The REAL Joel Miller Reacts to The Last of Us PART II

Today on Gamology, we've got Joel Miller himself taking us on a thrilling journey through The Last of Us Part II in this exclusive Experts React. Watch as Joel breaks down intense gameplay moments, shares his unique perspective, and reacts to the stunning graphics. From nail-biting encounters with new infected types to emotional scenes featuring Ellie and other characters, Joel offers an insider's view on this post-apocalyptic sequel. Discover how Naughty Dog's masterpiece evolves the series, with improved visuals, enhanced AI, and refined gameplay mechanics. Learn about the complex relationships between characters, the expansion of the game world, and the ongoing impact of the cordyceps fungus.
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Experience The Last of Us Part II through the eyes of one of its central characters. Hear Joel's thoughts on the game's gripping narrative and heart-pounding action sequences. Get insider info on key locations like Jackson, Wyoming and Seattle. Joel shares his take on new and returning characters, as well as the terrifying new infected types. Whether you're a hardcore fan of the original game or new to the franchise, Joel's expert commentary adds depth to this intense and emotionally charged sequel. Don't miss this in-depth look at one of gaming's most acclaimed stories, featuring exclusive insights on The Last of Us Part II's gameplay, story, and unforgettable performances, only on Gamology.
Troy Baker:
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[@thedarkknight2221]

Troy Baker as Joel is still one of the greatest performances in video game history!

[@Evan-k9w]

Roger clark as Arthur morgan

[@wh0resaurus]

@@Evan-k9wboth actors were amazing in their games.

[@plastikMAORI]

@@Evan-k9wI agree man, but you can’t deny Troy’s epic performance. 💪💪 perfect games and perfect story.

[@morgan3714]

@@Evan-k9w no one mentioned arthur

[@sjob1s]

@@Evan-k9w "one of"

[@XenoXuri]

17:48 wow I never knew that if you try to enter the shuttle without the space helmet Joel stops you that’s such a cool detail.

[@anniegabovitch1810]

The "I would do it all over again" was such an amazing touch to the ending

[@brain_drops]

I have such incredible and unbridled respect for Laura Bailey, this role is rough and brutal. The threats towards her and her family are beyond unacceptable

[@happycatyoutube]

Absolutely agree with this! No matter how I feel about Abbey as a character, I never get mad at the actors! In fact, I would actually commend them that they made the character so believable that everyone took it so personally 😂

[@lightningmonky7674]

It's not acceptable I agree but in a way it shows what a great job she did

[@shadowstlker]

Nobody is a bigger fan of Ashley than Troy.

[@suzu8253]

Regardless of my complicated feelings about the story of Part 2, I have a deep respect for Troy and his passion for his craft. You can tell he loves Joel more than any of us fans ever could. He understands the character more than any of us. He brought Joel to life, and he’ll forever have my respect for that.

[@tob.meister]

If you don't like part II, you don't like good stories or movies, or maybe you didn't understand the messages behind it, which makes it so great. It's one of the best story games ever made, right up there with part I.

[@ryangovender7032]

@@tob.meister i agree that its great but you dont have to be so condescending about your opinions

[@solo6396]

@@tob.meisterI hate how people like you think part 2 was some kind of IQ test. No we all understood the themes and overall plot of the story. That does not mean we have to like it.

[@niallhughes2697]

@@tob.meister But, how is a story filled with plot armour and plot convenience "one of the best story games ever made"?

[@joyurizzzz]

@@tob.meister "you don't like xyz so that means you're too dumb to understand it" do you hear yourself tob meister

[@TheInfiniteDraw]

I dunno if Troy reads any of these comments but I absolutely love how deeply emotional he gets. I feel like he and I exist on the same wavelength, because the emotions that he feels come from deep from his core. It’s a story and he’s an actor, but you can tell that he feels everything and experiences it fully in the moment. I tear up easily as well because I can feel others pain as though it’s my own. It’s such a weird way to describe what I guess is just empathy, but it kinda goes further than that. I dunno how to fully describe it.

[@MM-hi]

Love how much Troy cares about Ashley and Laura ❤

[@nilesstark]

Also with the Golf Scene, someone was gonna suffer. If Abby didn't finish Joel, she would have taken out Ellie or Tommy to make Joel suffer. Joel would begged to be taken instead of them.

[@alexhodder4918]

@@negan5986nah

[@negan5986]

@@alexhodder4918 yup worst game ever made

[@alexhodder4918]

@@negan5986 nah not even close

[@osaka5209]

@@negan5986I agree that the story was pretty disappointing but the gameplay was absolutely great you can’t deny that and even if the story is worse than the last game it doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is bad

[@osaka5209]

@@negan5986prefer the first game tho

[@Sprkgd]

I just hope these actors/creators of the game remember that there are people who love part 2 as much as them, it’s not all the people who hate it. It’s my favorite game, movie, book, or whatever kind of story ever

[@Washanuga]

The game has one of the most vile hate communities I've seen for any piece of media, but still, it was critically acclaimed and manages to have more positive user reviews than negative which is impressive considering it still gets review/rating bombed. It's special to a lot of people and I hope they'd know that. I also think the game is going to age like fine wine. Show season 2 will come out, more people will be exposed to the series, more newcomers will play the games, and if the 3rd game delivers the same quality as its predecessors I think the 2nd game will lose its controversial tag and it'll just be considered a masterpiece trilogy.

