This will be my first video game reference for this blog since the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Unfortunately, the newest games on the market aren’t very accessible friendly. Luckily for PS4 owners, The Last of Us Part II has gone above and beyond for accessibility. In the post below I will go into detail about the various revolutionary accessibility features found in the game.
Settings
If you have played the first game then you will be pleasantly surprised with the newest adaptions in the sequel. These new features make the game accessible for all abilities. Some of the important settings added were text-to-speech, auto pickup to reduce repetitive motion, and much more.
Visual Aids
Under the visual aids menu, you can make the game colorblind-friendly and customize the HUD to your liking. Some of the settings include change color, adjust the scale, and turn off flashing. Consequently, these are welcoming additions that most people will appreciate with games becoming more sophisticated and sometimes harder to read.
Motion Sickness
Under this section, you can turn off motion sickness triggers like motion blur and camera shake. Also, users can adjust camera distance and field of view, and turn on the persistent center dot feature. Both are important settings in adjusting a user’s peripheral view. This will make the experience much more enjoyable and safer for people with a sensory disability.
Text-to-Speech & Audio Cues
Text-To-Speech Settings.
Of the most consequential settings, text-to-speech settings is a much-needed addition for individuals with hearing and visual disabilities. Additionally, users can turn on audio cues, vibration cues, and adjust the audio volume. With this game being fairly chaotic at times, these adaptations are a significant boost.
Subtitles
Subtitle Settings.
Subtitle settings is another essential addition that will make the game more enjoyable for all. With newer games, the majority of texts are so tiny that you will end needing a magnifier in order to read. It’s always nice to have larger and bolder text sizes. Fortunately, in this game subtitles are highly customizable with the ability to change the size, color, and background. Also, you can turn on a direction indicator and name for all characters and enemies whether on-screen or off-screen.
Combat Accessibility
Adjustable Combat Settings.
These settings help make combat less frustrating for all users and reduce repetitive motions. Often repetitive and jerky presses become tedious and sometimes a detriment for some. Some of the options include allies don’t get grabbed, reduced enemy accuracy, and slow motion. All help reduce the likelihood of a game over screen and give you extra time for combat sequences. Luckily, the game has a generous autosave feature that will save even during stressful enemy encounters. Also, you can manually save throughout the game as well.
Additionally, other features that will help with accessibility appear in the custom difficulty settings. A few of these options include auto-pickup, auto-target aiming, ledge guard, and option to hold the button down instead of repeated button presses. There is an enormous list of adjustments that will require playing around and modifying as you go. Nevertheless, you can always change these settings throughout the game if needed.
Concluding Remarks
Consequentially, with the addition of accessible adaptions in The Last of Us Part II, it surely succeded my huge expectations. The revolutionary settings were truly a godsend for me and other disabled gamers. With the story being fairly entertaining, while also being very dark this game was a great experience. It is certainly a great contender for game of the year in my eyes.
Price: $59.99
Rating: Mature
Total gameplay will take most users 25-30 hours.
Buy on Amazon or through the Playstation Store.
