The Last of Us Part II: A Flawed Journey Through a Stunning World
★★★★☆
Spoiler Warning

I found my experience with The Last of Us Part II mirrored by a similar review on YouTube from Critical Nobody, whose video “The Last of Us Part II | A Hollow Story Told Poorly” shares my perspective on the game’s strengths and flaws. If you’d prefer a video format for this review, I recommend checking it out.


Initial Impressions and the Switch to Abby
The Last of Us Part II opens with promise, building on The Last of Us Part I. Ellie’s early Seattle journey, rich with emotional depth and witty banter with Dina, feels like a natural evolution. However, Joel’s brutal death by Abby two hours in feels rushed and poorly handled, undermining its emotional weight and setting a shaky narrative tone. Despite this, Ellie and Dina’s chemistry drives the revenge arc, with Seattle’s ruins adding immersive tension. The shift to Abby, Joel’s killer, offers a fresh perspective. Her arc, avenging her father, introduces Lev, a Seraphite outcast she rescues, forming a bond through moments like her fear of heights. Abby’s grittier Seattle story is a compelling change, but her motivations lack Ellie’s depth, and forced parallels feel shallow. The switch disrupts pacing, yet Ellie’s early arc and Abby’s intriguing, if thin, section shine before the narrative falters.

Dina’s Role and Character Writing
As Ellie's partner and emotional center, Dina is particularly noteworthy and masterfully crafted. Scenes in Jackson and Seattle are made vivid by her warmth, humor, and tenderness, which are evident in her anecdotes about her sister or her fun connection with Ellie. By anchoring the stakes and providing Ellie with a motivation to fight beyond retribution, Dina advances the plot. Although she is sidelined and gives depth, her pregnancy, which is discovered mid-game, makes the tale less compelling without her. Dina's absence in the second half underscores how essential her character was to the game's emotional foundation and reflects the narrative's turn to gloom.

The Decline After Returning to Ellie
The narrative unravels when the game switches back to Ellie. After the theater altercation, her renewed desire to find Abby seems cliched and lacks the distinct purpose that propelled Part I's story. Because of her concern with vengeance, Ellie's character development is stalled, and her arc feels uninspired and unconnected to her previous growth. The energy established in Seattle is squandered by the second half's clumsy structuring and fragmented chronology. The game lacks the subtle storytelling of its predecessor, and its attempt to emphasize a "cycle of violence" design comes across as forceful. The worst part is that Ellie's pain—losing Dina, her fingers, and any hope of peace—feels unnecessary rather than tragic, adding to her suffering pointlessly. These problems are exacerbated by the conclusion: After a vicious struggle, Ellie spares Abby, but the choice seems undeserved, and her return to an empty house, alone with no closure, makes the entire voyage seem pointless in comparison to Part I's poignant depth.

Gameplay and Technical Aspects
Pushing the limits of what is possible on its hardware, The Last of Us Part II is a technical marvel. With stealth, crafting, and combat systems nearly perfected, the gameplay is a huge improvement over Part I. Whether you're fighting viciously up close or skulking through overgrown ruins, every battle feels dynamic and intense. The game's graphics are really stunning and have raised the bar for graphical achievement. From the flash of light through broken windows to the texture of moss on concrete, Seattle's rain-soaked streets, thick trees, and decaying buildings are depicted with incredible detail. Moments like Dina's friendliness or Ellie's anguish feel visceral because of the lifelike character models and facial animations that portray nuanced emotions.With eerie music, floorboard creaking, and the distant moans of infected creating an immersive atmosphere, the sound design further enhances the experience. For its ambition, the game performs amazingly well, with seamless gameplay for the most of the narrative. Though they don't take away from the overall polish, there are a few apparent stutters during several acts, especially in crowded places like downtown Seattle or during transitions in Abby's portion. Part II is a huge advancement that displays Naughty Dog's technological skill in contrast to Part I's clumsier gameplay and outdated graphics.

Thematic Messaging
The game pushes a clear agenda, most notably through Joel’s early death to elevate female protagonists like Ellie and Abby. This shift isn’t inherently problematic—Ellie and Dina are compelling leads—but it feels heavy-handed, as if the story prioritizes a statement over organic storytelling. Joel’s death, while meant to spark Ellie’s revenge, doubles as a symbolic move to sideline a strong male lead, which feels like a deliberate narrative choice rather than a natural progression. The lack of care in handling his death amplifies this issue, making it seem more like a thematic checkbox than a story-driven decision. Additionally, the inclusion of a character like Lev, who grapples with identity issues, adds another layer of thematic messaging. Lev’s arc, tied to his rejection by the Seraphites and his bond with Abby, is handled with care and doesn’t derail the story. However, its prominence—through explicit dialogue and narrative focus—feels in-your-face at times, as if the game is ensuring the player doesn’t miss the point. While these themes of identity and representation are meaningful, their execution occasionally overshadows the core narrative, making the messaging feel more like a checklist than a seamless part of the world. This approach contrasts with Part I’s subtler handling of themes like loss and hope, contributing to Part II’s narrative bloat.

