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The Last of Us Part II - Review Thread - *NO. SPOILERS. PERIOD.*

What will TLOU 2 average score be?


  • Total voters
    341
  • Poll closed .

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Gotta say, ND and Sony are genius. 1 week reviews before game release.... enough to grab the news cycle for a full week with free PR. Funnily enough, also a week long funeral for haters... by June 19 we may have a shortage of salt.
I mean... even the most haters will see turn after seeing so many 10s
 
Skill Up has the right to his opinion and he seems a reasonable guy who gave it respectfully but it's funny how the negative review is considered the most honest one. Maybe the people gushing over the game honestly loved it.

I think that's probably because Skill Up is totally a Sony shill, he hyped pretty much all of their exclusives with insane praise. So for him to go against that and for him to break that persona, he truly must have disliked it.

It's either that or confirmation bias. Or both. It's also irrelevant. The game got universal praise, that's the best any game will ever get because nothing will ever be unanimous. It's the same deal with BOTW and Jim Sterling.
 

Moogle11

Banned
It's either that or confirmation bias. Or both. It's also irrelevant. The game got universal praise, that's the best any game will ever get because nothing will ever be unanimous. It's the same deal with BOTW and Jim Sterling.

Yep. Other than fanboyism I don't get why people care so much about individual reviews, and especially ones that diverge from the overall review consensus/aggregate. And this is true regardless of whether one likes the game in question or not. If I end up loving TLOU2 like I did the first one, the minority of negative reviews doesn't impact my experience nor do I think their opinions are invalid. Similarly, I was less enthusiastic about BOTW (prefer the OOT formula and more focus on traditional dungeons) than most, but I don't think the critical and user praise of it being one of the best games every is wrong. It just wasn't as good a match for my tastes.

This stuff is all subjective opinions as the objectively bad/broken games review poorly and really don't get debated and argued over in review threads. A lot of people are just fragile and need their opinions on games, movies etc. validated I guess. Along with the console warrior/fanboy losers who spend all their time arguing for/defending corporations that don't care about anything but getting as much of their money as possible. Forums can really suck the fun out of hobbies like gaming at times.
 

Woggleman

Member
I loved the gameplay of the first game and I am glad they didn't throw out the rulebook. Making it play like something else would have made it into something that fans of the first would have not liked. I don't want it to play like Bloodborne or BOTW or any other game. I want to play like TLOU2.
 
A lot of people are just fragile and need their opinions on games, movies etc. validated I guess.

Just to add to that sentiment, people do that on games they haven't played. It's insane. They see something being scored highly by like 100 people, 1 guy doesn't like it and they latch on to that sentiment as if it offers a valid counterpoint to the praise.

I'm not too bothered by it because at the end of the day that fuels discussions, but yeah the insincerity gets rough to stomach in the review threads.
 

Woggleman

Member
Despite this getting smeared as an SJW game SJWs hate violent media as well. They want representation but god forbid a member of any of these groups is a part of any of the violence. How did gamers go from forming a united front against the likes of Jack Thompson to being squeamish about violent games?
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
I mean... even the most haters will see turn after seeing so many 10s

Sadly this won't happen - perhaps some haters, but I'm afraid not "most" of them.
I hoped it would be a lot, but after seeing the Facebook comments under the newest ND posts, I lost hope. Everone's just posting the Skill Up review, calling it the only honest one and accusing the 80+ positive reviews as being paid by Sony/ND/Druckmann himself.

Many people won't admit their wrongdoings once their went all out with their opinion of a game/movie/whatever online. Holding up the only "negative" reviews while ignoring all the positives ones is the perfect example.
Those are the times we live in. Sadly.
 

Woggleman

Member
Sadly this won't happen - perhaps some haters, but I'm afraid not "most" of them.
I hoped it would be a lot, but after seeing the Facebook comments under the newest ND posts, I lost hope. Everone's just posting the Skill Up review, calling it the only honest one and accusing the 80+ positive reviews as being paid by Sony/ND/Druckmann himself.

Many people won't admit their wrongdoings once their went all out with their opinion of a game/movie/whatever online. Holding up the only "negative" reviews while ignoring all the positives ones is the perfect example.
Those are the times we live in. Sadly.
Why can't they just say this game is not for them and leave it at that? I don't get the vendetta against this game? I respect anyone that doesn't like it but people seem to have this visceral hate that I just don't understand. It is easy to just move on and play something else.
 

