[63], Naughty Dog announced the special edition versions in September 2019. [19][20] Naughty Dog began development in 2014, soon after the release of The Last of Us Remastered. Encounter new survivor groups, unfamiliar and treacherous environments, and terrifying evolutions of the infected. The Last of Us Part II. [3][13] Rob Zacny of Vice wrote that, despite the amount of narrative moments in the game, "it doesn't have much to say". Druckmann also addressed accusations that the trailers had been deceptive, stating that Naughty Dog's intention was to preserve the experience of the game. [86] Writing for Paste, Waverly praised the choice to have Lev played by a transgender actor, but felt there was too much emphasis on his gender identity and the suffering he experienced for it. [27] For the final months of development, the team was forced to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend creating a Deal Alert to stay up to date.. Als Nachfolger zu The Last of Us geplant, wurde es auf der Playstation Experience im Jahr 2016 angekündigt. [37] The change of player character from Ellie to Abby was inspired by the change from Joel to Ellie in the first game, though emphasized in Part II due to its focus on empathy. [51] In late April, several videos leaked online, showing cutscenes, gameplay, and significant plot details. The Last of Us Part II is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. [48] During Sony's State of Play presentation on September 24, 2019, Naughty Dog revealed that the game would be released on February 21, 2020. [1] Polygon's Myers and Vice's Zacny criticized the characters' inability to learn from their mistakes. Jonathon Dornbush of IGN called it "a masterpiece worthy of its predecessor" and wrote that "it delivers a layered, emotionally shattering story on top of stealth and action gameplay that improves the first game's mechanics [... and] still makes time for a stunning, nuanced exploration of the strength and fragility of the human spirit". After the events of the first game, Joel Miller (Troy Baker) confesses to his brother Tommy (Jeffrey Pierce) his responsibility in preventing the Fireflies attempting to find a cure for the Cordyceps fungus pandemic by saving Ellie (Ashley Johnson). [14] Zacny of Vice found Seattle too similar to Boston and Pittsburgh from the first game,[78] and Christopher Byrd of The Washington Post wondered if the detail was worth the "human cost" of Naughty Dog's crunch culture. Druckmann tweeted that he was "heartbroken" for fans and for the team, who had devoted years to development. [14] IGN's Dornbush similarly felt that the combat gameplay and puzzle elements had been improved, praising the intelligence and variation of enemies. [84] Eurogamer's Welsh praised the score for its combination of banjo and electronics. [74] Carter of Destructoid felt that the seamless animation of minor facial expressions humanized the characters to a new level. Abby betrays the WLF to save Lev, and Yara sacrifices herself to allow Abby and Lev to escape. [1] VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi found the combat more diverse than its predecessor's. Ellie returns to the farmhouse and finds it empty. A flashback reveals that, years earlier, Ellie traveled to the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City and learned the truth. [80] Polygon's Myers found the combat an unsubtle messenger for its statement on violence;[3] Kotaku's MacLeod wrote that the "pace of the combat sometimes felt like punishment". "The Last of Us Part II" is set in the United States after a global pandemic turns most people into mindless zombies. A broad variety of weapons, crafting items, skills, and upgrades allows you to personalize Ellie’s capabilities to your play style. Abby shoots Tommy, impairing him, and brawls with Ellie and Dina, overpowering them. [7][72] Sammy Barker of Push Square particularly praised the use of flashback and overlapping stories;[75] The Guardian's Keza MacDonald concurred, describing the narrative as "emotionally effective". [59] A story trailer was released on May 6,[60] followed by an animated commercial on June 3,[61] and the final pre-launch trailer on June 10. On Twitter, Druckmann expressed disapproval at journalist Jason Schreier after he mocked a comparison of The Last of Us Part II to the 1993 film Schindler's List. [88], The game was the subject of review bombing on Metacritic, resulting in a user review score of 3.4/10 at its nadir. The Last of Us Part II Summary : Strive to survive in this sequel to the hit action-adventure blockbuster release from Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment. [73] Avard of GamesRadar described the enemy AI as "the most advanced" of any game. The