the rat king is much more than a boss fight | The Last of Us Part II - Level Analysis
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- čas přidán 3. 06. 2024
- Please enjoy this in-depth analysis of the Ground Zero level in The Last of Us Part II.
This video was created for educational purposes only. This is my own interpretation based on multiple playthroughs and hundreds of gameplay hours, my experience as a writer/director, and listening to interviews with/commentary by the creators of the game.
Music by Gustavo Santaolalla and Mac Quayle.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:27 The Nightmares
04:23 The Trials
07:56 Ground Zero
10:11 The Rat King
12:08 Finding the Light - Hry
I never thought of the Stalker splitting off from the Rat King as a parallel to Joel and Ellie, shows that I still take a lot of things in the games too literally when there's more to see through analysis like this
Same! Amazing observation
seriously tho. i used to feel really indifferent to this sequence because it felt like it was just to keep people from complaining about the infected taking such a backseat in this game, but this analysis gave me such a new appreciation for it😭
Or it's just mumbo jumbo
Yeah I'm with you on that , people tend to read too much into games instead of just playing @@peterw1534
@@peterw1534exactly
I really love that they put the center of her trauma in the trama center. Truly doing their best to get through to people who don't catch metaphor.
Well, to be honest, they didn't get through to me until now. I'm quite resistant to metaphor and symbolism. 🤷 To be fair though, I don't think the doorsign ever registered in my mind in any of my playthroughs, maybe I was too focused on the horrors and on the little errand I had to run there.
I was 100% too frightened to make that relatively obvious connection - maybe I'll have an even greater appreciation for TLOU2 with all this newfound knowledge.
Just haven't been able to bring myself to do a 2nd playthrough because TLOU2 is soooooo emotionally draining
@@stvn1405im with you on that, i really enjoyed the game and have been trying to play through it again but man its rough.
Videos like this make me REALLY curious about how the HBO series is going to adapt Part II. I loved the first season, and I can imagine how Ellie’s story will play out, but I think it’s far more imperative for them to get ABBY’S part of the story right for the story work at all. There’s so much nuance in even the smallest of details that makes her so compelling and important. I loved your interpretation of the stalker that gets segmented from the rat king representing Ellie too, what a cool detail!
im kinda worried ngl, tlou 2 feels like such a dense story to try and put into a probably like 8-9 episode season especially given they are probably gonna add new characters/storys like in the first season
@@msampson2286 from what I've Heard , the story for the Last of us part 2 is gonna be extender across 2 seasons . How true is that, not so sure , but I think this is the Best way to do it. Like You said , the story is very dense , with lost of nuance and meaning , but that couldn't capture all the stuff they put on the table , Like the war between WLF and Seraphites , Isaac , And Abbys friends not havig to much screen time. Thats why I think the show is going to do a good job at presenting the story in a new way , with the things that didn't got the Best execute , to be recreated in a new way .
@@msampson2286 first season was rushed I wonder what will happen with season 2
Honestly there's no way they can do it in 8 episodes or whatever they said it's gonna be. I have to believe it's 2 seasons. I hope it's 3. Give us a whole Jackson to Santa Barbara season!
But I agree I also worry. It annoys me a little that they changed the scene where Ellie saves Joel so that he's not being suffocated underwater. That felt like a mirror image of Ellie drowning Abby at the end. I worry that they keep changing details and it will become a less cohesive whole.
babe wake up, tlou explained posted
Never even thought about the symbolism of the hospital, this is s tier content. I really love stuff like this that really show how well crafted some stories are
Just finished the Tommy video and now this is out!
The Joel and Ellie comparison was eye opening
Loads of great points, but wow that comparison between the two stages of the Rat King to Joel and Ellie. Such an interesting take
I am declaring this *the* thinking person’s Last of Us channel. I wish you wine, caviar, and views.
I REALLY love the little trailer you made for this video, it seems like it could’ve been an actual trailer for a horror game! I’m so happy to watch any of your videos about TLOU2
These videos finally cracked the code for me, The Last of Us is a story about human nature from lots of different perspectives. The Last of Us part 1 was about this, but as a kid I really just saw it as "The Joel and Ellie Show" which I carried with me into part 2, which is why me and lots of others I suspect hated it. How could we enjoy the Joel and Ellie Show part 2 without Joel?? But that's never what these games were about, we were kids then and you're helping us to grow up, so thank you
Out of all the channels on youtube, this is the one I get most excited about seeing a notification for a new video upload. Your writing and analysis skills are insane
wow, this video has really opened my eyes to the symbolism of the rat king fight. i didn't even think to connect it to joel and ellie. i also love your comparison of the descent to a literal descent into hell. this makes me want to replay the game all over again and look for connections to ellie's/abby's journeys through level design and boss fights. i can't wait to see what you create next.
