“No matter what, you just keep finding something to fight for.” The Last of Us Part II is Naughty Dog’s follow-up to 2013s critically acclaimed PS3 title, The Last of Us (which has now been remastered for PS5). The majority of The Last of Us (2013) takes place in 2033, which details Joel and Ellie’s journey from Boston, Massachusetts to Salt Lake City, Utah. An outbreak of cordyceps that causes the host to turn into a zombie happened in 2013, and took the life of Joel’s daughter. 20 years later, he is tasked with taking the last immune person alive (Ellie) to a doctor who can create a vaccine from her. Over a year, both Joel and Ellie form a father-daughter bond as they traverse across the US. Part II takes place 4-5 years later, where Ellie and Joel have settled down into a tight-knit community in Jackson, Wyoming. They reside there with around 300 other people, including Joel’s brother and sister-in-law. Without spoiling much, Joel ends up paying for some choices he made in the first installment of the series. This sets off the events of Part II, and Ellie’s quest for revenge; anyone who gets in her way simply becomes collateral damage.

The Last of Us Part II plays slightly differently from a typical action/adventure story videogame. Naughty Dog invites you to partake in an emotional journey of broken people who crave justice for themselves. The entire 15-20 hour journey is played in 3rd person view and is handled similarly to other shooter games. Areas are split into two sections: one being traversal through areas like Seattle whilst solving various environmental puzzles to progress. The second type is “combat” sections, depending on how you choose to play. Usually shorter in length, these areas allow you to explore a variety of play styles (violence, stealth, or a combination of the two). There are also a whopping two hours of cutscenes present; it is as much a movie as it is a video game, and Naughty Dog does a great job balancing out the interactive and passive gameplay. There are also different modes after you complete the story, including “grounded” (very hard) and “permadeath.” New Game + is also an option and allows players to squeeze the most value out of their purchase.

Having played through Part II on a PS4 and PS5, I can say that it looks and runs beautifully. Originally released on the PS4, it was considered a farewell to the era of last-generation consoles. Running at 1080p 30fps on the base PS4, the game still looks gorgeous. Textures, character faces, and hair are all incredibly detailed and provide an immersive experience into a fantasy world that’s easy to get lost in. Frames stayed consistent throughout my experience, and after cleaning out my PS4, it played almost silently for play sessions of 2-3 hours. When playing on the PS5, you will get a 1440p resolution with a solid 60fps. While the experience here is much smoother, you will not be robbed of any emotional impact by playing on a base PS4. Throughout both playthroughs (one on PS4 and the other on PS5), I never experienced any crashing. Load times become relatively annoying if you’re still using an HDD, but that’s mitigated if you’re on a next-gen console or have upgraded your PS4 hard drive (which you should do anyway).

Controls are similar to any other action/adventure title, with a few caveats; the sprint button is L1, to free up L3 for other tasks that need to be performed. Coming from any other third-person shooter, it feels a bit startling, but it becomes easy to get accustomed to. Otherwise, the DualShock 4/5 is used to create a personal relationship between the player and the fictional characters. The touchpad is used to play guitar in various areas, and vibrations are perfectly timed with the correct amount of strength. Anyone used to playing any casual RPGs won’t have any trouble picking the control scheme up, as there are also streamlined button prompts as you play.

Where Part II excels in storytelling skills, it unfortunately comes to a full stop in terms of moral content. To make the player recognize the gravity of their choices and realize the implications of violence, Naughty Dog has chosen to ramp up the body count to extreme levels. Throughout the game, you have options to shoot, choke, stab, and brutally beat enemies to death. Heads explode into a frenzy of blood, and grotesquely disfigured limbs can fly off in any direction. Ellie can stab enemies in the neck, and even slit their throats (while blood proceeds to spill out). A plethora of melee weapons can be picked up, which can be used to hack and slash enemies apart. While sneaking and crouching around certain areas, you can creep up on enemies and also choke them out. No matter how the victim dies, there is also associated gagging, begging, screaming, gurgling, and any sound that adds to the realism of these scenes. Torture also plays a role; someone is beaten to death with a golf club, and while you don’t see every blow on screen, the bloody aftermath is visible. In another portion, you play as a character who interrogates someone else; in the cutscene, you watch from the victim’s point of view and even tap the attack button. A pregnant woman is also stabbed and shot. Zombies are also killed in a variety of ways, but it feels less impactful than the human deaths witnessed.

Strong language is present throughout; every word imaginable is said, including c**t, f**k, s**t, a**, b**ch, d**k, d**m, and h**l. Some are paired with God’s name, and Jesus’ name is also used in vain. Unfortunately, one of the largest issues is sexual content; it feels like almost anything goes on in this post-apocalyptic world. The main character is a lesbian, and onscreen kissing/making-out as well as suggested post-coital moments are shown (two women caressing each other while in their undergarments); no on-screen homosexual sex is shown, as the camera cuts to black before anything else happens. Nudity is also present throughout; some of the zombie creatures are completely naked, with breasts and genitals of both genders visible. One heterosexual sex scene takes place, which contains a topless woman and moaning sounds before the camera cuts to black (it is thankfully skippable). Sexual jokes are also made, and characters discover a deceased man’s porn collection (nothing shown on screen, just names of the videos). Two characters become pregnant out of wedlock. A man cheats on his pregnant girlfriend.

A female who changes her name and identifies as a boy is present in the latter half of the story, which leads to his mom trying to kill her; she ends up having to murder her mom. The girl and her mom are both part of a cult called the “Seraphites,” and prayers, altars, and other dedications to the leader of the group are seen. Characters also discover a secret stash of marijuana and smoke. With all of these content issues mentioned, another important factor is the emotions; this game is not easily forgotten. While teaching players that violence and revenge are not always the answers, Naughty Dog does so by displaying a jarring amount of savagery. Many character’s lives (that are central to the story) are gone within minutes of being on screen, which leaves a feeling of hopelessness and despair.

The Last of Us Part II deservedly received various accolades and was even hailed as 2020s “Game of the Year” by The Game Awards. The Last of Us (2013) was the beginning of Naughty Dog’s start in emotionally charged storytelling, while Part II solidified their position. Many players have reportedly taken breaks halfway through playing; not daylong or week-long breaks, but sometimes several months long as they feel that they need a break from the bleakness of this post-apocalyptic world. Whether it is enjoyed on PS4 or PS5, the graphics are some of the best graphics in a video game. The writing and directing are top-notch, and invite you to take on the emotional burdens of the characters that are played. Unfortunately, Ellie’s quest is heavily marred by graphic violence, nudity, and brief sexual content. Drugs and a cult are also present, though not in overwhelming quantities. Part II has some redeemable qualities, including the suggestion that violence is not always the answer and that forgiveness must happen for someone to let go of the past. A strong father-daughter relationship and the idea of protecting loved ones is also on display. But be prepared to get your hands dirty; the brutal content seen and heard on the screen will slowly creep into the minds of gamers, rotting you like the cordyceps that started the outbreak. And that’s something to think about before plopping down for some casual gaming.