Mothergamer Plays Tokyo Xanadu Ex+

 I had never played the first Tokyo Xanadu so I picked up Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ which is an enhanced version of the game. I looked up what was different from the original and they are: New difficulty, new items, two new playable characters, new content in the main story, and a new after story chapter with a challenging boss. The game is set in an alternate reality where a huge earthquake hit Tokyo in 2005 that took ten years to recover from. So when we start the story it is 2015 and we are introduced to the main character, Kou Tokisaka who lives in Morimiya on the outskirts of Tokyo. Kou lives alone and has a lot of part time jobs. One night after work, Kou sees his classmate Asuka being harassed by a group of boys and tries to intervene. This does not go well for him because he is sucked into a vortex that brings him to a nightmare realm known as Eclipse. Kou runs into Asuka there and they have to fight a monster known as a Greed. Asuka explains that she is a member of a group called Nemesis that is trying to close the Eclipse vortexes permanently. 

Kou and Asuka fight a Greed.

This gives a good introduction into how the battle system works. The tutorial is fairly straightforward explaining that different Greeds have elemental weaknesses and the weapon that each party member has a set element. Characters are able to summon their weapons in the Eclipse from their mobile phone called a Xiphone. Kou's weapon is a combination of sword and whip with the fire element while Asuka's weapon is a rapier and her element is ice. Combat is a lot of fun and you can have three members in your party which means you can switch between the character according to the element you need to fight the different Greeds. The user menu is easy to navigate so you can set up abilities as well as use items for healing or enhancing attacks. 

Explanation of elemental weaknesses.

When not exploring Eclipse dungeons, Kou is a regular high school student and this is where a bit of a Persona element kicks in. The story is set into episodic chapters. Each chapter begins with an introduction with the main story goal that Kou and his friends are supposed to do. Then Kou has free time which allows him to wander the city, talk with people, spend time with his friends to increase his affinity with them, do some side quests, or work at one of his many part time jobs. The game makes it easy to travel just by opening the map and picking the location where you want to go. There is a lot of back and forth in some of the quests and story, but having the fast travel option makes things easier. 

Click on the map and fast travel. 

Each dungeon is fairly linear and has a set elemental theme so it's a good idea to plan your party of three really well for this. One character is active, but you can switch between characters with the press of a button and this is a big part of the strategy in combat so that you can win each battle until the Eclipse dungeon is complete. The game is not too punishing with the battles and gives you the time to adapt and switch things up. The action in the game is a lot of fun and the game allows you to experiment a bit with different tactics for the boss battles. 

Kou explores a dark element Eclipse dungeon. 

The music for the game is great and matches each area very well. The story itself is good and I found myself wanting to keep playing to see what happened next. There are also mini games such as a cooking mini game, an arcade mini game, and a skateboarding mini game. These were a lot of fun and rewarded you with items and accessories for your party members. Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ has a lot of charm because of the story and the characters themselves. It's very easy to dive in and enjoy the game because of the solid gameplay, story, and overall atmosphere. 

A good game overall. 

*Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ is available to play on the following platforms: Playstation 4, PC

*Join our community on twitch as we play games and talk about mental health: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer 

Spiritfarer A Beautiful Journey

 I was intrigued by the concept of Spiritfarer when it was described as a cozy time management game about death. The story introduces Stella with her cat Daffodil who is taking over the job of Spiritfarer from Charon. This means Stella is the new ferrymaster and her job is find spirits and fulfill their last wishes before taking them to the Everdoor, a gate to the afterlife. 

Stella and Daffodil meet Charon. 

Spiritfarer is clearly inspired by the mythology surrounding Charon and the river Styx. Charon's explanation is that he's retiring and it will be up to Stella and Daffodil to sail the sea exploring each island looking for spirits and helping them on their journey to the Everdoor. This begins Stella's journey as a Spiritfarer. One of the first spirits she meets is Gwen who acts as a guide for the tutorial of how to do things on her ship such as building things like a guest room, crafting materials for the ship, or cooking food for spirits. I love Gwen. She is one of my favorite characters in the game because of her fierce sass and quick wit as well as her genuine love and respect for Stella. Gwen's epic take down of a merchant raccoon named Theodore who is clearly trying to rip off Stella is hilarious and the small nod to Tom Nook in Animal Crossing makes it even funnier.

Gwen shows the raccoon who's boss. 

Each spirit that Stella meets has their own unique personality and story about who they were and who they are. They also teach Stella different things like growing crops in a garden and playing beautiful music to make the plants grow faster. Each spirit will also give Stella hints on what kind of food they like and you can click on the character to check their stats. This shows you if a spirit is hungry, their current mood, and what their favorite foods are. I loved the cooking in the game. It was nice creating different recipes, giving the spirits their favorite dish, and seeing how happy it made them. 

