The Last of Us, another PS3 exclusive from the studio, is an action survival horror title focusing on two characters, Joel and Ellie, attempting to survive a plague decimating mankind. Not only that, but nature’s taking back over — check out that foliage, seriously.

“We are excited to finally unveil The Last of Us, a project the team has been working hard on for some time,” said Evan Wells, Co-President of Naughty Dog. “Naughty Dog’s mission is to change the way people experience videogames. We are confident The Last of Us will take a leap forward in cinematic gaming and storytelling, providing gamers with an experience unlike anything else in the industry.”

No release dates yet, but here’s the introductory trailer to whet your appetite:

It is, as things are these days, made entirely from in-game footage. Take a peek:

Who are these few? PlayStation Plus members, for a start. The rest of the few will be comprised of those who have a voucher from Infamous 2. These folks get access on June 28. Everyone else gets is July 4. Nice to not have to perform weird tasks to get a code, right?

In beta, you’ll get to test out nine different modes, as well as use four different characters. You’ll be able to make it all the way to level 25 and use some boosters, as well.

Here’s a video from IGN so you can get a good look at one of the maps:

Not only does she kind of look like Dame Helen Mirren, but she’s also going to be your main adversary in Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 3, due out later this year (on 11-1-11).

According to a post on PlayStation.Blog this morning that detailed information that was embargoed during GDC, “Katherine Marlowe is the coldly calculating leader of a secret society whose roots date back over four hundred years to the court of Queen Elizabeth I. She has a long-standing rivalry with Nathan Drake over Sir Francis Drake’s ring – something they both contend is rightfully theirs and is also the key to an ancient mystery.”

I guess it’s not that stereotypical for a woman to be wanting jewelry in this case, right? It’s all about heirlooms and mysteries, which I suppose makes this at least a little bit different.

In any case, she and her goons are supposed to be unlike anything Drake and Sully have experienced in the past. Watch the video below to get a proper introduction to the character.

Not only that, but a whole cache of (what one would assume was previously-embargoed) new assets hit the web today, including an extended look at the chateau sequence (first seen December 17), which was so big, it had to be split into two parts in order to get uploaded. (It is quite entertaining.) Here they are, in order.

Lastly, we’ve gotten our hands on a few new, beautiful screenshots from that same segment of the game. Enjoy!

It might not be real, but it sure does look good.

Entertainment Weekly reported this morning that Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception will be hitting stores “late next year.”

According to that piece, which included an interview with Naughty Dog creative director Amy Hennig (who we love around these parts), the story will focus on Nathan’s relationship with Sully, his mentor – and the deception from the title may very well concern Drake’s entire identity (ooh, thrilling). They’ll be searching for a lost city in the Arabian Peninsula – so be prepared for sand. Lots of sand.

Because the Uncharted series always keeps at least a little bit of a focus on history (last time, if you recall, we were trying to find Shangri-La), this time we’ll be investigating Lawrence of Arabia. Well, sort of. If you rewind a few years, turns out the Lawrence that we never really got to see Peter O’Toole play was more of an archaeologist. Not nearly as awe-inspiring as attacking desert peoples, but I’ll take it in this instance. (Naughty Dog, according to the EW feature, really liked the idea of building a virtual desert.)

Hennig promised a cinematic experience similar to what we’ve already come to know and love in the last two games, as well as multiplayer and co-op experiences.

A trailer for the game is expected to debut during the VGAs on Dec. 11, and on Monday, Dec. 13, Naughty Dog will be on hand at Late Night with Jimmy Fallon for a nice little preview.

• PlayStation Heroes Skin Pack
• UNCHARTED: Drake’s Fortune Multiplayer Pack
• UNCHARTED 2 Siege Expansion Pack
• Currency Multiplier which grants Double XP up to level 10 in Multiplayer
• Golden Guns option for the AK-47 and the 92FS 9mm pistol for use in Multiplayer
• Early access to “Revenge” Booster – you still have to purchase it with in-game cash!
• UNCHARTED: Eye of Indra – Motion Comic Bundle (which includes Episodes 1-4)
• UNCHARTED: Eye of Indra – Rika Raja and Daniel Pinkerton Character Skins
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Avatar Pack 1
• UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Avatar Pack 2
• UNCHARTED Avatar Pack 3
• UNCHARTED Avatar Pack 4
• Pinball Heroes – UNCHARTED for the PSP

Apparently, all of this would come in at over $35 if you bought it separately. At least, so says the box.

To celebrate the game’s first birthday, Sony is holding a special anniversary celebration online, where you’ll get to play through several special multiplayer game modes. Naughty Dog will have more in the days leading up to the event.

Uncharted is offering double gold in multiplayer this weekend, with a per-match limit of $150,000. This started at 10 a.m. Pacific, but in the event that you’re off work a little early for the Friday/holiday weekend combo, go ahead and start filling your coffers! The double gold event ends on Tuesday morning.

The folks at Naughty Dog are also testing out a new feature called “The Lab” this weekend, as well. They’ll be testing variations in multiplayer gameplay that will ultimately lead to a few changes and additions to multiplayer. What’s going on this weekend? The “2 v. 2 Team Deathmatch.” You’ve got 15 minutes to rack up 25 kills. Or at least more than the other team, anyway.

“The Lab” will run once every two weeks, and a variation schedule is already available for the next few weekends over at Naughty Dog’s blog (which rhymes in a fun way).

Have fun racking up the cash! (And you might even see me in the fray.)

Siege gameplay has you and one or two friends against the AI, with the objective being to survive the siege of AI adversaries coming at you! (Hey, that’s the name of the mode.) It’s a constant battle to keep the AI players from taking the territory. Each round consists of one territory, and it’s a different one every round.

The multiplayer maps ate The Highrise and The Museum. The former is the Nepalese series of dilapidated and under-construction buildings that you previously ran through with Chloe. The Museum is the site of Drake and Flynn’s heist from the very beginning of the game. The circular map provides multiple flank routes, and there are twisting corridors, close quarters fighting, and rooftops to run across.

6 Skins

• Wetsuit Drake
• Baseball Shirt Drake
• Prakoso
• Platzor
• Glowzor
• Dead Explorer (Or, you know, a zombie)

11 Trophies – 180 Trophy Points
Bronze

• You Can’t Break Me – Complete all 3 co-op objective maps on Crushing
• Under Siege – Finish Wave 10 in 1 Siege game
• Speedy – Get 10 First! Medals
• I’ll Cover You – Get 50 Defender Medals
• Fallen Angel – Get 50 Afterlife Medals
• Not So Fast – Get 20 “Shut’em Down” Medals
• Jack of All Trades – Get 15 Triple Threat Medals
• You Run, I’ll Shoot – Get 10 Protectorate Medals
• Back At Ya – Get 50 Retaliation Medals
• Kneel Before Z… – Get 5 Put-em Down Medals

Silver

• Rock a Rhyme – Get 100 Tricky Medals

Pictures of the new items are in the gallery below.

Nathan surveys his new trophy cabinet

Last night, Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 2 won five awards at the Game Developers Choice Awards (you know, the Oscars of games). That’s…uh…half of the awards that go to games, including the Game of the Year Award. There are three categories that go to a person (that I didn’t include in the ten), and I don’t think Nathan Drake can be nominated. Yeah. (So, basically, if you haven’t played it, you ought to.)

Other winners include thatgamecompany’s Flower, 5th Cell’s Scribblenauts, Runic Games’ Torchlight (the award is “better than a leg lamp,” according to them) and Rocksteady Studios’ Batman: Arkham Asylum. A full list of winners, including special awards, is below.