'The Last of Us Part II' is the long-awaited sequel to one of the best games of all time. Here's everything we know so far.

Kevin Webb

Sep 29, 2019, 18:45 IST

'The Last of Us Part II' is the long-awaited sequel to one of the best games of all time. Here's everything we know so far.

Sony

After years in development, "The Last of Us Part II" will arrive on PlayStation 4 on February 21, 2020.
The first "The Last of Us" is considered one of the best video games ever made - it's even in the process of being adapted into a movie.
"The Last of Us Part II" picks up five years after the original game with a 19-year-old Ellie as a the main character.
Ellie is on a quest for revenge in a post-apocalyptic world that's been devestated by an infectious mold that turns people into zombie-like monsters.
Developer Naughty Dog has confirmed that the game has no multiplayer.
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Sony has confirmed a February 21, 2020 release date for the "The Last of Us Part II," the highly anticipated follow-up to one of the most celebrated PlayStation games of all-time.

"The Last of Us Part II" will continue the story of the original game after a five-year time jump. Ellie, the teenager at the center of "The Last of Us," will return as the game's main playable character.

"The Last of Us" is set in an alternate future where society has been crippled by an infectious mold that turns people into zombie-like monsters - and where just breathing in the spores can prove fatal. Ellie lives in a small community that has managed to sustain itself through these dark times.

Naughty Dog, the studio responsible for the game's development, says "The Last of Us Part II" is a story about hate. Ellie is on a quest for revenge, but it's not exactly clear what's triggered her rage. Early trailers show her hunting another group of survivors on a murderous tear.

Though the game is a just a few months away, there's still plenty we don't know about "The Last of Us Part II." We know that Joel, the hero from the original game, will return for "Part II," but the first game's cliffhanger ending makes it unclear how Joel and Ellie's relationship has changed in the past five years.

Naughty Dog has promised to honor their fans' appreciation for both characters, and the story of "Part II" is meant to complement the original game. However, Naughty Dog has also confirmed that multiplayer mode won't be returning for this new game, the better to focus on the single-player story.

Here's everything we know about "The Last of Us Part II" so far:

In "The Last of Us Part II," the world remains devastated by an infectious mold that turns people into zombie-like monsters.

Ellie, the teenage girl who needed protection in the original "The Last of Us," is now the game's main character. "Part II" follows a 19-year-old Ellie five years after the conclusion of the first game.

Ellie still has the skills she learned during her cross country trip in "The Last of Us," and she'll need them to survive against vicious gangs and infected monsters.

It's a dangerous world, but Ellie has managed to find romance with Dina, a woman living in her community.

Based on the trailers, Ellie is on a quest for revenge in "The Last of Us Part II," but we still don't know why. That probably means bad news for Dina.

"The Last of Us Part II" will continue the same style of survival-based action. Ellie will have to collect supplies and craft equipment to help her stay a step ahead of danger.

You'll have access to guns and other weapons, but ammo is scarce. Even melee weapons like bats and axes will break after a few uses.

Using stealth to sneak past groups of enemies is an important part of the "The Last of Us." Ellie will be able to jump and dodge enemy attacks at close range too — extra movements that weren't possible in the first game.

"The Last of Us Part II" will have a few new enemy types too. Guard dogs will track your scent, and new infected monsters have poisonous attacks.

Sneaking around will only get you so far — every now and then you'll have to face your foes head-on.

Luckily Ellie isn't afraid to fight back when she has to.

Joel, the man who helped guide Ellie through "The Last of Us," shows up to help her in "Part II," but it seems like the two haven't seen each other in a long time.

Fans of "The Last of Us" will be especially curious to see how Ellie and Joel's relationship has changed after the first game's cliffhanger ending.

Another preview of "The Last of Us Part II" introduced us to a new group of characters being held hostage by a violent crew.

The group is freed after a brutal fight, but they're attacked by the infected as the trailer closes. It's likely that they'll encounter Ellie at some point during the story.

"The Last of Us Part II" is just a few months away and there's plenty we don't know, but the suspense that comes with exploring a dangerous world is part of the fun.

There’s one thing we know won’t be making a return from the first game, though: A multiplayer mode. Developer Naughty Dog confirmed as much on Twitter, though it did hint that multiplayer could return in some other form.

An update regarding multiplayer: pic.twitter.com/CUd98LgJGC

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) September 27, 2019

"The Last of Us: Part II" will be available on February 21, 2020 for PlayStation 4. You can check out 15 minutes of gameplay below

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