to break the characters people loved down, that it almost seems spiteful.

The conspiracy in me thinks that Amy Henning who refused to conform to Druckman's feminist ideals of storytelling got push out of Naught Dog. However she wrote a lot of the original Last of Us. After she was pushed out of the company, Neil tried to rewrite as much of her plot as he could, but too much of the game was already done. So a lot of Amy's writing remains in the original game.

Well Druckman holds a grudge because the original game didn't end up being what he wanted. Therefore with full creative control over Part 2, he did everything he could to make sure he SHIT on Amy's original characters and story. Thus all the disrespect to the characters we see through out the game. Hell characters talk shit about Joel 15 hours after he is killed. And the other character Ellie is just shit on the entire game. Why does Abby seemingly get all she wants, while Ellie's whole world is obliterated? Because Neil hated Amy's story. So fuck everything she wrote that the fans loved.
From what I've seen on the man Druckman neither comes off as particularly likable or that great a writer in the grand scheme of things.

However the backlash against TLOU2 often takes the form of extreme vilification towards Druckman which is just undignified. Most bizarrely there's a conspiracy theory that the sex scene exist because he has a creepy crush on Laura Bailey and wanted to direct a mocap scene where she had sex with his self insert character. And I would suggest that the notion that Druckman is a fraud who only got where he was by stealing from Henning and then having a grudge against her work to boot is also part of this vilification. TLOU2 isn't completely without points in its favor. How the plot weaponizes the players affection for Joel against them is actually rather clever even if it failed in convincing players that Abbey is the one to root for.
 
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hanselthecaretaker

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From what I've seen on the man Druckman neither comes off as particularly likable or that great a writer in the grand scheme of things.

However the backlash against TLOU2 often takes the form of extreme vilification towards Druckman which is just undignified. Most bizarrely there's a conspiracy theory that the sex scene exist because he has a creepy crush on Laura Bailey and wanted to direct a mocap scene where she had sex with his self insert character. And I would suggest that the notion that Druckman is a fraud who only got where he was by stealing from Henning and then having a grudge against her work to boot is also part of this vilification. TLOU2 isn't completely without points in its favor. How the plot weaponizes the players affection for Joel against them is actually rather clever even if it failed in convincing players that Abbey is the one to root for.
I actually enjoyed Abby’s half more, even from a story standpoint because her arc was more well-realized and satisfying. I never really rooted for Ellie even immediately after Abby tee’d off Joel. Maybe the spoilers had something to do with preparing me for the event, but in the end they’re all cold blooded killers who probably deserve to die.

Abby however actually ended up deeply caring for - possibly even loving - a character that started as an enemy. Their relationship starting as part of her guilty conscience gradually grew into something that imo easily rivaled Joel’s affection for Ellie in the original game. The main reason that stands out more favorably is because it was the focal point of a new IP, and everyone already loves the father/daughter trope. With TLoU2 near everyone’s guards were already up so nothing really had early as fair a chance.
 

Casual Shinji

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Anyone else also notice how idiot channels like TheQuartering and Heelsbabyface have made it their mission to pitt Ghost of Tsushima against TLoU2? And how the former REKS the latter cuz it ain't "SJW".

Same fucking thing happened with Captain Marvel vs. Alita Battle Angel.
 
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hanselthecaretaker

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Anyone else also notice how idiot channels like TheQuartering and Heelsbabyface have made it their mission to pitt Ghost of Tsushima against TLoU2? And how the former REKS the latter cuz it ain't "SJW".

Same fucking thing happened with Captain Marvel vs. Alita Battle Angel.
I watched Idiocacy last night for the first time in over a decade. Scary how relevant it’s getting. I mean, of course it’s highly exaggerated with the mountains of garbage and Brando replacing water, but remove that and the general themes - especially people’s attitudes - are proving increasingly relevant.

Survival of the fittest needs to start meaning something again, and not just regarding the size of bank accounts. There are plenty of rich idiots out there as well.
 

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Anyone else also notice how idiot channels like TheQuartering and Heelsbabyface have made it their mission to pitt Ghost of Tsushima against TLoU2? And how the former REKS the latter cuz it ain't "SJW".

Same fucking thing happened with Captain Marvel vs. Alita Battle Angel.
I did not know about it, but it does not surprise. Seriously, how long are guys like that are going to be "angry" at the world? They won't live to see old age at with that attitude. Or grow alone with rarely or no one to morn or care. Never cared much for the vs debate for Alita and Marvel, and I sure as hell don't care for the new "boogeyman".


Survival of the fittest needs to start meaning something again, and not just regarding the size of bank accounts. There are plenty of rich idiots out there as well.
I don't need a real life Makoto Shishio or Senator Armstrong right now. I see your point though and I know you don't mean it in those exact words.

 
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Hades

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Anyone else also notice how idiot channels like TheQuartering and Heelsbabyface have made it their mission to pitt Ghost of Tsushima against TLoU2? And how the former REKS the latter cuz it ain't "SJW".

Same fucking thing happened with Captain Marvel vs. Alita Battle Angel.
To be fair the other side did make it fairly easy for them to deem Ghost as anti sjw by whining about it being cultural appropriation. Then again its almost certain that those youtubers blow the frequency or influence of such articles way out of proportions.

