It looks like The Last of Us 2 will be just as scary, violent, and frightening as the first game was, if not even more so, but some of the horror may not be delivered in exactly the same way players are used to.
Looking at the official ESRB rating, all released trailers, and comments from people who have spent time with the title, The Last of Us 2 could potentially give players the same amount of fright as its predecessor. However, if the reviews and developer statements are any indication, it also looks like some of that horror will come from Ellie's twisted turn from an innocent survivor to being hardened and conditioned by her environment.
Seven years ago, PlayStation 3 and followed a young girl and a older man on their journey to safety which eventually gave players one of the best relationship developments in video game history. By April 2018, The Last of Us would sur over 17 million copies across the PlayStation 3 and 4. The Last of Us was a scary game then, but how does its sequel compare in 2020?
The Last of Us 2 Is Rated M for Mature
Both TLOU games were given a rating of M for mature, but the difference with The Last of Us 2 is the controversial depiction of the violence within the game. While players know that the first title came with quite the array of clicker-on-human combat, as well as plenty of good ol' fashioned human-on-human violence, The Last of Us 2 will have another aspect to the game that contributes to the amount of violence - the main protagonists obvious thirst for revenge, something which is shown in a majority of the The Last of Us Part 2's trailers. With Ellie hell-bent on mowing down anything that stands in her way, there's no doubt that TLOU2 will end up giving players more violence than they bargained for.
The Last of Us Part 2 has been rated M for depicting intense violence, strong language, blood and gore, as well as use of drugs, sexual content, and nudity. The Last of Us Part 2's creative director Neil Druckmann has spoken out against concerns of the amount of violence displayed in the game, saying that it's a game made specifically for adults, and that the player should feel some sense of disgust with themselves while committing the terrible acts of violence. More violence equals a more intense and heart-pumping, anxiety-inducing gameplay experience, something which surely plays into the game's scare factor.
While each trailer for The Last of Us 2 has given players many details about the next game, including the return of Joel, a look at a grown-up Ellie, and a few details about the plot, it also gives a look into the kind of horror players are dealing with. The gameplay trailer shown at E3 reveals a darker, moodier forest setting that makes it hard to separate the figures from the shadows. Abandoned cities of yesterday appear more decrepit, and billboards remind players that the once-modern amenities and luxuries are now a thing of the past. The idea of two parallels is an apparent theme in Naughty Dogs' trailers for TLOU2, with a softer side of Ellie always shown before she contorts to violence in order to survive. Another element added to The Last of Us 2 that's unique to the game is how NPCs track Ellie through the use of dogs, and the thought of her having to fight off dogs is scary, yet sad, as evidenced by video game journalist Alanah Pearce on Twitter recently:
As more and more players have begun sharing their spoiler-filled explorations of The Last of Us Part 2 ahead of the game's release, it's clear that the game is both violent, sweet, scary, and heart-breaking, sometimes all at once. The designs of The Last of Us 2's monsters look to be grosser than ever, and players can expect more than a few heart-pounding moments throughout the game's story.
Even so, many players are surely happy that The Last of Us, an emotional and brilliant game which has garnered over five award nominations and four wins, is finally getting its sequel. If The Last of Us 2 keeps up the first game's well-blended mix of survival, horror, and storytelling capabilities, fans will undoubtedly be pleased. With the overwhelmingly positive reviews the second installment has garnered so far, players can clearly hope to find the series' usual horror tactics, jump scares, beautiful visuals, and creepy atmospheres with a modern (albeit likely disturbing to some) the gameplay and graphics.
Source: Alanah Pearce/Twitter