[@Igrium]

@@Washanuga I think people were just pissed that daddy joel died and fail to see the bigger narrative.

[@user-ck9lm6xi1o]

@@Igrium Oh absolutely this is a huge factor. I know there were some who complained about "wokeness," but a bigger reason imo was just feeling they were done dirty by Joel being killed so early. I've watched over a dozen of playthroughs and so many of them almost quit or were insanely critical of the game after Joel's death. But most of those people were turned around by the end of the game and admitted that they jumped to conclusions too soon.

[@tob.meister]

​@user-ck9lm6xi1o I find the "this game is woke" narrative so funny for part II like part I wasn't exactly the same. You playing as Joel was the only guy in a lot of scenes, and no one had a problem with that back then. The haters talk absolute nonsense when speaking about part II, as a guy who loves movies this game is a 10/10.

[@jerzyk7724]

@@Igrium After 7 years of waiting, being lied to in the trailer, and having such a bad way to go, no wonder people are pissed. What even "daddy Joel" means? You act like you didn't like him. Same could be said about "Mommy Abby" Bigger narrative? Basic revenge story, not even redemption ark.

[@sawsanmohammed1131]

I absolutely LOVE this game. Narrative, gameplay and EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. Troy and Ashley did a phenomenal job (and the rest of the crew) I just feel grateful for having the opportunity to play both part 1 & 2 and get to experience this amazing story.

[@Burtyburtburt8]

This game changed my life for the better

[@negan5986]

Worst game ever

[@magiccookies420]

@@negan5986 absolutely clears TWD game lol

[@antoniobrown717]

@@negan5986 bros in every comment 💀

[@wh0resaurus]

@@antoniobrown717frrr!! 😂😭

[@emulation2369]

Imagine something that bad changing someone's life... (how poor this fella should have been)

[@diogobfonseca]

LIsten to this man talking. NOBODY loves Joel more than Troy. And then I have to put up with some people saying they understand Joel better and that the game is terrible... This game is nothing but a MASTERPIECE!

[@Stardash81]

Yeah and these people understand part I better than Neil Durckman... Who is also the director of the first game lmao, saying that he destroyed the first game (yeah he hates his game and the characters he created)

[@ariefbudiman2592]

If this is a masterpiece, then standards must've dropped. It's an insult to storytelling and character development!

[@Deathlygunn]

​@ariefbudiman2592 In what ways? When we leave Joel in Part 1 he's learned to love again, when we meet him again in Part 2 he's become part of a community and started working in teams, he's basically warmer and let his guard down after 6 years of happiness - he sees a girl in danger he now jumps in to help because he's trying to be a good man for Ellie - and it costs him his life. Ellie struggles with anger and a lust for revenge costing her everything and turning her into the monster she set out to destroy, and catches herself at the last moment choosing to be the better person. Abby goes through exactly the same arc Joel did in Part 1, giving into her demons and then finding new purpose and love, and becoming a better person as a result. These are all very realistic and well told character arcs, you don't have to agree with them or like the overall story, but to say they're an insult to storytelling is to misunderstand the craft.

[@diogobfonseca]

@@Deathlygunn people don't even try to understand. Most of them haven't played the game even.

[@jdottdeestv8149]

@@ariefbudiman2592 What is a masterpiece in you opinion?

[@Nobodysurvivesevenonebit]

The golf scene still broke me.

[@JYang0602]

I skip ALL of those cutscenes whenever I replay Part II😂😂

[@_Cetarial]

It broke Joel too.

[@negan5986]

@@_Cetarialworst game

[@AlexArconiteGames]

honestly watching it again and hearing troy talking about it, made me tear up again, made me remember watching that scene for the first time and goddamn it was a rollercoaster

[@tannerfisher7629]

Such bullshit they made joel die worst game ever fuck

[@jellyandme]

It was the flashbacks with younger Ellie and Joel that helped me process the death of my best friend. It felt like a meditation on grief that I'll always be thankful for.

[@ldplays9431]

What a humble, top dude. The Astronaut story is really cool and touching.

[@nilesstark]

When Joel saves Abby, I was like "So this is what it's like being saved by Joel."

[@nurizzatirasyidah3664]

woah this gives me chills as in in ellie pov if only she realized the first time when joel decided to save her from fireflies, those times were what its like being saved by joel...

[@nurizzatirasyidah3664]

as in you would feel so grateful that youre saved

[@tindrigamer]

I swear, Troy Baker is THE MVP when it comes to actors for video game characters. Absolutely NAILS every single role he gets!

[@domingorubies656]

For sure , i’m 99% positive he’ll be on the next Naughty Dog game. ( Different role ofc xd )

[@Juggler1525]

I still campaign for Abby. How can you understand Joel, and not Abby when they're so similar? Joel lost his daughter, Abby lost her dad. Joel turns to hunter tactics, Abby joined the WLF, Joel turned into a shell of himself until meeting someone who brought the light back which led to him robbing the world of a potential cure. Abby avenges her father but loses herself only to find a better her after growing with Lev. Joel didn't have to kill Marlene, and Abby didn't need to spare Ellie. That's where they differ as far as choices go. Joel's storyline followed tragedy, and Abby veered from it. Ellie learns that lesson, too, but loses Dina among other things. Tlou2 was just as good as the first. No one deserved the hate they got for fulfilling such a vast story.