Of course as Stella picked up more spirits on each island, they began requesting things such as their own room and workshops. This is where upgrading the ship and building come in. This introduces a shark that loves silly puns and the ship building yard. There are certain materials that need to be crafted, ores to be mined, and certain items to be found in order to get these upgrades. You will also need glims which is Spiritfarer's currency to upgrade the ship. 

Purchasing upgrades for the ship. 

I enjoyed exploring the islands and the areas on the sea. The world of Spiritfarer is beautiful and charming. Each island has its own style and a variety of things that make it stand out. One island had sheep that Stella can put on her ship and she can shear the sheep in order to make wool thread. There are of course ingredients on some of the islands too such as strawberries which Stella can use for cooking. There is fishing that can be done too and I liked having Stella sit down on her ship and catch fish after fish while traveling all over the sea. 

Stella enjoys some fishing. 

There are mini games in Spiritfarer as well that are so much fun. These mini games give Stella materials needed for the crafting in the game. Stella has various abilities that help make it easier to accomplish. Standing outside a storm to catch lightning in a bottle or running around in a meteor shower to get comet rocks add to the whimsical beauty of this game. 

Running around in a meteor shower. 

As the ship gets bigger and as more buildings are added, you can move everything around with the build command. It plays like a game of Tetris moving each building around and stacking them on top of each other. It adds to the happiness of the spirits as well depending on where you put the buildings as well as adding the crafting rooms they ask for such as a lumber mill or a loom. 

Moving buildings around on the ship. 

Exploring the world of Spiritfarer is wonderful because of how detailed each area is with the artwork. The music in Spiritfarer is pretty and fitting for the various places Stella visits. The map is detailed and you can fast travel via a bus stop managed by a cute magical seal named Alex. I preferred sailing because you can find a lot of interesting things and new locations that way, but the fast travel option was convenient when I wanted to get where I was going quickly. 

Checking the map. 

With all of these wonderful things in the game, it's easy to forget that Spiritfarer is about death. We are reminded of it with each conversation that Stella has with the spirits on her ship. Stella doesn't talk so the spirits talk to her constantly and we get to hear their perspective about decisions they made in their lives as well as their hopes and fears. Each spirit is connected to Stella in some way and I appreciated the thoughtfulness that was put into the story of each one. There was one spirit character that reminded me so much of my grandmother it brought a smile to my face remembering her. 

Spiritfarer does such an amazing job of talking about death in a gentle manner showing that while it's understandable to be scared, that it doesn't have to be scary. For one spirit it's about accepting that their life may not have been perfect, but they did everything they wanted to do or for another finding love and peace after a difficult time. Stella is their guide through all of it, being a kind and caring presence during their time with her. I cried many times during Spiritfarer because I genuinely appreciated the beautiful journey that was shown in the story and getting to know the characters. While it is never easy to say goodbye, the lesson that people live on in our hearts and memories is a good one for each of us to learn. I appreciate the love, thought, and mindfulness that went into this game and it was clearly a labor of love for everyone at Thunder Lotus games. Spiritfarer is a true gem of a game. 

Stella says goodbye. 

*Spiritfarer is available to play on all platforms: Windows, Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo   Switch

*Come join our community on twitch as we enjoy games and talk about mental health: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer

The Adventures Of Pirotess: Celebrating Moonfire Faire 2020

 The events in Final Fantasy XIV are always a lot of fun. This year the Moonfire Faire was back celebrating all things Summer. In order to start the quest, your character should be at least level 30 on a melee or mage class. Travel to Limsa Lominsa, Upper Decks and talk to the NPC Mayaru Moyaru to start the A Fish Too Far Quest which sends you to Costa del Sol. 

Pirotess starts the first Moonfire Quest. 

All you have to do is follow the quest markers and talk to the various NPCs. This leads you to the quest Flame On which has you doing a FATE for the event. The FATE is pretty easy to do. You just need to use the two dance moves to strengthen and heal the Bomb as you face off against a giant shark enemy. Once you defeat the enemy you are rewarded with a new emote, the Flame dance and 15 faire vouchers. 

Pirotess and adventurers fighting the giant shark.

The vouchers can be traded for items at the Moonfire Faire vendor in Costa del Sol. The items range from clothing items, to items for decorating your house. Since the FATE is repeatable, you can do it multiple times until you have enough vouchers for everything. 

All the items you can get from the vendor. 

The Moonfire Faire is always a good time with your friends and a nice break from adventuring. The rewards are good offering a new outfit each year, some furniture, and some pretty spiffy fireworks too. If you haven't done the event yet, you still have time since it runs until August 26. Get out there and have some fun! Thanks for reading, see you at the next adventure! 

See you at the next adventure! 

*Final Fantasy XIV is available to play on the following platforms: PC and Playstation 4

*Join our community on twitch as we enjoy games and talk about mental health: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer

Ghost Of Tsushima, A Beautiful Samurai Adventure

 *Note: Some spoilers are in this review. 