Last of Us Part II takes place five years after the original, about 25 years after the outbreak of the Cordyceps Brain Infection began, and will feature the return of a 19-year-old Ellie, whom players will assume control of, as well as Joel in his mid-fifties. [28], Druckmann wrote the story with Halley Gross. [95][96] Laura Bailey, who played Abby, became the target of online death threats in response to the character;[97] Naughty Dog released a statement condemning the threats, and Bailey was supported by James Gunn, Ashley Johnson, and Craig Mazin, among others. Host Christian Spicer talks to Writer and Creative Director Neil Druckmann, stars Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, and other talents and visionaries who brought the games to life. The Last of Us Part II Summary : Strive to survive in this sequel to the hit action-adventure blockbuster release from Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment. [44] To achieve the sound of the Shamblers, the team hired voice actors Raul Ceballos and Steve Blum, and used items such as grapefruits to create the explosion sounds. [13] McNamara of Game Informer found the occasional absence of supporting characters alarming, having grown close to them. [75] The Guardian's MacDonald described the graphics as "meticulous and astounding". [73] The Verge's Webster admired the game's action but noted some "awkward moments when [it] attempts to cover its video game-ness". [65] From May 13 to June 3, Naughty Dog released a series of videos about the development. While on patrol, Joel and Tommy rescue a stranger, Abby Anderson (Laura Bailey), from an Infected horde. [10] Collected items can be used to upgrade weapons at workbenches[11] or craft equipment such as health kits, Molotov cocktails, and makeshift silencers. [29] Improved artificial intelligence (AI) allowed for deeper connections with characters and the creation of bonds through gameplay. [100] Druckmann acknowledged that the embargo had been enforced as a result of the plot leaks, as he had felt that reviews discussing plot details would have become more harmful and widespread than the leaks themselves. If you’re most concerned with playing The Last of Us Part II ASAP, here are the best places to order from. [2][5][73][74] Kotaku's MacLeod wrote that the nature in Seattle is "gorgeous and awe-inspiring",[13] and Push Square's Barker declared the art department "among the best in the industry". Add to Cart. The player can use firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus. Awards with 11 nominations, including Game of the Year, Adventure Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, and Outstanding Achievement in Character for Abby and Ellie. [134] By August 2020, it had become the third highest-grossing PlayStation game in the United States, behind Marvel's Spider-Man and God of War. The pair return to find Owen and Mel dead and a map left by Ellie leading to her hideout. Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment granted Naughty Dog an additional two weeks of development for bug fixes. [82] GamesRadar+'s Avard considered Johnson's portrayal of suffering "nothing short of awards worthy", and found that Baker "steals some of Part 2's best scenes as Joel" by adding complexities that enrich the character and relationships. After the surgery, Lev runs away to convince his devout mother to leave the Seraphite cult, forcing Abby and Yara to pursue him. [41] Naughty Dog wanted to increase the accessibility options introduced in Uncharted 4 to ensure that all players could complete the story, and the developers attended conferences and worked with advocates. Although this game is playable on PS5, some features available on PS4 may be absent. 2020's The Last of Us Part II expands the world by following two adjacent journeys, Ellie's and Abby's, that occur simultaneously over three days in Seattle. [18], Early story concepts for The Last of Us Part II were conceived during the development of The Last of Us in 2013. [14] The player may be impaled by an arrow, which will progressively decrease their health meter and disables Listen Mode until removed when in cover. [34] At E3 2018, Druckmann said that Naughty Dog was refusing to announce a release date until the game was "very close to release", to avoid disappointing fans. [47], The Last of Us Part II was announced at the PlayStation Experience event on December 3, 2016. It was praised for its performances, characters, visual fidelity, and gameplay, though the narrative and the representation of a transgender character polarized critics and players. [7], Avard of GamesRadar+ felt that the new gameplay mechanics were added with a level of care to ensure an authenticity that Naughty Dog is