I like the game. But something never sat well with me. And after watching this video, I think I now know why. The gameplay is ill suited for the story. The story wants us to empathize. But the gameplay never gave us the opportunity to truly explore their feelings or state of mind. The player’s choices, their agency, are solely on combat. Levels are made for combat, levels are to funnel towards combat. And when we are not in combat or heading into combat all we could do is ultimately to walk forward to continue. The audience is made to juggle between two different states of mind. First, to be empathetic. As we are shown the stories of the various characters. To see them as people. Then, to be apathetic. As we play with the mechanics. To see them as tasks to complete a level. This is why a lot of the enemies are created to be less empathetic like the infected, cultist or the other one. And their efforts to be more empathetic, like screaming their names becomes comical because of this dissonance. In this game, we are not made to care because our goals as an audience is fundamentally different than the goals of the character. And in order to care, we have to, in some way, keep this at the back of our mind so we could push forward on the analogue stick.
I am so glad you specifically called out Angry Joe and his ilk. The reviewers who only look at the art they consume on a surface level and choose to not engage with it. The Last of Us Part II is a work that demands the audience to challenge their perception. And sadly, so many of them refuse to do so. They don't want to be challenged. They don't want to have to look at their own biases. The Last of US Part II is an emotionally taxing and deeply cutting game that refuses to compromise on it's vision. It's risky, it's bold and it forces the players to grapple with why they would even want something as pointless as revenge when that sort of thing can only ever lead to misery. Great video as always, dude. I am endlessly impressed with your work and cannot wait to see what you come up with next.
id like to apologize for this stupid ass comment I actually think ludonarrative dissonance is a very useful and important term for game analysis and criticism
Swing and a miss. No sequel. No DLC. No Twitch viewership. No one talks about it on YT anymore. A game whose only goal was to subvert expectations ruined by bad writing--even people who like the game have invented a story in their heads that isn't presented in the game. At least the original remains to be enjoyed. In a few years channels like this will start acknowledging all the issues it has--this is what happens when people get caught up in politics instead of the basics of storytelling.
No where in this review did it say anything about politics. Believe me, I HATE politics in video games and that’s because they replace character development with social justice. But TLOU2 didn’t do that a lot. It interweaved politic aspects within the narrative (Lev and Yara are on the run and meet Abby BECAUSE OF Lev’s transgenderism). The only throwaway line I could think of was when Ellie said “bigot sandwiches.” With the fact they all live in a post apocalyptic hellscape, why would any terms like “bigot” need to stay. I digress. When I was playing the game, for the most part, I didn’t even think about politics. I genuinely hate the “strong female character” trope that has plagued so much of storytelling. One symptom of it being in almost every media is that people will be conditioned to say it is even when it’s not because of how much feminism keeps crying wolf. I liked the story of TLOU2. Is it flawless? No. Do you have to like it? No. But saying anyone who liked the game, is in some kind of fantasy of what was actually presented is pretty damn shallow. I believe art is to be interpreted, but I also believe you can interpret art wrong. For example, you can’t look at the Mona Lisa and see a dog chasing a car, that’s not what’s being presented. However I can look at TLOU2 and see a story about revenge or trauma or forgiveness, because that’s what been presented. Although you are entitled to it, I think this is a bullshit opinion. You are not the arbitrator of what is or isn’t good writing in the eyes of millions of fans who waited years to play this and actually had a good time doing so.
How does this only have 267 views??
Will you do a video just based on the Uncharted series? Because I loved this video!
Great video man! Keep it up.
I like the game. But something never sat well with me. And after watching this video, I think I now know why.
The gameplay is ill suited for the story.
The story wants us to empathize. But the gameplay never gave us the opportunity to truly explore their feelings or state of mind. The player’s choices, their agency, are solely on combat. Levels are made for combat, levels are to funnel towards combat. And when we are not in combat or heading into combat all we could do is ultimately to walk forward to continue.