REE Machine

Banned
Get some fresh air. Or pussy for a change. Your priorities in life seem flawed
Tech if you want to argue the arrival of wokeness was after tlou entered the fray though it did have strong female characters as well, but even before that became all the woke whats uncharted 2-3's excuse then before the strong left movement...?
Wait there isnt one because they are good games!
 
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rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Sadly this won't happen - perhaps some haters, but I'm afraid not "most" of them.
I hoped it would be a lot, but after seeing the Facebook comments under the newest ND posts, I lost hope. Everone's just posting the Skill Up review, calling it the only honest one and accusing the 80+ positive reviews as being paid by Sony/ND/Druckmann himself.

Many people won't admit their wrongdoings once their went all out with their opinion of a game/movie/whatever online. Holding up the only "negative" reviews while ignoring all the positives ones is the perfect example.
Those are the times we live in. Sadly.
Skill up review lists some good points if it's accurate. But it's totally 180 to other reviews. So it's like days gone but in reverse :p gonna have to play myself. For me it's a bit too long for a stealth game personally but I am more hyped now than I was for last month
 

Moogle11

Banned
Despite this getting smeared as an SJW game SJWs hate violent media as well. They want representation but god forbid a member of any of these groups is a part of any of the violence. How did gamers go from forming a united front against the likes of Jack Thompson to being squeamish about violent games?

To be fair, I don't see many calling for banning these games. Just people saying they're squeamish about it and a few who won't play it because if it.

And I think that's a fine view. Censorship and calls for it are the issue. It makes sense to me that people that enjoyed things like the old MK games and other things Thompson and others were raging about back in the 16 bit era are squeamish about the more realistic violence as games have gotten more realistic. As long as they aren't calling for them to be banned, I have no problems with them being squeamish about it in this type of game and not in something more cartoonish or involving killing demons or whatever. That's not an inconsistent view IMO.

I don't feel any negative emotion slaughtering demons in Doom, or the cartoony old MK games. But get a little squeamish with some of the fatalities in the recent MK games and definitely what I've seen of the violence in TLOU2 and how enemies and their friends react. I'll still play and likely love it and get that feeling bad/squeamish about it is part of the point, and I wouldn't dock it points for that if I was a reviewer. But I'm sure I'll occasionally comment in the OT about things that made me feel bad--and do so in a good way as TLOU is supposed to be a depressing and distrubing game!
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
Why can't they just say this game is not for them and leave it at that? I don't get the vendetta against this game? I respect anyone that doesn't like it but people seem to have this visceral hate that I just don't understand. It is easy to just move on and play something else.

You're absolutely right, I would totally welcome that. A simple "sorry, not my cup of tea", and that's it, everything's fine.
Sadly a lot of "haters" tend to insult Neil Druckmann, call people who pre-ordered stupid SJWs or just spoil crucial plot points. Why? Who knows, I guess there are several possible reasons.


Skill up review lists some good points if it's accurate. But it's totally 180 to other reviews. So it's like days gone but in reverse :p gonna have to play myself. For me it's a bit too long for a stealth game personally but I am more hyped now than I was for last month

Yeah, and it's totally fine to talk about that review, don't get me wrong.
But some people act like this is THE perfect example for the game being bad and all the positive reviews being paid by Sony, which is terrible and just shows bad faith.




I feel weary rn


While I understand what she means, a lot of reviews mentioned the embargo, but still found a way to talk about their opinions without actually mentioning any content/additional information.
I just don't get why she had to put this "friendly reminder" in. Yeah, we know a 10/10 isn't perfect.
We know "The Godfather" isn't perfect. We know 100% Rotten Tomatoes movies aren't perfect. Nothing is perfect, there are always things to nitpick about.
 

Valentino

Member
Why can't they just say this game is not for them and leave it at that? I don't get the vendetta against this game? I respect anyone that doesn't like it but people seem to have this visceral hate that I just don't understand. It is easy to just move on and play something else.

Is it a scenario of bitterness that their favorite game or company doesn't get an ounce of the same praise and acclaim ND do? Like are we all deluded and brainwashed because we enjoy the package we get from ND? There's genuine HAAAATE that we are "lapping up" Naughty Dogs "agenda" or "soulless gameplay".
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
Is it a scenario of bitterness that their favorite game or company doesn't get an ounce of the same praise and acclaim ND do? Like are we all deluded and brainwashed because we enjoy the package we get from ND? There's genuine HAAAATE that we are "lapping up" Naughty Dogs "agenda" or "soulless gameplay".

