We are–once again–in the midst of major AAA video game meltdown.
As every gamer knows, the first “Last of Us” from Naughty Dog is held in the highest regard and the fans are fervent. According to Metacritic, it’s the 5th highest rated game on the PS3. According to every video game player ever, it’s GOAT. Any sort of sequel would need to be special.
The sequel is… complicated. Pre-release leaks of the game give away huge moments in the story line (not going to give anything away here). After seeing those, fans flipped their lid at the direction of the sequel’s story. Misinformation and hate spread out of control. Game’s getting trashed before it’s even out.
“The Last of Us 2” critic review embargo lifts. IGN, Game Informer and plenty more reputable outlets give it solid 10s across the board. 3rd highest rated PS4 title of all time on Metacritic. Must be an absolute masterpiece, right? Well…
“The Last of Us 2” releases on June 19, 2020. Metacritic user score tanks, hard, as you can see above. Impossible to not see a huge discrepancy in opinion between the critics and users. Fans are obviously raging, a classic case of intense review bombing is underway.
On the topic of review bombing, it does give fans a powerful way to voice their opinions, positive or negative. Besides flat-out not buying the game, numbers on Metacritic really speak the loudest. Let’s be honest. It’s universal, just one glimpse at the scores and gamers and non-gamers alike can see something is wrong.
What are your thoughts on “The Last of Us 2”? Does it deserve the criticism? Let me know in the comments.