*****Minor spoilers for game setting and romance***** The Last of Us 2: A review from a lesbian who lives in Seattle. I have seen a lot of mixed reviews for The Last of Us 2, from those who love it and think it has no faults, to how it doesn’t even compare to the original game and Naughty Dog screwed up their favorite game. This is my thoughts on the game as someone who identifies as a lesbian and adores Seattle: the setting of the game. This game felt like it was written for me. There’s no better way to explain my feeling for this game. I’ve spent my whole life 30 mins from Seattle, which means I go there all the time, especially for conventions; which hold some of the best memories of my life. Walking around Seattle in this game with not only replicated landmarks, but realistic street names, bus signs, and neighborhoods, was absolutely amazing. Those octopus signs in the aquarium saying excuse our mess? Those are the actual signs in the Seattle aquarium. Those tiny, tiny details gave me goosebumps and made me shout at my girlfriend every time I saw them (who grew up in Denver and was highly amused when I excitedly screeched at her for details she didn't recognize herself.) This year all conventions were cancelled due to Covid-19 and when I got to visit the convention center in the game I actually cried. Because even though I’m missing my favorite events of the year I got to visit the convention center virtually inside a game. It may sound strange, especially when you only saw the front of the center in game, but the comic con banners just made me well up with emotion. Cons are where I feel most like myself after all. The relationship between Ellie and Dina felt so real. Too often queer relationships feel forced for equality sake, or suspect to horrible tropes or made to be too happy and perfect so studios can say look at our happy gay representation! (This is entirely opinion based from my experience, and I admit I have bitterness in this area.) Ellie and Dina are unapologetically the star romance, rife with tension and conflict. It felt like it was written exactly how a straight main romance in this setting would have been written while also being very clear that it’s a queer relationship with the issues that entails. I haven’t got that feeling from anything in popular media, only queer-made largely unkown media. Exploring Capital Hill with Dina is my favorite part of the entire game. From the accurate rainbow sidewalks to the queer bookstore to the conversations they have. Dina being amazed that queer books existed took me back to being a teenager when I was feeling the exact surprise and elation as she did. Finding queer books actually changed my life and that you find out she swipes a book later meant so much to me. To the critics, yes the story was not even in the same ballpark as the first game. It was not as good in a classical story telling sense. And it lacked the raw emotional connection we felt to our main characters the last game had. I agree with all of that. But this game personally meant so much more to me. Any rating I give it will be colored by my intense emotionally connection to the setting and the romance of the game so I won’t give it a number rating; just that this game effected me on a level no other game before it has. Thank you Naughty Dog for making this game, not for the masses but for someone like me.