More Impressive Gameplay Footage of The Last of Us at PAX

If you were impressed by what you saw of Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic action game The Last of Us at this year's E3, you will be pleased to hear that more gameplay footage has been revealed at this year's PAX Prime. The Uncharted developer has shown 16 minutes of gameplay in a new video, covering the same ground as the E3 footage but demonstrating the different approaches the player can take as well as an environmental puzzle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBH19F4h8hc&feature=player_embedded#!

On the Playstation Blog, Naughty Dog's community strategist Eric Monacelli said:

This demo highlights narrative exploration through interactive prompts, environmental puzzles, the balance of power AI, and some of the dynamic stealth elements you’ll be able to use to plan Joel and Ellie’s survival. How many resources are at your disposal? Do you go offensive or defensive? You’ll have to keep calm, think, and rely on your partner, Ellie, as you survive and make your way westward.

The Last of Us looks like it's shaping up very nicely indeed. One of things that has particularly impressed me with what I've seen so far is that ammo counter, which always seems to be hovering ominously close to zero. It would be great if the full game continually forced you to be careful with your bullets, and that would help set it apart from the legions of lead-spewing actions games currently on the market.

Ellie comes across as a tough, capable partner, which should allay any fears that having her around will turn the game into an extended escort mission. One of the most interesting ideas the game has the potential to explore is the extent to which you, as a player, feel the need to protect her, and how much you have to rely on her. Perhaps the most exciting thing about The Last of Us, though, is that it's the first new project Naughty Dog have worked on since the Uncharted series. Will it achieve the same success, both critical and commercial, that those games did?

The Last of Us is set for a 2013 release.