It is difficult for an action adventure game to create the right balance between action and adventure. Simply put, balancing fighting enemies vs solving puzzles is an art. Uncharted was one of the first games to master this on the PlayStation 2. They continued to do it over the course of their evolution and got better with every game. There are few others that come to mind, the new Tomb Raider series is right up there. I am eager to play the new edition in the series 'Shadow of the Tomb Raider' which comes out on September 14th (pre-orders available). However, if there is something these games have not been able to do, is to manage a strong emotional layer in the central plot. They have tried, credit to both Uncharted and Tomb Raider for that.
But, neither Uncharted nor Tomb Raider has been able to achieve the level of emotion that was created by The Last of Us.
The Last of Us was a benchmark in gameplay writing and design. You had a sublime balance between action, adventure elements (no puzzles though) and strong emotional undertones. Anyone who plays it will automatically get carried away with the story of Joel and Ellie. Over the years, many people have asked me "how can you get emotional with a 'Game'?". Well, play this the way it is meant to be, and you will know.
I am a huge fan of the first game, so naturally, I have been excited since gameplay footage of the game was showcased at E3. Going by the trailer, The Last of Us part 2 will also be an emotional ride with the complication of relationships also thrown in. Not to mention the mature action scenes. Ellie clearly looks to be more self-assured and strong in the action scenes. Though, she is shown to be a little less confident when it comes to relationships. It probably could be something to do with Joel. I did read that there is a revenge arc in this one. It is possible that Ellie is taking revenge for whatever was done to Joel. We will have to wait a while to find that out. For now, enjoy the gameplay trailer.
Speculation is that the game comes out in 2019.