This review does not contain spoilers for Part II.
One of if not the most ambitious game story I've ever experienced. Glad to see this site is free from the review-bombing on day 1 that metacritic has had to endure. Interesting to see how the score has been trickling up now people have actually had a chance to FINISH the game. I predict that in time people will give this game the respect it deserves, even if they aren't entirely won over by the story.
I actually really admire Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann for attempting to interrogate the morality of the first game's closing decision. What Joel did was selfish, although understandable, which is why TLOU I's ending was so effective. Part II opens up the world with new factions that expand upon the narrower scope of the original. I personally prefer the approach of Part I due to its simplicity but find Part II to be a much more thought provoking narrative that raises ideological and moral quandaries that have you question the players you inhabit during its approx 30 hour game-time. To play as a character that acts in ways the player may not condone, outside of the choice to make that happen, opens up extremely interesting possibilities for how video games can probe feelings in the player they may not particularly like about themselves. Druckmann seems to be the only video game writer in town that writes dialogue that seems sourced from reality, and comparable to scripts written for TV and Film. The jump in narrative quality between Uncharted 1-3 and 4 best displays this example. It's hard to feel for characters in games with emphasis on story when they don't feel like recognisable human beings. Let's face it, most video game writing is poor when compared to television and film, mediums the industry is obsessed with trying to replicate. This isn't to say games with simple stories and wooden characters are bad, because game-play is always paramount.
For years most games have acted as power fantasies that seek to empower the player. To see a game that puts you in the shoes of those driven but hatred instead of virtue was a refreshing change of pace from most other games I have played. The greyness in character evoked similar feelings as playing most From Software games. Games that, when interrogated, could make the case for the player being the villain. Of course, I don't see it as simple as that and would prefer games to experiment with characters and scenarios that depict people for who they are - flawed, not a hero, or a villain.
I'll admit that some of the structural elements of the game's story did begin to become a bit haphazard in their presentation, with constant flashbacks and flash-forwards punctuating a large portion of the game. However, as a fan of LOST, flashbacks aren't the pet peeve that many others find them to be. I can forgive a whole lot of plot inconsistencies and expand my suspension of belief to quite a large scale if the story presents interesting ideas, which this game does better than almost every other game. If you are one to pick a part a story because of plot holes/inconsistencies, then this game may not be for you.
The game-play however should convert most, and is for the most part the most successful Naughty Dog has ever been at the marriage of game-play and story. As already stated, game-play is paramount to a good game, which I think a lot of game developers miss these days with more emphasis going into making the game well presented instead of actually fun to play (I'm looking at you, Red Dead 2). Part II is one of the rare instances where both parties can be pleased, those that want a game that is interesting to play, and those want to have an experience. I believe there is a distinction between those two.
I found myself consistently impressed by the emphasis on environmental storytelling and moments of interesting game-play subversion. One moment had me attacked whilst in a situation the game had previously taught me was safe, which didn't feel cheap, because the game world supported this. I can't express how hard it for games to get moments like these right.
Many of my gripes with their past work has been with their intentions for the player's experience often not accounting for how the player would eventually approach the game. With games so heavily lent on player experience and immersion, it is far too easy to feel a disconnect from the developer's intentions. I think I may have gotten lost maybe once in the entire play-through, compared to the PTSD-inducing lack of clarity on where to go next on the first three Uncharted games. The game felt free to traverse in my own way and times where the game takes control and corrals you into the next section didn't break that immersion, as it felt in tune with how I was playing. The way the game caters to how you approach it without breaking immersion is extraordinary. Naughty Dog has always struggled with this and they have never done it better than they have here.
This game will stay with me for a long time and I look forward to how people view the game down the line, when it has had chance to sink in. If you separate yourself from the discourse surrounding this game (not an easy task), and instead surrender yourself to it, you will find one of the best games released on the PS4, and arguably Naugthy Dog's crowning achievement.
One of if not the most ambitious game story I've ever experienced. Glad to see this site is free from the review-bombing on day 1 that metacritic has had to endure. Interesting to see how the score has been trickling up now people have actually had a chance to FINISH the game. I predict that in time people will give this game the respect it deserves, even if they aren't entirely won over by the story.
I actually really admire Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann for attempting to interrogate the morality of the first game's closing decision. What Joel did was selfish, although understandable, which is why TLOU I's ending was so effective. Part II opens up the world with new factions that expand upon the narrower scope of the original. I personally prefer the approach of Part I due to its simplicity but find Part II to be a much more thought provoking narrative that raises ideological and moral quandaries that have you question the players you inhabit during its approx 30 hour game-time. To play as a character that acts in ways the player may not condone, outside of the choice to make that happen, opens up extremely interesting possibilities for how video games can probe feelings in the player they may not particularly like about themselves. Druckmann seems to be the only video game writer in town that writes dialogue that seems sourced from reality, and comparable to scripts written for TV and Film. The jump in narrative quality between Uncharted 1-3 and 4 best displays this example. It's hard to feel for characters in games with emphasis on story when they don't feel like recognisable human beings. Let's face it, most video game writing is poor when compared to television and film, mediums the industry is obsessed with trying to replicate. This isn't to say games with simple stories and wooden characters are bad, because game-play is always paramount.
For years most games have acted as power fantasies that seek to empower the player. To see a game that puts you in the shoes of those driven but hatred instead of virtue was a refreshing change of pace from most other games I have played. The greyness in character evoked similar feelings as playing most From Software games. Games that, when interrogated, could make the case for the player being the villain. Of course, I don't see it as simple as that and would prefer games to experiment with characters and scenarios that depict people for who they are - flawed, not a hero, or a villain.
I'll admit that some of the structural elements of the game's story did begin to become a bit haphazard in their presentation, with constant flashbacks and flash-forwards punctuating a large portion of the game. However, as a fan of LOST, flashbacks aren't the pet peeve that many others find them to be. I can forgive a whole lot of plot inconsistencies and expand my suspension of belief to quite a large scale if the story presents interesting ideas, which this game does better than almost every other game. If you are one to pick a part a story because of plot holes/inconsistencies, then this game may not be for you.
The game-play however should convert most, and is for the most part the most successful Naughty Dog has ever been at the marriage of game-play and story. As already stated, game-play is paramount to a good game, which I think a lot of game developers miss these days with more emphasis going into making the game well presented instead of actually fun to play (I'm looking at you, Red Dead 2). Part II is one of the rare instances where both parties can be pleased, those that want a game that is interesting to play, and those want to have an experience. I believe there is a distinction between those two.
I found myself consistently impressed by the emphasis on environmental storytelling and moments of interesting game-play subversion. One moment had me attacked whilst in a situation the game had previously taught me was safe, which didn't feel cheap, because the game world supported this. I can't express how hard it for games to get moments like these right.
Many of my gripes with their past work has been with their intentions for the player's experience often not accounting for how the player would eventually approach the game. With games so heavily lent on player experience and immersion, it is far too easy to feel a disconnect from the developer's intentions. I think I may have gotten lost maybe once in the entire play-through, compared to the PTSD-inducing lack of clarity on where to go next on the first three Uncharted games. The game felt free to traverse in my own way and times where the game takes control and corrals you into the next section didn't break that immersion, as it felt in tune with how I was playing. The way the game caters to how you approach it without breaking immersion is extraordinary. Naughty Dog has always struggled with this and they have never done it better than they have here.
This game will stay with me for a long time and I look forward to how people view the game down the line, when it has had chance to sink in. If you separate yourself from the discourse surrounding this game (not an easy task), and instead surrender yourself to it, you will find one of the best games released on the PS4, and arguably Naugthy Dog's crowning achievement.