Haha, yeah. This brought back memories of all the people who disliked the gameplay reveal, because Ellie kissed a girl and know we have to play a lesbian, because ND has to force wokeness on us. Man, I lost a great deal of hope in humanity that day.
 

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
You're absolutely right, I would totally welcome that. A simple "sorry, not my cup of tea", and that's it, everything's fine.
Sadly a lot of "haters" tend to insult Neil Druckmann, call people who pre-ordered stupid SJWs or just spoil crucial plot points. Why? Who knows, I guess there are several possible reasons.




Yeah, and it's totally fine to talk about that review, don't get me wrong.
But some people act like this is THE perfect example for the game being bad and all the positive reviews being paid by Sony, which is terrible and just shows bad faith.




While I understand what she means, a lot of reviews mentioned the embargo, but still found a way to talk about their opinions without actually mentioning any content/additional information.
I just don't get why she had to put this "friendly reminder" in. Yeah, we know a 10/10 isn't perfect.
We know "The Godfather" isn't perfect. We know 100% Rotten Tomatoes movies aren't perfect. Nothing is perfect, there are always things to nitpick about.
My fav games are gears trilogy and the darkness. Movies are the thing and pitch black. All far from perfect. Sometimes these perfect games and movies are so perfect because they play very safe for broad audience and cannot be faulted for anything.
This seems different as the game is very extreme and violent which is not casual
 

Woggleman

Member
I also don't understand the hate against Neil. Him sort of extending the olive branch to Quartering shows he is sort of a class act whether you agree with his approach to game development or not. Besides having progressive views I don't understand what is so terrible about him.
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
My fav games are gears trilogy and the darkness. Movies are the thing and pitch black. All far from perfect. Sometimes these perfect games and movies are so perfect because they play very safe for broad audience and cannot be faulted for anything.
This seems different as the game is very extreme and violent which is not casual

While I can't be sure (haven't played the game yet, obviously), I see the extreme violence as one of the key factors why so many people were thrilled by it and gave it a 10/10.
Not because they enjoy killing people in a gruesome way, but because a lot of movies/games in the last years played it very safe or used violence in a over-the-top entertaining videogame-y style.
Some of the reviewers painted a good picture of them just feeling bad and dirty after some things they had to do in the game, a feeling they never had while playing a game. Might not be THE thing for everyone, but sounds interesting to me.

I also don't understand the hate against Neil. Him sort of extending the olive branch to Quartering shows he is sort of a class act whether you agree with his approach to game development or not. Besides having progressive views I don't understand what is so terrible about him.

See the post by Kos Mos a few minutes ago and you've got your answer.
Creators have to play it safe these days or they will have to go through a shitstorm stirred up by fans who can't accept bold story decisions that won't please anyone.
One day they'll just LOVE their favourite video game studio, but once this studio really follows their own vision, hating them is way cooler. Sadly arguments aren't important at that point, name-calling and insults are way cooler.
 
I also don't understand the hate against Neil. Him sort of extending the olive branch to Quartering shows he is sort of a class act whether you agree with his approach to game development or not. Besides having progressive views I don't understand what is so terrible about him.


If this is in response to my post at #632, twelve minutes ago. I don't attest my current anger over anything woke, but rather A scene I can't mention here without being banned. Watch the two clips I shared though a few posts ago.
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
If this is in response to my post at #632, twelve minutes ago. I don't attest my current anger over anything woke, but rather A scene I can't mention here without being banned. Watch the two clips I shared though a few posts ago.

But you said "it was an entire scene, so the context is absolute." in this post - and this is just wrong.
You can't take one crucial moment out of a game that is build as a complete narrative and say "I saw the whole scene, so context is absolute" - what is the build up to that scene? What'll follow afterwards? Where will this lead us?
You still have the right to hate it, but insulting the creator for his decisions is just silly. Criticising him? OK. Insulting him? No.
 

Woggleman

Member
I remember the 90s when you had movies like Pulp Fiction, Natural Born Killers and while the moralizers hated them the audience didn't shriek in horror. For all the hip hop fans on this board the game sounds like the gaming equivalent to a Mobb Deep song and I love to have that feeling in my games. People talk about fun is if only lighthearted, colorful and over the top can be fun but joy can also be found in darkness.
 
