“Go. Just take him.”: PTSD and the Player-Character Relationship in The Last of Us Part II

Abstract

The Last of Us Part II is an unrelenting examination of the effects of trauma and violent cycles of revenge. The game's complex narrative structure, its use of the player-character (PC) relationship, and the PC-switch near the game's midpoint have prompted strong reactions (both negative and positive) from players. These elements come together to confront players with their own understandings of trauma, revenge, empathy, and acceptance in powerful and effective ways, ultimately forcing players to choose between a flexible, adaptable, and complex interpretation of their relationship to the characters of The Last of Us Part II, or a rigid, inflexible one that does not allow for growth or change.