The Last of Us: Part II (PS4)

Die kompromissloseste und gleichzeitig beste Fortsetzung dieser Konsolengeneration.

Naughty Dog lässt absolut nichts anbrennen und liefert mit The Last of Us Part II ihr nächstes Meisterwerk ab. Die unglaublich gelungene Inszenierung der Geschichte, die vielen Tabubrüche und die unzähligen neuen Gameplay-Elemente sowie Animationen bieten eines der spannendsten Erlebnisse der aktuellen Konsolengeneration.

In Part II, I wanted nothing to do with Ellie's bad decisions. There's no "oh god, I'm the monster" moment; just profound sadness about all the pain she's caused. Without Abby, none of that works. Abby is a fantastic character in her own right, and the way the game pits her against Ellie is what makes the story powerful.

The Last of Us Part II is an exceptional experience from beginning to end, uniting its gameplay and narrative into a cohesive unit while also delivering some of the best writing and acting seen in a video game to date. It is undeniably one of the best games I’ve ever played.

Naughty Dog's PS4 swansong is an astonishing, absurdly ambitious epic that goes far and beyond what we could have imagined for a sequel to an all-time classic.

Unparalleled presentation combines with an engaging gameplay loop that puts you in the shoes of its characters – and forces you to feel all of the tension and misgivings of its cast. It’s uncomfortable and not everyone will necessarily enjoy its direction, but that’s ultimately what makes it so essential.

The Last of Us Part 2 is a masterful swansong for the PlayStation 4, and arguably the finest, most accomplished project Naughty Dog has ever embarked on. It’s far more than a traditional sequel, taking the original’s core message and expanding upon in ways that will be looked back on as brave, ambitious and undeniably controversial.

It's all messy and bleak and made me profoundly sad for myriad reasons, but the more I reflect on it, the more I appreciate the story and characters at its core. I wanted almost none of it to happen the way it did, and that's what's both beautiful and devastating about it.

Like the original Last of Us, some people are going to come away underwhelmed, but the story beats and the characters driving them are the main draw. Part II doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it gives us a lasting glimpse of a unique broken world full of broken people that's worth visiting time and time again.

Naughty Dog's masterpiece is a sequel unlike any other, taking video game storytelling to new heights.

The Last of Us 2 is powerful, occasionally shocking, and often challenging to play - emotionally as well as in the more traditional sense. It’s not always enjoyable or fun, but it’s hard to imagine a worthier sequel to an all-time great.

The Last of Us Part II is a remorseless epic delivering in its masterful storytelling, nail-biting gameplay and unrivalled production values. Naughty Dog have truly surpassed themselves yet again, crafting a heartfelt sequel that will leave you gasping as they continue to raise the bar for the video game industry.