The audience is made to juggle between two different states of mind. First, to be empathetic. As we are shown the stories of the various characters. To see them as people. Then, to be apathetic. As we play with the mechanics. To see them as tasks to complete a level.
This is why a lot of the enemies are created to be less empathetic like the infected, cultist or the other one. And their efforts to be more empathetic, like screaming their names becomes comical because of this dissonance.
In this game, we are not made to care because our goals as an audience is fundamentally different than the goals of the character. And in order to care, we have to, in some way, keep this at the back of our mind so we could push forward on the analogue stick.
Little late but this was a great video:)
i was wondering if you were gonna do this, and i’m happy you did! good stuff man fr!!!
This video was wonderful! I'm currently working on a essay about engaging combat in games and of course LOU is on that list.
Great job tho dude!
I am so glad you specifically called out Angry Joe and his ilk. The reviewers who only look at the art they consume on a surface level and choose to not engage with it. The Last of Us Part II is a work that demands the audience to challenge their perception. And sadly, so many of them refuse to do so. They don't want to be challenged. They don't want to have to look at their own biases. The Last of US Part II is an emotionally taxing and deeply cutting game that refuses to compromise on it's vision. It's risky, it's bold and it forces the players to grapple with why they would even want something as pointless as revenge when that sort of thing can only ever lead to misery. Great video as always, dude. I am endlessly impressed with your work and cannot wait to see what you come up with next.
His "ilk"? You can have an opinion on a game, but don't be a condescending ass over it.
Did someone say ludonudo diddodance??? Lubrinarrative liquorice?????????? Loopi di scoop didgeridoo???????????????????????
id like to apologize for this stupid ass comment I actually think ludonarrative dissonance is a very useful and important term for game analysis and criticism
Amazing video as always!
Swing and a miss. No sequel. No DLC. No Twitch viewership. No one talks about it on YT anymore. A game whose only goal was to subvert expectations ruined by bad writing--even people who like the game have invented a story in their heads that isn't presented in the game. At least the original remains to be enjoyed. In a few years channels like this will start acknowledging all the issues it has--this is what happens when people get caught up in politics instead of the basics of storytelling.
If your talking about last of us 2, it’s the most “ fan” awarded game of all time. It sweeper play stations anual blog
@@aaronm4841 So successful that they're doing nothing to capitalize off that success--that's an interesting business strategy
@@arttuluttinen they legit said today that naughty dog is working on 7 projects 💀.
@@aaronm4841 Missing the forest for the trees--au revoir, mes amis
No where in this review did it say anything about politics. Believe me, I HATE politics in video games and that’s because they replace character development with social justice. But TLOU2 didn’t do that a lot. It interweaved politic aspects within the narrative (Lev and Yara are on the run and meet Abby BECAUSE OF Lev’s transgenderism). The only throwaway line I could think of was when Ellie said “bigot sandwiches.” With the fact they all live in a post apocalyptic hellscape, why would any terms like “bigot” need to stay.
I digress.
When I was playing the game, for the most part, I didn’t even think about politics. I genuinely hate the “strong female character” trope that has plagued so much of storytelling. One symptom of it being in almost every media is that people will be conditioned to say it is even when it’s not because of how much feminism keeps crying wolf.
I liked the story of TLOU2. Is it flawless? No. Do you have to like it? No. But saying anyone who liked the game, is in some kind of fantasy of what was actually presented is pretty damn shallow. I believe art is to be interpreted, but I also believe you can interpret art wrong. For example, you can’t look at the Mona Lisa and see a dog chasing a car, that’s not what’s being presented. However I can look at TLOU2 and see a story about revenge or trauma or forgiveness, because that’s what been presented.
Although you are entitled to it, I think this is a bullshit opinion. You are not the arbitrator of what is or isn’t good writing in the eyes of millions of fans who waited years to play this and actually had a good time doing so.