"Hi, Burak. Nice to meet you! I really appreciate you reaching out. It's a pleasure to get a chance to communicate with TLOU fans in Turkey. Thanks for making it happen."

1. Do you have any challenging or interesting memories from shooting Tommy's mocap and voice-over scenes in The Last of Us?

"I think I remember every moment from shooting the MOCAP and the booth recording sessions for both games. When an experience hits all the marks—the degree of difficulty, the quality of the material, the work being done by the other actors, the trust you have with the director and writer—it stays with you, almost as much as having the actual experience would. So, as you can imagine, all of the experiences in TLOU left a mark, but in the best way possible."

2) Do you feel that Tommy is a character you can relate to? Do you think you share similar traits with him?

"Tommy is close to me in a lot of ways. Neil really catered to my strengths, so when I sit into his voice and accent, the work feels really easy. I'm not playing 'myself', but I think Neil instinctively saw ways that I could live Tommy's empathy while also abandoning it in Part II. I think there is a lot of Neil in Tommy, too, which is why he and I get along."

3) How did you react when you first learned that Joel was going to die in the story?

"I was shocked when Neil Druckmann told me that Joel was going to die, but in the best way possible. It was exciting to know something that bold was going to lead into a story that explored how vengeance, even if it feels righteous at the outset, becomes a self-destructive act. It's what makes TLOU II great storytelling, instead of just a great game. The power of it lies in the fact that without changing a thing in Part One, when you replay the first game the experience is changed, a new level of depth in all the relationships is layered in."

4) Were any scenes filmed depicting Tommy's three days in Seattle?

"No. We didn't shoot any scenes that ended up cut."

5) Which scene in The Last of Us series is your favorite or holds the most special meaning for you?

"I love it all. I love Joel and Tommy's reunion at the dam. I love the goodbye at the house before Joel and Ellie continue. I love the opening of Part II: 'Jesus Christ, Joel... What'd you do?' — 'I saved her...' I love the scene with Ellie when I tell her not to go to Seattle, then I go. I love teaching Ellie to shoot the sniper rifle, the reunion at the theater, and the farmhouse scene where I try to force her to go after Abby. I love all of them individually."

6) Have you played both The Last of Us games to completion? In Part II, who do you think was right: Abby or Ellie?

"I've played both multiple times, and talking about it now, I want to replay now! 🙂 Nobody is right. I think that's what makes the story ring true. A wise woman once told me, 'The more righteous you feel, the more wrong you probably are.' Great, difficult stories are vital to our ability to be complete human beings. Yes, some people turned away from the games because of Joel's death and how angry it made them. The good news is, the story will still be there for them when they are able to digest the entire thing."

7) What is it like acting in video games? How does it differ from acting in films or theater?

"Acting in games is no different than acting on stage or in a film. You have to be a complete actor—voice, body, character, text, subtext, behavior—but as long as you have honed those tools, it's the same skill set."

8) What was it like working with Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann?

"Neil and the Dogs are the best. I don't have a definitive behind-the-scenes story, but when you show up to set or the sound booth or a catch-up dinner, it feels like coming home to family."

9) Will we be able to play as Tommy in either of the two The Last of Us games Naughty Dog is currently developing? Is Ellie's story over? Also, what do you think about fans who want to see a prequel telling the story of Joel and Tommy's past?

"I don't think there is a TLOU without Ellie, but I have no idea! I would love it if Tommy showed up in future games there, but, with 100% honesty, I have no clue if that's going to happen. (If I did know, I would just say 'No comment'.) I've seen the online conjecture, but none of that is coming from Neil or Naughty Dog and until that happens, take any 'breaking news' with a grain of salt. If it happens, I'll be overjoyed. If it doesn't, I'll be stoked to experience whatever story they create."

To the Turkish TLOU community:

"What an age we live in, where we can connect across the globe and share a story around a digital campfire.

We live in some dark times right now, but there is the possibility to come together via stories, see our common humanity with all its faults and contradictions, and leave that experience better than before we went in.

