I don’t really like The Last of Us Part 2, but HBO’s TV adaptation ruins everything I do like about it

I’m not a fan of The Last of Us Part 2, I’m just not. I recognise that the game is expertly made with gorgeous visuals and stellar performances, but it’s a game that’s simply not by bag.

Maybe it’s because I enjoy the game’s brutal combat, but not how much time the game takes me away from it. Perhaps it’s because that final act felt like a depressing slog for me. I’m definitely in the minority here, but I do really like parts of Naughty Dog’s brave sequel.

While the HBO adaptation of the first game was, in my opinion, everything I wanted, the TV version of the second game ruins pretty much everything I did like about The Last of Us Part 2. This isn’t anything to do with Bella Ramsey’s performance of the content they’ve been given, or even the fact that Kaitlyn Dever isn’t as hench as Abby should be, but moreso the writing changes that simply don’t understand what the game version of this story does right.

The Last of Us Season 2 is not a great adaptation of The Last of Us Part 2. For starters, it’s muted colour grading and bland blocking rip the artistry out of the game’s scenes in the same way that Disney’s Lilo and Stitch remake ripped out all the vibe of its animated Hawaii. In game form, Part 2 is lit in a way that accentuates its grittiness; in TV form, it simply looks boring.

However, the biggest issue in HBO’s version of events is how it butchers the game’s central protagonist and ultimate villain: Ellie. The sequel’s story revolves around a tale of grief and revenge, turning Ellie into the same homicidal maniac that Joel Miller became at the end of the first game for the entirety of the story.

Ellie and Tommy’s obsession with revenge leads to some truly horrifying moments, such as the death of Abby’s pregnant friend Mel, on the way to their target. There are countless deaths along the way and this blind rage, and in some cases fear of being alone, ultimately leads to tragedy for all parties. Spoilers for future seasons—if they even adapt this—but the game ends with Ellie all alone, unable to play the guitar that keeps her grounded as a result of her actions.

In The Last of Us Season 2, Ellie’s entire character is altered to be more like her childlike self from Season 1. Her murder of Mel isn’t murder, it’s an accident, and she’s sorry in the moment instead of traumatised afterwards. Game Ellie didn’t mean to kill the unborn child either, but it was also entirely her fault, and that’s a powerful moment that really sticks with you even if you’re not a fan of the game.

The Last of Us Season 2 is weirdly watered down in a way that feels weird. As someone who connected with the story of the game but simply didn’t enjoy the connective tissue between segments—let’s face it, that game was long—HBO’s take on it just doesn’t sit right. In Part 2, Ellie is a lean, mean, killing machine on her way to a target in much the same way as a Predator from, well, Predator. However, unlike the Alien hunter, she’s human, and the interesting part of Naughty Dog’s sequel is how an ordinary woman not only becomes that hunter, but wrestles with the outcome afterwards.

About the Author

Lewis White

Lewis White is a veteran games journalist with a decade of experience writing news, reviews, features and investigative pieces about game development with a focus on Halo and Xbox.