Naughty Dog sheds light on Factions mode, says it is an extension of the themes found in single-player.

With just a week and a half to go before The Last of Us hits store shelves, Naughty Dog has provided details on the game's multiplayer mode, described as the "best ever conceived."

The Last of Us' multiplayer mode is called Factions and, according to Naughty Dog, will represent an extension of the themes found in single-player.

"The moment-to-moment survival present in the single-player campaign is integral to the multiplayer," the developer said. "You'll feel tension and need to be intensely alert at all times."

In Factions, gamers must pick a side: hunters or fireflies. Each player begins with a small number of survivors that must be kept alive and grown over time.

Gamers can accomplish this in two modes, the first of which is Supply Raid. In this mode, a player's team has 20 reinforcements. Once they're exhausted, the match will go to sudden death.

In the Survivors mode, there are respawns. Once players die, they are finished until the next round begins. Matches are best of seven, meaning the first team to win four wins the match.

Naughty Dog described Factions gameplay as "very tactical," also featuring the same crafting system found in single-player. A Listen mode will allow players to locate enemies with silenced weapons, and teamwork is described as "essential."

Similar to how it works in the Gears of War franchise, a fallen teammate can crawl to allies to be revived, placing greater emphasis on teams sticking together. In addition, the Last of Us' Factions mode includes melee combat, allowing players to perform an execution on a downed player.

Gamers who preorder The Last of Us at GameStop will receive the Survival Pack, a multiplayer expansion that includes bonus experience points, a melee attack booster, extra in-game cash, customizable items, and two bonus skins that can be unlocked after the single-player game is completed.

In addition, The Last of Us will feature a $20 downloadable content season pass that includes day-one perks like increased in-game crafting speed, faster healing, a 9mm pistol reload speed upgrade, and a rifle clip capacity upgrade.

The DLC pass also includes access to single- and multiplayer expansions, which will launch sometime after The Last of Us arrives exclusively for the PlayStation 3 on June 14.

For more on The Last of Us, check out GameSpot's review.

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