The Last of Us Part II has taken the top honor, Game of the Year, at The Game Awards 2020, giving Naughty Dog’s hit game wins in seven categories at tonight’s awards show. This year’s Game Awards ceremony was held remotely, with presenters and honorees ing the live stream from separate locations as social distancing rules remain in effect for the ongoing pandemic.
The Last of Us Part II was one of the most anticipated game releases of the PlayStation 4’s lifetime, following on the critical acclaim of 2013’s The Last of Us. Upon its release, the game was nearly universally praised for its gripping story. The most common problems people found with the game were over issues with its plot, but even those who didn’t enjoy it overall had few complaints about its technical mastery.
Now, The Last of Us Part II has become the biggest winner of The Game Awards 2020, taking home seven awards in total. All in all, The Last of Us Part II won Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Audio Design, Best Performance (for Laura Bailey’s role as Abby), Best Action/Adventure Game, Innovation In Accessibility, and Game of the Year. The Last of Us Part II pulled off wins in some hotly contested categories, and its successes were celebrated in often emotional acceptance speeches from of the game’s development team. Following the news of its many victories, PlayStation and Naughty Dog celebrated on Twitter, as did the game’s many fans.
While critical reception of The Last of Us Part II was overwhelmingly positive, the news of some of its Game Awards wins was met with a somewhat colder response. There were of course those upset at the game taking a victory over their own choices - Hades was a fan favorite for Best Narrative, for instance - but some had bigger criticisms. The win for Best Game Direction was especially contentious, as Game Awards viewers on Twitter questioned whether the leadership of a studio known for excessive crunch was deserving of such recognition.
Despite the objections of some in the audience, it’s clear that The Last of Us Part II left a major impression on The Game Awards voters and players alike. Along with moving players with its lead performances and pushing boundaries in audio design, The Last of Us Part II shining a spotlight on accessibility in gaming is something that should be easy to agree is a necessary step forward.
The Last of Us Part II is available on PlayStation 4.
Source: PlayStation, Naughty Dog