Another cool detail about Abby’s dreams is the music in the background. When she first leaves the kids in the shipyard the song “longing” plays. It plays again when she wakes up from the dream of them hanging after sleeping with Owen, but after this it doesn’t play again for a while. Instead, during her dream where she sees her dad alive, the song “longing (redemptions)” plays, a pretty on the nose detail but still really powerful. P.S. loved this video and support from Australia ❤
oh girl u ate that intro up
This is such a good analysis. I'd drawn none of these parallels before, and I've played and loved this game a lot!
I honestly never hated Abby during my first playthrough, I was always just curious about her, I really wanted to know what her deal was. I still never really questioned Ellie's revenge quest though. After the encounter with the Rat King, when Abby came out of Ground Zero and quipped "no-one's ever gonna believe that shit", I started laughing hysterically and yelled "WE DID IT". That exact moment I realised "oh shit, I like Abby. I like Joel's killer. I don't want her to die"
I've always just chalked that up to Naughty Dog's super cool and interesting use of the bond between the player and the avatar and how prolonged time playing as a certain character can really help in building strong connections to them (lmao can you tell I'm a game studies major), this is how the second game gets you to both really want to avenge Joel initially and then not want Abby to die by the end. Videos like this that explore the narrative of the game are so cool to me and help me realise exactly why the Rat King encounter is what endeared me to Abby so much; not only did we bond over taking down a massive monster together, there were also narrative beats indicating that she was becoming a better person throughout that encounter and deserved to continue her journey of redemption. Thank you for making videos like these! I really enjoy them, especially the one about Mel!
“Be curious, not judgemental”. So many people who hate part 2 were judgemental and not curious. It’s folks who are open minded who love the game and it’s terrific story. Good on ya
New video posted. don't even think about it, I watch!
Whoever edited that intro…that was soo great!! Love your insight. Keep up the great work!
I did! haha
@@tlou_explained writing and video editing?! Killer combo!
“So much more than a boss fight”. I keep falling in love with this game and can only agree
I never noticed how deep the the super stalkers severing from the rat king was so symbolic of Joel and Ellie’s relationship. Man, that hit me good.
The editing on this one is really spectacular, especially the opening which gave me immediate chills! Huge fan of your prior videos as well, but this I think is your best yet!! Can't wait for the next one :)
A lovely analysis! I hadn't thought about the rat king as a parallel to Joel and Ellie, but it makes all the sense.
Also can I just say, you have a wonderfully calming voice. It's been a hard day, but I feel more at peace now. Thank you.
This was such a good video cause I've seen plenty of rat kings video talking morphology and history but I really like this bud talking about a different meaning for the rat king especially since it was Abby that fought it not Ellie cuz this is exactly where Abby was in her process to recovery whereas Ellie is still filled with an urge for Vengeance
hell yeah one of my favorite notifications is when you drop one of these on us! great work as usual, i appreciate that you're finding really great details and connections i've missed even after being consumed with these characters for years now. if i could like the video twice i would. can't wait for the next one!!
This series is so cool! This morning I was wondering when a new episode of yours would come out and then I opened CZcams and there it was!! Very grateful for this, thank you!
great video! you really have a way of breaking down these moments in a clear way.
I just found channel this morning and I am so excited to binge everything! Awesome content! Keep it up. You got yourself a subscriber!
I absolutely ADORE your video essays. They are so insightful and engaging.
Amazing analysis and editing!! I got chills several times during your video. Thank you for opening my eyes. I’m so excited to play again with this new perspective 💞
This is genuinely phenomenal. That intro immediately got me hooked and kept my attention till the very end.
Keep up the great stuff! I’d love an analysis of Bill from Part 1 and how he reflects to Joel.
This was a fantastic video, I’m excited to watch the rest of your content!
This was a fantastic breakdown and gave me a totally different perspective on a game I love dearly. Can’t wait to explore your other videos.
Great video!! Thanks for putting this together. The detail was super helpful to better understand the story
Been loving your content, it's been keeping me company while working and feeling very lonely, so thank you for all you do ❤
Im addicted to your videos, keep them coming! Your insights give me so much more appreciation to an already much appreciated piece of art
what an absolutely brilliant video essay! I’m so glad that the release of this remaster has given us the opportunity to revisit this tragic yet beautiful story and analyze the brilliant writing elements as you do in this video. Thank you for giving me a deeper appreciation for the game. I liked and subscribe before I even heard your outro. 😆
That was an amazing analysis as always. I also never noticed Manny was in the OR. Good catch!
Wow, I really like the intro using Lev's monologue about fear with clips from the rat king encounter. It works so well in that context. Super cool!
This was incredibly well done. Thanks for your work here.
I love Ellie and Joel but it was Abby's journey that really made this game for me. The Ellie sequences are great from beginning to end, but Abby's growth across her days in Seattle were a perfect blend of storytelling and gameplay. Part II is such a good game.
