I think a lot of people overlook the incredible things this game did because if their distain for the story. The combat and Ai is amazing. Nothing flows like it and I haven’t been that impressed since Fear.
Personally I think it was all handled brilliantly even the bait and switch nature of the trailers before the game came out. When Joel covered Ellie’s mouth in the trailer but it was Jessie is the game. I thought oh my god, everyone was so smug before release thinking they knew what was going to happen to who but we were all misdirected.
Maybe that’s why so many people were upset, we all got played for chumps. Instead of feeling dumb I was big enough to say well played Naughty Dog, well played.
My only gripe with the game was the length and the pacing. It really did drag on. It was a slog to get through it. But even this I understand. The game had to get you time with both characters in. It wouldn’t have worked if it was a 10 hour game. By the end I realised how futile revenge was and how getting it would have served nothing and why if you go out for revenge you should dig 2 graves.
Love it or hate it, the game made everyone feel something deeply. We’ll be talking and thinking about it for years. That’s a Triumph in my book.