I did not know about it, but it does not surprise. Seriously, how long are guys like that are going to be "angry" at the world? They live to see old age at with that attitude. Or grow alone with rarely or no one to morn or care. Never cared much for the vs debate for Alita and Marvel, and I sure as hell don't care for the new "boogeyman".
I actually don't think TheQuartering is all that angry or that he's even that much against the left. I think he merely puts up an act for youtube money. Jury's out on whether that's better or worse then a more fanatical alt righter like Sargon.
 

CriticalGaming

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Same fucking thing happened with Captain Marvel vs. Alita Battle Angel.

Alita Battle Angel was awesome!

Captain Marvel wasn't.

Though I dunno about the politics behind any reasoning.

I know Brie Larson got in trouble with people for acting like a royal stuck up pain in the ass, and people didn't take that too well. So maybe that's why.

As for the Ghosts V. TLOU2 thing. I think the reception has made it a war in the sense that Ghosts didn't review nearly as well by publications, meanwhile the fans seemed to have a bias towards Ghosts.

Then the media tried to demonize Ghosts by saying Western Developers shouldn't have made a Japanese game. Which just goes to show you how they'll be outraged by anything for clicks. Articles like that show just how outright stupid the press has been recently and how they've clearly driven off the deep end by the left.

Meanwhile everyone in Japan is like, "Wow Ghosts is really cool. You guys did a good job." Because they don't live in a culture that feeds on pointless outrage and can enjoy things for what they are.
 

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To be fair the other side did make it fairly easy for them to deem Ghost as anti sjw by whining about it being cultural appropriation. Then again its almost certain that those youtubers blow the frequency or influence of such articles way out of proportions.



I actually don't think TheQuartering is all that angry or that he's even that much against the left. I think he merely puts up an act for youtube money. Jury's out on whether that's better or worse then a more fanatical alt righter like Sargon.
I know, which makes him all the more miserable and pathetic. Whenever he does pass, I highly doubt most of his fans are gonna cry or go to his funeral. As far as I'm concerned, he just another, loud mouth, jackoff with way too much time on his hands. Dull, dull, duuuuulllll......
 

Casual Shinji

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Alita Battle Angel was awesome!

Captain Marvel wasn't.
I have seen Alita Battle Angel and I haven't seen Captain Marvel, and I know for a fact that Captain Marvel is better. That's how bad Alita Battle Angel was.
To be fair the other side did make it fairly easy for them to deem Ghost as anti sjw by whining about it being cultural appropriation. Then again its almost certain that those youtubers blow the frequency or influence of such articles way out of proportions.
There you have it. I can't say I've seen anyone complain about Ghost being cultural appropriation, but then I don't have a twitter account so maybe that's it. On youtube though... video after video complaining about how "SJWs" are apparently complaining about cultural appropriation. Like, are these radical leftists just not on youtube, because with the amount of "pushback" from the anti-SJWs you'd think I'd run into them occasionally, but I never ever do. Yet youtube can't stop throwing TheQuartering, Yellowflash, and similar morons in my face on a daily basis.
 

Hades

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I have seen Alita Battle Angel and I haven't seen Captain Marvel, and I know for a fact that Captain Marvel is better. That's how bad Alita Battle Angel was.
There you have it. I can't say I've seen anyone complain about Ghost being cultural appropriation, but then I don't have a twitter account so maybe that's it. On youtube though... video after video complaining about how "SJWs" are apparently complaining about cultural appropriation. Like, are these radical leftists just not on youtube, because with the amount of "pushback" from the anti-SJWs you'd think I'd run into them occasionally, but I never ever do. Yet youtube can't stop throwing TheQuartering, Yellowflash, and similar morons in my face on a daily basis.
The amount of ''evil leftish backlash'' certainly is far smaller then the alt right channels suggest it is. That's actually a rather common trick of them. Many of them ended up making videos about how the left HATED the humor in Doom Eternal for supposedly mocking immigrants but all they had were just a few random comments on twitter that weren't even viewed or retweeted very much.

All in all I suspect the youtube algorithm greatly favors far right channel. I only need to watch a relatively nuanced star wars video and then I get bombarded with videos about how WOMAN had the gall to RUIN Star Wars! or how Disney is some tyranical feminist dictatorship. This is probably why TheQuartering went that particular route with his channel. This of course makes the rights whining about youtube discriminating against them kinda petty.


 

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The amount of ''evil leftish backlash'' certainly is far smaller then the alt right channels suggest it is. That's actually a rather common trick of them. Many of them ended up making videos about how the left HATED the humor in Doom Eternal for supposedly mocking immigrants but all they had were just a few random comments on twitter that weren't even viewed or retweeted very much.

Wait? The was political backlash about Doom? Any of the recent ones?(I think the first one hit some moral panic/violence in video games) News to me. Then again, I'm not on twitter/tumbler/instagram or whatever one is full of the wierdos.
 

