After several delays, Sony and Naughty Dog will drop the highly anticipated Last of Us Part II on June 19. The sequel to the critically acclaimed Last of Us was originally scheduled to be released last October but it was pushed back to this May for refinements. Due to Covid-19, the game was delayed indefinitely as Sony believed that the pandemic complicated its worldwide release.
The delay was mildly annoying and even invited speculation that we wouldn’t see the final game until the release of the PS5 sometime in the fall. With that said, the news that we’ll get the game months in advance is most welcome. Life will still not return to normal by the release date, so having a rich experience to dive into will help cope with still not being able to be back in these real streets.
And this is a Naughty Dog game, so you can expect the brilliant set pieces, gut-wrenching storylines, and immersive visual experience that they’ve become known for creating. Their track record speaks for itself with the first Last of Us game and the excellent Uncharted series (which you can still play for free if you have PS4 through next week).
Now I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that a Naughty Dog employee has leaked materials for the Last of Us Part II. It’s doubtful that most of the people who are copping the game will actively seek out the leaks, but even if they do, so what?
Knowing what’s coming at you in a Naughty Dog game can ever really prepare you for the rush of the experience. While you hate to see it, it shouldn’t takeaway from what will surely be a great game. Kudos to Sony for giving the PS4 another hit game late in its life cycle. June 19th cannot get here soon enough!