While most video games are centered around positive themes, occasionally something comes along that chooses to be the inverse. A title that uses its medium to push something that a consumer might objectively dislike. “The Last of Us Part II” is devoted to the pursuit of misery, very finely crafted misery. It deserves praise for finely hammering the nail on what it intends to do but audiences might find that precision wasted on a message that leaves them angry and upset. 

The previous game had become an instant classic, showing the story of two people that found each other in a world that threatened to tear them apart at every chance it got. Ultimately, it became a story about familial love and repairing yourself from your past. The leading pair Joel (Troy Baker, “Bioshock Infinite”) and Ellie (Ashley Johnson, “Teen Titans Go”) become icons for the narrative power a video game could have. That legacy is not respected by “The Last of Us Part II,” for better or worse.

Set in a world where most of humanity has been corrupted and turned into vile fungal monsters, the pair find themselves humbly resting in a small hamlet away from the madness, five years after the first game took place. In a very strong opening section, player control is passed from Joel to Ellie, thrusting her into the leading role. This peace is interrupted by a tragic event that sets Ellie on a wicked path of hatred and revenge. Those vile emotions are at the heart of every facet in “The Last of Us Part II,” from the pacing of its cut scenes, to its gameplay.

Despite the city of Seattle having a variety of infected zombie-like enemies, the real force of that hatred comes when the player needs to face other human beings. From the first game, audiences become familiar with Joel’s approach to quietly choking out the enemies he would get the drop on. In its sequel Ellie is seen stabbing them in the neck showing a disturbing animation when the victim squirms in a cocktail of emotions. This is compounded by the horror witnessed by their friends, who find the mess later on and mourn them by name, only to be met with a dismissive and smug quote from their assailant as she slinks away.

Violence is everything in this world, and the setting reflects that. The majority of the game takes place in Seattle, a city abandoned by the government and gripped in war between those left behind. Despite this the visual quality is superb. Players might find a natural beauty in walking past a coffee shop that has been slowly reclaimed by wildlife. By tactically positioning lighting and framing techniques, the world can be wondered through naturally, without aids like waypoints or map systems. This lends the game a very earnest pacing. Everything Ellie might need on her journey is found in the city. From supplements that give her upgrades to basic household materials she can fashion into a homemade bomb. Many of the better caches can be found in optional areas that feel just as cared for as the required story areas.

The game also features a wide array of interesting scenarios. The player might find themselves on horseback or exploring flooded malls, while never feeling out of place in the story at large. Sadly, the game loses this flow in the second half, reducing the number of optional areas and limiting the amount of downtime. Often it drags its feet on seemingly meaningless missions that fail to feed into its narrative strengths.

The combat itself is more enjoyable to watch than it is to play at times. The enemies often react in very cinematic ways. Waiting for Ellie to present herself in the most dramatic fashion before sneaking up behind her in an attempt to wrap their hands around her neck. Thankfully, Ellie doesn’t act alone, with a variety of support characters that might stun her attacker at just the right time. While their invulnerability to damage might be a bit bizarre to watch, they tend to make sure that the player does a majority of the work. 

Guns feel very satisfying to use but their ammo is scarce. This leads players to require delicate and careful thinking before expending any resources. Stealth is a valuable tool and every encounter starts with the player being unnoticed by patrolling goons, allowing them to create silencers from empty plastic bottles or taking an unwitting person hostage. When Ellie is spotted, the best choice can be to run into some tall grass and lose them, though the artificial intelligence might get a little too real as her trackers can easily find her again. When forced into open combat, movement still feels essential when Ellie is so easily stunned by gunfire. This leads most situations to be solved through more shooting, often accessorized in some gory detail that has persisted throughout. It’s made clear by the screaming that Ellie isn’t just surviving these groups of enemies, she’s actively hurting them.

The writing holds up a large portion of the game. As characters often get shown in both introspective and retrospective lights, this provids a surprisingly deep view of what it means to be obsessed with revenge. Despite all of the misery, there are moments of poignancy. Like when Ellie and her girlfriend come across a stray guitar and choose to relax with some old songs. While many accuse the game of being “overly political,” anything that could be seen as divisive exists outside of the games main themes of hatred and perspective. Though in most instances its attention to diversity and inclusivity are appreciated. 

At the end of it all, the game leaves with a resonating emotional impact that can elicit all sorts of thoughts in its viewer. It is a testament to the rigid power a story can have on someone that chooses to listen which is commendable in its own right. “The Last of Us Part II” is a game with a message that is told exactly as the developers at Naughty Dog wanted it to. Whether that message should be heard in the first place is a question in itself.

Image from IGN via YouTube