known for. The dialogue team referenced whistled languages such as Sfryria and Silbo Gomero for the Seraphites' whistling, and hired actors Stevie Mack and Lisa Marie to provide the whistles in three styles. [91], The playable Abby chapters were controversial, as players had expected to control Ellie for the majority of the game. It holds the record for most Game of the Year awards, and received multiple other accolades from awards shows and gaming publications. They return to an outpost run by Abby's group, former Fireflies who are now part of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), a militia group based in Seattle, Washington. [10] In the cover system, the player can crouch behind obstacles to gain advantages in combat, and can also crawl in a prone position to evade enemies. In the present, Ellie's group is ambushed by Abby, who kills Jesse and holds Tommy hostage. The Last of Us Part II is being offered in five different editions, each one more exciting — and expensive — than the last. Training manuals in The Last Of Us 2 are effectively skill tree books, which when found unlock new skill trees to spend upgrade supplements on. [79], McKeand of VG247 described every character as "complex and human". [63], The Last of Us Part II holds the record for most Game of the Year awards, surpassing previous record holder The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015). Offer ends 6/30/21. "The Last of Us Part II" has sold more than four million copies since its worldwide launch on June 19, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 exclusive ever. Unsurprisingly, The Last of Us II has garnered its fair share of trolls even before its release. The phenomenal writing will touch every player and won't leave an eye dry of tears. [62] Naughty Dog replaced and altered characters in the trailers to conceal story events; Druckmann cited the marketing of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which concealed its protagonist in trailers, as an influence. The official podcast takes listeners through the groundbreaking journey of The Last of Us and the making of the highly anticipated Part II. [33] She particularly wanted to explore the multifaceted behavior of Ellie, showing her power as well as her insecurities. Several months later,[17] Ellie and Dina are living on a farm, raising Dina and Jesse's son, though Ellie suffers from post-traumatic stress. [99] Hernandez concluded that this was "not an environment that is conducive to encouraging honest reviews or critical discussion, which is ultimately a disservice to the game itself". [125] It also leads the 19th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards with 15 nominations, including Audio of the Year, Sound Design of the Year, Best Ensemble Cast Performance, and Best Voice Performance (for Bailey and Johnson). [81][89] CNET's Daniel Van Boom wrote that the review bombers did not represent the majority of players. [5] Kotaku's MacLeod appreciated the diversity of characters. [4] The nimble nature of the player character introduces platforming elements to the game, allowing the player to jump and climb to traverse environments and gain advantages during combat. The Last of Us Part II Digital Deluxe Edition. Based on 121 scored reviews of 132 total reviews. [2][3] Development reportedly included a crunch schedule of 12-hour workdays. [49] A month later, on October 25, Druckmann announced that the game was delayed to May 29, 2020, to "bring the entire game up to a level of polish we would call Naughty Dog quality". [5] The player can break glass objects such as windows to access certain areas or obtain supplies. Abby searches for Owen and is captured by the Seraphites. The Last of Us Part II is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. This continued after the game was delayed. $45.95. [126], In its release weekend, The Last of Us Part II sold over four million copies worldwide, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 exclusive, beating Marvel's Spider-Man's 3.3 million and God of War's 3.1 million in the same period. [86] Kotaku's MacLeod saw Lev's character as simply a way of acknowledging that trans people exist in the game's universe and wrote that it was up to the player to create their own meaning from the character. Dive deeper into the story, gameplay, world and development of The Last of Us Part II with the developers at Naughty Dog. [6] Some areas in the game are navigated by horse or boat. But it also takes no skill. Some of the developers allegedly hoped that Part II would fail and prove that the working conditions were not viable. [57] A trailer was featured in Sony's State of Play presentation in September 2019,[58] which preceded additional marketing to