I had been waiting for Ghost Of Tsushima's arrival because it looked interesting and the game looked beautiful from the trailers shown. I started playing as soon as I got my copy and right from the start I was blown away. The game accessibility is easy to set up. You can adjust the game settings to the difficulty that works for you. For me, I go with the easy setting when first playing a game so I can enjoy the story and have an easier time with the controls due to arthritis in my hands. There is a subtitle backdrop meaning you can add a color background to subtitles so they are easier to read. The game gives you a nice quick overview of the game controls in the menu and you can do a quick save of the game there as well.

Setting up the game before playing is easy. 

 The game setting is the 1274 Mongol invasion of Japan. There is a beautiful opening showing all the Mongol ships on the sea and it is quite an impressive sight, with incredible detail. 

The Mongol ships appear. 

There is a moment with all the samurai and the Mongols which introduces us to the main character Jin Sakai and his uncle Lord Shimura. It seems that there is going to be a great battle, but the Mongols don't fight like the samurai making them unpredictable which leads to the slaughter of the entire samurai army, Shimura being captured by their leader Kotun Khan, and Jin left for dead. This is where Ghost Of Tsushima really starts the game with Jin having to navigate the battlefield while being severely wounded. It also gives you a tutorial going over the combat mechanics of the game. 

Jin fights his way through the battlefield. 

Of course, Jin doesn't die. This is where he meets a thief named Yuna who rescued him from the battlefield and healed his wounds while hiding from the Mongol invasion. She has a brief conversation with Jin stating she believes he can help her. Right from the start, I liked Yuna. She was smart, brave, and a fierce warrior. She agrees to help Jin and asks that he help save her brother Taka who was taken prisoner. Jin agrees to help her brother after he rescues his uncle. 

Jin soon realizes he can not fight the Mongols alone or with the traditional samurai tactics. This is where his journey truly begins as he travels the island looking for allies and learning new fighting techniques and learns the way of the ghost. Through all of it, you see the conflict Jin feels with not following the samurai ways and there are some beautifully emotional flashback scenes with Jin when he was a child and his uncle talking about what it means to be a samurai. These moments show really well the close relationship Jin has with his uncle and how Shimura was a father figure to Jin and gives a better understanding of why Jin is disheartened by what he feels he must do and does not want to disappoint his uncle. 

Shimura and Jin have a conversation. 

Ghost Of Tsushima is an open world game and the world is beautiful. As Jin goes on his adventure there are tons of side quests to do alongside the main quest. This includes side stories for some of Jin's allies known as Tales. There are also legendary tales that give Jin elite weapons and armor. I loved doing these because they added to an already beautiful game and I liked getting to know Jin's friends especially characters like Yuna and Masako because these weren't just women who were there. These were two incredibly fierce warriors who were survivors, intelligent, and equals to Jin. The combat in the game is fantastic. Ranging from cinematic duels to stealth to full melee, the game keeps you on your toes. Switching to different stances gives an edge over certain types of fighters. For example Water Stance is effective against shieldmen and when you do heavy attacks in this stance, you can stagger them and unleash your fury. As Jin levels up he gets points that can be used to unlock more paths in these stances. You can also use these points to unlock more abilities and tools for stealth in the ghost path. 

Combat in the game is a lot of fun. 

There are different armor sets that Jin can wear as well and each armor set gives Jin different abilities such as better aim with an archer's outfit or better melee abilities with a certain type of samurai armor. There is even a set of armor that makes it easier for Jin to navigate the map following the wind. Ghost Of Tsushima also has a photo mode which is a feature I absolutely love. The open world of the island is gorgeous and there is always a reason to stop and admire the area. Just exploring was a good time for me because I would find myself stopping and wanting to take a picture with photo mode because it was so pretty. Being able to take in these amazing views and take photos while doing it was such a smart choice because it added something special to exploring. There is also a very cool setting called Kurosawa mode which allows you to play the game in black and white looking like a Kurosawa film.

A beautiful image taken with photo mode. 

Besides side quests, there are also extras you can find such as hot springs which increase your health, areas where you can sit and write a haiku, or bamboo strikes where you can practice your katana skills and increase your resolve which can be used for special power attacks or to heal your health. There is another extra activity you can do which is my favorite thing in the entire game and that is following foxes to an Inari shrine where you can honor the shrine. Why is it my favorite you ask? Well, one I love foxes. Secondly, in some of the shrine areas after you honor the shrine you can pat the fox. That's right. Ghost Of Tsushima lets you pat a fox and I made it my mission to find every single Inari shrine in the game just so I could pat as many foxes as possible. As you can see from this clip from one of my streams, patting foxes was the best thing ever for me. 

Pat the foxes!

