Trailer: 'The Last of Us' examines fungus-ravaged future

In the latest trailer for "The Last of Us," the PS3 game's directors talk about contrasting characters and the anguish of fighting infected humans.

In the latest trailer for 'The Last of Us,' the PS3 game's directors talk about contrasting characters and the anguish of fighting infected humans.

This isn't the post-apocalyptic vision of yore, but one in which cities have been reclaimed by plant and fungus.

Inspired by a real-life fungus which causes infected ants to become 'zombies,' 'The Last of Us' sees human society decimated by a similar parasite.

Some infected humans, known as 'runners,' still have the power of sight.

For others, a more advanced stage of infection turns them into 'clickers' that rely on echo-location to find their prey, so main characters Joel and Ellie have to move around in silence.

The video also touches upon the protective relationship between Joel, a man capable of commiting brutal acts in order to ensure his survival, and young ward Ellie, entrusted to his care en route to an unnamed destination.

And while Joel has seen civilization crumble under the fungal onslaught, Ellie has known nothing else -- consequently, players can expect them to react quite differently to the situations and environments they encounter.

'The Last of Us' is being developed by 'Uncharted' studio Naughty Dog and is set for a PlayStation 3 release on June 14 -- one day after the close of the Electronic Entertainment Expo at which both Microsoft and Sony are expected to show off games consoles to succeed the PS3 and Xbox 360.