News | Trophies found for Grounded mode in The Last of Us: Part 2
Trophies for a Grounded mode have been added to The Last of Us: Part 2.
This was found out at PowerPyx. Two new Trophies have recently been added to the game, one for completing the game in Grounded, and one for using a permadeath option.
It seems likely that developer Naughty Dog will be adding Grounded mode to the game soon. In the first The Last of Us, Grounded mode was the game’s most challenging difficulty setting. Players quickly die and can find very few items.
The Last of Us 2 just got DLC Trophies. Patch 1.03 with Grounded Difficulty + Permadeath Mode incoming. pic.twitter.com/drUsvnHqIk
— PowerPyx (@PowerPyx) August 10, 2020
For now, Naughty Dog hasn’t officially announced Grounded mode for the sequel. The Last of Us: Part 2 is now available for PlayStation 4.
Review | The Last of Us: Part II
The Last of Us: Part 2 again did what it promised and is the most beautiful story ever told in a video game. This zombie game is not about zombies or Infected. This game is about people. The Last of Us 2 holds up a mirror to humanity. And the reflection is not a pleasant sight.
At the beginning of the game, the main characters from the first part, Ellie and Joel, live in Jackson. They are part of a group of people who act as a community against the dangers of the outside world. It’s quite a nice place to stay, with beautiful forests, a playground for the children and even electricity to charge your walkman. Ellie is having a good time here and even finds love in Dinah, but happiness in this world is always short-lived.
A drama unfolds, after which Ellie heads to Seattle for revenge. It is essentially a simple story, just like in the original. It is the human storytelling that takes The Last of Us 2 to an unprecedented level. Ellie, Dina, Joel and his brother Tommy, they are all credible people who may not make the perfect choices, but are pure in their intentions. They are all people. Real people. And they have to do really inhumane things. The fact that the voice acting and motion capture is on point as always really helps in bonding with your character.
All of this is acted extremely well. Ashley Johnson, in particular, can be awarded this year, because her Ellie is truly phenomenal, again. It’s a difficult task to combine such a tough character, which eliminates strong opponents as if it were nothing, with a sensitive woman who drags a lot of luggage. Fortunately, Johnson knows to strike exactly the right tone: fragile if necessary, bone breaking if possible.
The grim message of the game is extended to combat. Blood splatters around the place and screen, Infected are cleaved without mercy and the many finishers are shown relentlessly. After you injure the last enemy in an area, he begs on his knees for his life. That does not stop Ellie from still getting the job done with a baseball bat, or any other weapon for that matter. At least, if you make that choice. After all, you are and remain only human.
All that violence starts to gnaw at you as a player. It gets in your head. Naughty Dog clearly has that effect in mind. Human guards call each other’s names and become audibly nervous when they can no longer find each other. Dogs moan when hit by a Molotov cocktail. And just like you, Ellie has a hard time with that. Every gutted throat carves a scar on her soul.
Everything in this sequel serves the human aspect. No single game element escapes that eye for detail. Seattle is beautiful, but completely destroyed. Each abandoned house with its unique interior tells its own story about the residents. Ellie visits abandoned offices, banks, aquariums and hospitals, and they all have their own atmosphere. Sometimes you stand in wonder for five minutes in the dressing room of a theater, maybe at the dozens of unique costumes, maybe at the walls covered with posters of bands that have ever performed there. The music store filled with albums and posters of the latest releases, at least at that time.
There is hardly any UI to pull you out of that world. Screen info is rarely to be seen. The game inventively uses the environment to pinpoint the next target. Light, for example, shows you the way, or the sound of your next enemy. In a certain section you have to go west, and it is noted that you can follow the setting sun. It is a very natural way to play a game. Disturbing waypoints or mini-maps are a thing of the past.
For a linear game, The Last of Us: Part 2 offers a lot of freedom. Not only in the way you fight, but also in exploring Seattle. You do not have to enter many buildings, but if you don’t want to run out of ammunition, it is worth going on a looting trip. It’s not very exciting to open drawers and cupboards all the time in search of stuff and bullets, but that just goes to show that Ellie needs all the tools she can get. In addition, background information or exciting battles can often be experienced in these optional areas.
The game has negatives. It has happened a few times that a companion got in the way. These AI-driven companions sometimes even tap you out of cover, making you noticed by an enemy. The hint system can also be painful. With a loud sound, the game makes it clear that you can get a hint if you don’t know where to go, while you are still looting the rooms. Fortunately, you can completely disable that system.
