The Last of Us 2
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS4
Release: June 16, 2020
When the hotly anticipated Last of Us 2 dropped on June 16, 2020, most of us were bunkered in with little contact with others beyond the occasional phone call or Skype/ZOOM video chat due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This life changing event was then amplified by a lack of leadership, political infighting, and a 24/7 news cycle that clearly made our physical world feel hopeless. Fast forward 3 months, sadly not much has changed. Yes, there are glimmers of hope and progress, yet politics are now being weaponised forcing Americans to be even more divided as a nation than I can recall in my lifetime. Now feels like the perfect time to look at the transformation of Ellie, the loss of Joel, why we justify revenge, and how this game may come to reflect the challenges encountered in 2020.
In 2013, the initial The Last of Us was released by Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment to widespread praise. Many, including myself, consider this to be a masterwork in video game history. Set in an apocalyptic America consumed by a Cordyceps fungal pandemic, the division and state of mind does not seem so distant. The narrative follows Joel Miller, a hardworking, yet struggling, Texan living outside of Austin, and Ellie, a 14-year old orphan recently bitten by the infected who may be the key to securing a vaccine. The strength of the story resides in the nuanced relationship building of the two over the course of an epic tale. Joel’s daughter, Sarah, is murdered the night of the outbreak. Twenty years on, Joel fills her absence with Ellie as they seek out the Fireflies, a fringe militia group headquartered at the St. Mary’s hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. As their journey unfolds, quality gameplay draws you in as an emotional resonance immerses you deeper into the character’s paternal connection. In the end, Joel is forced to make the ultimate choice: save Ellie or allow her to be lost during a medical procedure in hope of finding a cure.
Four years on, at the outset of The Last of Us 2, Joel is clearly middle age and Ellie, a late teen, are living in a seemingly stable community in Jackson, Wyoming. Though danger is still present, they along with Joel’s brother, Tommy, sister-in-law, Maria, and others have setup a new life. There are the dangerous sorties to rid the surrounding area of infected. These eventful (yet manageable) patrols are contrasted with hints of communal normality, dances, holiday lights, and the occasional snowball fights, reinforce a sense of security. Ellie is grown up, gay, and has developed a love interest in Dina, a mischievous spirit, who has recently broken up with her longtime boyfriend Jesse. In The Last of Us 2 there is a shift in character complexity and depth. Though hinted at in the first game’s DLC, Left Behind, through Ellie’s relationship with Riley, the issue of sexual orientation becomes central in the opening stages of this game. One familiar with Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann’s propensity to insert intriguing miscues and socially relevant issues via elaborate yarns and prerelease trailers are aware that this perfect glass house will soon be shattered.
Cut to the brawny Abigail “Abby” Anderson, a small band from the WLF (Washington Liberation Front), and their search for an unidentified person. There is the stink of revenge in the air as Abby and her former boyfriend, Owen (Moore), survey Jackson from atop an outlook. In conversation, Owen expresses doubt in completing the mission causing Abby to storm off, alone. Here, you play as Abby as she treks through drifts of snow, dodging hordes of infected to be eventually saved by Joel and Tommy. The three fight alongside each other. And, they finally make their way back to the WLF’s hideout where Joel is identified as the target, kneecapped, and ultimately murdered viciously by Abby with a 7 iron golf club shortly after Ellie stumbles upon this gruesome scene. Though only eluded to in this encounter, we come to learn that Abby’s father was killed by Joel while saving Ellie. Abby’s vengeance sets in motion repetitive acts of hate and revenge stunning those who experienced the game in full. This anger and misguided reaction is echoed in fan outcry today.
To give context to this note, one can consider Metacritic’s User reviews as a benchmark. Though critics by-in-large offered positive assessments, fan response has been highly polarised. Many were outraged. This is readily evident when reading the many wounded comments. How can you take Joel from us? The initial iteration established Joel as a symbol as the ‘everyday’ man’s hero. This icon was not just taken, but brutally beaten shortly after saving his assailant. To understand the audience’s connection to Joel and the void that is created when acts of revenge are employed can be seen in the number of comments illustrated in Metacritic’s User review/scores. Generally speaking, a quality game (Uncharted 4, also by Naughty Dog, or Red Dead Redemption 2 ) secures between 12,000-14,000 reviews by users. At the time of this writing, The Last of Us 2 has had over 144,000. This number is staggering, perhaps the most user reviews for any game produced. Many focused feedback on the death of Joel. His elimination resonates on the same level as the loss of Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII ), John Marston (Red Dead Redemption ), and Lee Everett (The Walking Dead ). Our response as a species in employing revenge runs so very deep and far too often becomes a never ending cycle.
