Since the debut of the jaw dropping trailer at the VGAs in December, the anticipation has been building for Naughty Dog’s next PS3 exclusive The Last of Us. With inormation incredibly scarce, it’s time for Game Informer to pick up the pieces. The hit gaming magazine who always hits the big exclusives has revealed that the game will be the focus of this month’s issue, and with it comes the first in-game screenshots, along with Playstation showcasing a behind-the-scenes video of the game’s first trailer, showing the motion capture technology that went into the suspense filled cut scene.

First, here is the behind the scenes video that highlights the technology used to create that first trailer, with motion capture performances from the actors, and a rough graphics outline:

Now come the all-new looks at the game via Game Informer‘s cover for this month’s issue, as well as the screenshots of the game, showcasing that these mutated zombie enemies won’t be the only thing you’ll have to face to ensure survival:

While the initial trailer made us believe this looked like New York City, Game Informer reveals the setting is actually Pittsburgh, as indicated by the second-to-last screenshot by the yellow bridge. The continue by saying, ”Combat includes both gunplay and melee attacks. Weapons will break after repeated use, so you’ll have to scavenge around for new items frequently. Most post-apocalyptic worlds are bleak and gray. Naughty Dog utilizes natural growth to spice up the color palette and add a sense of the abnormal.”

Finally, they’ve also revealed that you won’t be playing as Ellie during the game, but you’ll be playing as other protagonist, and the elder of the two, Joel. The first trailer definitely made it seem as if the game would be told from Ellie’s perspective, but it seems that won’t be so. The good part, however, is that you won’t be holding the younger protagonist’s hand throughout the title. ”The developers stress that The Last of Us is not one long escort mission. Although you won’t control Ellie in the game, her AI is one of the team’s primary areas of focus. In our demo she always managed to keep up, yet stay out of the way. She didn’t seem to need any babysitting at all.”

The Last of Us is set to hit later this year, and you can see more from the game when the March issue of Game Informer hits stands later next week.