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There's so much focus on this next generation of consoles that are coming out this holiday season and after having played through the last of us part two,I don't really think about the next PlayStation or Xbox.
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This video is of course a spoiler free review of The Last of Us part two, and will only feature a limited amount of gameplay footage, that I captured from my PS4 Pro, one because I think you should really see and play this for yourself, and two, Shony isn't really letting us show you that much.
So straight out of the gate, This game is heavy.
There's no other way to put it.
It is a brutally graphic depiction of life.
Well after the start of a global pandemic, and the timing of that with what's happening currently in the world, it is just a lot to process.
And it's not easy to just go and dive into this world and its story is at times gut wrenching In a way that you just can't even believe what you're seeing.
But beyond all of that it is undeniably an amazing work of art, a truly powerful storytelling experience that will absolutely stay with you.
And you may have read that the last of us is getting an HBO series and yeah, that's what the narrative beats in this game.
Feel like.
The acting and performances within are at that level full stop.
She could be gone by then.
[UNKNOWN].
We know her location.
Maybe Tommy does too.
It's well overdue but in playing this game I realized that I need to stop acting surprised when a game delivers phenomenal performances like the ones in here.
They are deserved.
They are that good, and quite frankly, they are more impressive than the majority of entertainment out there.
Part of the game success in that department is due to just how unbelievable it looks.
Hands down, the last of us part two is on a very short list of the best looking console game ever made It has a photo realism quality to it that is genuinely jaw dropping, seen equally in the game sprawling locations, and through some of its even glorious moments.
There's also an almost unsettling dose of realism in the way nearly every element behaves in this game.
And after a while, you just sort of believe everything it has to offer.
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So what about the moment to moment beats of this game?
Right?
What does that feel like?
I just got finished praising all the storytelling and the visuals.
But at the end of the day, what about the stuff you actually play?
Well, if you played the first Last of Us game, there's a lot of familiar stuff.
You'll be sneaking around a lot performing a ton of stealth kills, managing and crafting supplies on the fly and engaging in a fair share of firefights.
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Right here
God damn it
You'll also be leaning into the games listening mode a whole lot
I hate these small groups [INAUDIBLE]
There's also a good amount of downtime to a big chunk of this game is Rummaging through the remains of suburban and city life, making your way through blown out office buildings and retail stores.
The Last of Us Part Two feels much more open ended than its predecessor though.
giving you what feels like are many more options of how you can approach a situation It's definitely still a linear game, but you can spend a half hour looking for clues on how to open a safe or finding hidden areas, all with their risks and payoffs.
Ugh, gross.
There's a bit more environmental puzzle-solving here, but nothing that over stays its welcome.
The game definitely rewards exploration, but it's also easy to get turned around and question whether or not you've already been to a specific area.
Every environment feels so lived in and does a great job of depicting what used to be normal life and the moment it was frozen in time.
Each location tells its own story from the notes you'll see left behind.
And more often than not the carnage that the virus left in its wake can piece together what people were doing before things got really bad.
It's pretty good.
And what's impressive about The Last of Us Part two is that every encounter you have creates this sort of amazing tension thanks to the games wonderful score the sound design
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But also the relentless enemies you have to engage with both be infected and not.
Each enemy has a set of skills that genuinely feel threatening and forces you to experiment with a variety of weapons and the DIY gadgets at your disposal.
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What this game does so well is making each battle just Feel so important and it's those moments of chaos, where the last of us is so damn good.
It presents these incredibly realistic and complex set pieces, the characters, the environments.
And the way all of these elements play out in real time is amazing to watch.
No two confrontations are really ever the same.
Okay.
Step on the gas.
I am.
Without even realizing then there comes these moments where you're just sort of swept up into a sequence that crashes over you like a tidal wave.
It's heart pounding action.
And all you can really do is just sort of hold on.
[nnn] The Last of Us Part two is a long game and I really only found myself being able to play it in 90 minute chunks.
Like I mentioned earlier, there are long breaks in the action that let you focus on other elements of the game where you can take inventory and level up your skills according to the way you're playing.
And there's also these little upgrade benches scattered throughout the world that feature some of the most satisfying little animations and clicks and sound effects that you'll ever see in one of those kind of mechanics.
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When it's all said and done even if you're the least bit attached to the storyline in this game, it will move you.
And that's really it.
There aren't many video games like this.
And if you've got a PlayStation four, it's almost impossible not to recommend.
And if you don't have a ps4, find a generous friend to let you borrow there's, there's no doubt this game had a massive budget and production values like this only come around every so often.
But with a game like The Last of Us Part Two available right now on a base platform that was released almost seven years ago.
It feels almost silly to drool over all these next gen hardware specs.
We're on the precipice of a new generation of video games.
And it turns out it's one of the last games of this console generation That feels like it is actually moving the needle forward.
So I hope you enjoyed hearing about The Last of Us part two.
It comes out June 19, exclusively for PlayStation four.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below and please feel free to hit me up on Twitter.
If you have more questions about the game, keeping in mind that there's only so much I'm allowed to talk about before this Comes out.
As always, please be safe and be kind to each other and thanks for watching.
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