There's a lot, so don't expect this list to be exhaustive...
Lets play, should be fun.
The often discussed Joel and Tommy just giving their names...
Not a plot-hole. They've been in Jackson for several years at this point, and as can be seen by the state of the town its grown substantially over time, There are kids playing in the street, and its generally an oasis of civilization. If this situation didn't soften Joel and Tommy, it'd be bad writing. This is underlined throughout Ellie's story by continually refeeencing the difference between Jackson (where the 2 kids that ran away are the only losses in years) and the shoot-first and dont bother asking questions chaos of Seattle.
Abbey being chased to Joel and Tommy's location by a horde even though the area is meant to be patrolled regularly
Its referenced in the Tommy/Elllie flashback how hordes are seasonal and that they do have a regular patrol rota shows that the perimeter is constantly monitored for safety.
This isn't a plot-hole, its a contrivance for dramatic purpose and brevity.
Joel appearing at the exact moment Abbey needed to be saved.
Same thing. Not a plot-hole. They need to get the inciting event asap. The unexpected providence of the encounter is even acknowleged by Abby's reaction to hearing their names.
Abbey not considering that they had saved her...... she also does not talk to him about anything, just kills him without any clarification.
She doesn't kill Tommy, and that she orders Mel to patch Joel's leg up after they kneecap him seems like an obvious prelude to interrogating him. In fact she only finishes him after Ellie busts in and Owen insists that they leave before they pull the whole of Jackson down on them.
Again. How is this a plot hole?
Ellie goes off to find Joel and Tommy on her own, does not go to get backup, does not bring Jesse or Dina or anyone from town.
Huh? Per Jesse's suggestion they split into 3 groups so as to cover the maximum amount of territory as quickly as possible. Remember this is following a blizzard so finding them before they freeze or worse is what's on their mind.
Not a plot hole.
Abbey is lost in an area she doesn't know after getting chased by the infected but suddenly she knows exactly where to go to get back to her friends, while Joel and Tommy who have lived there for over 5 years have apparently no idea how to get back to the safety of their town...
Actually no. What Abby says is that her friends are close by in a secure location, which apparently is in closer proximity than the town. This is the nearest we've gotten thus far to an actual plot-hole, but it really doesn't qualify because the motivating
Playing as Ellie, approaching the basement door, I shot my gun several times..... nothing happens, nobody comes out or says anything. They are all trapped in a basement, which is not the smartest thing for a supposedly well trained paramilitary organization. I'd have stayed at the top of the corridor stairs and waited for each one to come out.... or if they killed joel, I'd have set it on fire and burned them alive..
Calling foul on this, because accommodating what you describe is a matter of game mechanics and construction. it has nothing to do with the writing. The writing does cover it when Owen reads the riot act to the group for not properly securing the area.
Abbey sneaks up on Tommy in the hotel and has him on the floor but she is out in the open with no cover at all...... why doesn't Ellie just shoot her? It is the most braindead thing in the whole game. Ellie has all her guns and is behind cover, there is no reason not to just skewer her right there.
Errr because she's holding a gun to Tommy's head, and has already proven her willingness to shoot by blowing Jesse's brains out. Not to mention she's just discovered her lover and his pregnant girlfriend murdered at Ellie's hands...
The entire... relating to Abbey thing is nonsense. She would have killed Dina if not for Lev..... Abbey is a merciless murderer, she is not relatable.
Abby is no worse than Ellie or Joel, yet apparently their past transgressions don't apply? Abby is also shown repeatedly to be merciful, yet weirdly at the end of the game when Ellie shows mercy, thats... weakness apparently.
Lets not mince words here. If you were rooting for Ellie to kill Abby at the end, you are the merciless one.
Ellie did not kill Owen or the pregnant girl in cold blood, she was forced into self-defense.
It doesn't really matter because in the context of the story, Abby only discovers the aftermath and has no reason to believe there was anything accidental about it.
You may feel like bending over backwards to excuse Ellie of such heinous shit, but from a story and character perspective Abby has no reason to!
I'm not having a go at you here, but you should really try and take your feelings out of this. Judge actions/motivations within the context and perspective of their roles withn the narrative, the aren't (effectively) omniscient like the player.
All of the parts trying to get you to relate to Abbey were transparent and very hamfisted... save a zebra, play with a dog, Manny is good with the ladies and there is much banter..... it just didn't land.
I could go on...... but I won't because it just sounds like I am being a hater after a certain point. I bought a digital copy and a physical copy. I actually enjoyed the game but it was in spite of the story, not because of it.
I think Tommy should have played a bigger part, maybe taken the burden of revenge off Ellie at the end, left her some of her humanity. He wouldn't have forced her to do anything.... that was a lame plot-device.
None of these things are plot holes. You are making a bunch of subjective judgements based on what sort of narrative you'd like versus what the authors decided to give.
I'm sorry, but you seem to be completely missing the point of the story. Which admittedly is often an indication of failings in the telling, however in this case it really does seem to me that you were so turned off by the overall direction, you stopped paying attention.