[@freshie3109]

Abby is AMAZINGLY written, it's so sad that everyone hates her just for Joel. It's like they didn't even play the game.

[@slickstar96]

​​@@freshie3109​@freshie3109 did they or did the game play them. The leaks ruined this game people came into it hating it they didnt allow the game to take them on the ride and therefore fell off i saw the leaks but i said to myself im still gonna play it because i waited 8 years for it and there has to be reason why they felt the need to tell this story and i ended up loving it. Its alot im not going to deny that but its impact just as powerful as p1 and thats all i can ask for as a fan of the game...

[@e.9628]

@@freshie3109 its a hard game to get through - emotionally

[@rindayoo_]

couldn’t agree with you more!! it took me a second playthrough to truly realize and understand abby’s story. she’s actually my favorite new character in part 2. my second is lev!! their story is genius, and it’s easily one of my favorite redemptions in a game i’ve experienced in a while.

[@Kait_rub]

Dude I’m still recovering from Mel and Owen even though IM the one that did it

[@CC-zj2uk]

Joels arc to his demise is why we love him... Why we love you bruh.. You sir, are a helluva actor.

[@SidPhoenix2211]

Baker's performance in his death scene is absolutely incredible. There is SO MUCH expression just in those grunts alone! They feel absolutely REAL. And then ofc: the delivery of, "Why don't you say whatever speech you've got rehearsed and get this over with." is just *chef's kiss*. An all-timer line. Also: right after getting shot in the knee, Joel very clearly grumbles, "you stupid sumbitch" to himself. The subtitles don't spell it out but he unmistakably says that. Joel had taken a calculated risk when he trusted this stranger (to go to a location that he KNOWS about, so he can avoid facing this HORDE with his dwindling stack of ammo in the middle of this intense BLIZZARD)... It clearly didn't pan out for him. And he knows now that he's made a mistake. Also: folks on patrol for Jackson have a history of saving and helping survivors they encounter. This is what Joel did when he saw Abby. I imagine that her being a young girl, not much older than Ellie, DEFINITELY played into his decision to save this survivor.

[@herlaai_8175]

Joel is the same one who doesn't check to see if Henry and Sam have been bitten, he goes to sleep with them after having known them for just half a day. Isn't that strange for an experienced survivor like him? Isn't that out of character? In my opinion no. Joel in the first game does not always make the right choice, he is almost always saved by other characters (Tommy, Bill, Ellie, Henry). Joel is not an infallible character. The beginning of TLOU2 is perfect like this

[@RatedRLoquender]

This 👆🏻

[@fireelite0z622]

i WILL DIE ON THIS HILL: if abby did not kill joel SOMEONE ELSE WOULD HAVE he killed so many dads or moms, Abby just got there first

[@magiccookies420]

Idk if that’s accurate honestly. What Joel did against the fireflies and Abby’s people was so personal and so brutal, it was a much more likely cause that that would be the thing to bite him in the ass over some random hunter or person he killed two decades ago or something small. You also have to remember he was chilled out in Boston with Tess for a while, smuggling the supplies bill brought in. It’s not like he was out there being crazy forever.

[@francybenz]

​@@magiccookies420I mean, in the first game Joel himself says multiple times that they did some pretty bad shit, and it shows in the right moments (torturing people, he knows pretty well the bandits tactics in the city, he is a really cold blooded killer)

[@fireelite0z622]

@@magiccookies420 i'm not saying it HAS to be a revenge kill but there was a lot of people he wronged and even with tommy too when it first started, but also he could have been killed by some random getting scared and shooting on sight. no matter what i dont think joel would have ever died of old age

[@Chandru-co4un]

Not one doctor would kill the only chance at having a vaccine, They would keep doing research on her, So it was fucked up to begin with😢

[@Hannah-hq8ne]

Yeah, Joel’s fate was essentially a ticking time bomb. He was always going to have his past catch up to him

[@Lilbzzingbee]

I was recently watching a play through of part II and although I got emotional over it before, it hit me way harder now. Yesterday were 6 months since my dad passed away, and while he was at the hospital and even now, I did this thing where I'd go and smell his clothes. I wanted to remember his smell, that mix of cigarettes with his favorite cologne. I completely forgot Ellie did that in the game, and when I got to that scene I cried so hard. Every moment of her remembering Joel was like seeing myself and my struggle to not forget my dad. How he sounds, looks, smells, the things he does and says, I'm constantly looking at videos and photos and whoever says this game wasn't good just hasn't gone through a similar emotion to look at it on a deeper level.

[@PercyBoom69]

Knowing that Ashley lost her father in real life really makes the scene hit so much harder

[@MeesdeFilmliefhebber]

Goddamn. I haven't watched the documentary yet for Part II, but Troy already ripped my heart out with how much this meant to him. It is just such an incredible experience; the first time is something you really can't quite put into words.

[@UncreativeHandle48]

I highly recommend watching the making of Part ll; it gives such an amazing in in-depth look at the process they went through for every aspect of the game: story, setting, characters, art, gameplay. It also shows you all the actor's reactions to the various plot points as well as the feedback to the game, Laura Bailey’s interview, in particular, was heartbreaking.

