The review embargo for The Last of Us 2 was lifted earlier today and critics are already heaping praises on the game - with some even calling it the best game of the generation. The first game in the franchise was released back in 2013 and it garnered a lot of appreciation from fans and critics alike.
The Last of Us managed to sell over 17 million units on the PS3 and PS4, making it one of the most successful games of all time. The game was acclaimed for setting a benchmark for the gaming industry in terms of the narrative. The narrative paved the way for another critically acclaimed title this gen, God Of War, which had an imposing father-son dynamic - seemingly inspired by Joel and Ellie's relationship in The Last of Us. After the success of the first title, fans were expecting new characters or a new setting altogether in the sequel - however, Naughty Dog decided to take the game forward from where it left it off. The sequel has Ellie as the main protagonist and the game has undertaken a more mature route this time around.
The Last of Us 2 is currently averaging 96 on Metacritic after 79 critic reviews and also has the coveted "Metacritic Must Play" tag. On Opencritic, the Top Critic Average is 96 with a commendable 99% critics recommend rating. There are already a significant number of reviews at this point, so it seems less likely that the ratings will drastically change over time. A majority of critics have suggested that the game takes the franchise forward by perfecting the elements which were present in the first title and introducing some new aspects as well. Here are some of the reviews which will offer better insight on what The Last of Us 2 has to offer.
IGN - Masterpiece - 10/10 - Editor's Choice - Jonathon Dornbush
The Last of Us Part 2 is a masterpiece worthy of its predecessor. Taking strides forward in nearly every way, Ellie steps into the spotlight and carries the sequel in a manner that feels like the culmination of everything that’s made Naughty Dog’s blockbuster storytelling so memorable since the original Uncharted on the PlayStation 3. It delivers a layered, emotionally shattering story on top of stealth and action gameplay that improves the first game’s mechanics while integrating a bit more of Uncharted’s greater mobility and action. But while Part 2 is a thrilling adventure, it still makes time for a stunning, nuanced exploration of the strength and fragility of the human spirit. The PlayStation 4 has one of its best exclusives in one of the generation’s best games.
Gamespot - Great - 8/10 - Kallie Plagge
It's a hard game to stomach, in part because so much of who Ellie is and what she does is beyond your control. She is deeply complicated and flawed, and her selfishness hurts a lot of people. At times, the pain you inflict feels so senseless that it can leave you numb. 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.
GamesRadar+ - Editor's Choice - 10/10 - Alex Avard
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.
VG247 - 5/5 - Kirk McKeand
When the credits rolled on The Last of Us Part 2 I was still buzzing from the excitement of the final few hours. My loyalty shifted between characters. I grew to love who I hated and dislike who I loved. I laughed, I teared up. I felt anger and elation. It’s the new high water mark for video game characters and I can’t wait for everyone to see just how special it is. As soon as it ended, I booted up New Game Plus and I’m experiencing it again with my eyes open, the context of the finished story imprinting new meaning into those early scenes and characters. I’m not swiping in the dark anymore.
Telegraph - 5/5 - Dan Silver
Last of Us Part II might even surpass the achievements of its predecessor. For while it inevitably lacks that first game’s shock of the new, it instead trades on the player’s familiarity with its characters and their backstories to take them somewhere equally unexpected. And while it may lose its focus a little in the penultimate reels, Last of Us II eventually lands an emotional punch that will be felt long after the credits roll.
Eurogamer - Essential - Oli Welsh
Can a slick, mainstream action game really reckon with the violence that drives it? The answer is yes - messily, but powerfully.
While there are a handful of reviews that have stated that the game is not completely flawless, there is one thing that is common in almost all reviews - Naughty Dog has surpassed itself when it comes to the production quality. Like the previous game, the game's characters have more of a human aspect to them which makes players relate to them. Naughty Dog had given up the idea of making video game characters flawless and showed players that they can make mistakes as well - and, that concept has worked for the franchise yet again.
As of now, The Last of Us 2 holds the third position in the top PS4 games of all time list on Metacritic. With a score of 96, The Last of Us 2 is just one point shy of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5, which are at the first and second positions respectively, and one point ahead of The Last of Us Remastered as well. With the end of the generation drawing closer, it seems like Naughty Dog has once again proved itself as Sony's most prestigious first-party studio and made the PS4's library even more impressive.
The Last of Us 2 releases on the PS4 on 19th June 2020.