If you’re hoping to go into The Last of Us 2 totally blank, with no idea what’s going to happen or what to expect, you won’t find any spoilers here so don’t worry.
Video games are an art form and a form of expression for those who create them, and we’ve been living in a very divisive and hyper-political world lately, and a lot of people are just trying to make sense of things through the static, while others are trying to get away from it all and find a way to distract themselves.
The first Last of Us game had a very deep and thoughtful environment, and some players have complained about the politics that seemed to be expressed, especially near the ending of the game. Neil Druckmann played a huge role in the development of the game, and didn’t shy away from letting his personal politics shine through in the finished product.
Recently, someone commented that they enjoyed the first game but wished they could tone it down a bit when it comes to the politics, and Neil Druckmann responded:
“No can do. Writers work off of their views of the world. For example, the ending of TLoU is very much inspired by my “personal politics.”
While some players were upset about this element of the game, others felt that it’s what made the game so special to begin with. You can’t please everyone. Avoiding a potentially-amazing game just because the creator’s personal politics don’t align with your own seems silly. Plus, if he keeps up a similar style as TLOU, it’s not like things were overly preachy or shoved in your face.
Here’s how the internet has been reacting:
“I say make the game however you want, it’s his project so why not? Totally enjoyed the first as im sure ill enjoy the second.” – Efnet
“Exactly my thoughts. The game didn’t come off “political or agenda driven” at all tbh it didn’t even cross my mind even once despite fact that the game does address some topics. The way Druckmann interwove it so that it’s all synergistic yet organic was genius…” – Nintendo Fan 4 Lif3
“Agreed inserting this stuff into movies, music and games seems to deny the purpose of movies, music and games to begin with. Which is an escape from reality.” – Darthdiggler
“Always good to include your personal views into your writing, it helps the story to feel deep. That, of course, if you’re not a f* moron and don’t force it on players with some r* ending. Ooooh shit…” – Flava Flav (Not the real one)
“I loved the story just the way it was. It was very indulging. Showed me how things went on inspite our speculation of expectations. The story was dark and itself very relishing. I’ve loved every part of the game. Not to be overexcited but I’ve completed the game for over 4 times. The story and gameplay are excellent and exceptional just the way they are. Don’t change anything.” – Rajdeep Jian