Casual Shinji

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The amount of ''evil leftish backlash'' certainly is far smaller then the alt right channels suggest it is. That's actually a rather common trick of them. Many of them ended up making videos about how the left HATED the humor in Doom Eternal for supposedly mocking immigrants but all they had were just a few random comments on twitter that weren't even viewed or retweeted very much.
Which suggests these people are scouring twitter to catch a whiff of anything that resembles "SJWs" so they can make a video about it, which is really pathetic. But then I already figured that.
 

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I have seen Alita Battle Angel and I haven't seen Captain Marvel, and I know for a fact that Captain Marvel is better. That's how bad Alita Battle Angel was.
I've seen both, and I found Alita better. Captain Marvel was not bad, but average and run of the mill for me.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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I've seen both, and I found Alita better. Captain Marvel was not bad, but average and run of the mill for me.
I saw both.

Alita Battle Angel had much better and more visually interesting action scenes than Captain Marvel, and I guess a more likeable main character. God the writing was awful though, just awful. The world-building is also nonsense, and I just couldn't care about any of it.

Neither is a particularly good movie.
 

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I did not know about it, but it does not surprise. Seriously, how long are guys like that are going to be "angry" at the world? They live to see old age at with that attitude. Or grow alone with rarely or no one to morn or care. Never cared much for the vs debate for Alita and Marvel, and I sure as hell don't care for the new "boogeyman".
So long as the gullible keep throwing money at them, they'll be as outraged (or feigning outrage) as necessary to keep their bank balance topped up.

I'd find it funny if it wasn't leading to so much rage, harassment and radicalisation.
 

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So long as the gullible keep throwing money at them, they'll be as outraged (or feigning outrage) as necessary to keep their bank balance topped up.
Which will only add to their own misery regardless if they're too stupid to realize it or not.

The world-building is also nonsense, and I just couldn't care about any of it.
The world building was a compromise really, and I found it alright. It did not get that much in the way of the story and characters. Granted, there is only so much you can put in to a 2 hour film. when manga has much lore, world building, and multiple characters.
 

stroopwafel

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Then the media tried to demonize Ghosts by saying Western Developers shouldn't have made a Japanese game. Which just goes to show you how they'll be outraged by anything for clicks. Articles like that show just how outright stupid the press has been recently and how they've clearly driven off the deep end by the left.
I think it's primarily a difference in experience. Open world games are really popular probably more among gamers than critics. Days Gone also scored way better among gamers(atleast on Metacritic). But most people don't play these games non-stop. It's different with a critic who has to play through this whole thing(often 50+ hours) in one week and then write a review. It's like being force feed at this point. The repetition and filler in these kind of games really start to sour the experience. But most people probably play such a mainstream title to unwind for an hour after work. You don't really have to invest a lot of time or understand deep mechanics. It can be enjoyed right away. The statistics for games that have been played until the credits is very low. Meaning people play it and then move on not 'grind' through the experience like a critic or enthusiast. I guess the idea of having a gigantic amount of content(even if 90% is recyled or filler) is really appealing even if most people never get to experience most of it anyway. Ubisoft basically made it's entire name on this premise. Though probably to the excessive degree it now even starts to repel 'casual' gamers given the latest Ghost Recon reception. xD

As for press that have been driven off the deep end by the Left I think it's mostly Polygon, Kotaku(though that site is really in shambles) and ResetEra(no press but really popular). On the other side very popular youtube channels already hated TLOU2 before it was even out because of 'SJW reasons'. It's unfortunate more and more people let their thinking be done for them by these huge media outlets. TLOU2 was also review bombed the second it came out. But the more people actually play it the more the score is going up. It's one of the few games that is actually worthy of critical analysis.
 
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BrawlMan

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I think it's primarily a difference in experience. Open world games are really popular probably more among gamers than critics. Days Gone also scored way better among gamers(atleast on Metacritic). But most people don't play these games non-stop. It's different with a critic who has to play through this whole thing(often 50+ hours) in one week and then write a review. It's like being force feed at this point. The repetition and filler in these kind of games really start to sour the experience.
Still does not excuse the more outrageous behavior. I know you're not stating or implying the excuse, but this is me adding something. Even though it's partially an act, Yahtzee had problem with Ghosts saying it was "just another open world game". Like I said in the Ghost thread, dude sounded like he was having a minor nervous breakdown. As for critics, I know their jobs ain't easy, y'all need to ask/demand these companies give you games of this scale a month or 3-4 weeks in advance, or try to give it a couple weeks when the game launches. The way the publishers and developers act most of the time do not help either.

As for press that have been driven off the deep end by the Left I think it's mostly Polygon, Kotaku(though that site is really in shambles) and ResetEra(no press but really popular). On the other side very popular youtube channels already hated TLOU2 before it was even out because of 'SJW reasons'. It's unfortunate more and more people let their thinking be done for them by these huge media outlets.
I've said this multiple times before, but both are two sides of the same coin that love the smell of their own farts. Polygon I was neutral towards until around 2012/13. Kotaku I never liked much to begin with (I will give some writers recent credit for not backing down on workplace abuse) and every article is based more feeling and anger mongering that would make Jack Thompson proud. I never heard of ResetEra, so they might as well be small time from my view.
 
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