Joel and Ellie made it out alive, but did they escape danger?
The original launch of The Last of Us was a refreshing departure for Naughty Dog. As much as we love Nathan Drake, seeing Uncharted’s level of polish, deep storytelling, and rich character development in an entirely different world is richly satisfying.
So naturally, we’re expecting big things out of The Last of Us sequel. The Last of Us II is on its way for the PlayStation 4, and if you haven’t kept up until now, then we’re here to get you up to speed.
- What’s new with The Last of Us Part II?
- What’s the story so far?
- What’s happening in Part II?
- Gameplay details
- Are there special editions available?
- When can you play it?
Ellie is back
Last of Us Part II
$60 at Best Buy
The Last of Us returns
The Last of Us Part II is the continuation of the 2013 hit. This time the story follows the path of hate, vengeance, retribution, and how they change a person.
What’s new with The Last of Us Part II?
Interested in knowing the latest about Ellie and Joel’s newest adventures? We’re adding all the new details we learn about The Last of Us Part II.
Sept. 24, 2019: The time is nigh
It’s finally time for some in-depth details about The Last of Us Part II. We got a better trailer and a release date on Sept. 24 during Sony’s State of Play address. We also got some more details about the plot of the game and things are going down a much darker path this time around.
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Sony also announced multiple special editions for the game, which you can check out below.
Revealed at E3 2018
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Sony released a new gameplay trailer for The Last of Us Part II at E3 2018. Ellie is shown kicking some serious butt as three foes corner her inside an abandoned storefront. We saw a great deal of stealth gameplay, as well as a glimpse at the crafting system and one of Ellie’s weapons of choice, the bow and arrow. Perhaps most impressive is she did all this without Joel, who we know will be making an appearance in the game but is no longer the main protagonist.
Oh, and Ellie is also lesbian, the trailer revealed. She can be seen kissing her girlfriend in a scene where the two are trying to get through a drab looking party. This detail was reportedly confirmed in a previous interview with the game’s writer, Neil Druckmann:
“Now when I was writing it I was writing it with the idea that Ellie is gay, and when the actresses were working they were definitely working with the idea that they’re both attracted to each other. That was the subtext and intention that they were playing with from the opening cinematic when they’re holding each other’s hands for too long, or when Riley bites her on the neck; there’s that chemistry there from the get go that was important for us so that we earned that moment when they kissed each other. So that it wasn’t just out of the blue but also wasn’t so overt that you’re like “Oh of course. Just get on with it.”
While this detail isn’t likely to be consequential to the story at large, it’s always nice to see displays of inclusion in a big blockbuster title. The Last of Us Part II has no release date as of this writing.
What’s the story so far? Spoilers for part one ahead
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As the name implies, this is a sequel to Naughty Dog’s 2013 PlayStation 3 exclusive. That game was eventually remastered for the PlayStation 4. The Last of Us is an adventure game that features stealth and shooting mechanics at the core of its gameplay.
There’s also a survival horror element to it, with much of the player’s path being blocked by ghastly looking things called Clickers. These beings are actually humans who have been infected with a deadly strain of the cordyceps viral strain, a virus that makes them cannibalistic and mutates their bodies.
Players control Joel (voiced by Troy Baker), whose life was turned upside down when military soldiers came and shot his daughter at the onset of the outbreak. Joel had to live decades with the pain until a girl named Ellie (Ashley Johnson) was thrust into his life by a survival group known as the Fireflies. They tasked Joel with helping to smuggle Ellie from within a quarantined zone to their hideout.
Reason being? Ellie is infected, but instead of turning in three days like most of the other folks, she has been symptom-free for three weeks. They believe the cure to the virus lies within her, and they want to perform lethal surgery on her to find it. Joel is unwilling to let Ellie die, however, as he has grown attached to her – perhaps because she helps fill the void left in his heart by his daughter’s death.
Long story short, they eventually escape, and that’s where The Last Of Us II will pick up. In actuality, about five years have passed between the events of the original game and the sequel.
