The Last of Us Part II Story Synopsis Released, Possibly Revealing Joel's Part in the Game

Naughty Dog and Sony Interactive Entertainment have revealed the official story synopsis for The Last of Us Part II on PS4, providing our first actual details on the game's story. Further, said synopsis possibly reveals Joel's role in the game, which, as of right now, remains a bit ambiguous. Of course, if you're sensitive to spoilers, you should probably just click off this page forever. However, this synopsis is listed over on the game's PlayStation Store listing, so how spoiler heavy could it actually be? Whatever the case, we now know the game begins in Wyoming, which is quite far away from Seattle, where we also know Ellie ends up at some point. Anyway, below, you can read the official story synopsis for yourself:

"Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure. As she hunts those responsible one by one, she is confronted with the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of her actions."

As you can see, the synopsis mentions that a "violent event disrupts" Ellie's life, and that this event sends her on a relentless quest to carry out some sweet justice, and also find closure. Now, you know people are dying at this point in the game, including someone very close to Ellie. The question is, who: Joel or her girlfriend Dina? My money is on the former, and that the Joel we see in the trailer is nothing more than a hallucination of sorts. Whatever the case, Sony Interactive Entertainment also provides the following bullet points about the game, revealing some interesting details:

• A Complex and Emotional Story - Experience the escalating moral conflicts created by Ellie's relentless pursuit of vengeance. The cycle of violence left in her wake will challenge your notions of right versus wrong, good versus evil, and hero versus villain.
• A Beautiful Yet Dangerous World - Set out on Ellie's journey, taking her from the peaceful mountains and forests of Jackson to the lush, overgrown ruins of greater Seattle. Encounter new survivor groups, unfamiliar and treacherous environments, and terrifying evolutions of the infected. Brought to life by the latest iteration of the Naughty Dog engine, the deadly characters and world are more realistic and meticulously detailed than ever before.
• Tense and Desperate Action-Survival Gameplay - New and evolved gameplay systems deliver upon the life-or-death stakes of Ellie's journey through the hostile world. Feel her desperate struggle for survival through improved features such as high-intensity melee combat, fluid movement, and dynamic stealth. A broad variety of weapons, crafting items, skills, and updates allows you to personalize Ellie's capabilities to your play style.

The Last of Us Part II is in development for PlayStation 4, and is set to release worldwide on February 21, 2020. For more news, media, and information on the game, click here.