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#1 — The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II is my favourite game of all time. When I played the original The Last of Us back in 2013, it was the first real game that succeeded in fully immersing me in its narrative and characters. Now admittedly, I was much more of a casual video game player back then, however I will still never forget the emotions I felt as I was playing the intense and genuinely scary final act of the first game – which quickly became my favourite game of all time.
Though I did not think for a second that Naughty Dog would make a sequel, as the game itself concluded beautifully in my opinion, I began to write my own sequel. It was the first, and only, time that I created fan fiction – but I wanted to spend more time with Joel and Ellie. And so when the unexpected sequel was announced in December of 2016, with Joel and Ellie set to return, my emotional reaction is a moment I will never forget – my happiness, my surprise, and my excitement.
Since the announcement, I had been preparing for the launch of the game. I bought the Collector’s Edition version of the game, I bought the Limited Edition ‘The Last of Us Part II PS4 Pro’, and I purchased the soundtrack on vinyl – to name a few. The launch of The Last of Us Part II was a major life event for me in many ways. Then the game launched, and it broke my heart.
The Last of Us Part II is not only my favourite game of the generation, not only my favourite game of all time, but one of my favourite pieces of media ever. Though it is incredibly difficult to talk about this game without divulging into spoilers, I will do my best. The Last of Us Part II succeeded in everything that it was trying to do, at least for me. With Ellie as the protagonist, a character which we had all been endeared to over the course of the first game and its DLC, The Last of Us Part II sees us take on a different role, and by extension, sees us emotionally invested in the story and characters from a different perspective. In the first game, I felt like I was Joel, on a mission to escort, and later save and protect Ellie. In this game, I felt like I was Ellie on a quest for revenge.
One criticism that many people have thrown at Naughty Dog games is that they would work equally as well if they were films. I wholeheartedly disagree. One of the most powerful aspects to The Last of Us Part II is the way in which Naughty Dog uses the interactivity, and the fact that you hold a controller in your hand to further the emotional impact of every moment of the game.
The Last of Us Part II isn't a game. It is the second half to a story which I had waited 7 years to experience, and so every moment of this game, every press of a button or pull of a trigger came with the emotional weight of 7 years worth of my life. That is why this game had moments which caused me to sob, and moments which pumped me so full of adrenaline that I could feel my heart bursting from my chest, and moments when I was literally holding my breath in fear, happiness, sadness, and contemplation. The Last of Us Part II takes the first game, which I had believed couldn’t be improved, and elevates it further, while simultaneously critiquing it. The Last of Us is a two-part story which I had to wait 7 years to experience. Even with 7 years of build-up, anticipation and expectation, the sequel went beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Video games are art, but The Last of Us Part II is something more, something entirely different, something even beyond that.
I could write an entire essay on why I love The Last of Us Part II, from the soundtrack, excellently scored by Gustavo Santaolalla; to the gameplay, which is genuinely fun to control and play (and gets me excited for the game’s Factions Multiplayer release); to the graphics and artstyle, which are gorgeous; to the acting, and even to the briefs moments of singing, which punctured my heart in ways I did not expect.
I could go on and on about why this is one of my favourite pieces of media of all time – but I won't, because The Last of Us Part II is so special to me, that in many ways, it hurts to even talk about it, as it takes away from my experience with the game and Ellie and Joel, which is personal to me. I know it is a ridiculous thing to say, when the title has been played by millions of fans, but Joel and Ellie are family to me, and my genuine love for these two humans is something which I wish to keep for myself.
