Last Of Us 2: 9 New Gameplay Mechanics That Change EVERYTHING

2. Adding Consequence To Violence

This isn't necessarily a game "mechanic", but it's fascinating how much script work has been put into the NPCs this time around.

Every group you come across will have an interpersonal sense of dependancy. Kill one and the others will scream out their name, kill a dog and you might get an animation of someone crying, as you just killed their family pet.

It's a great way to remind you that The Last of Us' sense of ethics and morality is constantly in flux, and Joel and Ellie are only "in the right" because we're directly following them.

In another scenario they'd be the villain, or you'd be someone else's NPC. With the game's theme being that of "hate" and Naughty Dog wanting to explore humanity's predisposition towards primeval violence when things go wrong, this will force you to consider every last action taken.