The Final of Us Half 2 Remastered is an odd mix. On one hand, it’s a superb excuse to revisit Digital Traits’ 2020 Recreation of the Yr choice. On the opposite, it’s a weird package deal stuffed with tone-deaf bonus modes that water down the bottom recreation’s personal message on cyclical violence. Contemplating that it’s not as a lot of a “remaster” as its title implies, I wouldn’t blame most gamers for skipping it.
There may be, nonetheless, one good cause to test the package deal out. The brand new launch accommodates an intensive commentary observe that includes the sport’s solid, artistic director Neil Druckmann, and others. It’s a number of hours value of perception that performs over almost each single cinematic within the journey, and it typically offers some illuminating data on the undertaking. It’ll provide help to higher perceive the nuances of particular scenes and the way actors approached their characters.
What’s most fascinating, although, is how a lot the commentary reveals about Naughty Canine’s authentic concepts for the undertaking. The Final of Us Half 2 was nearly a really totally different recreation, from its solid to its closely reworked ending. Should you’re not trying to spend cash on an inessential rerelease, listed here are a few of the juiciest tidbits we present in the complete commentary observe.
This text accommodates spoilers for The Final of Us Half 2.
Seattle was constructed due to Notorious: Second Son
Whereas there are a number of story particulars to unpack, essentially the most stunning reality is a little bit of behind-the-scenes trivia. Commentary reveals that the model of Seattle that Naughty Canine created for the sport was truly based mostly on Notorious: Second Son, one other Sony recreation set within the metropolis. The crew confirms that developer Sucker Punch gave Naughty Canine entry to its Seattle map when it began growth. From there, Naughty Canine started snipping out sections that it may flip into targeted ranges. Clearly, the postapocalyptic model of the town in The Final of Us Half 2 could be very totally different from what’s in Notorious, however the bones of the latter constructed the previous.
Abby nearly had a unique voice
Voice actress Laura Bailey has a alternative position in The Final of Us Half 2, bringing Abby to life. It’s onerous to think about anybody else within the position right now, however there was nearly a actuality the place she wasn’t within the recreation. Druckmann confirms throughout one snippet that the group didn’t need to solid Laura Bailey for the position initially. Naturally, that call modified and he or she was chosen for the position ultimately, however there’s an alternate timeline the place another person has the honors of voicing Abby.
The golf membership scene nearly regarded very totally different
The whole commentary observe by the scene the place Joel meets his premature demise on the enterprise finish of a golf membership is value listening to for a number of causes. Not solely does it present some uncooked reactions from the solid, however the group reveals two methods it was nearly very totally different. One’s simply an enhancing determination. The model within the closing recreation occurs over the course of 1 steady shot. It’s an efficient trick that we nearly missed out on, as an early model had a number of cuts. Additionally notable is that Druckmann and firm tweaked when Ellie arrives in the course of the scene. An authentic draft had her getting into the room after Joel was already lifeless, nevertheless it was modified to verify Ellie obtained there in time to witness the brutal killing and be extra correctly motivated by it.
It was nearly 5 days as a substitute of three
The Final of Us Half 2 incorporates a memorable construction, as we spend three days in Seattle enjoying as Ellie after which rewind and play those self same three days from Abby’s perspective. Commentary reveals that the sport was nearly for much longer, chronicling 5 days as a substitute. The additional time would come with a day the place Ellie travels to Scar Island and digs into the tradition of its inhabitants. That part was finally lower as a result of Naughty Canine felt it didn’t shift Ellie’s journey. Contemplating how lengthy the ultimate recreation already is, slicing again a few days looks as if the precise name ultimately.
We nearly had Ghost Joel
The crew discusses a number of concepts that by no means made the lower over the hours of commentary, however there’s one which’ll make you say, “Thank God that was lower.” The group confirms that the unique concept was to have a ghost model of Joel that popped up often to speak to Ellie. Presumably, that was constructed as a solution to hold the favored character within the recreation after his dying. Fortunately, Druckmann acknowledged that the thought was “too campy” and left it on the slicing room flooring.
The unique ending was radically totally different
The largest revelation within the commentary observe considerations the sport’s ending, which was nearly completely totally different. For one, an authentic draft would see Lev dying along with Yarra. That element was modified after the group noticed the early chemistry behind Lev and Abby’s actors. Much more stunning, although, is that Abby was additionally purported to die initially. Ellie would full her revenge quest within the authentic script, efficiently drowning Abby as a substitute of stopping on the final second. These two adjustments will possible change the course of The Final of Us Half 3, so it’s a fairly main swerve.
Ellie’s ending was nearly very totally different, too — particularly when it got here to the destiny of her hand. Within the closing model, Abby chomps a few of Ellie’s fingers off of their closing encounter. Whereas Ellie was all the time going to finish the sport maimed, the strategy by which that occurred was nearly totally different. One draft merely had a mother or father of a random NPC that Ellie killed assault her in a city close to the tip. It will have been an surprising act of violence that confirmed how deep the violence cycle had unfold.
Different adjustments have been extra delicate. The present recreation ends with Ellie returning residence after her struggle with Abby to seek out Dina has moved out. An authentic model of the ending had Ellie returning to a very empty residence, however Naughty Canine nervous that gamers would assume one thing horrible occurred to Dina within the course of. Then there’s the very closing flashback, the place Ellie and Joel tentatively reconcile. The unique imaginative and prescient for the scene had the 2 hugging, however the group finally felt just like the characters weren’t fairly there but. The dearth of a bodily reconciliation would rob Ellie of only a bit extra closure, additional fueling her trauma over Joel’s dying. All of this could have made the ending really feel completely totally different, however Naughty Canine’s justifications for the adjustments make sense when wanting on the closing product. We will at the least relaxation straightforward realizing that we didn’t have to satisfy ghost Joel.
The Final of Us Half 2 Remastered is obtainable now on PlayStation 5.
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