It is hardly noticeable. All systems, environments and story elements merge seamlessly. The fluid combat with which you can improvise unhindered plays wonderfully. The eye for details drags you all along in the game world. But in the end it is mainly the story that makes the most impression. The Last of Us: Part 2 is a game about people even more than other games. This game tears you up with emotional scenes, impactful moments and a grim look at what it means to be human, regardless of the background.
Score:
9,5
+ Smooth combat.
+ Beautiful environments.
+ Excellent story and acting.
+ Allot of attention to the smallest details.
– Annoying hint system
– Artificial intelligence sometimes gets in the way
News | New concept art from The Last of Us 2 revealed
Naughty Dog has shown new concept art from The Last of Us 2 in a tweet.
The message from Naughty Dog gives fans a taste of The Last of Us 2. The developer has posted a message on Twitter containing a number of examples of beautiful concept art that are now for sale.
The concept art is published in the form of gallery art. According to connoisseurs, this art is of high quality and, moreover, is not out of place in a home. The prints are developed in collaboration with Cook and Becker and can only be purchased for a limited time. The price of the artworks vary from 121 to 441 euros, depending on the frame of the print.
All four pieces represent Ellie, each in a different environment and situation. When enthusiasts order a work of art, they receive a certificate of authenticity and a handwritten number marking.
Prints can be ordered via the website of Cook and Becker.
News | The Last of Us Part II Arrives on February 21, 2020
The Last of Us 2 appears on February 21, 2020, Naughty Dog announced during State of Play. A new trailer has also been released with Ellie in the lead.
The exciting trailer shows Ellie and her girlfriend in a snowy area where she struggles with the cold and some clickers. We also see Ellie talking to Tommy, Joel’s younger brother.
This week Naughty Dog will also be showing the game to the media, which is likely to receive several different impressions of the game this week.
The Last of Us 2 was announced during PlayStation experience in 2016, after which the first gameplay images appeared in 2018. After a long silence, the PlayStation exclusive appears in the beginning of 2020.
How far will Ellie go to exact justice? Watch the gripping new trailer for The Last Of Us Part II: https://t.co/Xjf1Ep05h1 Coming to PS4 February 21, 2020. pic.twitter.com/4ICMhePhhf
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 24, 2019
Alongside the trailer, the various editions of the game were announced, including The Last of Us Part II Standard Edition, Special Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, Collector’s Edition, and Ellie Edition. In collaboration with PlayStation, we worked hard to make sure these versions would be truly special by including content and items drawn from the game and its characters.
The Collector’s Edition, which includes a beautifully crafted 12” Ellie statue, a life-sized replica of Ellie’s bracelet, a custom SteelBook case, 48-page mini art book from Dark Horse, a set of six enamel pins, lithograph art print, and a set of five stickers. The Collector’s Edition also comes with a voucher for digital content, including a PS4 dynamic theme, a set of six PSN avatars, a digital soundtrack, and a digital version of the mini art book.
The Ellie Edition, which will only be available in the US, gives you all of the contents of the Collector’s Edition, plus a full-sized, fully functional recreation of Ellie’s backpack, an embroidered patch, and a 7” vinyl record featuring music from the original soundtrack. We’ll also have a Special Edition version that features the custom SteelBook case and all of the digital content found in the Ellie Edition and Collector’s Edition.
For those that prefer to go digital, the Digital Deluxe Edition is the option, which includes all of the digital content outlined above, as well as a digital copy of the Standard Edition. If you pre-order either of these versions on PlayStation Store, you’ll instantly receive a The Last of Us Part II PSN avatar featuring Ellie’s tattoo. Additionally, if you pre-order any edition of the game, you’ll also receive two in-game unlocks at launch:
- Ammo Capacity Upgrade: Instantly unlock an ammo capacity upgrade for Ellie’s pistol.
- Crafting Training Manual: Instantly unlock the Crafting Training Manual, which provides access to new crafting recipes and upgrades.
News | The Last of Us: Part 2 is in State of Play tomorrow
Not a real surprise, but nice to be sure after al this time.
Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog posted a tweet this weekend showing that the game is indeed in the live stream. It seems likely that new images are being shown. The release date could also be announced. On the same day there is an event where journalists will have a hands one with the game.
Many people already assumed that The Last of Us: Part 2 would play a role in the State of Play. It is one of the last PlayStation 4 exclusives that does not yet have a release date. In addition, there are rumors that the game will appear in February 2020.
The State of Play broadcast will be broadcast on Tuesday at 10 p.m. Dutch time.
We’ve been silent for too long. It’s time to put an end to that. pic.twitter.com/73BO5O9ZWC
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) September 20, 2019