‘The Last of Us Part 2’ release date: Breathing pattern mechanic to add more immersion for the sequel

“The Last of Us Part 2” has been making waves online, and it appears that Naughty Dog isn’t done revealing more details about the game. From its combat and battle mechanics to the engrossing narrative of the sequel, the developers are feeding information slowly as its release date marches on.

The latest information unveiled by Naughty Dog revolves once again around combat of “The Last of Us Part 2.” Apparently, the game will have a breathing pattern mechanic where Ellie’s heart rate would shoot up should she perform a taxing activity like sprinting and fighting.

But it’s not just Ellie that has been outfitted by this detail. Every character in “The Last of Us Part 2” will be exhibiting it, adding more immersion to the sequel, Gamespot reported.

The Last of Us Part 2 will allow Ellie to steady her aim by holding her breath

Sneaking around, for instance, will be more beneficial for players as they can have some sort of idea where an enemy is lurking just by listening to audio cues. This also adds more tension to “The Last of Us Part 2,” especially if you’re being hunted by a pack of Clickers. Needless to say that the mechanic is being praised by the gaming community as details such as this have been one of the major reasons why “Red Dead Redemption 2” became a massive hit.

The breathing mechanic is also tied directly to the gameplay of the sequel itself. Co-director Anthony Newman said that Ellie can learn to hold her breath in “The Last of Us Part 2” to steady her aim. This doesn’t come as a default ability and spending points on the skill is needed to take advantage of this system.

The Last of Us Part 2 will likely set a new bar for RPG titles

What makes this detail so interesting is that it could also be connected to the rage that enemies feel. For anyone who has watched the gameplay demo of “The Last of Us Part 2,” they’ll know that killing enemies in the game will result in their companions getting enraged. This could then have them panting in anger as they search the area for the culprit responsible for the murder.

With all these minute details injected in “The Last of Us Part 2,” there’s no doubt that it will set a new bar for RPG titles in the future. “RDR2” has already made its mark on the gaming scene, and it appears that “The Last of Us Part 2” will be the next game to leave a lasting impression that’ll inspire other developers moving forward. The game is slated for release on Feb. 21, 2020.