The Last of Us Part II has finally been released to the public as we jump into the sequel to Joel and Ellie’s journey in a post-apocalyptic America. It is one of the most anticipated games this year and Naughty Dog has been teasing us with what to expect in this follow-up. After getting some positive buzz from critics and fans alike, it’s a no-brainer why everyone is dying to play this game. Before anyone plans to play the sequel, here are some facts you may need to know on The Last of Us Part II before jumping in.

The Game Takes Place 5 Years After the First Game

The Last of Us Part II jumps ahead five years from the original game where we find Joel and Ellie finding a place to call home. Ellie is now 19 and is sort of coming into her own in this newly transformed America that we have come to know. We still see some of the infected are running around as our characters are fighting to survive. The previous game takes place within a year as Joel is tasked to deliver Ellie to this renegade group known as the Fireflies as Ellie seems to carry the cure to this viral disease that has infected the public. It’ll be a much different story as this latest game follows our duo in a much different situation than the previous title.

Much Of The Game Takes Place in Seattle

The Last of Us took us across the country with Joel and Ellie as they ventured into different cities. We got to see places like Boston, Pittsburgh, Lincoln, Salt Lake City, and Jackson in a much different light in this post-apocalyptic setting. It is these locations that made the game so visually stunning and unforgettable during this journey with our main characters. In the new game, most of the game would be taking place in Seattle. Not many games have been set in Seattle, so it seems like the perfect place for The Last of Us Part II.

Ellie Will Be The Main Character Of The Game

In the original game, players were in control of Joel as he was tasked to deliver Ellie to the Fireflies in hopes of finding a cure within her immune system. The Last of Us Part II welcomes a huge change from the narrative as we are in the shoes of Ellie this time around. It’ll be interesting to see the world through Ellie’s eyes, but it does make us question whether Joel is still around when the game kicks off. It also looks like this story will be personal for Ellie as she seems like she is hell-bent on revenge based on the gameplay we’ve just seen. With what we’ve got to see in the game, Ellie appears to be able to handle herself on her own.

Joel Still Appears In the Sequel

Despite the lack of what we’ve seen of Joel in The Last of Us Part II, we do know that he’ll still be a part of the game. This time around, we won’t be controlling Joel much as we are going to be busy with Ellie for most of the game. It’ll be interesting to see how much we’ll see Joel and the way he fits into this story. It doesn’t look like he’ll be tagging along with Ellie, which does raise some questions about where he is. It’s a nice change of pace to see Ellie front and center, but we do wonder how things will turn up for Joel once the game starts.

There Is No Multiplayer Available

Part of what made The Last of Us so much fun was the multiplayer mode called “Factions”. In the multiplayer section, players can choose between hunter or Firefly playing in a team deathmatch. It was what made the game such a fun experience when playing with others online. Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing any multiplayer options in the sequel. It looks like The Last of Us Part II would purely be a single-player experience for fans of the original game. Even though we would like to see where the story goes, it would be nice if we got to experience the game with friends in a good old-fashioned PVP-like mode along with our copy.

The Sequel Will Incorporate Much More Realism Than The Original

At the time The Last of Us came out, it really pushed the boundaries of what games can do with great storytelling and amazing characters we can relate to. The original game put enough emotion into Joel and Ellie that we were all immersed in their journey. The same seems to go for the sequel, but with better graphics now that it’s being played on the PS4 as opposed to the PS3 when the first game came out. The trailers and gameplay showed how much detail was given into the atmosphere as well as the characters. Expect to see much more realism into this title, which Naughty Dog seems to be going for in their latest title.