Gaëtan Boulanger

Just finished TLOU2 and um... I need a drink. Wtf.

I'm still struggling to decide whether it's an inherently abusive game.

I definitely feel disgusted right to my core. Why such a dark and empty pit of despair view of humanity? It’s very disturbing. Especially given the troubled times we’re currently living.

I'm less bothered by this view than I am with how the game emotionally pits the player against himself to make a point any grown up adult can figure out in 5 mn. How it denies the player's agency at the same time is highly problematic, from a design point of view.

I'm making my peace with the game by thinking that a lot of players didn't understand the point, even after finishing the game. It was obvious for me right from the beginning so I suffered a lot. But many didn't get it at all.

It’s really not a new narrative though, and it’s based on the false & harmful stereotype that humans are just trash even at a time when solidarity is key to their survival. In 2020. Come on...

Isn't Abby's entire side of the story with Lev about just that, finding solidarity with people and healing through shared empathy?

Did we need 20+ hours of game to get to this conclusion? In the 21st century? Abby had to experience being “the other”, nearly die, and saved by “others” to find her fucking empathy ffs. It’s a rehash of “now that I have a daughter I can finally understand sexism”.