The main story and side stories in Ghost Of Tsushima are well done because they intertwine together beautifully and add more depth to each of the characters. The game is not necessarily historically accurate something that Sucker Punch has said in many interviews. It is set in that time period, but it is clear that they did a lot of research on how the various weapons and samurai armor should look and were very respectful of the culture even creating original fictional characters. In a few scenes it was obvious to me where they had been inspired by the films Seven Samurai and Yojimbo and I loved it. It brought up happy memories of watching those movies with my grandparents and getting to go see those films at the AFI Silver Theater when they had a Kurosawa film festival. I grew up watching Kurosawa films and I love them still. Playing Ghost Of Tsushima reminded me of those times and I felt such joy playing this beautiful game because of those various scenes and moments. 

Jin enjoys a peaceful nap with his horse. 

Ghost Of Tsushima is an absolute gem. The overall story is beautifully told and I loved the fact that the side stories meshed well with the main story. I enjoyed the game so much, I wanted to keep playing and exploring. I did absolutely everything in the game because it was such fun for me to play. The character development is incredible and I found myself truly loving all of them, not just Jin. There were some emotional moments between characters that had me moved to tears which shows just how much thought went into every aspect of the game right down to the tiniest detail. For me, Ghost Of Tsushima was a flawless game and an amazing beautiful samurai adventure. 

What a view! 

*Ghost Of Tsushima is available to play on the following platforms: Playstation 4

*Join our community as we talk about mental health and enjoy a variety of games: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer

Mothergamer Plays Detroit: Become Human

I had gotten Detroit: Become Human for free, but never got around to playing it until recently. I had played Beyond Two Souls so had an idea of what to expect with the gameplay. The introduction to the story was interesting because it shows several different android characters that are part of the story, the first being Connor who is a police investigator android, working with a human detective, Hank Anderson who hates androids. They work together to try and figure out why there is an outbreak of deviants, androids who are breaking their programming. Detroit is a slow burn because it is about the story as it switches between the android characters of Connor, Markus, and Kara.

Kara looks out the window. 

There are different scenarios for each character and you have a short time to make a decision for each path of said characters, some of them life or death decisions. It also decides what kind of person each individual will be, based on their choices. The overall idea is the same for each, exploring what it means for these androids to be human and there are several different paths they can take to figure that out. 

Markus is introduced.

The thing is for me personally, I really liked the story path for Markus to a degree. It seems to never bring up Markus's blackness as he leads the revolution demanding equality for androids. Maybe they thought it didn't matter, but it does considering the years of systematic oppression and racism black people have faced, important issues that are shown in Markus's story. It feels ignorant and does a disservice to black culture and history. While I am aware that Detroit: Become Human is a couple of years old, in the wake of Black Lives Matter and the constant issues that black people and people of color face every day, the flaws in this story chapter stand out. There was a moment in the game early in his story that I liked where there was a discussion about art with the man he is a caretaker for and Markus gets to create some beautiful art himself based on the choices picked in his path. It was a simple, beautiful moment exploring what it is to be human and figuring out ones individuality. 

Markus discusses art. 

I admit Kara's story frustrated me a great deal because she is the only female character and the way they just seem to gloss over the fact that she and the child she cares for are victims of domestic abuse is quite troubling to me. In some regards Kara's story path feels rather short and it's disappointing because I liked Kara and her love for the little girl Alice as she did everything in her power to protect her. I felt like the story for Kara should have been stronger, but I did like her and I appreciated what the story was trying to do. Throughout all of these paths, Connor is the one constant because he's working with Anderson to solve this case and there are some areas where he goes that are very pretty and detailed like the garden where he reports his progress to his boss. 

Connor in the garden. 

I love Clancy Brown and I thought he did a good job in the role of Anderson. The interaction between Anderson and Connor as they work together offer some thought provoking conversations about decisions Connor has made and what makes a person human. There is also a great scene where Anderson finally reveals why he hates androids and if certain choices are made Connor and Anderson can eventually become friends. There are a variety of paths you can take based on the decisions you make in the game, but you only have a split second to decide. This is where quick time events come in and frankly I do not like quick time events because sometimes I would mess up and pick the wrong thing and then have to reload my last save and start over. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind quick time events in moderation, but there are so many quick time events in Become Human that it could get a little frustrating. 

Connor and Anderson working together. 

I feel that Connor's story works on many levels because the feelings of being other are handled in a thoughtful and subtle way and Connor's story felt the strongest because of how minimal his interaction with the other androids is. I just wish Markus and Kara had gotten that same thoughtfulness. This does not mean I did not like the game, because I did enjoy the overall story and I appreciated what they tried to do. I also found it interesting that you can replay through each chapter and make different choices which affect the ending for each character. Detroit: Become Human is a solid game, with some great voice acting and good characters. However, I do feel that the discussions about race and bigotry should have been handled better in a way. I am glad I played the game for myself to see what it was all about. 

Markus in the final chapter.