celebrate Outbreak Week—the week in which the fictional outbreak occurred in the original game. I mean this in the purest sense of the word: it is worthy of remarking upon. [89][90] Reporters noticed the review bombing occurred shortly after the game launched, too early for users to feasibly have finished it;[91] some suggested that the reviews were based on the incomplete plot leaks. Ellie overpowers her but has a change of heart and lets her live. [143] In Australia, the game was the eighth-best-selling of the year, and the third for physical sales. Set five years after The Last of Us (2013), the game focuses on two playable characters in a post-apocalyptic United States whose lives intertwine: Ellie, who sets out for revenge after suffering a tragedy, and Abby, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a religious cult. [98], Polygon's Hernandez observed that the discourse surrounding The Last of Us Part II had become adversarial, with "bigots" attacking the game for its diverse cast and Naughty Dog becoming defensive. [36] Gross noted that a goal of the writers was to "create the most multifaceted characters you've seen in games". [77] Dornbush of IGN appreciated the world's ability to tell additional stories. See PlayStation.com/bc for more details. [2] Dornbush of IGN wrote that Johnson added nuance to every element of Ellie, and commended Woodward's performance as Dina, especially during quieter moments. [16] The game also introduces guard dogs that track the player's scent, which can be visualized in Listen Mode.[1]. As she hunts those responsible one by one, she is confronted with the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of her actions. They find him in the Seraphite settlement, where Lev has accidentally killed his mother in self-defense. A television adaptation is currently in development by HBO, written by Druckmann and Craig Mazin and starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. [5] VG247's McKeand found that the performances made the narrative more powerful. Devastated, she cut ties with Joel. [15] Player companions, such as Dina, assist in combat by killing enemies or announcing their location. [74] Plagge of GameSpot appreciated the intensity of combat and wrote that "Ellie's movements are smooth enough that they almost look scripted". Waverly felt that "Lev's story isn't made for trans people, but to give cisgender players a space to connect with their guilt and pity for trans people". After escaping a WLF ambush, Ellie reveals her immunity to Dina, who in turn reveals she is pregnant. There is love, nostalgia, adventure and a lot of pain. [99] Vice's Zacny claimed that, in response to his critical review, Sony contacted him on behalf of Naughty Dog to discuss his criticisms, which they disagreed with; Zacny said the discussion, while cordial, was unusual from a large publisher. The Last Of Us Part II; Digital Soundtrack; Digital Mini Art Book; PS4 Dynamic Theme; Set Of 6 PSN Avatars; $69.99. [136], In the United Kingdom, it became the fastest-selling physical PlayStation 4 game, outselling previous record-holder Uncharted 4 by at least one percent and The Last of Us by 76 percent;[137] it was the nation's eighth-best-selling game of the year with 543,218 copies sold,[138] and the seventh for physical sales. [7] Destructoid's Carter felt empathetic to the main characters,[72] a sentiment echoed by IGN's Dornbush, who found Ellie's development particularly "riveting". Abby and Lev arrive in Santa Barbara searching for the Fireflies, who they find are regrouping at Catalina Island, California, but are captured, tortured, and left to die by the slave-keeping Rattlers. Criticism focused on villains using Lev's dead name, that the character was created by cisgender writers, and the use of trans stories as tragedies. [76] GameSpot's Kallie Plagge called it "beautiful and devastating", and wrote that "the more I reflect on it, the more I appreciate the story and characters at its core". The game starts off in Jackson, but involves a journey to Seattle, Washington. Their performances included the simultaneous recording of motion and voice. © 2021 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. Host Christian Spicer talks to Writer and Creative Director Neil Druckmann, stars Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, and other talents and visionaries who brought the games to life. [23] Druckmann said other themes include tribalism, trauma, and the pursuit of justice. [33][29], Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker reprise their roles as Ellie and Joel, respectively, while Laura Bailey was cast as Abby. Set five years after The Last of Us (2013), the game focuses on two playable characters in a post-apocalyptic