Recently there’s been a lot of attention on The Last Of Us Part 2, but not for the usual reasons. Yes, it’s a fantastic game, but it’s also one of the most-completed games out there at the moment. How do we know this? Well the trophy you get for completing the story has a 58 percent rarity, making it common, and showing that over half of all players have finished at least one playthrough. UnGeek did a great breakdown, showing the completion rates of other games based on trophies, and The Last Of Us Part 2 has them all beaten.
Why?
I’ve been thinking about why The Last Of Us Part 2’s completion rate is so high. It’s not that hard to know why once you’ve finished it, but for those who haven’t, it’s difficult to understand the motivation to keep pushing. For me, the story was the reason to finish. I loved the first game, and was determined to finish the second as fast as possible to avoid spoilers. I did, and I wasn’t disappointed, as you can read in my review.
I had the drive from the first game that was pushing me forwards at all times. I also really enjoyed the gameplay. Moment-to-moment, the game plays extremely well, pushing you to and beyond your limits as a player, helping you learn how to play well without forcing you to try the same thing over and over again. It’s also a narrative masterpiece, and there’s absolutely no faulting that story.
I think what pushes most people to finish the game is that story. It’s so visceral and emotional, but the gameplay definitely makes up for the weaker moments that might see some players getting a bit bored. The final payoff is also one of the most controversial in gaming history. Most people like it, but others seem to hate it, and it’s those competing viewpoints that I see driving most players to make it until the end. Even if you’ve had enough by the half way point, you’ll keep playing for that payoff.
The proof is there plain to see. More people finished the game than didn’t, and that says a lot about how good it is. What do you think?