E3 2018: 8 Ups & 5 Downs From Sony's Conference

Ups

8. The Last Of Us Part II Looks Gorgeous, Brutal & Progressive

Sony opened their presser with the first glimpse of actual gameplay from The Last of Us Part II. The sequence begins with a flashback, as Ellie is led onto a dancefloor by her love interest, Dina, and after the pair share a passionate - and beautifully rendered - kiss, the scene shifts to the grim present.

Here, Ellie is making her way through a rainy forest while trying to remain hidden from her armed pursuers. She stabs a man in the throat, and things only get more ultra-violent from there, as she uses both her bow-and-arrow to fell enemies and some intensely brutal melee combat after being discovered.

Unsurprisingly, the game looks like an absolute technical powerhouse that'll push the PS4 to its very limit. The movement mechanics look ultra-slick and fluid, and though some might take umbrage with the game's disturbing approach to blood-letting, Naughty Dog is clearly picking a tone and sticking firmly with it.

It remains to be seen how this seemingly quite scripted moment will play out when the game finally releases, but the AI and stealth systems are certainly looking spectacular as expected.

Plus, a not-remotely-forced gay kiss in a AAA video game? How can you not like that?