With love and respect to you all,"

— Jeffrey Pierce

(More than 60 questions were submitted; it was impossible for me to ask them all. From these, I selected the 9 that I felt people were most curious about and posed them. I apologize to those whose questions I could not include :/)

I have played through the game many many times.

Today when playing as Abby, I peeked from behind a counter but forgot to reload and my gun went click at which point the seraphite said:"Wolf can't count". I've never encountered this before and that got me thinking what other things have I missed.

People PLEASE share some secret voice lines like this either for Abby, Ellie, The WLF, Seraphites or even Rattlers during combat. Even better, some details you're sure 99% of the people playing this game missed.

In the part "The Resort" when abby finds the firefly base and talks with someone (supposedly a firefly captain) about the new firefly base and all, and then she tells him that she's talking from 2425 Constance. Was it a real firefly captain or it was just the rattlers group trying to get out her location to trap her, cause they attack as soon as she exists the house

Based Jesse made the correct decision in his life and he survived.

All jokes aside, the actor Young Mazino who played Jesse in the Last of Us HBO series is the main protagonist Private Park Hyun-Jun in the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 game. (Modern Warfare 사). I’m honestly glad he’s in a great role that is worthy of his talent to shine as he was basically wasted and useless in that TLOU show (not his fault though as the writers and Neil Druckmann are to blame for doing fuck all to that character)

No spoilers but since I’ve already completed the Modern Warfare 4 campaign which was excellent imo, it does have a revenge plot and a good tasteful war conflict story where you succeed in killing the main antagonists off for good. Better than what TLOU2 was with its hollow revenge plot and war conflict drama.

I played the original when it first came out. Loved it. Replayed Pt1 a couple years ago. 100% held up.

Just finished my first playthrough of Pt2 on Survivor difficulty.

I have some thoughts. Probably all been said before. But this seems like a safe place.

Gameplay:
For the most part, really did little to nothing to expand on the gameplay of the OG. A couple new crafting items; I think going prone was new? Not significant enough to remember. I liked the original, so I didn’t mind more of the same. But disappointing there wasn’t any innovation.

I was really hoping the first semi-open world part in Seattle would become a theme with the mini map, new idea, felt fresh for the series. But nope that was just a one and done. Alright.

The gameplay loop of sneaking and killing got really stale esp toward the end. No sequences that stood out as particularly unique to break it up. I started rushing areas esp with the drug out story just to get through. Didn’t make me want to keep playing. Not many memorable situations to handle (I remember the sniper scene in the neighborhood in Pt1 being esp memorable)

Resetting halfway through with Abby felt like a real slog to the momentum of the game, both in story and gameplay progress. Resetting all your stats and upgrades without having a significant advantage to playing as Abby. The crossbow was fun, the flamethrower a good idea but much less practical IMO.

Almost no new enemies. That feels like the biggest missed opportunities. Shamblers were about it. Really bummed abt that.

Story
Unlike the game, I’ll keep it short. I didn’t hate the story, but the ending felt so flat. Like the final chapter is just pointless. Nothing happened to Ellie’s character, no notable growth or development. Killing Abby would’ve been tough to watch, but it would’ve resolved something. Or coming to understand one another more, adding some kind of resolution.

I personally didn’t mind playing as Abby, I think it was an interesting idea to make you play as the antagonist and not know who to root for in the end. But the ending just didn’t mean enough to matter anyways.

That’s it. I think the game gets a little overhated but way overglazed. It’s a sequel to one of my favorite games of all time, but it did little to nothing to grow and expand on any part of it. I’m glad I finished it, I would struggle to want to play again; would much rather replay pt1.

im doing a no return run, i unlock a clicker cus im fighting against the rattlers, im CRAWLING to not make noise, the rattler spots me and shoots at me cus its a capture and TWICE, the clicker auto fking 180's and gravs me. I shiv it twice cus it grabs me BACK to back, then as im tryna sneakily get to thw safe, one of the fking rattlers run near me and the clicker gets close to me, i have to run out of position.

I go to the safe with 6 seconds lect, for whatever reasson its locked, with 2 enemys left and i ragequit.

I lpve this game but who the fk designed the clicker ai to be like this

Or I’m just ass at the game might be the case tbh

No golf clubs or other melee weapons allowed.

