With each release, Naughty Dog and Neil Druckmann have consistently proven why they are some of the most talented minds in the business. Releasing last summer to all but universal critical acclaim, The Last of Us Part II is all of the things the studio has learned and implemented over the years placed into one game, and the result is a game that not only is a technical and graphical showcase but also sets an unprecedented new accessibility standard.
The features, designs, and gameplay elements that make Naughty Dog’s magnum opus as accessible as it is are almost too many to name. The sequel features a bigger suite of accessibility options then any Naughty Dog title before it, including Uncharted 4. Customizable controls, rapid button presses that can be changed to holds, and snap-targeting are only a few of the available options. Simply put, if the player can think of something to tweak, chances are it can be tweaked.
The story is a powerful and heart-wrenching one and may make players uncomfortable, but there’s not a single doubt in my mind that Naughty Dog has created the most accessible title I’ve ever played, even going as far as to include a high-contrast mode and a screen narrator for blind gamers, the latter of which I had never seen before. As previously stated, the accessibility suite is too large to list here, but it is a monumental achievement. Naughty Dog’s latest title encapsulates everything an accessible game should be.