In spite of the unfortunate delay as well as a massive leak, players are still eager to get their hands on The Last of Us Part 2 when it comes out. Spoilers aside, there’s plenty of exciting changes coming to the series as players fit themselves in Ellie’s shoes this time. Playing The Last of Us 2 is going to be vastly different than the first game in a lot of ways. Here’s everything fans need to steel themselves for in the epic sequel. Note: There will be no spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 ahead.
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Movement and Exploration
This time, players will be taking on the role of Ellie throughout the majority of The Last of Us Part 2’s story. While players got a glimpse of this in the Left Behind DLC in the first game, now the sequel will play out through Ellie’s perspective as she enacts revenge against those who threaten her way of life. She’s grown quite a bit since the first game, and at 19 years old, she’s become a fully capable adult. Not only that, Ellie is capable of far more maneuverability compared to Joel, who according to the timeline in The Last of Us Part 2 is now in his early fifties.
Gameplay in The Last of Us Part 2 will certainly feel familiar to veterans of the first game, but not everything will be the same. Environments throughout Jackson and the Pacific Northwest will be much more open-ended, sandbox regions compared to some of the more condensed areas in The Last of Us. Much of the gameplay seen thus far prominently features a dilapidated version of Seattle, where players will often find themselves exploring throughout the adventure. There’s a clear focus on verticality and climbing, as players can traverse corroding highways and eroding skyscrapers as they move throughout the city.
Ellie will be able to jump to clear gaps and climb up most structures, as well as utilize equipment like ropes and ladders to elevate themselves. Also, at some point, it looks like Ellie finally learned how to properly swim. Given the sheer size and variety of environments, Ellie will mostly travel into the city on horseback, or use small boats in the flooded districts of Seattle. Where The Last of Us had some minimal linear exploration throughout each section, it seems The Last of Us Part 2 will be further emphasizing the player’s ability to explore environments as they please.
Warring Factions and the Infected
Of course, with exploring an entire city, there will be plenty of risk involved as well. Seattle in The Last of Us Part 2 has become a dangerous place, filled with unpredictable threats that Ellie needs to traverse or circumvent. There are two known factions that have taken a hold of the old metro area and are constantly battling each other for supremacy. The Washington Liberation Front, a highly organized militia group with military-grade equipment, took Seattle with force upon the collapse of the US military. The Seraphites, a tribe-like religious cult that may have a strange connection to the Fireflies, seeks to advance their mysterious agenda forward into Seattle. Ellie will often come into contact with one or both of these warring factions when carrying out her missions into the city.
Humans aside, there’s still the ever-present threat of the infected in Seattle as well. Despite the many years since the outbreak, the infected are still dangerous and plentiful in The Last of Us Part 2. Enemies like the Runners and Clickers are still present in this world, blindly feeding off the rest of nature whenever they can. The infection also seems to be evolving and changing in numerous ways, thus creating new enemy types for Ellie to encounter throughout the game. New enemies like the hidden Stalkers and or the explosive Shamblers will challenge Ellie in the depths of infected zones in new ways. Players will need to take extra care in the darkened hallways and basements of areas, with new threats hiding around every corner. Humans or infected, there’s plenty of danger for players to encounter in The Last of Us Part 2.
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Which Edition of the Game to Get
The Last of Us Part 2 will be headed to PS4 on June 19, just two weeks away from today. Naturally, most fans will want to know which edition of the game they should snag. There are a whopping five different editions to choose from for The Last of Us Part 2: Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, Special Edition, Collector’s Edition, and the “Ellie” Edition. While the titles may be a bit vexing or confusing, basically there’s three tiers of game here.
Standard Edition ($60) is exactly as it sounds; it includes the full game with a few in-game pre-order rewards like ammo capacity upgrades and a crafting manual, which applies to all editions. Then there’s the Digital Deluxe Edition and physical Special Edition ($70, $80), which comes with a The Last of Us Part 2 dynamic PS4 theme, six PSN avatars, digital official soundtrack, and a digital mini art book from Dark Horse. Only the physical Special edition comes with a special steelbook case and a physical version of the Dark Horse mini art book. Then there’s the Collector’s and Ellie Edition, which are the top-of-the-line editions of the game that feature all the previous rewards and more.
The Collector’s Edition ($170) includes: a lithograph art print with thank you letter, replica bracelet of Dina’s charm that Ellie wears in the game, six enamel pins and five stickers, and a 12" statue of Ellie. As for the Ellie Edition ($230), there’s quite a few additional features as well; a 7" vinyl selection of the original soundtrack, a full-size replica of Ellie’s backpack in-game, a The Last of Us Part 2 patch, all packaged in exclusive box featuring the art from Ellie’s tattoo.
Even after all of the leaks of the game, anticipation of The Last of Us 2 is still incredibly high. With plenty of options for the hardcore fans and players of all kinds to get the game, The Last of Us Part 2 will finally be in the hands of fans soon. Happy hunting.
The Last of Us Part 2 launches June 19 on PS4.
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