The Last of Us season 2 first reactions call the second installment "uniquely brutal" and "emotionally devastating"

The first reactions to The Last of Us season 2 have arrived - and they're largely positive.

The long-awaited second season, which adapts The Last of Us Part 2 video game, jumps forward five years to a hard-headed, rebellious Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and a hardened, defeated Joel (Pedro Pascal). The season is shorter than its predecessor, with showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann planning to stretch the second game over not one, not two, but three seasons. Many critics seemed fine with this storytelling decision, with others feeling as though it fails to deliver. Despite this, the new season still sits at a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes - with many praising the show as one of the best video game adaptations of all time.

"By altering certain aspects of the game, TLOU is able to nevertheless honor its source material while charting a uniquely brutal, heartbreaking, and poignant path, cementing its status as the most effective video-game adaptation, warts and all," The AV Club praised.

"A show like this lives or dies by its ensemble," Slash Film wrote. "And every facet of production seems geared towards giving them the time and space to shine."

"What a beautifully written season of TV. It delivers an emotionally devastating story of trauma and revenge with astounding elegance," Eammon Jacobs of Business Insider tweeted. "That’s without mentioning Bella Ramsey’s powerfully raw performance and pulse-pounding action."

Other critics pointed out that the season ends on a less-than-satisfying cliffhanger, with The Hollywood Reporter writing: "Its lasting impression is one of anticlimax, as it becomes apparent that the answer to most of the questions it raises is: 'You’ll see next season.'"

"All I can say is that when the final episode’s credits rolled, it felt less like the end of a season of television and more like a season of television getting cut in half," Nerdist said.

Our own review echoes a similar sentiment: "Season 2 seems much more interested in tying up the loose ends of Joel and Ellie’s story, with Abby acting as more of a vehicle to move the plot rather than as a new and important main character. It doesn’t help that there are only seven episodes in season 2, and that the ending feels short and abrupt – and ends on a cliffhanger that doesn’t really feel earned."

The Last of Us season 2 is out on April 13 and available on HBO and Max in the US, and Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK. For more check out our guides to the best Max movies and the best Max TV shows to stream right now.