(There will be spoilers for The Last of Us II present)
Well, The Last of Us Part II absolutely cleaned house at the Game Awards this year. I can’t honestly say I am shocked about that. It was a beautiful looking game that many people very clearly worked their asses off creating. However, does the technical aspect alone earn something the ‘Game of the Year’? Evidently, yes. What I mean to ask is ‘Should It’?
I’m of the mind that the people should choose what makes Game of the Year. I just find it silly that a game so divisive can win it all, no matter how much of a technical marvel it might be. It’s just not a good look. So people’s enjoyment of the product means nothing? It was difficult to make, so therefore who cares whether it was actually good? I’m not sure about this decision. Granted, I must add that I have not even played the game yet. For that reason, I will refrain from calling it a pile of trash, as I haven’t truly experienced it myself. I DID watch playthroughs of the game, though. And, simply put, I did not like what I saw. I was extremely disappointed. I loved the first game with all my heart. It still stands as one of my favourite games of all time. After seeing the narrative choices they made with the sequel, especially with our old pal Joel, I wouldn’t spit on the thing if it was on fire.
Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. There were elements of the sequel that impressed me. The part on the farm with Ellie and Dina was quite adorable. I would’ve played a 30 hour game of just that. But overall, I feel Part II is a massive step down. Joel was a great, though rather cliche, character in Part I. Part II sees him reduced to a bumbling idiot who we are supposed to detest for his so-called ‘Deplorable Actions’? Are they bullshitting us? I’m sorry, I don’t care about that one surgeon guy who Joel kills. I just don’t. This game makes it seem like Joel is meant to be Hitler because he saved a little girl from having her brains scooped out. Nah. Screw that surgeon. There, I said it. I said it and I don’t care.
I also can’t forget the fact that they bashed Joel’s bloody head in like Abby was a way less cool version of Negan from the Walking Dead. It was all just so dumb and unsatisfying. The narrative didn’t have me on the edge of my seat; it had me scratching my head. And this is Game of the Year? Why? Shouldn’t the award have gone to a game like Ghost of Tsushima or Hades? You know, games that were very well received and everybody likes? Should Last of Us have various technical achievement awards? Most definitely. But should it be the best game of 2020? No. I just don’t think so. Who knows, maybe when I do get around to the game myself I will sing a different tune. But would that matter? Even if I did like it, I would just be a drop of blue in a red pond. MANY people hated the game, and I think that alone should stop it from being held up as the best of them all for 2020. But what do I know? I’m just some dude.