If you’re considering TLOU2 and you have questions, then hopefully we have the answers for you. This is the VDGMS 21 Q review.

Is the game fun? 

I wouldn’t label the game fun but it is an experience worthy of your time, not only to see the journey that the characters make but also to see where the medium of video games are heading.

What does it do better than the previous game?

TLOU2 greatly improves upon the stealth as each enemy encounter is clearly built around using the environment to your advantage. Sometimes it can be little too video gamey but it does allow you to approach each encounter as you choose and sometimes even bypassing combat altogether.

Is it couples friendly? 

Yes, although the content is quite dark, the story is full of characters that you want to see redeem themselves. The level of quality during the cutscenes rivals something that you could watch on Netflix together, so just think of it as a season of something you can binge.

Does it do anything new?

The game has been out for a decent amount of time as of now, but I can’t think of too many games where you are controlling opposite sides of the plot and this leads to some interesting methods of unveiling story beats. If it has been done before it hasn’t been done to this level of success.

Does it look good? 

TLOU2 is easily one of the best looking games I have ever played. Not only do the motion capture and the facial animations border realism but its the little details that launches this game into another echelon. The way the tide comes in, the way puddles reflect the world perfectly and everything in between make this game stunning. The fact that it can do this on a PS4 is impressive.

Does it sound good? 

Composer Gustavo Santaolalla returns to create the score but the main difference this time around is that the sound is has a much heavier industrial tone. The reason for this is to accentuate the constant sense of hate, tension and unease that the story is creating.

Does it control well? 

The controls are ok and are a slightly refined version of the controls from the 2013 which means that they can feel clunky at times

Is the story good? 

The story is excellent and though many may have problems with the divisive nature, it does show us all aspects of the human condition. It elevates the medium of video games to put it shoulder to shoulder with TV and movies and their ability to tell stories, no matter the content.

Does it have technical issues? 

Throughout the 30 hours it took to complete the campaign, I only encountered one serious hiccup and that was when I fell through the world after jumping up on a ledge in the middle of a combat encounter.

Do I need to play previous games? 

There is no need to play the 2013 masterpiece that was TLOU. However, it’s likely that playing that game would give you a greater connection with some of the characters and make you appreciate the subtleties of TLOU2. I would love to be able to experience this game without having played the original to see how my views of all the characters would change.

Is there planned DLC?

At the moment Naughty Dog hasn’t said anything about future DLC for TLOU2 analogous to Left Behind from TLOU but I have to imagine for remastered version for the PS5 in 2021 there will be some type of additional content to entice people to purchase if they missed the boat this year.

Will there be a sequel?

Honestly, I hope there isn't. I feel as though I have been in this universe long enough. I appreciate how the story left a lot of elements up to interpretation. Sometimes it’s better to leave things unsaid. With ND apparently done with Uncharted and hopefully now TLOU, I would love to see this studio take a risk like Guerilla did with Horizon Zero Dawn and do something very different from their previous work.

Does it have multiplayer? 

One of the big omissions from TLOU2 was the multiplayer mode “factions”. There was at one point information that ND was working on in it, however in late 2019 the team gave an update on twitter that the vision of the factions mode grew beyond their scope, but eventually gamers will experience the fruits of the teams online ambitions, but not as part of TLOU2. This makes it sound like it will be an additional purchase sometime down the road or maybe be an inclusion with a GOTY edition.

Does it have replay value? 

I think the replay of TLOU2 is minimal. The story is tough enough to endure once let alone multiple times. There are plenty of collectibles that you are likely to miss on your first pass and that could be enough reason for some.

How long is it? 

The Last of Us 2 is around 25-30 hours depending on your proficiency with stealth and puzzles, which makes it almost double the length of the original. However, the length doesn’t correlate to quality as I felt that at some points TLOU2 dragged and is one of the main reasons I don’t think it is as good as the 2013 entry.

What is surprising about this game? 

One of the most surprising things about this game was how it changed my perspective of the original game. It doesn’t change my mind about how good the game was but I now see all of the characters differently. It made me question my loyalty about characters that I have grown to love.

What could this game do without? 

A lot of the scavenging during the lengthy time in Seattle felt bloated and could have been removed. There doesn’t have to be as many areas to explore, especially when many drawers and cabinets are empty. I don’t come to TLOU for the open world exploration, I come for the tightly crafted story lines.

What is the best part about this game? 

I guess using the last answer, the best thing about TLOU2 is the story, the writing and the acting. The way that Naughty Dog was able to show us a different perspective on this universe and they way they were able to weave it all together and have it unfold like Memento was impressive.

What is the worst part about this game?

The length of this game is my one major gripe. I may be in the minority but I don’t consider a game better or have more value if it is longer. TLOU was only around 15 hours and was worth every copper penny, doubling the length for TLOU2 didn’t give the game more value in my mind, instead it removed some of enjoyment of the world.

Can you binge it? 

Not only is the game 25-30 hour which would make binging it in a short period of time difficult, the weight of the story is a lot to digest emotionally. Playing in smaller increments, spread out over a few weeks or longer will likely lead to a more enjoyable experience.

Would you recommend it?

Without a doubt, if you are one of the 100 million or so that own a PS4 then it is worth playing whether or not you played the original. The writing, acting, visuals, score and all the care that went into this game shine through that result in an excellent game that does fall short of the original.

19/21