seattle

the second time.

playing as Abby, as she's as much of a full character as Ellie, but

Big encounter, where Seattle Day Three as Ellie left off.

I really don't like that there's a cinematic moment where Ellie kills

yeah, I know, she kills a bunch of people along the way, but damn... Didn't see Ellie as that kind of person.

one more location, beyond Seattle.

The main one is in regards to the structure. I think it was a bold, damn near brilliant move to change course mid-way and have us play as Abby for a full three days (plus flashbacks, plus part of Santa Barbara). She's a damn good character, and dare I say, has more depth than Ellie. By the time Abby's finale in Day 3 rolled around (with that epic, brutal fight on the island), Ellie's story felt pale in comparison; here she is trying to avenge the death of her father-figure while Abby's going around saving her friends and those kids. It's undeniable that every hurdle Abby goes through in-game is on a larger scale than Ellie's. But, putting the scale of the parallel stories aside, they do hold similar emotional weight. Abby got her revenge, and was dealing with the emotional fallout of that, including the lack of closure. Ellie was seeking her revenge, hoping it would give her the closure she needed, but that we all know wouldn't be enough. Anyway, the flaw in this, at least from where I'm at right now, is I wanted more to the end of Abby's story. The post-credit title screen changes to hint that Abby & Lev made it to their destination... but if feels... lacking. After spending so much time with Abby, I wanted to see her story play out just a little bit more, since the game was as much about her as it was about Ellie.

Another is... and I'm sure some/many will disagree... but as much as I enjoyed this (and I did really enjoy it), I would have preferred to have a bit more choice in the key plot points. I realize Naughty Dog doesn't really "do" choice like that, as they want everyone to experience the same series of events with the same outcome. But in the final fight... I wanted to fight as Abby even if it meant still losing the fight... but to give players both sides throughout the game, only to force us to control Ellie in that key moment, was kind of a disappointment. But maybe Abby's follow-up will be in the DLC or a new game/spinoff. Also, one could make the argument that ND games are more like a TV series than actual games. Ultimately, the story is being told the way it's being told, and you're either along for the ride, or you stop watching/playing because you're tired of the endless cycle. To be clear... I'm along for the ride. I just have to wonder if the game would have benefited from giving players more choice OR if it could have been better told in a TV series instead.

I didn't read any major spoilers leading up to the game, and I'm glad for that. I only came across one sort of minor spoiler when I was already partway through, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of it at all. The fact is, there are a ton of people upset at this game for all sorts of various reasons, and much of that seems to point to the leak from a few months back, where plot/character details were provided with no real context. I'm glad I got to experience the full story of the game in the context in which it is told. I find that a whole lot of stuff gets 'ruined' for some by people providing their basic-ass plot synopsis and commentary on such. This happens for a lot of media, but it's particularly obnoxious in the video game realm.

I DID think some of the violence in the game was a bit much. Yeah yeah, it's a zombie game. I get it. Still, it kind of goes beyond that when the human-to-human violence is arguably more brutal than any of the other stuff. Not unlike that one scene in The Walking Dead, there were a few really cringey moments. All I'm saying is that I think the observations about this are valid, and as much as the violence does indeed serve the story (which is inherently violent and grisly), I don't know if the game is better or worse for going to the extreme end of that from time to time. The last fight on the burning island between Abby and some random tough-ass Scar, in particular, was arguably the most brutal. Wow.
And I refuse to accept Ellie being a dog killer as canon.

hmm... what else...

The bridge sequence made my palms sweaty and, just like Abby, I needed to take a break after getting through it. Same with the boss sequence in the lower level of the hospital with that giant beast chasing you. Damn, that was fun shit.

I liked all of the side characters. They all felt pretty fleshed out with real motivations and characteristics.

Oh, performance. The game runs smoothly 99% of the time. That said, I did see my fair share of stutters and a whole lot of asset/texture pop-in. I had a character get stuck in the map by clipping through a wall after jumping down a ledge. A few times, when walking along a wall, the screen flashed white for no apparent reason, and it would happen repeatedly in only those spots. Some character models looked fantastic, but then others looked inexplicably bad. Combat throughout is tough but fair. Gun fights in particular could be particularly difficult, as they should be, when enemies swarmed around you. I quite enjoyed the stealth and melee fights, which all have a fluidity that goes unmatched.

Even though I think ratings are generally pointless, I'd say experiencing the game in its entirety was well worth it, and overall better than the original in almost every way. I, like others, was a little disappointed when I first realized this wasn't going to end up changing course into a "we can still save the world" kind of story, but upon reflection, I think it's better off for it. This game was a more personal story about guilt and redemption; about Ellie, and equally, about Abby. Sure there's things I'd have done differently if it were my story to tell, but I think ND did a fantastic job here. Arbitrary score: 8.1/10.

A chronological mode incorporating everything from both games & DLC would be an interesting hidden extra if they were to offer such a thing.


Are the Abby chapters in Seattle as long as the 3 for Ellie? I've become so bored of this game but I really want to see it through to the end. I've avoided all the leaked spoilers so most everything has been new as I've seen it.

those chapters are leading up to the exact same event where Ellie's Day 3 ended. So 3 days of Abby, specifically.
But they're so worth it, IMO.

Just reunited Jesse with Dina at the theater. And I'm currently in the flashback with Joel going to a music shop.

Why am I forced to all of the sudden play an extended chunk as Abby? This feels like it should’ve been DLC.

I just finished the aquarium flashback.

-The ending was pure garbage. All of that shit we went through and I wasn't even given the option to kill Abby at the end???
-Ellie ends the game with everyone she cares about dead or gone; no longer has fingers needed to play the guitar (which she fucking left behind in the farm!!??); didn't get revenge for Joel; the idea that she could save the world is completely out the window.
-Fuck them for making me kill dogs
-Abby's chapters were better written but I still had no interest in what her or her group was doing. The good parts of her chapters were ruined by not developing the character enough for us to give a shit.
-For someone who has a conscious in all other scenarios Abby never once showed remorse for torturing and beating to death another person who just saved her life minutes before?
-Does Abby even tell Ellie who she is (daughter of the Dr) at all during the game?
-Ellie leaving her perfect situation at the farm because plot device Tommy showed up is a slap in the face to everything Joel wanted for her.
-I understand wanting to keep the story points secret till release but editing the trailers with sections of Joel which didn't exist in the game to make it seem like he's more a part of it is shady marketing. They literally had the voice actor read lines for the trailer which was never meant for the game.
-If they didn't want to make a sequel which moved the main story forward (dealing with the virus), the whole game should have been about Lev/Yara and their journey.
-Who the fuck was the group at the end taking people as slaves? Were they ever introduced before the last 2 hours of this game?
-Every decision Ellie makes is 100% against the character they wrote in the 1st. It's like whoever wrote this one never played the 1st game.