It has finally arrived. After 7 years Naughty Dog (Uncharted, Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter) has released The Last of Us Part 2, and I am actually blown away.
Going in to this, there was much controversy over the story arc choices. Spoilers were leaked just before the games official release by a disgruntled employee of the company.
For newcomers, and without leaving any spoilers, The Last of Us is a story of a world that has been taken over by a pandemic, in which infected turn to aggressive zombie like versions of their former selves.
Here is an extract from “The Last Of Us Wiki”:
"The Infected are the result of a sudden outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungus that now affects human beings as opposed to merely insects. The fungus reportedly originated in South American crops. The fungus infects the human brain, growing mycelium inside the brain tissue and killing the brain's cells. This erases their memories and drives them insane, modifying their instincts to seek no goal other than spreading the spores to others. Eventually the fungus kills its host, and will then grow out of the host's body to spread spores.
“For humans that have been exposed to a mutated strain of Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis, the fungus attacks the brain and begins to alter the behavior of its host. The host will then go through four different stages of infection: Runner, Stalker, Clicker, and Bloater; each stage is more dangerous than the last”
Let’s get one thing straight. I absolutely do not agree with the choices they have chosen going forth with the story. However, I must compliment the game on its precise controls, solid combat, beautiful pacing (thus far), and the Naughty Dog teams adept use of tension.
I am currently running a let’s play of the entire game for those of you who want to test the waters before purchasing, and will be doing a full review once I have completed the game.
Watch the gameplay here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAri42bsIpsySkuZ9INLywNlVIN7yReZK