![]() ![]() Back in 2013, and certainly before that, launching a game with a female protagonist was considered a commercial risk. I played the first game with my eldest daughter, and it was good to show her the character of Ellie at a time - even though it wasn’t all that long ago - when we didn’t see many female protagonists who were normal people (neither superheroes nor highly sexualized) and could handle their own. These design decisions are sparked heated conversations, something Naughty Dog had hoped would happen (at least in a respectful way). The game treats them all simply as people - they can be good or bad, in leading or minor roles. As a result, they are getting love from fans as well as hate for the positive portrayal of lesbian, minority, and transgender characters. Developer Naughty Dog, its team, and the cast took a lot of risks in this ambitious sequel. Like the first game, it has bookend endings, where what happens in the end echoes back to the beginning. I believe Part II reflects some amazing craftsmanship, riveting cutscenes, and empathetic storytelling. ![]() Since the game is such a raw experience, I think it helps to talk about it after you play it. Back when we ran our review, Danielle and I put together this video, which she edited. ![]() One solace was that I played this one together with my middle daughter, Danielle Takahashi, who was too young for such a serious game when the first one debuted in 2013. Earlier this year, it was eerie playing a game about a post-pandemic zombie apocalypse during a pandemic, with emergency vehicle sirens going off in the background in real life. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |