Originally Posted by
Revolutionary_Jack
Ultimately, this isn't really an election. More people liking a game does not mean critics are voted out, nor would it be the case if it was the other way around (i.e. some people liking a game or a product that's universally disliked). A lot of people do like this game but a lot dislike it too. Some people hate this game for bigoted reasons. Fundamentally, it's too early in the day to really decide what the reputation of this game will be. It's not going to take a week or two weeks or a month to tell how people will feel about this game. My feeling is that when the passion cools on all sides, people will see the game as generally inferior to the first one, and a conceptually interesting but poorly executed final product but filled with moments that are special.
Take Bioshock Infinite, highly anticipated sequel to a gamechanging first game, released in 2013, same year as The Last of Us, also has Troy Baker as lead VO in a Dad role to a companion AI. At the time, many people praised that game as the greatest game of all time and it got reviews like you can't believe. It hardly comes up often these days, and if it's remembered it's as an above average but overhyped and inferior follow-up to the first game filled with problematic subtext, weak ideas, and incoherent mixes between story and gameplay. So that might be what awaits The Last of Us Part II.