*Detroit: Become Human is available to play on the following platforms: Playstation 4, PC

*Join our community on twitch as we play games and discuss mental health: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer

*Here are all the ways you can help Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

Mothergamer Plays Trials Of Mana

I had played the original Trials Of Mana long ago and I was looking forward to playing the remake. The first thing I noticed when I started the game is how crisp and pretty everything is. The music for the game is great as well and you can switch between the modern soundtrack or the original game soundtrack. When you start the game you have six main characters to choose from. You can choose a main character and then two companion characters. Each one has their own fighting style so it's a good idea to pick a balanced team based on what you want for your fighting style. There are many different combinations of teams to choose from and depending on who you choose for your team you will get different origin stories, villains, and relationships between the characters. This gives you a lot of great replay for the game so you can see all the different paths. I personally went with Hawkeye as my main character, then picked Riesz and Kevin as my companions to round out my party.

Hawkeye was my main character. 

Once I had my party chosen, I was ready to start the adventure. Hawkeye is on his own at first so you can see his origin story and get an introduction to the villain of the story. He meets the other two companions later and when this happens, they share their origin stories. You get to play as the companions, but you don't really get to keep the items that you find during those chapters. It's essentially just for the purpose of getting to know your companions.

Riesz shares her story. 

Combat in Trials Of Mana is a lot of fun. Instead of the top down of the original, the remake has everything fully 3D and you can see enemies on the map so that you can attack them and enter battle. You have light and heavy attacks which you can chain together leading you to build up enough attack points for special ability area attacks. There are magic spells too of course for healing and attacks as well as items that can be used for healing, upping your defense, or increasing your attacks. Battles are fun and level grinding doesn't feel like a chore at all. Boss battles are epic and make you plan out your strategy and tactics. Another nice thing during battles is that you can switch freely between the characters in your party so you can unleash their special abilities or heal everyone in a pinch. My only real complaint was with the camera. The camera doesn't follow you and you have to spin it around so you can see and sometimes this gives you some really weird angles. That is one thing I wish I didn't have to worry about while I'm in the middle of a hectic fight with a boss. Saving your game is pretty easy with angel statues in various areas of the map and the game has an autosave feature too. 

Saving the game at a statue. 

The maps in Trials Of Mana are fairly linear and there's really not too much exploration in the towns. It's pretty much the main story quest and not a lot of side quests which isn't too big a deal because the game itself is charming and I found myself invested in the main story. It's simple and feels like a fairy tale, but sometimes simple is what works and with Trials Of Mana it works quite well. At level 18 you can change your job class and then you can change it again at level 38. You have the option between a light and dark class. Depending on what you want for your character and party you can decide which one you want. Each class has its own unique skills and abilities and when you decide their armor changes as you upgrade. 

Choose between light or dark class. 

There is one fun little mini game throughout the game involving a creature called Li'l Cactus who is a little cactus with a flower on its head. The challenge is to find it in various areas on the map and every time you find it you receive a stamp proving that you found it. After a certain number of stamps you receive a reward such as extra items or discounts at the shops in town. I became obsessed with finding Li'l Cactus on every map because often it was in the last place you would think to look. It's weird, but I always felt excited every time I found this cute cactus and was having fun searching everywhere. 

Oh look! I found Li'l Cactus!

There's no fast travel in the game which can make traveling back and forth a bit tedious, but that changes once you get tools you can use for summoning various creatures to help you get around faster by sea or air. The story in Trials Of Mana is essentially the same as the original, just with updated gameplay and graphics. There is a new game plus which gives you all your abilities, points, and items. If you pick the same party that you started with you get some extra chapters with them and they're at their current levels, but if you pick an entirely new party all your items carry over. It adds to the replay factor and the game leaves it entirely up to you to decide. Trials Of Mana is a good game and it's fun to play because of it's JRPG charm and some smart choices on updating the game with a modern feel. It appeals to us older gamers who remember the first one and introduces the next generation of gamers to a new story that is interesting and a game that offers some solid gameplay. 

Flying around the world on a dragon. 

*Trials Of Mana is available to play on the following platforms: Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC

*Come join our community as we enjoy games and talk about mental health: https://www.twitch.tv/mothergamer

The Last Of Us Part II Good, But Not Great

I recently finished The Last Of Us Part II and there is a lot to unpack here. The review is going to have spoilers because of everything I want to go over. If you haven't finished the game, stop reading here because there will be story spoilers ahead.


The Last Of Us Part II has a scene that recaps the events of the first game, showing Joel talking to his brother Tommy about it and discussing his decision. It's a very serious moment between the two as Tommy realizes exactly what it is Joel has done, but there seems to be an understanding too. There is also a nice moment with Joel and Ellie as he gifts her a guitar. Joel plays a song for her and you get to do a small mini game playing the guitar.

Joel and Tommy talk. 

