Why I Care About The Last of Us Part II

Will Naughty Dog's 30 hour epic nab the title of the Greatest Game of All Time?

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  Tick tock. The final hours are upon us and out this week is what many reviewers have been calling Game of the Year and some declaring it the Greatest Game of All Time. That’s a bold statement for a video game sequel. How often do you hear the first part of a movie, game, or book and their follow up receive perfect scores and be called masterpieces? The original Last of Us came out back in 2013 and was considered a masterpiece and heralded as one of the Greatest Games of All Time. For its predecessor to receive equal if not more praise is astounding. I didn’t expect this kind of praise. Granted, I have yet to play The Last of Us Part II so I can’t judge if I agree with the reviews, but they are a positive indication especially if most reviewers are giving it perfect scores. My anticipation has exceeded that of Avengers Endgame. Heck, this is the most excited I have ever been for any entertainment product. Like myself and millions of others who will be buying the game on release date, there is a reason this video game has a special place in my heart. It is one of my many influences for me choosing to write fictional novels.
'The Last of Us'

  I care about this franchise because it is the epitome of how to make great characters that feel so human. If a pandemic wiped out the majority of humanity, I strongly believe the events of The Last of Us would be a real life story that would actually happen in a post apocalyptic United States. It has encouraged me to pursue a similar story in my novels. Although The Forsaken is not centered on a pandemic or infected, it is still a post-apocalyptic future that has changed people. I centered the pacing of my novels to try and match the pacing of The Last of Us. The Forsaken is a lot more grandeur in its scope and emphasizes on large scale battles, but there is a mix of enormous fights and smaller fights that feel more intimate. There are also character moments that indulge more into everyone’s backstory and where they came from. It equates into something more than just a simple story about a revolution. Understanding everyone’s goals and their own perspectives is intriguing even if you don’t agree with them.
    I can’t say enough about The Last of Us that hasn’t been said already. If you have never played it for yourself or even sat down and watched it through, you are doing yourself a disservice to this thing we call life. The original game will move you. It is like watching one of the greatest movies unfold in your very eyes. The Last of Us Part II has also broken pre-order records beating the likes of Spiderman (yes the PS4 game) and God of War in other countries. Part II will likely or has already broken records here in the United States. In a way, Part II feels like a culmination of the zombie apocalypse genre. When all is said and done, this wholly anticipated sequel will likely cement The Last of Us as the king of the post apocalyptic genre across all media platforms. Those doubts will be answered on June 19th, 2020.