The release date for The Last Of Us Part 2 is fast approaching and, ahead of the game's launch, Sony held a State of Play livestream dedicated to Naughty Dog's eagerly-anticipated sequel. With co-director Neil Druckmann narrating as a guide, the stream offered a deep-dive into gameplay mechanics. Here's what we learned--including the fact that there's a fun PlayStation Vita/Hotline Miami Easter egg awaiting players.

　　

The Last Of Us 2's Setting

The presentation included how the game begins, several years after the events of The Last of Us, after Joel and Ellie have settled into relative peace in Jackson, Wyoming. But that peace is interrupted when Jackson suffers a "traumatizing" event, setting the game in motion. That event remains a secret and was not spoiled during the presentation, but we do see the new and short-fused version of Ellie from the game on full display. She is willing to shoot first and ask questions later in almost any scenario.

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　　Now Playing: The Last Of Us Part 2 Exploration & Combat: Everything You Need To Know In Under 4 Minutes

　　Most of the game takes place in and around Seattle, Washington, which is a quarantined zone being torn apart by warring factions: the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) and the religious zealots Seraphites (Scars).

　　

New Infected Enemies

It also showed new infected enemies, including Shamblers--large pus-filled enemies that explode on contact--and the stealthy Stalkers. The demo also showed encounters with human enemies, who are more intelligent than the infected. We got a more detailed look at hand-to-hand combat, including the ability to parry enemies or use them as human shields. Dogs will be particularly deadly, but you can make use of an enhanced Listen mode to show your own scent trail and plan a stealthy approach.

　　

Extended Gameplay Demo

The presentation ended with an extended gameplay sequence, which Druckmann boasted was never-before-seen. It showed Ellie swimming through a swamp-like environment, and diving under to access the interior of a building. She questioned one of the people there about finding Nora, and then had to kill her when she attacked. The sequence went on to show Ellie fighting her way through an encampment, taking out dogs and guards with fire, explosives, and knives. After crawling through some ducts she finds Nora, and asks, "Remember me?"

　　After some delays, The Last of Us Part II is set to launch on June 19. Naughty Dog has been pulling back the curtain on the game recently with videos on its approach to storytelling and new gameplay mechanics. Expectations are high, given the first game is one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time. We won't have to wait much longer to see how the sequel stacks up to the original. You can check out our The Last of Us Part II pre-order guide for details on all of the editions and bonuses. The game is going to be playable on PS5, which could mean a "definitive edition" isn't necessary like it was for the original game on PS4 given the system's lack of backward compatibility.

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　　The Last of Us 2 News

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