After that, there is a time jump and main story events of the game start five years after the first one. Joel and Ellie are living in Jackson, Wyoming and have built a life. There is some tension between Ellie and Joel and a couple of people bring that up. Ellie has become friends with two people Jesse and Dina. There is a funny moment between Ellie and Jesse when Ellie comments that Dina kissed her. Jesse messes with her a bit, but then lets her in on the joke stating that he and Dina haven't been together in a while. It becomes pretty clear that Ellie and Dina like each other and that's where the story starts with the two of them going on a patrol together. The town in Jackson seems to be thriving with more people, horses, and everyone does their part to contribute which includes doing the patrols to make sure they clear out infected. The environments in the game are beautiful and I found myself stopping just to take in the view. Ellie and Dina's back and forth is cute and I appreciated the fact that they get to have these small moments together showing the little nuances that they like each other.

Dina and Ellie on patrol. 

This is where things take a very dark turn that I was not okay with. We are introduced to Abby and get to play as her a bit as it shows that she and her friends are tracking someone in Jackson. She has a conversation with her friend Owen about how close they are to their goal with Owen arguing that there are a lot of people living there and it's a bad idea. Abby seems very aggressive and angry about it, going off on her own. She gets caught in a snowstorm and runs into Tommy and Joel. They help Abby escape a lot of infected. This is a point where I felt frustrated by the fact that Tommy and Joel gave their real names. However, I get it. Being around Ellie changed Joel and having a relatively peaceful life has made him a little kinder and less guarded. When they wind up at the lodge with Abby and her friends after all the excitement and Joel reveals his name, there is a definite shift in the mood. That is when it was revealed that Joel was their target all along as they knock Tommy out and shoot Joel in the leg.

Frankly, this is one of the most horrible scenes it was my displeasure to see. I understood why Joel had to die, but the way he died was horrifying. Abby is brutal in this, torturing Joel by beating him with a golf club. When Ellie arrives on the scene, Abby's friends hold her down so she can do nothing. Hearing Ellie screaming and begging for Abby to not do this is a gut wrenching thing. Honestly, I really hated Abby for this because the level of disrespect and anger was over the line. If she wanted to kill Joel fine, but torturing him for who knows how many hours and then killing him while his surrogate daughter begs for his life is utterly monstrous. I get it. In that moment Abby did not care that she traumatized someone, all she was focused on was her own rage and selfishness. It does not mean I have to like it and I didn't. It was unnecessarily dark and caused trauma to Ellie. While I understand that this moment is meant to be the catalyst that sends Ellie on her path of revenge, it did not have to be this violent. 

Ellie and Tommy have a conversation about figuring out the identity of the people that attacked them due to the patches on their jackets. Known as the WLF (Washington Liberation Front) or Wolves meaning they came from Seattle. Tommy voices his frustration that they don't have the numbers to go after them without leaving Jackson vulnerable. Tommy takes matters into his own hands and goes alone. His wife Maria sends Ellie and Dina after Tommy asking them to bring him home. This is where we really dive into the game with Ellie and Dina working together to sneak past enemies and some scary fights with infected. There is definitely still that element of scary moments with the infected and figuring out different ways to kill them. Ellie and Dina do make a great team and you see how close they are and the love they have for each other. There is a beautiful scene in an abandoned music shop where Ellie finds a guitar and plays a song while Dina listens. It's a rare sweet reprieve from all the darkness in the game. 

Ellie and Dina enjoying music together. 

The controls in the game still feel a bit clunky, but they're not totally terrible. I was able to manage as Ellie, fighting everything and everyone. Crafting is still in the game, so I salvaged everything I could in order to craft healing items, upgrade weapons, and make bombs to take people and infected out. I was not thrilled with dogs being added to the game because I had a hard time killing dogs. I get that the story is telling us look the cycle of violence is bad, but hurting dogs in a game made me feel like a monster. I tried to avoid them as much as possible.

As the story progresses, Ellie is able to get her revenge on some of the people who helped kill Joel, but the one she wants the most is of course Abby. There are obvious trails leading to Tommy as he also got revenge on the people who hurt Joel. This leads to a pretty big reveal with Ellie showing Dina she's immune and then Dina revealing she's pregnant. It seemed like such a cliche trope and while I know Dina is bisexual it seemed like that plot point was there just because to add more drama to an already dramatic story. 

Of course Dina gets benched for a while as Ellie goes off on her own. This is where we get introduced to another faction, a religious cult known as Seraphites who are fighting the WLF for control of the city. So now there is another group of dangerous people Ellie has to avoid or fight. It felt like it was constantly fighting and barely any moments of peace. Honestly, it made me long for the first game because while the story was dark there were some wonderful moments of light and happiness like the first time Ellie ever saw giraffes. There's barely a few of those moments in part II and I truly started to get vengeance fatigue. 

