Syph79 wrote:

Escape wrote:

Humanity was writ large in the first game to promote contemplation of loss. Here's some folk you might like. Yeah, well they're dead now! Decently handled, with some lovely apocalypse-calm levels. Dandy. But Drucko's desired reaction relies on you indulging the forcefed murder of Abby's dad, where you're supposed to think Oh shit — I killed 'im!. So if you waded in with the flamethrower to cries of 'Ave it, ya bastards! you can enjoy whatever this game has to offer. Nothing wrong with that. But going back to my first line, at that stage of the game I just wanted to talk these surgeons... GAMES WRITINGS But really it's still DOOM. Only that had a neat story about hellbeasts coming to Mars. (I guess Venus would've been a busman's.) DOOM didn't frame its events as consequence of an illusionary choice expecting me to praise, through feigned insertion, interactivity as the wind beneath its narrative wings.

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Minnesänger wrote:

Can’t believe Escape killed her dad.

Like I said before, Abby’s Dad died in the first game. You can’t change that as a player in the second. I get your complaints, but this one is weird.

The sequel was a neatly woven revenge/redemption tale, and I'm loathe to criticise it because it's so far ahead of what most other games achieve, or even even attempt.  You don't have a say in the narrative because this particular franchise is Peter & Paul knocking on your door asking to borrow some eggs.  I don't need choices in games, it's fair to say that I dislike them on the whole (even skill trees make me sweat).  I get your complaints with the way certain aspects of the plot were handled, but they're not an issue for me, especially as I'm predisposed to give GAME WRITING far more leeway than I would films thanks to decades of codswallop.  We've had so many years of 

Should we help the villager?  
Yes/No
Don't be like that m8, let's help the villager anyway!

that I'm accustomed to the illusion of choice as opposed to being in control of a genuine branching narrative.  I reckon Drucko's earned himself a hearty clap on the back for blurring the lines between movies and games; it's the finest interactive tracking shot I've ever held a pad to.  

Nice read, I agree with a lot of it. Though I'm one of the few that still is not on Abby's side. At all. The killing of Joel went too far. She was loving it. Had she just slapped him around a
little and shot him in one clean shot, then I would have been on her side by the time of the theatre fight. But the Joel thing was too much. If it was the other way around at that stage Elie wouldn't have played with her prey IMO.

That's at the end though. I meant at the beginning,if Ellie were in Abbie's position then.

Well Joel just shot Abby's dad. It was quick and necessary from Joel's (right or wrong) pov. Whether she was loving it or not Abby made it last. It was going on while you playing as ellie had to find Joel. But yeah it's been nearly a year since I watched the scene maybe it's not as bad as I remember.

Good stuff Andy.

I wouldn't say Abby enjoys it so much as needs it; it's the relief that comes with release, rather than simple 'wheeee!' enjoyment, perhaps. I suspect endorphins were flowing though. She's Billy Corgan cracking a smile at the apex of a rollercoaster she didn't want to ride. The years between her father's death and the scene we're discussing could probably be condensed into a preparation montage for that one opportunity (an opportunity that she must've known was unlikely to present itself). Her actions in the moment would've been a result of what I assume would be a manic euphoria due to her all-encompassing hatred for Joel. You're not yourself when you're hungry x100000.

The whole thing is fucking brilliant, frankly. Maybe she was getting her rocks off, the nuance is actually worthy of discussion in a AAA game, for once, rather than [this character did a frown here so they are sad].

digi wrote:

Great read Andy.
Currently playing in lovely 60fps and it's just so good.

Im thinking of replaying the first before hitting 2 again. But there are the rumours of a 1 remake....

Realy enjoyed that write up Andy. I pretty much agree with everything there especially the last part about how characters interact with the environment. The way you'll push an enemy into a wall or table to deliver a huge blow etc is just leaps ahead of other games.

I'm waiting for the DLC where you get to play as Abby in that scene. Imagine the Dualsense stuff they could do. Adaptive triggers are gonna be interesting.

“And she’s in the rough”

Cos there was a hole in one?

This kind of puerile "humour" is par for the course with you lot. Tsk Tsk