What I agree on:
Lev- Very good character and even though I can't stand Abby, the one part I enjoyed were her interactions with him. I don't think they handled him being trans the best way since his role in society was what they focused on rather than dysphoria, but still a good character.
Rat King- Amazing design, horrible fight. Also how did all those infected survive in a hospital quarantined off for over twenty years with no food?
Graphics/Design- I felt a bit guilty enjoying them after hearing about Naughty Dog's working conditions but I hope they're proud of how much attention to detail it is. 9th gen games are gonna have to work really hard to compete with that
Gameplay- I think it's paced horribly not just story wise, but gameplay wise but the mechanics and encounters are fun
Museum- Best part of the game hands down
Disagree:
Joel- I'm going with Julian's interpretation but have a different meaning behind it. Ellie was too young to make that kind of decision herself and after she just tells him dying there would mean her life meant something, he was telling her that she doesn't need to save humanity for her life to mean something.
Abby- Her trying to leave the whole thing behind doesn't come across as being the bigger person to me, it tells me she refuses to accept actions have consequ. Something the game doesn't seem to want to teach her. It'll throw in our face how awful Ellie is for killing a dog in self defense, but not how Abby doomed Owen and Mel when they were waiting for her to come back? Or when she was surprised Mel wanted her gone after sleeping with Owen? Or how she tries justifying murdering children? I felt like the game was trying to manipulat me into thinking Ellie's worse than Abby and it backfired so badly. Any redeeming qualities are offset by the awful things she does.
Dina- Besides Lev, Jesse was the only other new character who I liked. And Dina treats him like garbage. It's very clear he's not over their breakup but is keeping in touch with his parents and comes onto one of his good friends. And the way she talks to Ellie feels like she's always reminding her Ellie isn't good enough for her. I dated someone who treated me similarly and its an awful feeling to be on the receiving end of this.
The End- I think that ending did a good job showing why Ellie couldn't let it go. Too good. She's still awful for what she did but it just felt like she only turned out this way because the world kept throwing things at her no one would be able to move past. The plot never really had her do anything beyond reacting what happens to her. Abby kills Joel, Tommy comes to her with Abby's whereabouts. Sure she makes the wrong choices but I can't judge her considering the shit she goes through until she threatens Lev. But since that's the point where she crosses the point of being irredeemable, I'm more irritated with how that fight at the end felt so contrived. There was no reason for her to feel a need to fight Abby, she could have just stabbed her and ended it.
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