2013’s Game of the Year
The Last of Us Remastered
$20 at Amazon $24.18 at Walmart
The story of heartbreak, hard decisions, and survival
In a moment’s notice, everything you have ever known could come crumbling down, just like it did for Joel in The Last of Us as Zombies (known as “The Infected”) took over the world. After a time skip, you find yourself in a town run by a dictatorship when a job presents itself. Can you smuggle Ellie out of the town, through the post-apocalyptic world, and to the Fireflies? Test your skills with this first-person shooter— and be prepared for hard decisions.
What’s happening in Part II?
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Not much is known about the events that will unfold in The Last of Us Part II at this time, though we do know that Ellie and Joel are returning, with players controlling the former this time around. It’s also said to have an overarching theme of hate in stark contrast to the first game’s emphasis on love. Hint: Ellie is grown-up (19 years old), and she’s the one who’s pissed off now.
We also know it’ll be a much darker game in tone, and that it’ll double down on the whole cannibalism angle. The two trailers we’ve gotten about the game so far have been unrevealing in regards to the story, but considering there are still hordes of infected threatening the unnamed characters we can at least assume that a cure was never found.
Joining Joel and Ellie are a bundle of new characters, too. Victoria Grace is playing Yara, Ian Alexander will play Lev, and there will be a guest appearance from Emily Swallow as Emily. Laura Bailey is also confirmed to have a significant role in the story with a yet-to-be-named character. And at least part of the game is taking place in Seattle, Naughty Dog confirmed.
With the addition of a new video at Sony’s State of Play in September we got a better look at why Ellie is so pissed. When someone dear to her is taken away she sets down a path of revenge and leaves behind the place she’s called home for years. She doesn’t care what it takes to get the job done.
Gameplay details
Naughty Dog hasn’t yet revealed much about The Last of Us Part II’s gameplay. We can at least expect similarities to the first title, which featured a third-person shooter base with stealth and survival elements. Players can shoot, of course, but there’s also a crafting system for making tools, weapons, and consumables that you’ll need throughout the game.
You can also expect cooperative mechanics that’ll require the teamwork of both Ellie and the unnamed NPC companion that’ll tag along with you in some missions, puzzles that’ll need to be solved before you can move through an area, and more. It’s also confirmed that a multiplayer component will be returning for the sequel.
Are there special editions available?
Four special editions will be available for sale and preorder. They all come with some pretty excellent swag, along with the game itself.
Just a couple extras
The Last of Us Part II Special Edition
$80 at Best Buy
Ellie is out for vengeance
The Special Edition only costs $20 more than the standard edition and comes with some digital extras, including a PS4 theme and six PSN avatars. If you pre-order, you get an ammo capacity upgrade and a crafting training manual. As for physical extras, you get a Steelbook copy of the game and a mini art book.
For the collector
The Last of Us Part II Collector’s Edition
$170 at Best Buy
When you want even more extras
Snag the Collector’s Edition and you get everything from the Special Edition, but also a 12-inch Ellie statue, a replica of Ellie’s bracelet, an enamel pin set, a lithograph art print, and stickers. You also get a copy of the digital soundtrack and a digital copy of the artbook.
All the swag you can get
The Last of Us Part II Ellie Edition
$250 at Best Buy
Out for blood
The Ellie Edition is the best possible version of The Last of Us Part II available. It comes with everything in the Collector’s Edition plus Ellie’s backpack, a logo patch, a vinyl record of the soundtrack, and plenty of digital goodies to enjoy.
Digital Extras
The Last of Us Part II Digital Deluxe Edition
$70 at PlayStation
All the digital swag you need
The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with some great exclusive bonuses. You get everything from the Special Edition along with a Digital Soundtrack and Digital Mini Art Book from Dark Horse.
When can you play it?
The Last of Us Part II will release on May 29, 2020.
We’ll be updating this page with new details about The Last of Us Part II as they come in. Be sure to check back often for the latest!
Ellie is back
Last of Us Part II
$60 at Best Buy
The Last of Us returns
The Last of Us Part II is the continuation of the 2013 hit. This time the story follows the path of hate, vengeance, retribution, and how they change a person.
Updated Jan 2020: We’ve updated this post to include the release date, and links to preorder the Digital Deluxe version of the game from PlayStation.
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