[@MeesdeFilmliefhebber]

@@UncreativeHandle48 I will, but I'm currently showing my friends Part II for the first time, and I don't wanna do this without them; they are way too much invested into the story for that! Unfortunately, this moves with the pace of a snail 🥲

[@ZachMaster26]

I was just thinking of something painful that could happen for a potential THE LAST OF US PART III... and I can base this off personal loss. My grandfather passed away 8 years ago, and as time went on, I forgot what his voice sounded like. That could happen to Ellie, she suddenly starts to forget what Joel's voice sounded like.

[@Jaws_on_Mars]

I highly doubt Ellie would be able to forget him after seeing how hard the PTSD hit her all the way until the end of the game BUT I am curious to see how far you planned out your thought? Like genuinely curious! What do you think would be the blueprint for how that game would go from start to finish? Because I feel like Ellie is done with all the fighting (not counting self defense for her and her remaining loved ones of course), so what story driven action would be in the game? Or would it be more of a slowed-down life simulator kind of thing?

[@faded3671]

This is a good idea, but i dont think its enough to make whole 'nother game about it

[@ZachMaster26]

@@faded3671 it's a contributing factor

[@timhefty504]

I couldn’t handle one more game

[@82Jaster]

What Part III will be about is something i've thought about quite a bit. The theme I keep coming back to is one where she finds a way to love herself. Which I know sounds cheesy. But the overarching theme of the entire series is love. Part I is about Joel learning to love someone again after having shut himself down due to Sarah's death. Left Behind is about Ellie's first love. And Part II is about the destructive quality of love. And Ellie as a character, as we hear in the porch seen, doesn't really care about herself much. She thinks her only real purpose in life is to just sacrifice herself for a potential cure. So, I think it'd be interesting if after Part II that Part III was a positive version of the concept of love where she's trying to find herself. Joel tells her at the end of Part I that you need to find something to fight for, and that's just something she hasn't attempted to do. Of course I have no idea what the gameplay loop for something like that would even be.

[@raganlacy]

I still cry every time I see Joel in the last of us 2. Better acting than I’ve seen in movies and tv shows.

[@therealDeanThomas]

This is why i respect actors and voice actors because of stories like these and seeing how much of themselves are in these characters

[@nhemesis_productions3008]

AYYYEE! I just watched the first one and I saw in the comments they are going to have him react to part 2. So stoked to actually see it lol

[@ewabator2124]

The Last od us Part II broke me.... I played on release..... got to that point..... And cried for like at least an hour, had to stop gaming for a couple days. Then i came back and i cried like EVERY DAY for 2 Weeks while playing the game..... Its a brilliant game and my fav franchise

[@mbank3832]

"Sometimes you gotta lose, in order to gain, because most life lessons are learned, thru pain" - Joel

[@twoworldsonetodd]

this game took me like 3 years, multiple playthroughs and so many long discussions with friends to come appreciate just how utterly flawless it is. It's not happy conclusions that you come to, but all character actions do make sense when you understand the the horrible world the characters live in. Basically the only reason to keep living is the people you care about. So when someone takes them revenge is all you can do to deal with the loss of what can be seen as the only reason to live in this world. It applies in even enemy encounters, you'll hear someone scream their friends name as Ellie jabs her knife into them. setting them on the same path. My friends and I agree that if you played as Abby in the first game and we bonded with her and her dad, then some lunatic(Joel) killed him, we'd have the same unforgiving need for revenge. After my first playthrough, I felt very much like Ironman in civil war in that I hundred percent understood all of Abby's reasons for wanting to kill Joel but I still had an irrational rage because she killed a character I loved, i.e "I don't care he killed my mom". 5 playthroughs later and tons of refection I've come to appreciate Abby as a character. Also side note to the people who say "Joel letting his guard down is out o character. I say that is the point, as soon as Joel made it back to Jackson, he wanted to let go of the past and try and enjoy his life for the first time since Sarah. Add the fact that he's been living in relative comfort for years at this point, It all makes sense......wooooo wrote so much more than I planned to.

[@nickwebb2895]

TLOU 2 is one of the many games I wish I could play again for the first time. The game had already been out for a few years by the time I was finally able to play, so I already knew about Joel's death, and I so wish I could play without that knowledge to really get the full effective of his death scene: the shock and horror that one of my favorite video game characters was dying right in front of me, and the terror of what that meant for Ellie going forward. Anyway, I love listening to your insight on the making of both games and watching you play Part 2 is definitely on my list of needs.

[@Nick_Harrell80]

Troy likes shaun of the dead! Probably one of my favorite comedy movies ever

[@Jaws_on_Mars]

Ngl whenever he said 28 Days later first, I nodded my head and went, "That's a mighty valid choice. Super solid." Then when he said SoTD I hit a little jig of excitement and applause

[@Kait_rub]

I don’t care what anyone says, I love this story

[@getampt22]

It's such an incredible journey. The pacing may not be the best but god damn is it an emotional roller coaster. This game will be looked back on as one of the best stories ever told. I have never ugly cried so hard lmao

[@krayzieridah]

Troy Baker is one of the most talented voice-actors in the gaming industry, such a lovable and nice person! No one could've done Joel's character better than him. Thank you so much for making TLOU 1 and 2 one of the most memorable and amazing games ever made!

