Sony has premiered its newest, 23-minute State of Play presentation, detailing new information about The Last of Us Part II. Naughty Dog vice president and game director Neil Druckmann hosted the event.
Just as with PlayStation’s breakdown of the Ghost of Tsushima gameplay from earlier this month, today’s showcase offered a host of new details that players will get to enjoy in The Last of Us Part II. In the sequel, Ellie’s journey will see her on a quest for revenge that “spans multiple seasons and climates” as she travels through new, unexplored locations, such as the Pacific Northwest and snowy areas of Jackson, Wyoming. The game boasts some of the largest environments Naughty Dog has ever created, and players will sometimes use a boat to navigate flooded environments.
Two rival factions play part of the role in roadblocking Ellie’s journey as she reaches Seattle: a militia called the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) and religious zealots known as the Seraphites or “Scars.” Each faction has unique combat techniques that should keep players on their toes, with one example being the WLF’s tracking dogs that can follow Ellie’s scent.
There are of course vast and varied types of infected as well. Enemies such as Clickers and Runners are back and just as spine-chilling. However, Druckmann shared that The Last of Us Part II brings on new stages of infected, such as the pus-filled, explosive Shamblers. There is at least one other stage that has yet to be revealed, with Druckmann saying the “most terrifying and lethal” infected won’t be seen until players get their hands on the game.
Naughty Dog wanted The Last of Us Part II to feel grounded and authentic, so with Ellie’s more spry traversal mechanics comes more dynamic — and challenging — gameplay. Players are now able to quickly squeeze between tight spaces and use rope to explore. These traversal mechanics translate over to combat, too, with the aim being for players to feel as though they can shift from loud, open combat back into stealth with enough quick, thoughtful movement.
Naughty Dog is aiming for players to feel right at home in The Last of Us Part II regardless of play style preference. So, if pitting enemy factions against infected to dwindle opposing numbers is your thing, or if you’d like to focus on crafting mines, gun suppressors, and other tools, the game should have you covered either way.
Druckmann capped off The Last of Us Part II State of Play with an uninterrupted gameplay demo showing many of the above features in action, so make sure to skip to 14:25 in the presentation to see Ellie kill off the last known PlayStation Vita fan.
New reports have surfaced claiming that another State of Play is tentatively set for August, with a PlayStation 5-centric event supposedly scheduled for June 3.
The Last of Us Part II launches for PlayStation 4 on June 19. For more on Sony and Naughty Dog’s critically acclaimed series, check out Marty Sliva’s thoughts on one of the original game’s most powerful moments.
