Theres a particular level in TLOU2, however, that highlights just how far big-budget video games have actually come since the The Last of United States. This small information alone assists establish some intimacy, not just between Joel and Ellie, but between the gamer and the game– Ellie has actually changed, and the mechanics reflect that. Its a marked difference from the first video game, where entire puzzles were constructed around her inability to tread water.
The Last of United States Part 2 shows that AAA video games have come much further than what the initial giraffe scene could offer. For one thing, The Last of Us 2 is full of “giraffe scenes”– that is, scenes with downtime from the perpetual violence of the rest of the games world, typically used to offer tender, thoughtful moments for its characters. In this, The Last of United States 2 isnt special; if youve played Naughty Dog games even before the first Last of Us, youve discovered how much effort the studio puts into discovering interactive yet nonviolent ways to press the narrative forward without having to rely totally on long, noninteractive cutscenes.
It has actually been called “powerful,” “psychological,” and “renowned.” It may be among the most famous scenes in an entire generation of video games, frequently pointed out in discussions as an example of how the game it originates from is “the height of computer game storytelling,” as IGN wrote back in 2013. I speak, naturally, of The Last of Us giraffe scene, a pivotal animal petting moment that happens near the end of Naughty Dogs 2013 post-apocalyptic survival game.
As previous Naughty Dog level designer Peter Field described in a breakdown of that part of the game, the bus depot level– and specifically the giraffe scene– help Joel comprehend what a toll the journey has actually taken on Ellie. The level also reinforces that Ellie is determined to reach the Fireflies regardless of her momentary anxiety. Both of these components go on to notify the foundation of The Last of United States Part 2, where the tension between these characters concerns a snapping point.
Ultimately, Joel brings Ellie to a museum complete of dinosaur exhibits, with a life-size T. rex model out front. As you prod and poke through the level, you may choose to open up Ellies notebook, where you discover hints of her life and the relationships shes had in the time between the first game and the second video game. You make your way through the museum, discovering enjoyable truths about all sorts of extinct creatures that you can dress up with the press of a button.
Image: Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment through Polygon
Strapped up and all set to go, Joel and Ellie hop into the vessel. Joel offers Ellie a cassette tape in a Walkman, which was obviously magnificent tough to discover. He asks Ellie to close her eyes and press play. The cassette, as it turns out, contains the audio from an actual shuttle launch. Ellie may never get to surpass planet Earth, however for a quick minute, she can pretend to leave everything behind. The liftoff series advises me a great deal of that viral video where a dad shakes his kid in a laundry basket while she watches some video of a roller coaster, in an effort to make her feel like shes really there. Its sweet.
However ornery old Joel kinda hates it, so of course I feel a duty to annoy him. Thats intimacy, when you get down to it: understanding somebody all right to adoringly push their buttons. This continuous interactivity, together with a number of optional discussions you have along the method, helps to set this level apart from the more fixed giraffe scene in the first video game. However theres more to it than just that. The museum itself provides small ways for you to connect with it, like cranking a lever to see the transformations of the worlds. Joel helpfully imparts some knowledge to Ellie about what shes seeing.
Near completion of the level, Joel reveals the huge surprise. When utilized for a genuine area operation, theres a small spacecraft in the museum that was. Joel asks you to go through the screens and choose one of the helmets. There are 3, each with a different type of style and time duration. I went with one of the sleeker, more futuristic pieces.
Image: Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment by means of Polygon
However it would not be a Last of Us game without at least one gut punch to bookend the experience. To celebrate the trip, Joel provides you an area pin that you connect to the front of your knapsack, which has lots of other baubles. Ellie has actually gotten rid of many of those childish things on her knapsack– with one essential exception when you flash forward to more recent occasions. The area pin. Through it all, as Ellie makes every effort to seek vengeance, and even as she grapples with her complex feelings about the guy who “saved” her, shes still bring that pin. Damn.
It may be one of the most famous scenes in an entire generation of video games, typically cited in conversations as an example of how the video game it comes from is “the height of video game storytelling,” as IGN wrote back in 2013. As former Naughty Dog level designer Peter Field described in a breakdown of that part of the game, the bus depot level– and particularly the giraffe scene– assistance Joel understand what a toll the journey has taken on Ellie. For one thing, The Last of United States 2 is full of “giraffe scenes”– that is, scenes with downtime from the perpetual violence of the rest of the games world, typically utilized to supply tender, thoughtful moments for its characters. In this, The Last of Us 2 isnt special; if youve played Naughty Dog video games even prior to the first Last of United States, youve observed how much effort the studio puts into finding interactive yet nonviolent ways to push the narrative forward without having to rely totally on long, noninteractive cutscenes. As you prod and poke through the level, you might choose to open up Ellies notebook, where you discover tips of her life and the relationships shes had in the time between the 2nd game and the first video game.
All these small options along the way make a huge difference, due to the fact that the gamer gets to express themselves. The series is already poignant, but by allowing you to choose your helmet, as well as which dinosaur gets to keep the hat, the level ends up being personal. By contrast, everybody experienced The Last of United States giraffe scene in exactly the same way, and while that was still touching, its flat compared to what The Last of Us Part 2 frequently supplies.
