#3. THE LAST OF US PART 2
The original Last of Us was Naughty Dog’s best playing game when it launched at the tail end of the PS3 generation, taking all of their learnings accrued with the Uncharted trilogy, and blending it deftly into a potent mix that was as compelling to play as it was to engage with on a narrative level. The Last of Us Part 2 continues that legacy, delivering a taut, tightly designed third person shooter that will have your knuckles straining from the tension as you grip on to your controller. The game shines because of its incredible encounter design, which allows players an incredible amount of agency and options in terms of how they choose to approach them. The shooting mechanics proper feel sublime too, especially once you have actually upgraded your weapons. Things like recoil and weapon sway are emphasized to make gunplay feel much more realistic, and the tension they inject into proceedings cannot be overstated.