But you said "it was an entire scene, so the context is absolute." in this post - and this is just wrong.
You can't take one crucial moment out of a game that is build as a complete narrative and say "I saw the whole scene, so context is absolute" - what is the build up to that scene? What'll follow afterwards? Where will this lead us?
You still have the right to hate it, but insulting the creator for his decisions is just silly. Criticising him? OK. Insulting him? No.


Do you want me to be banned and share it with you? It's not some 30 second clip, it goes on for like 8 minutes, and the user in question has several videos that lead up to it in order.
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
Do you want me to be banned and share it with you? It's not some 30 second clip, it goes on for like 8 minutes, and the user in question has several videos that lead up to it in order.

I know what you are talking about, trust me.
And like I said - if you show me 5, 8, or 20 minutes of a 20+ hours game, that is not absolute context, not even close.
And no reason to insult the creator of the game.




Sorry, but this doesn't make any sense for me.
Journalists/reviewers can talk about their opinions on a movies or games ending without spoiling anything/giving away any crucial plot points.
People didn't have to spoil the ending of Avengers: Endgame (just one example) to share their feelings/thoughts - so how is that different with TLoU2? I saw a lot of reviews that focused on the story and had a huge part about the story and their thoughts on it. Seems totally fine.
 
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I know what you are talking about, trust me.
And like I said - if you show me 5, 8, or 20 minutes in a 20+ hours game, that is not absolute context, not even close.
And no reason to insult the creator of the game.


Pretty sure Neil won't lose any sleep over one random on the internet telling him to go fuck himself. His millions of dollars will sing him a sweet little lullaby. the synopsis was included and I know now why that scene takes place, even though i still hate it.

It does not matter if something is not complete, or 20 hours long. It's a scene people do not like and something that nobody has to accept, just because the director wanted it to be that way.

If you choose to not accept that, then oh well.
 
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MayauMiao

Member
The reviewers I trust, especially Skillup, made the game sound like a hard pass to me. He was right when he said the first game was an average game but had fantastic plot and characters. To hear him saying TLoU 2 plot and characters as disappointing is more than enough to make me just avoid buying the game right now. Think I'll just wait for Ghost of Tsushima. I can't wait for his spoiler review.
 
Well his game, he can do what he wants. People are free not to like it but it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t do it.


Never said he couldnt. I disagree with certain decisions made, and that's never going to change.
I mean, at least this is my problem, and not any sort of self righteous bitching about wokeness.
Can we agree to disagree?
 

DarkBatman

SBI’s Employee of the Year
Pretty sure Neil won't lose any sleep over one random on the internet telling him to go fuck himself. His millions of dollars will sing him a sweet little lullaby. the synopsis was included and I know now why that scene takes place, even though i still hate it.

It does not matter if something is not complete, or 20 hours long. It's a scene people do not like and something that nobody has to accept, just because the director wanted it to be that way.

If you choose to not accept that, then oh well.

Sorry, but this is the behaviour I will never understand: "Well, this guy has money and has a good life, so now I can insult him because I'm just a random guy on the internet, hihi".

Oh, and now you suddenly got an included synopsis? Why did the narrative change so quickly from "I saw one scene" to "I saw everything leading up to that scene" to "And I even got a synopsis, so I know EVERYTHING". Really doesn't sound like you got the "absolute context", just one scene you don't like.

And by the way: People HAVE to accept it, because now it is official. And you know why? BECAUSE he is the director.
You don't have to like it. But you could at least have the decency and stop insulting people, even if there's only a small chance they're even going to notice you.
 
Sorry, but this is the behaviour I will never understand: "Well, this guy has money and has a good life, so now I can insult him because I'm just a random guy on the internet, hihi".

Oh, and now you suddenly got an included synopsis? Why did the narrative change so quickly from "I saw one scene" to "I saw everything leading up to that scene" to "And I even got a synopsis, so I know EVERYTHING". Really doesn't sound like you got the "absolute context", just one scene you don't like.

And by the way: People HAVE to accept it, because now it is official. And you know why? BECAUSE he is the director.
You don't have to like it. But you could at least have the decency and stop insulting people, even if there's only a small chance they're even going to notice you.


Post edited because I should not be an asshole to people.
 
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Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
Never said he couldnt. I disagree with certain decisions made, and that's never going to change.
I mean, at least this is my problem, and not any sort of self righteous bitching about wokeness.
Can we agree to disagree?
it’s your taste and opinion, same way devs are free to make what they want to make, you are more than free not to like it. Not everything meant to appeal to everybody.
 
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