'The Last Of Us Part II' Review Bombed Because Of Story

Some complaints about its story have caused users to review bomb “The Last of Us Part II” on Metacritic.

The highly-anticipated sequel to 2013’s “The Last of Us” is a direct continuation of that game, with lead characters Joel and Ellie five years older and dealing with the consequences of their actions while traveling across the United States to try and survive the zombies now comprising the majority of the population.

Despite already receiving widespread critical praise and drawing acclaim from many, a large group of users still review bombed “The Last of Us Part II” on Metacritic. Screen Rant notes that while the average rating from official reviews currently sits at an impressive 95, the score from users is at a much lower 3.4 out of a possible 10.

According to the vast majority of user reviews, the main complaint is the story with character development a close second. Others state that gameplay “is boring and monotonous.” There are others who complain about the game being “SJW” while others state even though the PS4 title has ”SJW parts,” those “parts” are inconsequential, as the game is “just bad.” Still, others admit that while the graphics are amazing, the plot and characters were disappointing.

The rise in review bombing has become problematic in recent times. It is not uncommon for games to receive widespread critical acclaim but also face a barrage of negative reviews from users of sites such as Metacritic.

Review bombing is usually a ploy by a group of fans who are upset about a particular feature in a game. Yet there are cases where it can be a form of protest used to demonstrate displeasure about certain actions taken by developers and publishers.

One of the possible causes of the review bombing in the case of “The Last of Us Part II” is the choice to make Ellie explore her feelings toward other women. These were the same issues that caused the most uproar when parts of the game's story leaked earlier in the year, Screen Rant points out.

“Warcraft 3: Reforged” is a game that was recently review bombed and the same can be said for some films including “Justice League” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” In the case of “ The Last of Us Part II,” however, it is unlikely to affect sales or pose much of a problem for Naughty Dog.