During the 2016 PlayStation Experience developer Naughty Dog officially announced a sequel to what is widely considered one of the best video games of the last few years. No release date has yet been given for The Last of Us Part II, but we do get a trailer starring Joel and Ellie.
“I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to finally be able to say that Ellie and Joel are back for another intense, harrowing, and emotional adventure,” writes Neil Druckmann, creative director at Naughty Dog. Druckmann admits that finding the sequel’s story was a challenge. “After spending years on different ideas (and almost giving up), we finally uncovered a story that felt special – a story that evolved into an epic journey.”
In addition to the trailer, you can also watch a 40-minute panel discussion on The Last of Us from the PlayStation Experience. The panel, moderated by Game Informer EIC Andy McNamara, includes Druckmann along with voice actors Ashley Johnson (Ellie) and Troy Baker (Joel).
Druckmann takes the time to assuage any fears that a sequel might not live up to the first game’s standards. “No one loves these characters more than we do. We would not do this if we did not have the right idea. I’ll ask that fans of the first one trust us, put some faith in us, and we’ll do right by you.”
The Last of Us was released in 2013 and quickly became one of the best-selling games on the PlayStation 3. It featured a unique zombie apocalypse with a nasty fungal virus, turning people into monsters. Joel and Ellie travel across the world using stealth and combat to survive, but it’s the emotional story-telling that makes the game so memorable.
The Last of Us garnered near universal praise, winning pretty much all the awards that year from most gaming publications. A remastered edition was released for PlayStation 4 in 2014.
