The Last of Us: Part II gets a pulsating E3 trailer

Playstation opened its E3 press conference with The Last of Us: Part II lead composer Gustavo Santaolalla and transitioned from there into a debut gameplay trailer for the second part of the action-adventure survival horror.

The trailer opens with Ellie attending a barn dance, in a situation you would be forgiven for thinking wasn't taking place after the apocalypse. Seems like Ellie and Joel have taken up with a new group. The scene then transitions to Ellie slow dancing with fellow survivor Dina as they discussed why people should be afraid of her.

As the pair begin to kiss things take a dramatic turn as the scene cuts to Ellie brutally stabbing someone in the neck. It's at this point we get our first glimpse of The Last of Us: Part II's gameplay and all being said it looks pretty familiar. Stealth mechanics are back as well as crafting.

After watching a man get brutally murdered in the forest Ellie is pursued by a gang of survivors. A struggle ensue and she slowly picks them off one by one, barely surviving to practically cut the last guy's head off in a vicious attack. It now cuts back to the barn scene, as Dina notes that people really should be scared of Ellie.

One thing of note was the distinct lack of Joel in any of the gameplay footage. It looks like Ellie will be going it alone this time around. Although he is briefly mentioned in the opening cutscene. It's not the gameplay that really surprises here though, it's the overall darker tone Ellie takes on as she meticulously dispatches her pursuers. This is not the Ellie we knew in the original game.

No release date has yet been given for The Last of Us: Part II, but we will keep you up to date with more information as we find it out.