Ellie does run into one of Abby's friends and tortures her to get information of Abby. I was not okay with this at all. Again, here was a scene that was unnecessary with the pain and trauma and I didn't get a say or a choice because it was Ellie's story. Nora realizes that Ellie is the girl who is immune and we get a flashback showing that Ellie discovered the truth and that Joel lied to her. It explained the tension between Ellie and Joel and it was heartbreaking to see. Many of us understood why Joel made that choice and I remember when I played the first game, putting myself in his position. I am a mother and I realized that I would have done the same thing Joel did. I would have done everything to protect my child. There are quite a few flashbacks with Ellie and Joel and they seem to time jump around. One of my favorites is Joel taking Ellie to an old museum that has dinosaurs and space exploration for her birthday. There is an incredible scene giving them a wonderful father daughter memory of them being together in a space capsule and Ellie listening to a tape with her eyes closed of ground control counting down before rocket lift off. It's heartwarming and perfect memory of Ellie and Joel being together and happy. 

Joel and Ellie celebrate. 

As the story progresses, it switches over to Abby and you have to play as Abby for about 10 hours of the game. I did not want to play as Abby. I could not see the point in playing as the person who brutalized Joel. I did my best to keep an open mind and see where the story took us. We get to see Abby's side of things and see flashbacks of her as a kid with her dad. It turns out that Abby's dad Jerry was the surgeon who was going to do the surgery on Ellie, but Joel killed him. This is what set Abby on the path of hunting down Joel to kill him. Here's the thing. In that flashback, there is a conversation between Marlene and Jerry and it proves that Jerry is a hypocrite. How you ask? When Marlene finds out that Ellie will have to die in order to create the vaccine, she is not okay with it. She asks him to find another way. Jerry claims there is no other way. Marlene then firmly asks him what would he do if it was Abby? Would he sacrifice his child? Jerry never answers the question. Instead he justifies what they are doing claiming it's a chance to save everyone. That alone, is all the answer right there. It means that NO, Jerry would not have sacrificed his own child and yet he expected Joel to sacrifice Ellie thus making him a giant hypocrite. Abby foolishly tells him she would want him to do the surgery if it was her, but she was a child at the time and did not really understand the big picture.

Playing as Abby is interesting. I didn't like Abby, but I didn't hate her either. I understand what the writers were trying to do, showing Abby's side of things and that she's not just some faceless monster. The issue I had with Abby is she's kind of a jerk. She's very in your face about everything and wants to do things her way and screw everyone else. This becomes pretty clear in many of her conversations with Owen. Yes, Owen and Abby were a couple in the past, but no longer. They stayed friends and Owen moved on with a lady named Mel who is pregnant. Owen is a jerk too honestly. It's clear that Abby still has feelings for Owen so she should very much stay away from him, but she doesn't. Abby is friendly with Mel, but it's obvious Mel is not comfortable around her and Mel even admits to Abby she wishes she hadn't been part of what happened to Joel. Finding out that Mel is a doctor somehow makes that worse. Mel who is a healer, took part in doing something monstrous to another human being and now she has regrets. Overall, it seems like a lot of the WLF are not nice people, but in an end of the world situation not many people are. Owen and Abby having sex while Mel is elsewhere and pregnant with Owen's kid shows just how much both of these characters are selfish jerks. Mel is not stupid and she figures that out quickly and calls Abby out on it. Abby refusing to be Owen's mistress is one of the few good things she does. 

Abby plays a lot differently than Ellie. Abby's build is that of a crossfit athlete so she can very much brute force her way through a lot of fights. I felt that we are forced to play as her a little too long, but it gave me a good idea of who she is. She cares about her friends sure, but she can be kind of a jerk, and very laser focused on her own goals and nothing else. In some regards, I can see how she and Ellie are two sides of the same coin as they both have experienced loss and went down the dark path of revenge. 

As Abby's story progresses, she meets Yara and Lev who are Seraphites trying to run away from them. Circumstances cause Abby to help them and they began traveling together. I really liked Yara and Lev. Getting to know them and understanding who they were revealed a lot. It soon comes up that Lev is a trans boy. 

We need to talk about Lev. This is where I got uncomfortable. I am not trans. I am a bisexual woman, but what was done to Lev as a character and his story is completely irresponsible. Firstly, I love the representation of having a trans character in the game and that he is played by Ian Alexander who is trans. However, the pain and trauma that is exacted on Lev is such a triggering thing for trans people who have experienced things such as deadnaming. There was never ever a reason to deadname Lev and there was no reason to have Lev be a constant target for abuse and violence. All of us in the LGBTQIA community are more than our trauma and the writing of Lev is incredibly troubling. Finding out that Neil Druckman and Halley Gross are two straight writers who wrote this part of the story with no input from any trans writers, creators, or anyone from our community is not only upsetting, it's disappointing. These are our stories and we don't even get a seat at the table. Instead, it seemed like they put Lev in just to have him be the focus of violence simply because he's trans and that is not okay. Trans people are more than this and it's not only demeaning, it's insulting. There are better ways to write this in fiction and the writers absolutely missed the mark with Lev. 

