THE LAST OF US PART I I
Naughty Dog’s other big series still has us gripped Format PS4 ETA TBC Pub Sony Dev Naughty Dog
We saw Neil Druckmann, The Last Of Us II’s excitable writer and director, and creative director at Naughty Dog, at E3. He was there, milling around with fans and playing games on the show floor, but he wasn’t talking about his and Naughty Dog’s blockbuster-sequel, which is sad.
He did clarify why the game wasn’t at E3. Taking to Twitter Druckmann wrote: “Believe me, we’re super excited to show you more of Ellie and Joel’s second journey, but right now it’s Chloe and Nadine’s time to shine.”
It was a good call. After all, Naughty Dog is weeks away from launching Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and being a new standalone format, it’s something of a risk for the developer.
So let’s recap on what we do know: The sequel will see both Ellie and Joel returning in an adventure set five years after the first game. We’ll play as Ellie, who’s now 19 years old and coming to terms with the events of the first game. Joel is now in his mid-50s. This time rather than being themed around friendship and family, it will focus on ‘hate’, particularly when it comes to Ellie. Does this mean The Last Of Us Part II will be even darker than the original?
It does mean Ellie will play differently than before. Naughty Dog has confirmed this, and the quote in the reveal trailer – “I’m gonna find and I’m gonna kill every last one of them” – suggests our girl is now gangster.
Interestingly, writer Halley Gross has joined the team. Gross shot to fame as a writer on HBO’s Westworld, so we’re intrigued where she’ll take the series. “Intense,” is all she’ll say.