The Last of Us Part 2 is one of those games that tend to stick emotionally with players willing to put their perspectives, empathy, and moral views aside while the story unfolds. The strong suit of this game is that it is even more driven by its narrative arc than The Last of Us was, despite it having very high peaks of emotional engagement that are rare to witness. The Last of Us Part 2 capitalizes on that, and it makes it its own tenet or vow to connect with players on a deeper level, telling a story of loss, anger, revenge, and violence that eventually becomes a cycle. Please note that this article will have MAJOR SPOILERS for The Last of Us 2.
This cycle perpetuates from character to character, from beginning to end, and it does so constantly, relentlessly, even. Ellie loses people she loves, she is flushed with anger, she ends up becoming obsessed with revenge, and she lashes out on others just because she feels it is right to do so. Even when she goes through hell because of all this, she still cannot let these negative feelings go, and then the cycle starts anew once more, with Ellie losing Dina because she chooses revenge over family.
It's hard to convey feelings of existential dread as well as The Last of Us Part 2 does. This is because the game is grim and unforgiving, and it sets the mood very early on with the death of Joel. Humans are not the only ones in the world of The Last of Us, because the infected are there, and they are much more dangerous for the future of mankind, and they are a ceaseless threat that instills fear and a sense of imminent danger at all times. With all this in mind, it's hard to find games that are perfectly alike The Last of Us Part 2 precisely because of its uniqueness, but there are a few indie games out there that do share some of TLOU2's elements with it.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
One such game is A Plague Tale: Innocence. This indie masterpiece tells the story of Amicia and Hugo and their beautifully portrayed brother-sister bond and relationship, all while the world is devoured by endlessly hungry rats spreading the plague, evil inquisitors, and the war between France and England. The world of A Plague Tale: Innocence is brutal, extremely dark, and scary. It instills the same feelings that The Last of Us so well toys with, and it is a world where innocence is easily lost for good.
Even in this gloomy, dour setting, the game still manages to have brighter moments, which all the more highlight the sheer horror of the surroundings. Some scenes are not for the faint of heart, but A Plague Tale: Innocence is above all a visual and an aural experience driven by its story. Players will encounter swarms of rats, but they will also hear all the terrifying noises they make. Nonetheless, this is a title that teaches how there is beauty even where one wouldn't think.
Gris
Gris is one of those games that resonate with the players on a much more intimate level than one would think, and its recurrent theme of loss is masterfully narrated through the journey of the main character. The story of Gris is told through brilliant puzzles, striking watercolor hues, power, and powerlessness, all while the protagonist goes through the stages of grief. The game mechanics in Gris are not simple design choices, but they are meant to tell the story in ways that the absence of dialogue can not.
Playing Gris is an emotional rollercoaster. While its world is one made of fantastical creatures, delicate colors, and marvelous unreal landscapes, its story of loss is one that feels real, authentic, and it hits very close to home. The undertones and lifeforms may differ from those of TLOU, but Gris' story is a meaningful one that is made to stick.
Undertale
Undertale is a brilliant game that took players by the storm when it came out. It is a one-man-band game, one where its creator made almost the entirety of the work on his own, and while at it, it's also an extremely polished indie title. The resemblance Undertale bears to The Last of Us lies in its core, as players are morally challenged while playing because of the option to avoid combat altogether and not kill a single creature in the entirety of its playthrough.
The allure of Undertale is its story, which is made even better by the wonderfully crafted music, compelling characters, unique gameplay, and nostalgia-ridden visuals to boot. Playing this game is a treat, as it is an emotional tale of friendship, while also offering a fresh perspective on the consequences of violence.
Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons
Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons is quite similar to A Plague Tale: Innocence in how it explores the brotherly relationship of the protagonists. This game feels a lot like a dark take on classic childhood fairytales, or maybe one of those meaningful movies that can make even the most hardened players shed a tear or two. The theme of death is accompanied by that of acceptance, and it almost seems like the two were always one and the same, like two brothers.
This game's narrative is not one founded on dialogue, but rather on body language and nonverbal communication. The boys speak an unknown language, and yet, they successfully communicate their thoughts and feelings in ways that cannot be fully described. What Brothers does incredibly well is mixing haunting music and settings with tender stories of hope and relief, despite the lingering echo of loss and fear.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Rarely in the history of video games, there were titles capable of summarizing the whole experience with a single sentence, but that is the case of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, which sets out to be a narrative experience that won't hold the players' hands. The game's tone is Lovecraftian, grim, haunting. The main character is a detective with the ability to have visions of the past while putting fragments together to form a memory of what happened.
This is one of those games that challenge the players' deduction abilities, and sometimes it even forces them to write notes down in order to progress. The real protagonist and narrator in the game is the environment, which is one that players both have to be wary of and "read it" as if it were a notebook. A child's notebook, to be exact. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter's atmosphere is one that feels very reminiscent of The Last of Us, made of untold mysteries and horror, mixed with breathtaking landscapes that feel eerily alive.
The Last of Us 2 is available now on PS4.