[@ericdevito1105]

2nd game is my favourite! Troy you shine in those flashbacks every single one is so emotional

[@andareon]

Neil, Troy, Ashley and Laura and the rest of the crew and cast, I will never be able to express correctly how this piece of art that is TLOU II changed me and made me feel. I'm 39 and I'm also a dad and playing this was one of the best (and worst, but I understand the intention and I'm fully with it) experience of my life. I'm tearing up just seeing the scenes here in this interview and I cannot commend enough the cast and Troy in particular with this 'reaction' for their performances. Those people are dedicated to their craft and delivered one of the best game that ever existed. I understand why some people were divided on it, I wasn't, It completely took me in, like I was in that world when It all happened. I will never be fully able to describe it, but It moved me in ways no other media managed to move me before.

[@henrihai1940]

An absolute masterpiece in storytelling. How can such a dark story be this beautiful. 90% of the hate came absolutely from the immaturity of the gaming community. People don’t wanna be challenged, they want things black and white, simple. They don’t want to see a nuanced or critical look on characters. That is what makes this story so brave and genius at the same time. It puts real, radical and earned character growth over simple fan service.

[@paballomolata8844]

Some of the criticism is warranted such as the pacing issues and inconsistencies.

[@lungfulldrummer8921]

​@@paballomolata8844the pacing thing is personal taste like everything else. I played through it over a number of days, almost like I was watching a series. And I liked the ebb and flow of the story a lot. I was excited to see where it was going when we made the switch to Abby.

[@paballomolata8844]

@@lungfulldrummer8921 That's true but it's foolish to dismiss it as "immature" like the Original commenter said. Plus the Abby storyline felt like the game was trying to hard to the players to connect with Abby and her friends. It would've been way cooler if it was revealed that the doctor Joel killed was Abby's father nearly towards the end. That would

[@Nelson_Swamp]

Come on, man. THIS dismissiveness of true fans who just so happen not to like the second game is so infuriating and unfair. Y'all wax poetic about how the sequel is about love and forgiveness and mirrors of pain and Abby is sympathetic , but then turn around and in the same breath dismiss someone (like me) who is an absolute TLOU STAN, but I DON'T LIKE THE STORY PART 2 TELLS. That doesn't make me a literary illiterate. It doesn't make me immature. It doesn't make me ANY of the condescending adjectives and nouns you throw at me. Let's love the game if you love it, but don't be a hypocrite in your rush to berate everyone with a different opinion.

[@paballomolata8844]

@@Nelson_Swamp You basically made the longer version of my initial comment

[@lauracristina2773]

This game is the best ever game, story wise, and play experience. It is and will always be a masterpiece.

[@QUANDIEGOOCH817]

I’m so glad to see someone who isn’t completely shitting on a game like this. It’s amazing.

[@lauracristina2773]

@QUANDIEGOOCH817 I'm a games player of many, many years, and I played a lot of games. None of them has a very complex, very emotional story like this game. The player gets to experience both sides. In the end, it makes you think that there's no hero and no enemy ...it is just pain and how a human being is reacting to it. The game is not only about revenge but about forgiveness, too, and it's hard. I've learnt so much from this game. It is deep. The real heroes are all the ones who participate in making this masterpiece.

[@theforcer1762]

Timing is crazy. Just finished my last of us marathon

[@t1g4r]

I love his breakdown of the game and he is so soft spoken. He is a brilliant actor and a great person.

[@JYang0602]

I’ve always been interested in playing the Guitar. I stopped for a while cause I gave up but playing Part 2 has since reignited that interested. That Porch Scene is solidifies my whole reasoning to start again. There’s of course the first Future Days scene or the Take on Me, but Helplessly Hoping just hits different

[@JusttSarinaa]

I loved TLOU2 still makes me cry seeing Joel die.. 4 years later.

[@zenovia1004]

those Long SIGH, those damn Long SIGH man. He known too well what troy got himself into.

[@dominictrujillo3323]

I don't hate The Last Of Us Part II, just hate what happened to Joel in the game. And I agree with those people, Joel would have never let his guard down like that.

[@noahkelly4071]

Gosh. The way he talks about “just looking at her” in Joel’s death scene is so powerful. Love his passion for this story and his costars

[@DMIINDSTUDIOS]

9:45 Troy Is a Good man

[@ericcotto8507]

I have wash that famous scene so many times and on this day I still cry

[@AshWindheart]

I pre-ordered the game and played it side by side with my best friend over PS party chat and we moved pretty much at the same time and it was one of my favorite experiences in gaming.

[@Infinite-style.]

Can't wait for the sea levels to rise at season 2 of the hbo series due to the amount of tears

[@Switch-ux8lf]

Or global warming 👴

[@AwkwardDogeE]

I remember when it first released, I was pissed, this sounded terrible, I couldn't believe this is how the story was, until I watched someone platinum the game and explained the game is supposed to make you feel like awful the entire time. So I decided after that video I played pt1 and then later got pt2 a few months later to finally make my own opinion. It was fantastic, and its true I really just felt like trash the whole time and then I played as Abby and got to love her character and feel bad for all of what ellie had been doing. this is a fantastic game with a tragic story. Please don't just hate it because your favorite character died

[@domingorubies656]

Joel the GOAT

[@natewilms7970]

his voice is so soothing. hope you're well big T

[@ultimatealliance5822]