To counterbalance the over the top violence, flashbacks are used to frame the history leading up to present day events. These time capsules become precious reminders of the importance of Joel. On the surface he is tough and decisive. Deeper inspection reveals his awkwardness, tender nature, and an ability to identify his capacity to make mistakes. He is human, complex and full of flaws. In one instance Joel confesses to Tommy, and eventually shares his guilt with Ellie. These revelations strain relationships, though both understand the significance each plays in their life. The most touching moment occurs during a trek to the Wyoming Museum of Science and History for Ellie’s birthday. While sitting in a space capsule, Joel gives Ellie a tape, asks her to close eyes as she listens to the Apollo 11 liftoff from 1969. This virtual moment connects another turbulent time to our own. Joel understands Ellie’s youthful curiosity. She’s a dreamer (even stating that she will eventually make it to the moon), believes in science, and is the future. Throughout these flashbacks Joel shows his love and ongoing support of Ellie, regardless of who she is or who she will become.
The Last of Us 2, Naughty Dog, 2020
In the search for Abby, we are introduced to the obsessive and irrational side of Ellie. She is on a mission and unwilling to relent. The 14-year old child previously encountered is now a young adult and identifies her existence differently. Though more informed, her objective has narrowed her vision. She is on a myopic journey that will only be satisfied by one result, the elimination of those who have taken from her what she held most dearly. Ellie can now be seen as the villain, willing to kill anyone and anything. One item I struggle with is being forced to kill an animal in a game to progress. This may sound superficial, but I prefer stealth to violence in these instances. I spent hours attempting to navigate a short area in hopes of eluding conflict. Wistfully, my skillset was inept and unable to advance without liquidating a four-pawed foe. This remains a regretful point.
In playing as Abby and learning her background story we are introduced to a fairly rare experience in games. You play from distinctively polar perspective. Just imagine how many burnt bridges we could curtail through considering multiple views today. Yes, playing as opposing characters is not unheard of, but uncommon. This required path was troubling at inception. The last thing I wanted to do is play the character who had killed Joel. He is my hero. This deliberate ploy elevates the importance of this task. This is hard stuff. We have been trained to avoid these types of circumstance. Our constructed history implies that we should stay the course, perpetuate our ideological line regardless of outcome. The message: this stance is narrow, defeatist and sooner or later doomed. We can now see Abby’s motivations as revealing and important as Ellie’s. She is a strong driven female character, sometimes misguided, but who also illustrates compassion via her decision to return and assist Lev and Yara, Seraphites, her arch enemy. She is not good nor evil, but an individual in transformation.
The definition of revenge is to avenge (oneself or another) usually by retaliating in kind or degree. In essence this statement appears simple, finite. However, the chaos that ensues due to a narrow reading of this viewpoint can reverberate for generations. In The Last of Us 2 we have limited options to advance the story. Abby and Ellie are in a sense the same. You play each through troubling circumstance. In the end, each wants to exact due diligence. The Last of Us 2 ‘s limitations imitates our own inabilities due to societal constructs to offer a more lofty response. We are barraged with complicated and difficult questions. How can justice be achieved? Does a compassionate counter imply weakness? Are we destined to repeat previous errors? Why do we believe more violence will fix the past? These questions are essential in understanding this game, and us.
The interplay of time plays a significant role in The Last of Us 2. Character’s age, guitar scales are played, seasonal changes occur, and flashbacks remind of the past. After a near death encounter with Abby, a year on, Ellie has setup the next stage of her life with Dina and her (and Jesse’s) son JJ on their farm outside Jackson. Tommy arrives and reignites revenge. Even Dina cannot prevent Ellie from leaving. In the penultimate scene, Ellie locates Abby and Lev outside Santa Barbara. They have been taken prisoner by the Rattlers, a slave trading organization. Near death, Ellie releases the two, a fight ensues, but Ellie comes to realisation and allows them to sail off.
Ellie returns to Jackson to find an empty farmhouse. Dina and JJ are gone. She locates Joel’s guitar, but struggles to play due to the loss of 2 fingers during her final fight with Abby (yes, she bit them off…ouch). Ellie then recalls her promise to Joel to try and forgive him for stopping the Fireflies, and leaves. Closure is found. This ending could be read in so many different ways. I prefer to think that this line of revenge is broken and there is hope. Whether Ellie is able to repair the damage in her relationship with Dina remains to be seen. There is certainly opportunity to produce more stories within the Last of Us canon. This is a fertile world with rich characters. Like the first, this game is also a complete work. Another is not needed, but I’m a bit selfish and would love to experience Ellie’s future. Here, Naughty Dog took remarkable risks, made a damn fine game, one worthy of another playthrough.
Additional information, reviews, and gameplay of The Last of Us 2 :
Creative Team:
Directors: Neil Druckmann, Anthony Newman, and Kurt Margenau
Designers: Emilia Schatz and Richard Cambier
Programmers: Travis McIntosh and Christian Gyrling
Artists: Patrick Pangilinan, John Sweeney, and Christian Nakata
Writers: Neil Druckmann and Hailey Gross
Composer: Gustavo Santaolalia
Reviews:
Metacritic: https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/the-last-of-us-part-ii
Fextralife: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vFzrDgMTLvo
IGN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwreMeXlFoY
Gameplay and launch trailers:
Final launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOiUtRF8k28
Last of Us 2 Outbreak Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYcWkF5Mhq8
Walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1OESz4zpLs
All images copyright © Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment, 2020
Review by Chester Alamo-Costello
