4.5/5 ★ – sdsk's review of The Last of Us Part II.

Whether you see it yet or not, The Last of Us: Part II is an important video game. It tells a story that is hard to execute with a similar effect in any other form of media and it does so by utilizing all the benefits afforded to it by its medium. To follow the saying apples to apples, in my reviews I measure the success of a movie with other movies and a game with other games. But I am not limiting my scope to a specific genre or format when I say that The Last of Us: Part II is art. It's painted with meticulous detail by a team of dedicated artists from around the world. Every story beat is purposeful and executed on an industry-leading standard. The game may not be for everyone, and undoubtedly as more people play the game over the coming years, once the cacophony of toxic outrage dies down, they will be able to make up their own mind about it. But for myself (and millions of other players) the intense range of emotions experienced while playing The Last of Us: Part II is so powerful that the game is elevated on a pedestal that all games aspire for but few will ever reach: a masterpiece.