New The Last of Us: Part II Trailer Is Harrowing AF

OMGOMGOMG. I’m just a liiiiiitle bit excited for the follow-up to Naughty Dog’s hit game, The Last of Us. Sadly, we don’t have a release date yet (COME ON!), even though we’ve already gotten a goosebump-inducing preview of Ellie and Joel in a first trailer at the end of last year. The above new trailer, which Sony debuted at its Paris Games Week showcase leading up to the main event later this week, focuses on new characters, and is harrowing AF.

In it, a young woman (who’s not Ellie) is about to be hanged when another young woman is brought onto the scene. The lead captor asks this where the “other apostate” is, and when she refuses to answer, the lead captor tells the two men holding the young woman to “clip her wings,” and she’s laid down as one of the men takes a hammer to her outstretched arm. Before the other man can do the same to her other arm, arrows start flying at them from an unknown source.

Eventually, a young boy, who seems to know the woman with the wounded arm, emerges and asks if she’s okay. She says she is, and orders him to cut the hanging woman down. He questions that, saying, “But she’s one of them!” Yet the other woman insists, and he cuts her down. The three of them then stand as a group of infected rush their way.

EEEEEEK!

Who are these people?! What the heck is going on?! I have no idea, but I love it, even though it’s really, really hard to watch. Then again, when I think back to playing the first game and, for example, having to guide Ellie through that burning building as that crazy dude was coming after her and trying to kill her, the game has never shied away from intensity. That’s part of what makes it so compelling, though that also makes it not a game for everyone.

Still, here’s what I do know: the animation is amazing. The facial animation in particular is wonderful, but the first trailer showcases the nuanced animation of Ellie’s hands as she plays guitar. I’m also glad to see the game seemingly focused on two Asian characters, who may or may not be brother and sister? Anyway, yay for more inclusion! Especially if they play a major role in this game, which they seem to from the look of this trailer.

The passage of time seems to have been kind to this story, and I’m so excited for whenever The Last of Us: Part II comes out. And when will that be, Naughty Dog? Sony? Hello? AHEM?

(via Gamespot, image: screencap)

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