United States whose lives intertwine: Ellie, who sets out for revenge after suffering a tragedy, and Abby, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a religious cult. [135] Overall, it was the sixth-best-selling game of the year in the United States. The game is played from the third-person perspective and allows the player to fight human enemies and cannibalistic zombie-like creatures with firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth. When Tommy arrives with information on Abby's whereabouts, Ellie leaves to find her, despite Dina's pleas to stay. [73] Andrew Webster of The Verge praised the relationship between Ellie and Dina, though noted some dissonance in Ellie's behavior between gameplay and cutscenes. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure. [78] Also writing for Vice, Emanuel Maiberg opined that the attempts to parallel the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through the WLF and Seraphites were poor, particularly in its allegorical representation of two equal sides. [30] Artists at Naughty Dog traveled to Seattle to analyze the architecture, vegetation, materials, topography, lighting, and capture photorealistic textures. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Abby and Lev sail to the Fireflies. [92] Kotaku's MacLeod wrote that Metacritic's opaque system, which emphasizes scores over critique, comprised only "a bunch of meaningless numbers and a lot of rage". The Last of Us Part II Ellie T-Shirt Item: 1515512. $22.95. Gameplay. [50] On April 2, 2020, Sony announced that the game was almost complete but had been indefinitely delayed to due to logistical problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The game is played from the third-person perspectiveand allows the player t… Meanwhile, Ellie and her girlfriend Dina (Shannon Woodward) leave Jackson in search of the brothers. In “The Last of Us Part II,” looting and scavenging for resources is a key part of the gameplay loop. By Caleb Clark Published Jul 06, 2020. Experience the escalating moral conflicts created by Ellie’s relentless pursuit of vengeance. Ellie tracks down Nora and tortures her for information on Abby's location, which traumatizes Ellie. [73] Kevin Dunsmore of Hardcore Gamer wrote that the "haunting and subtle melodies blend into the world seamlessly". [81][90] Many of the negative reviews criticized the characterization and plot;[89][91] some complained of "social justice warrior" politics, with vitriolic responses to LGBT characters. Share. The Last of Us Part II Ellie Indigo Tee Item: 1519282. [139] A price discount in February 2021 saw the game re-enter the United Kingdom's physical charts in third place, representing a 3992 percent increase. The Last of Us Revisited with Hannah Hart | PS4, The Last of Us Revisited with Chandler Riggs | PS4. Ellie arrives at Santa Barbara and rescues the pair. Though Yara suffers a broken arm, Abby leaves them to find Owen who, disillusioned with the war, plans to sail to Santa Barbara, California, where the Fireflies may be regrouping. To play this game on PS5, your system may need to be updated to the latest system software. [30] The themes of revenge and retribution were inspired by Druckmann's experiences growing up in Israel, where violence was a frequent topic. [46] Druckmann felt that he had failed to find the correct balance for employees on Part II, and said the studio would receive external assistance for future projects. The Last of Us Part II, a sequel, was released in June 2020. Check out our interviews with special guests to see what The Last of Us meant to them and hear why they're excited for The Last of Us Part II. Main focus is on Ellie this time around, but you play multiple characters getting there perspectives through timeline jumps/flashbacks. The Last of Us Part II. Game Informer's McNamara felt that the writers conveyed the themes "with careful nuance and unflinching emotion". [64] The game was featured in its own standalone State of Play presentation on May 27. [78] IGN's Dornbush similarly felt that the sounds added realism, and praised Santaolalla's "moving" score. [133] In the United States, it was the best-selling game of June 2020 and became the third-best-selling game of the year within two weeks, generating the highest first-month sales of the year. Formerly known as Outbreak Day, but changed in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schreier suggested that development was slowed due to the enormous turnover of employees following the development of Uncharted 4, with few veterans left on the team. [140] In Japan, it was the best-selling game during its first week, selling an estimated 178,696 physical copies. Get free shipping on your entire order