Abby and Lev take a moment to talk. 

I will give the writers credit for the fact that Abby is accepting of Lev and doesn't push when Lev says he doesn't want to talk about it. Yara and Abby have a conversation talking about Lev and Yara admitting that she made mistakes when Lev told her about how he felt about his identity is a powerful moment because Yara has done everything she can to atone and protect Lev. There is a love and respect between Yara and her brother as they look out for each other. They become friends with Abby and it's a natural thing that happens which is why it's so heartbreaking when Yara sacrifices herself to save them. Abby does her best to protect Lev and look after him and it's interesting to see that she takes on the role that Joel had for Ellie with Lev.

Naturally the confrontation between Ellie and Abby happens with Abby killing Jesse and shooting Tommy. I hated fighting Ellie as Abby, but I get why that fight needed to happen. It's terrible, bloody, and messy showing how determined both women are to win. Abby gets the upper hand and is ready to kill Dina as Ellie reveals she's pregnant. It is Lev who talks Abby from killing Dina, gently telling her, "You're better than this." Abby listens telling Ellie she never wants to see her face again. 

Months later Ellie and Dina seem to have settled into a nice life with Dina's son JJ. It's a good life, living on a farm house where they have sheep and a garden growing food. I feel that this is the life Joel would have wanted for Ellie. That is why he saved her after all, so she could live and find happiness. I wish the game had ended here because while it may seem cliche, it's a good ending. It shows Ellie and Dina happy with baby JJ, living together happily. 

Ellie sings a song to JJ. 

Alas, that was not to be as Tommy showed  up with a lead on Abby. I found myself irritated by this scene because why couldn't Tommy just let it go? I understand that he was frustrated with the way things played out, but to come to Ellie and Dina's house to disrupt their idyllic life is more than a little selfish. Ellie has been suffering post traumatic stress disorder which I get, but the fact that she lets Tommy get in her head about things and decides to go after Abby is ridiculous. I feel that it's lazy writing in a way because there was no need to go after Abby at all. They had already done enough to each other, so I wish they would have let Ellie move forward. Instead she has a falling out with Dina who begs her not to go and tells her that she can't go through this pain again. Ellie leaves anyway and it made me incredibly sad because she was willing to throw away her happiness for a chance to avenge Joel. I feel that if Joel had been there, he would have told her to live her life and to let it go.

We get to catch up with Abby and Lev who are following a lead about the possibility of the Fireflies rebuilding. That is not what they find however as a gang of mercenaries known as the Rattlers capture them. There is another time jump and Ellie runs into the Rattlers and is able to fight them and take them out. It did feel vindicating releasing the people they had captured so they could get some payback on the gang. Ellie does find Abby and Lev who are tied up on pillars. Abby is clearly not the same person she was. Her hair is cut short and she's obviously been tortured for weeks. Lev does not look much better as Abby carries him to some boats on the beach where they can escape. This is where in my opinion it got stupid. Ellie has a flash of memory of Joel dying and suddenly decides she has to fight Abby again. Abby refuses and you can tell in her manner and voice that she is done, yet Ellie forces the issue by threatening Lev. It's so bizarre of Ellie to force a fight with someone that no longer has the will to fight. 

Ellie and Abby fight one more time. 

I didn't feel good about this fight either. It's awful and I found myself furious with Ellie for pushing this. Again, it's a nasty dragged out fight with Ellie losing two fingers and it seems that Ellie has the upper hand and is ready to kill Abby. Ellie relents, having a moment of clarity letting Abby and Lev go ending the cycle of violence and revenge. Ellie returns to the farmhouse finding that Dina stayed true to her word and she and JJ are gone. All that's left are Ellie's things in the empty house. 

Ellie alone. 

This is where we get one last memory of Ellie and Joel where they finally have a conversation about Joel lying to Ellie about what happened with the Fireflies. It's a good conversation as Joel explains that he would do it all over again and Ellie telling him that she doesn't know how to forgive him, but she'd like to try. It's the final piece in the story showing what it was that Ellie truly lost when Abby killed him. Ellie and Joel were slowly getting back to good again and that chance was taken from her. Ellie is alone in the house and tries to play the song on the guitar. She leaves it in the house and walks off into the distance. It's an unsatisfying ending. I understand the intent the writers had showing the cycle of violence and the impact it has on everyone. However, after a while it becomes a bit heavy handed and makes it feel like the writers think people are completely stupid.

While the gameplay is fairly the same as the first game, I couldn't help making comparisons to the first game. The Last Of Us Part II is good, but it's not great. There's just so much darkness in it with rare moments of joy whereas the first game had a lot of small but happy moments in the dark story. It makes me wonder how much of Bruce Straley's writing was the biggest influence on the first game because the writing for the sequel is not as strong. I am glad I played the sequel so I could see for myself what was in it, but I think once was enough.

*The Last Of Us Part II is available to play on the following platforms: Playstation4

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