I played a “The Last of Us Part II everyone loves — and I kinda hated it

Let’s get this out of the way: I know this game is “art.” I know it broke boundaries. I know it’s deep, emotional, gritty, raw, insert-all-the-adjectives.

But after finishing The Last of Us Part II, all I could think was:
“Was it worth the emotional damage and 25 hours of stealth-crawling through bushes?”

Don’t get me wrong — it’s a well-made game. It looks stunning. The acting? Chef’s kiss. The soundtrack? I’d listen to it while journaling about my non-existent breakup. But let’s break it down like a slightly bitter post-apocalyptic cake:

💔 The story:
Yes, it’s bold. Yes, it subverts expectations. But subversion isn’t always satisfaction. Some choices felt like they were made purely to shock, not to say anything. I didn’t need a Disney ending, but I also didn’t sign up for a revenge spiral that made me question if any of these characters had a single healthy coping mechanism.

And I’m sorry, but halfway through the game when we suddenly jump perspectives to “the other side” — I genuinely thought my PlayStation glitched.

🎮 The gameplay:
If I have to crawl through one more knee-high patch of grass while crafting yet another smoke bomb from scissors and duct tape — I will scream. Stealth is cool. But stealth for 20 hours straight? That’s not tension, that’s a slow-burn migraine. And don’t get me started on dogs. I like dogs. This game made me feel like a monster for surviving.

🎭 The characters:
Ellie? Complex, yes. But by the end, she’s more trauma than human. Abby? I wanted to like her. I tried. But the game demanded too much empathy without giving me enough reason to feel it naturally.
Joel? …Let’s not talk about Joel. I’m still grieving and slightly angry.

🎨 The world:
Post-apocalyptic Seattle has never looked better. Gorgeous lighting, water physics that made me whisper “wow,” and some seriously detailed environments. But — and this is my mantra — “pretty doesn’t equal fun.” At some point, I was just sprinting past the clickers to get to the next cutscene because I wanted to feel something again.

Look, I’m not saying The Last of Us Part II is a bad game. It’s just not the masterpiece it’s made out to be. It’s like an Oscar-winning drama you respect… but never want to watch again.

And maybe that’s the point. Maybe this game was meant to hurt me. Mission accomplished, Naughty Dog.

Now excuse me while I go play Stardew Valley and water my fake plants so I can feel joy again.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My “Work from anywhere” setup: the not-so-glorious truth behind the scenes

Image
 Let’s be real: the perfect workspace doesn’t exist. You can have a solid laptop, fancy noise-canceling headphones, and a comfy chair — and still end up looking like a survivor from a low-budget apocalypse movie most of the time. The Laptop The ASUS ExpertBook B1400CEA-XH51 is reliable, lightweight, and the battery lasts forever. Perfect for not being chained to an outlet. But that doesn’t stop me from doomscrolling through social media or forgetting to turn off my Zoom camera. The Headphones Headphones are my little shield from the world. I love noise-canceling ones because focus these days is basically rocket science — especially when someone’s juggling pots and pans in the next room. But after three hours, my ears want to sue me for abuse. The Chair The “ideal chair”? Dream on. My throne is somewhere between a battered office chair and a broken couch. After four hours, my back reminds me that this is not the way. But who listens to their back when a deadline’s breathin...
Read more

Why planning Is both a blessing and a joke (and I’m still figuring it out)

Image
Alright, let’s talk about planning. Because apparently, you have to do it. Calendars, to-do lists, bullet journals, apps that remind you to breathe… it’s all very organized , very productive , very Instagrammable . Except. Most of my plans last about as long as a Snapchat story. I schedule myself to “wake up early” and five minutes later I’m bargaining with the snooze button like it owes me money. I plan to “write that blog post” but then spend an hour watching cat videos because, priorities. And don’t even get me started on meal prep — “eat healthy” turns into “order pizza” faster than you can say ‘kale’. But here’s the catch — without some kind of plan, I’m lost. Like seriously, lost in my own apartment. So I keep trying, failing, and trying again. Because planning does help, even if it looks messy. Here’s what I’ve learned: Plans are not contracts. They’re more like guidelines with a lot of wiggle room. Sometimes the best plan is to have no plan at all and just see ...
Read more

Unreasonably annoying things that shouldn’t bother me… but absolutely do

 Let’s play a game called “Is This Petty or Is Society Just Wrong?” Spoiler: It’s both. Here’s a list of things that make me irrationally angry — and no, I will not be taking constructive criticism at this time: 1. People who reply “ok” to a three-paragraph message. I just emotionally invested in this conversation like it’s the season finale of a Netflix drama, and you gave me “ok.” Not even a “k,” which would at least be rude with flavor. Just ok. 2. Clothes with fake pockets. If the pocket doesn’t work , don’t exist . I’m tired of getting emotionally attached to a stylish jacket just to find out the pockets are sewn shut like the developers left them in beta. 3. Unskippable 5-second YouTube ads that feel like 30 years. Why is it always some guy yelling at me about investing in crypto at 2AM? Sir, I am lying on the floor eating cereal from the box. Read the room. 4. Waking up 2 minutes before your alarm. Oh cool, my body has learned to betray me preemptively . Thanks,...
Read more