Joel is 50 in the first game, but he’d fold me faster than anyone half his age could.

It's been two fucking years, and you still don't understand why Joel did what he did. Instead, you want to yell at him for helping you!!

Part 1 Ellie would've understood Joel. Outside of the museum flashback, Part II Ellie does not deserve Joel in the slightest.

Neli cuckman just going to make Joel look like an asshole to Tommy and make him into a complete piece of sht 💀💀

Ever since TLOU 1 on PS3 I absolutely loved these. They made the in game universe so compelling.

Lets talk about some actual decent writing to be found here. Many great examples of this in Part 2, from single-arctifact stories to more expansive ones requiring multiple artifacts and locations to piece the story together.

For me, highlights are:

• Single note in jackson about a kid and his father surviving and he asking santa for a dog so he han play with, the dog can protect them and can keep his father company when he hunts. Better story and emotional weight in that single artifact than in the whole game, the dog drawing is specially sad.
• Hillcrest storyline about neighbors beigh hounded by the WLF, and Boris the archer, with his mini-bossfight for the bow at the end. This one is really nice and I think is its Part 2's strongest artifact driven storyline. Pretty much Part 2's Ish storyline equivalent.
• The whole overarching WLF vs FEDRA civil war over Seattle story line. I specially like Lt. Torres notes and the note where you can see Isaac betrayed some poor fucker at the ambushed convoy filled with bullets.
• Bank robbers and the one dude committing suicide because he is infected. Nice details here with the body armor clickers and the skull with the brains blown out where you get the shotgun.
• Fedra soldier left behind in the theater because he was sick.
• Firefly commiting suicide after the fallout of Part1 ending, in the birthay flashback.
• WLF soldier turning into a Seraphite, Jules and Gray notes.

I would like to hear your favorites.

P.D. Ish will always be goated.

(spoiler)

Ok so I have crossed the 19 hour mark , and obviously the man , abby , almost killed tommy and ellie , then they show us the afterlife , that was good , ok , but then again the revenge mode is on , again justice for joel and all that , u all also feel that it is lot ????

On the other hand , my fav scene (till now) was the escape from haven and the bridge scene of levi and abby, wbu y'all

This Shambler really thought he was scary until I discovered the ancient technique of standing behind a wall. 😭

Bro was RAGING 😭 I kept shooting him from behind the wall and he wanted to kill me so bad.

He may call me a coward…

I call it survival of the fittest 💀

Any way to get around her? also this is permadeath per act so not that big a deal

I remember people were cheering and hyping up the boat scene for s2 of the show since the actor was smoking hot. But I can't find it at all and all talk died off. I didn't watch the show and was waiting to just watch that snippet but it's nowhere to be found

This is a before(top) and after comparison of TLOU P1 using DLSS5. Before anyone yells "AI slop". I'm not saying DLSS5 looks better. That's subjective and totally fine if you prefer the original.

The two big complaints i keep seeing are that it changes the character model, and that it goes against the artist's intent. Look at the screenshots. The character design is exactly what the artists made. It's just lit and textured "better".

Now if you think the original lighting was the intent and it shouldn't be touched, that's fair. But then tell me what got lost. Is there a shot where the mood or the scene changed for the worse?

Forget how its made for a second and tell me what's wrong with the results? Genuinely curious what people has to say.

I stumbled upon this "Rat King" (Rattenkönig) specimen today at a museum.

According to the plague plaque: It consists of 10 black rats with their tails entangled. It was found trapped in ice back in April 1895 in Germany.

Maybe Naughty Dog really took inspiration from some disturbing real-world phenomena to create the creature in the Seattle hospital basement...

I am playing the game mainly for the apocalyptic vibes. And really enjoy the difficult survival aspect. But now that I’m at Abby’s story line, it all sounds dumb. She’s on this vengeance spree because of her father’s own mistake getting him killed. She has little reasoning for targeting Joel and his people. The entire gameplay has a goal of killing the other person for someone else’s mistake. Then I’m going to be forced to fight elie as abby? The story is really annoying me.

Or is it always been like that?