Last of Us Part 2 gameplay footage reveals one way it’s better than Call of Duty
"It's stuff like this that separates first party AAA games from others."
Everything we’ve seen about the highly anticipated The Last of Us Part 2 suggests developer Naughty Dog will take the series’ realism to new heights with the sequel, and one snippet of video from the upcoming game rivals even Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in terms of realism. The original Last of Us stunned gamers in 2013 with its movie-caliber storytelling and breathtaking attention to detail, and the follow-up will take things to the next level.
A snippet of TLOU 2 gameplay that first debuted in September 2019 resurfaced online Tuesday via Twitter and then Reddit, and it highlights the stunning animations that go into the gun customization menu. Players can select what they want to upgrade or maintain, and then they'll watch Ellie get to work gunsmithing. It was an important mechanic in the first game that's gotten a fresh coat of paint that's hyper-realistic.
Focusing on intricate details like this can bring even the game’s dullest moments to life and set TLOU 2 apart from other big-name titles, like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The minute-long clip of gameplay gobsmacked thousands of Redditors, who couldn’t help but marvel at the time and effort Naughty Dog put into just these few seconds of the game.
Gamers are really drawn to this 'Last of Us 2' clip on Twitter and Reddit.
“Most games would just settle for a [user interface] screen, not make [animations for] pickup, put back (to bag), put down (on table), observe, pick/put down upgrade object/tools, unload weapons, clean weapon, add upgrade, reload weapon,” commented Redditor u/alaslipknot who said they were a game developer. “Not to mention that weapon-related animations need to be adjusted for at least four or five different types of weapons in this game.”
Which is to say that most games don't bother with this level of realistic detail.
By comparison, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare brought a much-needed overhaul to the franchise fall 2019 and was praised for its hyper-realistic combat, making it the cream of the crop when it comes to modern shooters. Its gun-customization menu, the Gun Bench, included nine types of weapons with hundreds of different skins, mods, and upgrades to choose from. But even with all those options, it falls a bit flat when compared to this clip from TLOU 2.
Players probably won’t have anywhere near the number of options to soup up their guns in TLOU 2 compared to Modern Warfare, but it’s the cinematic quality of Naughty Dog’s upcoming project that set it apart. Especially because it's set within a post-apocalyptic world rather than a lobby in between online multiplayer matches, it makes gamers feel like they’re in control of a film. They already feel closer to the characters they’re playing.
It might seem inconsequential to skip out on what seem like superfluous animations, but details like this are what split great games from masterpieces.
Players will need to find a weapons bench to upgrade their guns in 'TLOU 2' but Ellie can craft smaller tools and weapons on the fly.
“It's stuff like this that separates first-party AAA games from others,” wrote u/alaslipknot.
For anyone who wants even more from The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog is hosting an hour-long demo session for attendees of Boston-based games convention PAX East 2020, which will run February 27 until March 1.
The Last of Us Part 2 will be released for the PlayStation 4 on May 29, 2020.