Writing Choices and Neil Druckmann’s Role
Neil Druckmann’s writing excels early, particularly with Dina and Ellie’s dynamic, but falters later. The mishandling of Joel’s death sets a weak tone, and the second half’s reliance on shock value and forced Ellie-Abby parallels further undermines the narrative, unlike Part I’s focused storytelling. Druckmann’s ambition to subvert expectations and emphasize thematic messaging overshadows the emotional depth that made the first game iconic, resulting in a disjointed experience.

Idea for The Last of Us Part III
A The Last of Us Part III set before Part II, during Joel and Ellie’s time in Jackson with Tommy, could recapture the first game’s magic. Focus on their father-daughter bond as they navigate community life. Introduce a rival settlement or infected outbreak, forcing Ellie to step up while Joel confronts his past. Keep Dina involved to maintain the strong character writing, and avoid Part II’s heavy-handed themes for a story about hope and family.

Conclusion and Rating
The Last of Us Part II is a technical marvel with stellar gameplay, stunning visuals, and early highlights like Dina’s brilliant character writing. However, its story collapses under the poorly executed death of Joel, poor pacing, overly explicit thematic messaging, and an unfulfilling ending, falling short of Part I’s resonance. It’s a game that starts strong but loses its way. I give it a 7/10.

Splinter Cell Blacklist: A Stealth Masterpiece

Rating: ★★★★★

Splinter Cell Blacklist marks a triumphant return to the shadows for Sam Fisher, delivering an espionage experience that not only lives up to its predecessors but also introduces new elements that enhance the franchise. Despite the sad departure of Michael Ironside, the iconic voice behind Sam Fisher, the game manages to keep its grip on players with a compelling narrative and excellent replayability.

The story follows Sam Fisher, who is now in charge of the recently established Fourth Echelon, as he deals with the Blacklist, a string of terrorist assaults that get worse. The compelling narrative transports players around the world while combining themes of international terrorism, political intrigue, and personal vendettas. Every task feels like an important component of the overall story, adding to the suspense and making gamers want to keep playing.

The narrative is simply amazing; it spins a gripping yarn of terrorism and global intrigue. Blacklist skillfully incorporates Fisher's prior experiences into the story, providing gamers with a feeling of coherence while embracing newcomers. The Blacklist itself, a countdown of intensifying attacks, adds a sense of urgency to the action, emphasizing the importance of each covert move and decision.

Though it was obviously disappointing to see Michael Ironside leave the post for health reasons, Eric Johnson does a fantastic job filling Sam Fisher's shoes. Johnson does a fantastic job of capturing Fisher's essence, adding his own personal touch without sacrificing the character's recognizable charm and toughness. The changeover goes smoothly, and Johnson should be commended for maintaining Sam Fisher's character in the midst of a challenging situation.

The real strength of Splinter Cell Blacklist lies in its gameplay mechanics. Players can approach each task in a variety of ways thanks to the clever combination of action, stealth, and gadgetry. The game supports a range of playstyles, regardless of whether you like a more aggressive attack style or a quiet takedown strategy. The gameplay is kept interesting by the variety of mission objectives and environments, and the strategic planning that is needed to complete them adds even more depth.

While we celebrate Blacklist's success, the Splinter Cell series' future is still up in the air. Ubisoft has been tight-lipped about the upcoming game, fans are excitedly awaiting more news. Modern game technology holds enormous promise for a revolutionary Splinter Cell experience. It is exciting to think that Ubisoft will take use of the opportunity to explore new areas, take on increasingly cunning foes, and use state-of-the-art equipment.

But it's critical to talk about worries about Ubisoft's direction since Splinter Cell Blacklist came out. The studio's once-bright reputation has been clouded by the emergence of contentious microtransactions, a perceived lack of originality in certain games, and internal problems that have an impact on workplace culture. Supporters anticipate that Ubisoft's emphasis on producing high-quality experiences—especially with the impending Splinter Cell remake—will signal a return to the principles that helped establish the company as a major player in the video game industry.

In conclusion, Splinter Cell Blacklist is a testament to the enduring legacy of the franchise. Its engaging story, impeccable gameplay, and the commendable efforts of Eric Johnson in filling Michael Ironside's shoes make it a standout title. As we await the next chapter in Sam Fisher's saga, fans can only hope that Ubisoft steers the series back towards its roots, delivering the stealthy, immersive experiences that made Splinter Cell a household name.