The Last Of Us has played a pretty significant role in my life, i was 8 when it came out. I watched markiplier play it as he was releasing the videos, the next year my mom died. And my single father got custody of me, and i moved to a whole different state to live with him. One day he took me to get pizza and then took me to GameStop, i asked him to get the last of us for me and he did. I played it religiously, and went to bed watching the markiplier last of us playlist more times than i have fingers and toes, i still do as a 21 year old. As the years went on life was really hard, but the last of us always helped distract me, markipliers the last of us videos helped me sleep and brought me peace where i couldn't find any. I was 15 or 16 when part 2 came out, pop pre ordered it for me, it came out 5 days before my birthday, i had tried to stay away from the leaks that were surging on the internet but i finally couldn't take it anymore and watched angryjoes video on it, i didn't believe the leaks were real at all to be honest, after 7 years i refused to believe that things would go the way they did, but low and behold once i downloaded it, a hour into the game, he was dead. Right after Abby struck the killing blow i uninstalled the game and didn't play it for almost a year, i cant explain how hard that hit me. Now of course i eventually came back to it and beat it, but up until watching this video a part of me hated what Neil did, but after seeing this, i still hate what the hell he did. But i look at the game with a new found respect.

[@DariusMuntean222]

I swear I love Troy baker for playing Joel , I would give anything that Joel doesn’t die , the last of us part 1&2 are goated games FOR SURE, but part 2 made me go nuts and crazy for killing him, this game just broke in millions of pieces

[@andrewlevin7586]

When Troy described everything that went into Joel’s death scene, about how he wanted to do a good job so that Ashley did not have to relive the trauma of her father’s death more than she had to, I teared up. That really got to me. Everybody did an amazing job bringing this beautiful and heartbreaking tale to life.

[@DrewV5150]

Masterpiece in storytelling! This game haunted me for months after I finished. A big thank you to everyone involved with The Last of Us.

[@therealel1te284]

This game was meant to be divisive no doubt. But i'll always say that the leaks ruined it early for the haters. They werent able to experience it firsthand. Tragic really.

[@spyral43]

It's 100% this. I can guarantee that the majority of the people who hate this game initially consumed it through leaks / got it spoiled by someone else who heard the leaks. It's a shame that such a nuanced and mature story just got watered down to "revenge bad" because we only knew the big, shocking story points back then. All the details got lost, and the gaming community was robbed of being told this story in a proper fashion

[@slickstar96]

@@therealel1te284 i got leaked though. Theres two sides people that still gave it a chance whole heartedly though they got leaked e.g engaging with the world building etc. And those who saw the story hated the story from the jump played it and couldnt get past the fact that they hated the story therefore rushed it thinking revenge is bad...

[@grisco93]

​@@spyral43 @therealel1te284 I actually can speak to this personally and can tell both of you the arguments I've seen blaming the leaks for how hated the game was is just a bad excuse used to try and discredit the opinion of a large portion of fans, and for me couldn't be further from the truth. I just did my first play through of part 1 two months ago on pc. I was so immersed and invested in both the story, and even more in Ellie and Joel, that I wasted money and bought a PS5 just to play part 2. Furthermore, I NEVER saw or even heard any of the leaks when they happened, and still don't know what was really leaked. So I literally went into both games as a complete outsider, the only thing I had ever heard was that TLoU was excellent, so I gave it a try. Because of this, I had a unique experience and perception by doing my actual 1st and NG+ play through for both parts all at once. And halfway through part 2 my feelings towards the franchise quickly took a turn for the worse. The enormous plot holes and character assassinations in part 2 was actually what was tragic. I can safely say Abby's section didn't work for me, it was actually painful, and I truly hated playing her, making me dislike her more and more as her part went on. Same goes with her friends, they all sucked, I always hated them all. I think a lot had to do with how they were clearly trying to force you to end up liking/sympathizing with them way too hard trying to get the player to understand the other side, but it was so forced and corny it fails. Lev was the only well written character from that side, everyone else was very unlikable and never developed even the slightest connection to. Because of this, the game's plot completely fails, as I felt 100% justified with everyone Ellie took out. So, I absolutely lost it when Abby was ultimately freed, and became even more enraged after the flashback on the porch, knowing how close they were to fixing their relationship all for it to be ripped away by this POS I was forced to just let go?? And I'm somehow supposed to think that was right? Not only did the plot fail to make me feel anything but pure disappointment with the story's writing, I'm actually starting to notice part 1 being ruined for me, as I currently do another play through, ultimately because of just how much I hated part 2's story. And I want to also make it clear I didn't have an issue with Joel dying, I did however think it could have been done better. Joel is just done dirty in part 2 as well as ellie. And I just thought it was crazy taking the aspect solely responsible for part 1's success, being joel and ellies characters, and completely nuking, essentially ruining them.

[@olivierdube809]

Perfect ensemble cast!! Joel Miller is the only videogame character loss that made me cry. I now see a story about 3 traumatised people with entertwined lives and how they deal with their PTSD. I prefer to be challenged as a viewer than being served my favorite food all the time. I think life experience makes a hell of a difference too. When my sister died of cancer in 2013, about a month before the first game was out, I had to grieve her death and accept that I would never get to show her how awesome it was, as she was a great spectator of my love & passion for games. Joel's death was then easier to accept. I had to allow myself to weep a bit thinking : "Isn't my sadness a little too much?" TLoU : Part 2 is the most powerful story that I know in all media and I love stuff like 6 Feet Under or Apocalypse Now. I don't think anything will get me to the core the way this series did, outside of actual human relationships. Ashley is a magnificient actress and I deeply love Abby. How do you reconcile with characters you love, but make each other suffer? Challenging naratives elevate art. This is what happened with The Last of Us as both parts do not end well. Thanks Troy for everything!! See you in Death Stranding 2!!! I miss Kojima's work!

