I wouldn’t call it “Walking Dead” style. If anything, it wears its Cormac McCarthy influences on its sleeve. The story is intentionally dreary, miserable, uncomfortable, and emotionally draining. Kotaku’s review of the game was pretty on the money for a lot of people, it’s entirely possible to be so put off by the tone and story of the game because it’s so miserable.

The thing is that you play as Ellie and then as Abby to get both perspectives on the story. The entire message of the game is that revenge and unending conflict a downward spiral of self-destruction. Joel gets done dirty… but so does everyone. That’s the whole point of the game.