Your videos are fantastic. I have played these games so much and thought there was nothing more to learn. Gosh, I love this game.
just wanted to say this is amazing, i’ve been a massive tlou fan (by fan i mean my life revolves around these games) for a long time now and after thinking i knew everything about the games this proved me wrong. great work im gonna go binge watch all your videos now lol
You ma'am, are a genius. I discovered you yesterday through some senseless doom scroll e you kept me awake while driving back from France to Italy.
You're a sensible amazing human being that helped me shred some lights on aspects of the game that I didn't quite catch during my playthrough while confirming some of my assumptions.
Thanks again for keeping me company.
Yet another lovely analysis you have a way of making me appreciate part 2 even more!
I love TLOU and anticipate your new uploads eagerly. Your analysis makes for much more hashed out, rich and meaningful play throughs of the game. If you ever decided to make in-depth analysis and character breakdown videos of other forms of media it would be massively popular and I would be an instant subscriber.
I truly believe TLOU2 was released before its time. People are not open to that sort of nuanced, grey-shaded kind of storytelling (yet). It is a matter of convention, yes, but also of education. I think you are doing a good job at explaining the finer details that a casual player might miss.
Still, I will admit that the discourse surrounding the game at the time of its release pre-colored the game for me and ruined my experience / enjoyment of it even though now that I _have_ actually seen a full playthrough my own opinion has changed massively. Most of the criticism directed at the game was misinformed or even in bad faith. I partly blame social media for this as well, we all know how these platforms thrive on outrage and controversy bc it increases engagement.
It took me years to actually watch the game for myself (I don't own a console or strong pc so I cannot play it even tho I'd love to) and form my own opinion bc the well was so poisoned I couldn't bring myself to engage with it for emotional reasons even when the rationale ("It's probably not that bad") and willingness had long been there.
All things aside, it's a pretty ballsy move by Naughty Dog to make the antagonist / later deuteragonist not only kill the protagonist of the first game, but also cheat (well _she_ technically didn't cheat, but you know what I mean) _and_ *gasp* be a GNC woman (strong, obstinate, assertive, aggressive and so on). Most people are not open to the perspective of someone with any of these characteristics let alone all of them. Even immense amounts of suffering inflicted upon her (and the story does punish her a lot for her actions) will rarely change their mind. Recently, I've seen some people slowly, quietly, bashfully come around but the majority made up their mind during the inital storm and are not open to reconsideration.
They will always hate Abby and TLOU2, just as they will always hate Gabi and the last chapters of AOT (I have my own gripes with the story, but not for the usual reasons you see being brought up in discussions).
I'm sure the developers anticipated some of the backlash but surely not the sheer amount, or they would've changed the story. Or maybe they did and just didn't care, in which case, respect.
Also, just for the record: Abby is my favorite character in The Last of Us franchise, I really hope she will be central to the TLOU3 game and I pray for her actor in the TV series cause that storm is coming I can tell you that and I'm not even a meteorologist.
I've finally found a youtuber who loves this story as much as I do. Great video! Can't wait to watch them all.
That intro gave me chills!! Amazing! New sub.
love ur videos! im enjoying learning about the last of us! ur voice really helps, its super smooth! 💖💖
I have a friend who up until recently was a big Last ofnUs Part II hater. He was pretty much exactly what you expect. Hated Abby because she killed Joel, hated all of Abby's friends, including Lev and Yara. Thought of the game as just a "revenge bad" story.
I got him to watch a bunch of your videos and he's now 5 hours into a replay of the game and he says he's enjoying it much more, pretty much just because you lay the story out and explain it in such a genuine and intelligent way that it helped him understand and get past his personal bias for the characters and think about the game almost more like a book or a TV series than a video game, as in he takes time to actually think about each scene and event as it happens.
Very happy for him as its always been one of my favorite games since its release and I'm very thankful that I found your videos to show him.
this is EXACTLY the reason why I make these videos! if I can help someone appreciate this game for what it is I'm so happy😊
That's so awesome !!! I'm glad he decided to give TLOU2 another chance! :D
I actually learned to love Abby while playing TLOU 2. I hated her at first after what she did to Joel, but I saw how she's as broken as Ellie who lost someone she loved. I also love her dynamic with Lev, reminds me of Joel and Ellie in the first game.
Ok but how is it not a revenge bad story? Even in this video she talks about how revenge will only bring you guilt, while I respect the game play and visuals of the game the story is just unsatisfying, which ironically is the exact way revenge makes you feel so I guess they succeeded in one aspect.
@@redhill3248 revenge part of the plot, but it's not the main story being told. it's far more about Ellie's and Abby's internal journeys, which revenge becomes or became an outlet for. Ellie's story was about her relationship with Joel and the guilt she feels for holding a grudge against him for so long. it wasn't actually about her getting revenge, which is why she never got it. Abby's story is about the consequences of revenge rather than the actual revenge itself. see what I mean?
