The Last of Us Part 2: What’s dividing the Fanbase?
Read the full story here: https://cultureofgaming.com/the-last-of-us-part-2-my-thoughts-on-the-game-so-far/
At last, after seven years, we have waited in anticipation to join Ellie and Joel on another adventure of frantic firefights, hoards of infected, and near-death experiences. Oh, good times indeed! Oh wait, we won’t be playing as Joel? That’s fine; I guess we will be playing as Ellie with Joel by our side! No? not that either? What happens to Joel? Oh no! I just described a feeling probably many players have experienced while playing The Last of Us: Part 2. Since it’s release, the game has received harsh criticisms and backlash about critical narrative choices and treatment of our past beloved characters such as Joel and Ellie. The narrative has divided the fanbase splitting players down the middle. From those who hate the game, o those who downright love it!. Let’s take a deep dive into The Last of Us: Part 2 to see what causes the fanbase to split apart.
Let’s Talk About Abby:
Prepare the angry pitchforks for Abby, everyone. Abby is one of the most significant issues that players had while playing The Last of Us Part 2. The major issue being well; she kills our beloved Joel. The man who we cried meaningful tears for while playing the opening minutes of The Last of Us. The man who accompanied us through the world of The Last of Us while beating up enemies, dispatching clickers, and saving Ellie from saving the world. Maybe. It’s alright to be sentimental towards such a meaningful character that we all have grown to love and accept. Well, Abby smashes all that to pieces with a golf club. Shoutouts to Bioshock‘s Andrew Ryan for the foreshadowing of unfortunate events.
I was visibly upset after seeing this, and like many others, there is one thing left to do. ABBY MUST DIE. Well, this is where the narrative becomes an issue. We know Ellie is on a path of revenge as a result of Abby’s actions. What we didn’t know is why are we playing as Abby? A bold move Naughty Dog. A choice that not many fans agree on. I was curious at first as I had a hatred for Abby, but I changed. I changed my perception of her.
While she did kill Joel, Joel was not a perfect moral character himself; he has done some pretty heinous things to survive. Ellie starts out the game and the transition over to Abby is quite flawed in terms of narrative structure, in my opinion. I understand Abby’s motives to kill Joel as Joel killed her father. In her defense, she had justifiable reasons for her revenge. Let’s talk about Joel’s death, by the way.