One of the most anticipated moments of E3 2018 has come to fruition, with Sony and developer Naughty Dog revealing the first gameplay footage of The Last Of Us Part II.
It involves a striking contrast between the mundanity of a church dance and the harsh reality of fighting to survive in the post-apocalyptic world the characters inhabit.
The trailer shows heroine Ellie battling with both the dance and enemies in the wilderness – each to stunning effect in different ways.
The gameplay footage shows the stealth, peril and gruesome desperation to stay alive which were such profound parts of the first game are here once again.
There are also glimpses of the crafting features, as well as dynamic and reactive environments that crumble and become part of the gameplay.
In something of a watershed moment for the series, Ellie is also shown sharing a kiss with another female character, Dina.
However, the serenity of this side of the trailer is offset by the brutality of the combat Ellie takes part in elsewhere in the video.
But some questions remain unanswered – particularly the whereabouts and condition of fellow protagonist Joel, who appears to be fleetingly mentioned at the beginning of the trailer, but is nowhere to be seen.
Sadly, the game does not yet have a release date, but so far it appears that the much-loved original is to receive a more-than-worthy sequel.