These are amazing, keep it up!!!
Great analysis, thank you for posting these!
i truly love your videos, thanks for doing them, im always looking foward your next upload, much love and respect
Such an amazing analysis! Your videos are such an eye opening treat for a Last of Us fan, breathing new life and insight into a story we already love! Thank you!!!
this is a beautiful video. i absolutely love all the small details and metaphors hidden in this game. shaking in my boots waiting for part 3
You’re so darn intelligent and I love your videos. Thank you so much for inspiring me and for making me think deeper about not only this story but all the stories I come across!
Watched the Tommy video a while ago, I’m so happy you put out another video already :)
This was a really neat perspective I hadn't thought of before. Thanks!
Great videos as always . Tlou has so many layers
This one is a very interesting analysis. I love watching your uploads, they're so comprehensive and well-put together, and said. I'm glad this game still has conversation, it deserves it. Abby's story also has always brought more thought to me, I love her character. Anyways, great as always!
Pleaseeee keep making these videos. They're so well done.
Phenomenal analysis omg. I have played the game several times and connected so many subtle dots within the story but the Rat King/Stalker and Joel/Ellie parallel is something I am not sure I would have ever realized. Beautiful work
Wow! I’ve never thought about the rat king that deep before but everything you said makes perfect sense 👏🏻
I love these videos; they offer so much insight into a game I thought I'd already understood. Please make more for other games if you finish this series 🌻
this was an incredible analysis, the parallels between the hospitals as the setting for Abby’s turning points is something I hadn’t thought of. and the idea about the armored stalker being a metaphor for Ellie is really great. looking forward to watching the rest of your videos
Your analysis videos are the best thing ever
This video sat in my recommended for a week before I clicked on it and holy hell, was I sleeping on this one. Incredible deep dive and I thought I had seen everything there was to see about TLOU2!
You deserve all the Subscribers in the World. These Videos are beyond exceptional.
this is SUCH a good take!! you reminded me just why i love this game, the attention to detail and the elaboration of each girls trauma throughout the game is so intricate
Another killer video, pls continue with this series, I love every second of it
Great storytelling! I really enjoyed the video
I really love that you noticed the symbolism that was intended by the encounter. I'd never noticed it, and it was clearly purposeful. Thanks for the awesome video!
I just finished this incredible game and found this channel. Great analysis.
Enjoyed this vety much. Thanks
Mannn that fucking Intro was dope as hell i was expecting some No Return Grounded gameplay but man i was wrong video still great
i already liked this game, but you made me love it. Best TLOU essays, i mean it
Brilliant analysis on a brilliant game and complex narrative.
Ah man that edit with Levs speech in the beginning was awesome.
This is EXACTLY the content i need in my life!
Fantastic analysis. I tend to take things at face value, so the comparison of the armored stalker to Ellie really blew me away. Instantly subbed
I had not thought about the rat king like that, but the way you put it made sense
This was an amazing video. TLOU2 is my favorite game ever and I’ve played/watched walkthroughs of it at least 5 times but I’ve never thought about the rat king metaphors for Abby’s trauma. So cool!
Loving these videos!! Please do more❤
This was a great analysis, it added another layer to my love of the game, its story and how it tells it. I felt like the theme with the descent was heavily tied to Aby facing something, although I was mostly thinking about the redemptive aspects of it. Can't believe I missed piecing it all together when I read "Trauma Center" on the Rat King's door. Thank you for putting this all together.
Crazy how many deep dives I have watched and I never even thought of the rat king representing Joel and the stalker being Ellie. What a great and deep analysis!
Wow, what an amazing and informative video. Top tier game content.
Really good analysis, I enjoyed the comparison you drew from Abby’s dreams, it’s nothing I really thought too deeply on when I first played the game.
Another banger video, as usual
Yaii a new vid ^•^ how am I so involved in this story and lore is wild ❤ thanks
Another amazing video Queen ✨✨
WOAH I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS
Love your work. Thank you😊
That intro was top tier ✊🏼💣💣💣
Another great commentary!!!!
6:32 Holy shit, I never noticed the Stalker near the bottom right corner before. This game always surprises me with the details.
where
Near the upper left of the HUD, the small light in the doorway, you can see a Stalker crawling.
Yo 10000/10 video keep it up 💯💯🔥🔥🔥
awesome analysis. thanks!
You lowkey sounds like Lev. This was a great video as well. Thank you for making it.
your notifications make me so excited
Once again, just great.
I know you usually ask for suggestions of what to break down next.
It could be nice to see some Dina/ Ellie stuff. I know the fight they have when they first get to the theatre is super tense. Lots of build up to it.
Whatever you choose next, I am excited to watch.
Again, great job.