Sometimes You Have to Lose to Win

***CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!***

I'm so very sad today. I knew I was toward the end of my journey--and I didn't wanna get there-- but when the credits rolled at the end of The Last of Us Part 2, I actually cried. Not only because the creators of this game are masters of emotional manipulation, but also because the game is just that f@#king good. I'm a junkie itching for another fix. It's rare to find a game that can transport you to another world, keep you guessing and balance the adrenaline rush of combat with the deep connection to the characters. The Last of Us Part 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece.

There are so many things about this game that set it apart from the crowd. There's the rich variety of female characters, none of whom sport a double D bra and booty shorts! The creators delve into difficult subjects such as sexual orientation, gender dysmorphia, female body types and the capabilities of pregnant women. And they do all this without getting preachy or making the game feel like an ad for political correctness.

What struck me the most about the game was the unexpected outcome for Abby, who starts off the game as our antagonist. Then, in a stroke of genius, the devs retell the story through her experiences. It's then we find out she's not a bad guy. In fact she turns out to be a better person than our supposed heroine, Ellie.

The game's creators punctuate this difference at the very end when Ellie finally wakes the f@#k up and lets go of her obsession to avenge Joel's death. Abby had suffered the same compulsion at the start of the story, but winds up the ultimate winner because she lets go of her hatred and desire for revenge sooner than Ellie did. So in the end Ellie has lost everything: Joel, her new little family, and her ability to play guitar which is her last connection to her father figure. Ellie has fulfilled her own worst fear: her life is now truly meaningless.

On the surface, Abby has lost far more than Ellie: her father, every single one of her friends, her home, and her battle with Ellie. However, Abby sails off into the sunset (not literally, but she does sail off) toward a newfound purpose-- the regrouping fireflies with her little family that cosists only of Lev at the moment. Hey, families come in all shapes and sizes.

So who is the real winner in all this? Well, it's actually Naughty Dog and the creators of The Last of Us Part 2. If they don't snag game of the year, I'll be truly shocked. Then again, CD Projekt Red is still polishing up Cyberpunk 2077. The gaming addict in me praying it's as big a slam dunk as The Last of Us Part 2. Damn, November feels like five years instead of just five months away!