[@Arcadian-Nova]

when the death joel happened i cried, and went to hug my father, when the porch scene happend, i cried some more. i can see so many similarities between me and my dad, and joel and ellie (luckily my father never had to experience that kind of hurt, had to harden his heart like that...) so it just really hits.

[@genichiro77]

5:29 the answer from Troy himself on "Joel is a survivor, no way he'd introduce himself like that!"

[@lungfulldrummer8921]

And he doesn't. Tommy does. 🤷

[@dorkangel1076]

Cherry pick that bit out of context, misrepresent it and then ignore everything else he said about the story. 🙄

[@MiKeYROG]

Man, I can listen to troy all day telling stories in his voice. This man is just too good.

[@icydarko05]

9:58 “it’s not good, it’s great” nah that’s facts, like he said love it or hate it I don’t think there’s a better way to tell this story

[@ShiestyNagoo]

Both games are absolutely masterpieces

[@KryptiicGames]

When I last Met Troy Baker we had a small chat about this game. He essentially told me he thought the story was perfect. The way he talked about it you can tell how much he loves not only this story, but the character of Joel. My friends and I said we loved the story too, seemed like he’s genuinely excited to see how much people enjoyed it, and to share that with them. Such a nice guy, hope to meet him again!

[@boboso4705]

Troy is up there with Hayter who did Solid Snake as all time iconic video game voices.

[@PettyPerkins]

When i played it on launch, i hated the game. But as time went in i realized i was just incredibly hurt about Joel. And i came to realize what an incredible story the second game gave us. Absolutely love this series

[@jayssonjefferson4389]

I feel that 19:30 made Joel’s decision all the more worth it

[@dorkangel1076]

To me it changed it from a selfish decision (he saved her because couldn't bear to lose her) to a noble one (he would save her again even if it meant he lost her himself). He finally owned it (up til then he had lied to her to avoid paying the cost). Because he owned it and was finally honest she was able to start forgiving him. Tragically he would die the next day so they never got to fully reconcile, but he died knowing she still loved him and that was all he wanted.

[@Rimshot_013]

Years pass and Troy still weeps for that scene😢😢

[@tonyflitton4407]

The depth and thought that goes into the story of these games is astounding. I don't think ive played a game series that is as dark and brutal and filled with wtf moments as this. I'm inches from finishing lou2 here in Oct 2024. The Joel scene near the start was just WTF! I had no idea that was coming. Which is ideal. What a game.

[@madsdgdhg]

And here we are watching this and suffering again knowing there will be more when the tv show comes out and that we'll probably replay Part II when the show finishes... but it's so good!

[@guitarboyjeff]

I think, Neil got so much flag for this one because I think fans weren’t ready for this. Me as a fan, I knew this was going to come eventually because the hardcore fireflies may have wanted revenge for what Joel dis. But to address the flag, I feel fans wanted one more adventure with Joel and Ellie but this time we play as Ellie, then teased the events of part 2 at the end to make this a trilogy. He definitely could have made this a trilogy and made even bigger than it was. We as fans were divided because the story for some of us wasn’t for us. I’m not taking away what you guys performed and acted but the story was just not for everyone. For me. But I still go back because the gameplay is amazing and so much better than the first. The story still was impactful but just not the story I wanted to experience until we had one more adventure with Joel and Ellie.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

I always knew Joel's death was inevitable but playing as Abby after was people's last straw

[@Selam_Zii]

Please know that we adore the last of us part 2 but it was so brutal and showed no mercy 😢. But we still love it to the death. And I can't appreciate Neil enough for choosing Troy for Joel and Ashley for Ellie ❤🥺. This game has been and will forever my FAVORITE game.

[@therandommikaela]

You may not like the story, but you have to appreciate the actors. I was one who did like the story - but can also fully understand why others might not - but damn was the acting top notch. You can tell from any of these interviews, the actors involved were passionate about it, and each gave everything they had to bring that story to life

[@AightColeLive-]

I have a certain love for the first game, but The Last of Us Part 2 is probably my favorite story of all time. I mean no game has ever made me feel the emotions that I felt playing it. At the end when you’re controlling Ellie fighting Abby not one single of those punches did I want to throw. This game is truly amazing

[@apieceofcoffee]

Part 2 is one of the most powerful stories I've ever experienced in literature. I was so upset at the initial reception of the game/story and realized the majority of players and fans that were angry just didn't get it or didn't want to get it. This is not a surface level game story to play through. It made me think about this franchise's story for years and the performances were so raw and outstanding. I will die on the hill that it's one of the best game stories ever created.

[@HyuchaKyrie]

Making Ashley imagine her what if profession was a brilliant move by Neil

[@abenezera4908]

Neegan comments be rage baiting because it was a golf club and not a wooden bat

[@yolyyg3739]

This is the most amazing video ever. Troy, thank you for playing the role of all our lives truly.