with any games purchase of $50 or more. [7][72][75][77] Oli Welsh of Eurogamer found Johnson's performance as Ellie to be "standout" due to her depiction of "rawness, vulnerability, and rage". [34][35] The actors' performances were recorded at a studio in Playa Vista, Los Angeles using performance capture, recording motion and voice simultaneously. The trio flee as the WLF begins an assault on the Seraphites. [144], Druckmann returned as creative director for. [72] McNamara of Game Informer similarly lauded the realistic-looking characters. "[73] Kaity Kline of NPR wrote that the game "made me very aware of the little things in my life that I take for granted, the kinds of things you don't appreciate until they're ripped away forever". For The Last of Us Part II on the PlayStation 4, a GameFAQs message board topic titled ""I'd rather have people passionately hate..." Revisited". [45], According to a report by Kotaku's Jason Schreier, the development, included a crunch schedule of 12-hour work days. Starts off with Ellie trying to uncover the truth about what happened at the end of the Last of Us (part 1) then it goes into revenge quest as opposing groups gets involved. Ellie enters the WLF camp to witness Abby beat Joel to death, and swears revenge. While searching for Abby's friend, Nora Harris (Chelsea Tavares), Ellie encounters the Seraphites, a cult locked in a battle with the WLF over control of Seattle. [74] Alex Avard of GamesRadar+ felt that the narrative lost its momentum during its need to finalize every story thread. [31][32] He wanted the player to feel a "thirst for revenge" before making them realize the reality of their actions. They attack Joel and Tommy; Abby seeks revenge against Joel for murdering her father, the Firefly surgeon (Derek Phillips) who was to perform the operation on Ellie that would have killed her. [8] Polygon's Maddy Myers and Kotaku's Riley MacLeod opined that the game repeatedly delivered its themes without allowing the player any agency in their decisions. [5] GameRevolution's Leri considered the environments more realistic than the first game's, and praised the technical elements, such as frame rate, lack of load times, and realistic lighting. Development of The Last of Us Part II began in 2014, soon after the release of The Last of Us Remastered. [117] At the 38th Golden Joystick Awards in November 2020, it won all six awards for which it was nominated: Ultimate Game of the Year, Best Audio, Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, PlayStation Game of the Year, and Studio of the Year for Naughty Dog. [8] Bailey also criticized the dissonance between the game's statement against violence while also necessitating it during gameplay. [23] The team experimented with different plot structures and considered scrapping the game entirely until they settled on an idea that mirrored the first game;[29] Druckmann said that The Last of Us is about the extreme measures one would take for love, whereas Part II is more about how far one would go to bring justice for those they love. [13] Hostile enemies use artificial intelligence; they may take cover or call for assistance, and can take advantage when the player is distracted, out of ammunition, or in a fight. [66] The game was banned in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, attributed to the countries' conservative traditions regarding homosexuality. [85][86] Stacey Henley of VG247 responded that Lev's dead name is used sparingly and that Ian Alexander, a transgender actor, provides the character's voice and motion capture. [20] Druckmann noted that any drops in detail would ruin the sense of authenticity, which required consistent optimization of the technology. Tommy sets out for Seattle to hunt Abby, and Ellie and Dina follow him. [77] Conversely, GameRevolution's Michael Leri thought that the flashbacks were evidence of pacing problems. Neil Druckmann returned as creative director, co-writing the story with Halley Gross. [5] McKeand of VG247 considered the level design better than other Naughty Dog games,[7] and McNamara of Game Informer felt that it improved combat scenarios. [1] The player can collect supplements to upgrade skills in a skill tree; training manuals found throughout the environment unlock additional skill tree branches, allowing upgrades to attributes such as the health meter, crafting speed, and ammunition types. [2] VentureBeat's Takahashi commended the improvements to Naughty Dog's already impressive engine. The cycle of violence left in her wake will challenge your notions of right versus wrong, good versus evil, and hero versus villain. New and evolved gameplay systems deliver upon the life-or-death stakes of Ellie’s journey through the hostile world.