The Last of Us Part II
Playstation 4
(released June 2020)
Games Designer – Single Player Story
The Last of Us Part II – Extended Contribution Showreel – 10:05
Eastbrook Elementary
The Seraphites
The Gate
Jackson – Prologue
– Eastbrook Elementary –
Seattle Day 1: Getting revenge on the first of Abby’s crew; Jordan. Escaping the school stronghold with buddy character “Dina” in the first combat against the human faction, the “WLF”. Tutorial for human combat, flanking, grass combat vs humans, and prone combat. Scripter Alex Stewart
Rope cutting set piece
- Leverages existing mechanics to create unique set piece
- Utilised item pickup proximity UI for reaching glass shard
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First human combat
- Tutorial for flanking
- Layout promoting flanking for both player and enemies
- Combat with buddy “Dina”
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Buddy gestures and animation setup
- Scripted buddy search/explore behaviour and animations
- Unique setup for buddy ‘look-out’ behaviour, driving pacing and navigation
Tutorial for grass combat vs humans
- Set up of enemy vignettes
- Enemy patrol routes for encouraging safe kills
- Breadcrumbing player through the environment with enemy positions
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Soft tutorial for prone combat and hiding spaces
- Layout supporting high chance of enemy ‘pull out’ mechanic
Showcasing enemy AI awareness of missing partners
- Scripted searches for easy kill locations that promote enemy ‘check ins’ for partner
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‘Eastbrook Elementary’ playthrough video – 17:10
– The Seraphites –
Seattle Day 2: Leaving the theatre alone and heading to the hospital to find Nora. The deserted streets host multiple optional spaces (infected combat, rope puzzle, safe puzzle and a workbench ambush set piece) and a puzzle subverting the traditional use of a dumpster. Introducing the new infected type “Stalkers” as well as the new human faction the “Seraphites”, also known as the “Scars”. Scripter Alex Stewart
This level was used as the demo for the “Press Preview” a month before release. Here are a few press impressions:
Eurogamer – Everything we learned Playing The Last of Us Part 2 Demo
Kinda Funny Games – Greg Miller’s The Last of Us Part II Preview – PS I Love You XOXO
GamingBible – The Last of Us Part 2 Hands-on Preview (Spoiler Free) – Ellie vs Seattle & The Infected
Gamespot: The Last of Us 2 Preview: Brutal and Ruthless
Introduction of new human enemy ‘Scars’
- Introduction of ‘pulling out an arrow’ mechanic
- Showcasing of Scar stealth behaviour in foliage
- Plant arrangement to promote prone combat
- Animation overlays and gesture setup for performance of first Scar encounter
Introduction of new Infected enemy ‘Stalkers’
- Layout to showcase ‘hide and seek’, ambush and flanking behaviours
- First chance introduction of ‘Trapped infected’ embedded in walls
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Optional Infected combat
- Risk/reward entrance requiring breaking of glass to alert infected
- Reward note links with workbench ambush
- Aoife Wilson from ‘Eurogamer’ talking about her experience with the optional infected combat
Workbench Ambush set piece
- Subverting expectation of workbench menu
- Greg Miller from ‘Kinda Funny Games’ discussing his experience of the workbench ambush
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Physics dumpster puzzle
- Subverting expectation of standard ‘push and pull’ object
- Emphasising narrative beat of being alone by trying to solve ‘buddy gate’ mechanic that traditionally requires a partner to operate
Optional rope puzzle
- Environmental storytelling foreshadowing the Scars
- Story of couple hiding from Scars and needing medication that links to later diorama
- Multiple solutions
- Mark Foster from ‘GamingBible’ discussing his experience of one of his favourite things in the preview demo; the optional rope puzzle
Safe puzzle
- Instigator for improved ‘locked safe puzzles’ across the game
- Calendar puzzle was the original prototype for new puzzle type
- New puzzle encourages player to engage with environment over UI hunting
- Article discussing the safe puzzles – Kotaku – I Love Cracking Safes In The Last Of Us Part 2
- Greg Miller from ‘Kinda Funny Games’ discussing the calendar puzzle during his playthrough of the preview
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Opening streets after leaving theatre
- Multiple optional spaces
- Military checkpoint secret
- Deserted streets to promote the narrative beat of being alone after leaving Dina at the theatre
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‘The Seraphites’ playthrough video – 1:00:32
– The Gate –
Start of Seattle Day 1: Riding through the overgrown outskirts of Seattle and finding the abandoned freeway that leads to the city. Scaling the Quarantine Zone wall to then solve the game’s first rope puzzle to open the gate. Scripter Mark Burroughs
Rope puzzle
- First puzzle using the throwable rope mechanic
- Utilises maximum length restriction as puzzle problem
- Buddy hint system using opt-in dialogue from Dina
- Additional optional secret rope puzzle using same rope
- Reminder of breakable windows
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Traversal puzzle
- Scaling the Seattle Quarantine Zone wall
- Multiple solutions/routes to goal
- Foreshadowing breakable windows for later rope puzzle
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Buddy interactions with environment
- Animation set up for physical touching of game world
- Passive gestures for hinting at traversal solution
Horse navigation with buddy ‘Dina’
- Navmesh implementation supports buddy navigation when player isn’t riding
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‘The Gate’ playthrough video – 21:50
– Jackson Prologue –
Opening of the game: Riding to Jackson as Joel, alongside buddy character “Tommy”. Establishing the setting and theming of the ‘The Last of Us Part II’ world. Scripter Banun Idris
First gameplay section in the game
- Introduction of horse controls/movement
- Buddy character “Tommy” driving pacing
Reveal of Jackson settlement
- Establishing first goal
- Cresting hill for vista of town
Introduction of location, setting and theme
- Layout showing dilapidation of post apocalyptic world
- Scripting of animals to show evidence of nature reclaiming the land
- Establishing fortified town
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‘Jackson – Prologue’ playthrough video – 14:24