[@joshward3412]

The worth thing about both Last of us games is that once you have played them you quickly realize those games are on a level that hasn’t been reached before and nothing else you can play so far will give you that deep emotional entertainment. Weather you hate them or love them, The last of us games are truly the greatest video games of all time and who knows how long it will be if ever when we will have another game that hits like the last of us. People will never stop talking about the last of us. Those games are ledgendary pieces of video game history.

[@BlondeManNoName]

I'm playing part two for the second time now after it's release. The story and everything about it is objectively top notch. It's just a very heavy and brutal journey to go through and it's not like the end is very uplifting. Naughty Dog is just on it's own level as a developer. The moments of joy, humanity and animals are honestly one of the best things in their games. Besides excellent gameplay and graphics.

[@CosmicFilms-007]

Part 2 is my favourite tragedy story Not necessarily my favourite story for gaming that goes to halo 2 for me but it’s still a damn good story and I wish it didn’t get so much hate, it felt like a natural progression and it wasn’t pandering to fan service and I respect the hell out of that, it’s a great story both one and 2 Incredible

[@siegfriedo]

The Sarah's death scene and the Porch scene are flawless and every time I watch them I am moved to the core. 🙈

[@ilovesupershotgun5200]

I really want to talk about this. For people who think Joel’s death was bad and wished for him to go out in a blaze of glory, the death he got is the most fitting for his character. I believe his death is a true representation of “your actions have consequences.” He has done a ton of bad things, killed a bunch of people (not just in self-defense). He saved Ellie from the hospital but at the cost of humanity. It was the right thing to do… for him. It was a selfish decision, but most of us agree with it because we understand how he feels. But that doesn’t mean that it was “right.” His death was just his wrong doings catching up to him. Not everyone dies with honor, and even if they did, Joel didn’t deserve it. Sure you may say that he wouldn’t let his guard down, but as Troy said “this is what I get for trying to love.” Joel did what he did out of love for Ellie, but he probably knew he would pay for it one day. And not specifically death, I see Ellie resenting him as a possible form of payment for his actions in the hospital.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

That and he is an old man how is he gonna go out in a blaze of glory

[@xathu-er2zr]

it not why he dead but how he dead was piss off ppl play it. the way they rush in setup chain of many coincident constantly just so abby can catch joel in less than 15 min, when it suppose need for few days to a week for abby and her friend to sneak in gather information about joel and hatch out new plan catch joel. also the way abby and her friend act 30 mins before they meet joel weird too

[@Kait_rub]

@@xathu-er2zrdude you gotta work on your grammar I do get what you’re saying tho

[@xathu-er2zr]

@@Kait_rub not my first language but as long as ppl get it then it shouldn't be any problem

[@_Cetarial]

@@theoutsiderjess1869Old man? He was in his late 50s at most.

[@brandstixs7836]

The Last of Us Part II IS my favorite game. I love it much more than Part I and will stand by it til i die.

[@Smooth_JaY__]

Phenomenal stuff man.

[@jm860421]

Troy seems like just the best of guys, it must be impossible to not like this guy!

[@MasonSharpe]

The end porch scene gets me every time😭

[@Scallywag_Gilbert68]

this game is amazing, ive never been in such an emotional rollercoaster watching a playthrough of a game before. i genuinely don't understand the people who hate this game so much its so amazing BECAUSE its so sad and tragic but still hopeful and happy in a way, ive never felt so conflicted between who to support in any story before and it got to the point when i watched ellie and abby fight in the end of the game i almost screamed in my head for them to stop because all i wanted was for them to move on and heal and not kill each other so when ellie spared abby i was happy because it meant she could finally just let it go which is what joel would've wanted. he wouldn't want her to go get revenge and lose everything because of it he would only want her to be happy and the only way for her to potentially be happy again is to spare her.

[@juhjaybrums1119]

I LOVED how, when Ellie asked Joel how he got the coffee and he said, “I’m a little embarrassed of what I had to trade, but it was worth it.” I think he was talking about more than just the coffee…

[@bachpain117]

Troy and Ashley will always be my fav Last of us actors! Love em!

[@diablejambe3460]

I still and likely will always have mixed feelings about part 2 but man do i appreciate the insight and hearing certain details/point of views that add another dimension to the story and does help me look at the game in at least one additional way. No matter ill always love joel and ellie.

[@BadassRaiden]

I know it's really hard for Ashley, but I would absolutely love to see her do this too, going through the moments of the game.

[@thiacanadian]

I'll never forget about my first playthrough of part 2. It was painful. Mentally and emotionally draining. By the time I was finished, I felt completely numb to everything that happened. I can definitely see how this story won't land with everyone, and that's ok. I don't think it's meant to

[@christian_lied]

Watching Troy getting emotional made me feel validated since I still till this day watch Joel get killed. It always makes me feel like I lost a close person

[@jaydedjen110]

Me when people act like this is the worst game ever: I don't care. I love it, and NO ONE can change my mind.

[@ScruffyCanadian]

I have a lot of gripes about this game but I have so much love and respect for Troy, Laura and most of all Ashley!

[@hansob_yt]

I'm gonna be honest, the difference between the first trailer and the actual game really got us all. this was a perfect and strong story. Naughty Dog is the best ❤