The Last of Us Season 2 premieres on Max and already has mixed reviews from fans that have and haven’t played the games.

The Last of Us is a game series that takes place in an apocalyptic reality where cordyceps fungi have evolved and mutated the ability to take control over the human brain. This idea and story has become well known to millions, especially as it gained a show adaptation in January 2023.

Luckily to fans everywhere, the directors of the show and developers of the game decided to create a season 2 based off of the second game in the series. However, they’re taking some creative liberties when re-creating the main story in the show.

The differences and similarities

In the first season of the show there were quite a few differences in how they told the story and what elements were included. Even though fans of the game preferred how these unfolded originally, they still thought the show did a good job of expressing the story.

Senior Christian Alvarado explains, “Yes, I think it was pretty solid, although there were a few things I wish they had added.”

Another senior, Alex Toth, adds on with, “There were some things that were different that I think I preferred in the game, but like overall it was pretty good.”

The same cannot be said about season 2 though, some fans were upset with the actors chosen to play certain characters and are disappointed they don’t share attributes that are main characteristics of the people within the game.

There’s even moments where characters are swapped where it makes less sense while also hindering the natural progression that appeared in the game.

However there is something good to come out of story adaptations, as described by the game producers, the game is very action based so there’s no good way to show this level of depth within the game. In the show you can tell more parts of the story, adding on to previously unseen narratives.

What do the viewers think so far?

Online reviews are very mixed when it comes to season 2, most audience reviews are negative and talk about the casting, an “agenda”, or issues they would have with the source material rather than the show itself.

Critics however understand the source material and see the content on a deeper level, desiring the complexion of the characters and how they evolve through the show.

I personally like season 2 so far as a fan of the games. While I dislike some of the changes or additions made to the show, I also think it’s still pretty good.

The characters motives and emotions remain consistent from game to show, as well as built upon in the added storylines of the show.

A closer look at the characters

The two main characters that the game and show follow are Ellie, and Abby. Both characters are driven by the same thing; revenge.

Without trying to give away too much, at the very start of the game Abby gets her revenge on the person that killed her father. Ellie then spends the rest of the game hunting down Abby and her friends. 

In the end, Ellie leaves behind her home and still doesn’t fully check off her list. The game demonstrates to the playing how unbeneficial the cycle of violence is by showing the similarities between the character you love, and the character you hate.

Ellie finally learns to let go and ends the loop of death and despair.

Hopes from the long time fans

As I have played and enjoyed the games while having friends that have done the same, there are a few things that we think should be maintained in the show.

I think a main reason why people didn’t like the game is because they didn’t understand the similarities between the two main characters. With a new way to tell the story, I hope the show can achieve this.

Another important topic in the story is loss, at the beginning and end of the game, Ellie loses people she considers family. This further demonstrates how the revenge being sought out helps no one, and is needed to understand the message of the story.

And finally, it’s important not to rush the big reveals meant to surprise the audience or serve as drama between the characters. Most dialogue and conversation in the game match this but there are a few moments that we hope can be paced better within the show.