Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The Last of Us Part II dominates this year’s D.I.C.E. Awards nominations

By Giovanni Colantonio January 26, 2021

The nominees for this year’s D.I.C.E. Awards are out, and The Last of Us Part II leads the pack with 11 nominations, while 2020 highlights like Hades and Ghost of Tsushima made it into several categories.

The D.I.C.E. Awards are put together by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Last year, Untitled Goose Game scored a surprise Game of the Year win at the event, making this year’s show worth keeping an eye on.

Recommended Videos

This year’s Game of the Year nominees are The Last of Us Part II, Hades, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Ghost of Tsushima. That’s nearly identical to the crop at this year’s Game Awards, minus Doom Eternal.

The Last of Us Part II could likely repeat its big night at the Game Awards thanks to nominations in most of the show’s biggest categories, including Outstanding Technical Achievement and Outstanding Achievement in Story.

Indie hit Hades is in a great position this year with eight nominations. The game will go up against such major studio titles as Half-Life: Alyx in categories like Best Action Game.

While there are no big surprises here, it’s worth noting that Cyberpunk 2077 was eligible for these awards and scored one nomination for Role-playing Game of the Year. CD Projekt Red’s controversial open-world game was ineligible for this year’s Game Awards due to its December release date and is expected to compete next year.

Noticeably absent from the list is Among Us, which scored multiple wins at the Game Awards. The game received nominations at the 2020 event despite coming out in 2018.

Voting for the D.I.C.E. Awards begins today and the winners will be revealed on April 8 during a digital ceremony.

Topics

Tech News

Giovanni Colantonio

Senior Gaming Editor

As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…

Gaming

The Last of Us Part 1: All Training Manual locations

ps now vs xbox game pass the last of us remastered

Joel has managed to survive for over 25 years in the Clicker invested world, but even he can learn a few new tricks. He's already adept with any gun you can get your hands on and can slap together basic materials to make some useful tools, but just about everything you have access to can be made better with the right training. Unfortunately, it's a little late for Joel and Ellie to enroll in a survival course, so reading up is the next best option.

The Last of Us Part 1 has 12 hidden Training Manuals you can collect that all improve one of your tools in a meaningful way. Some of these are so powerful that you'll wonder how you managed without them, and yet some are so well hidden that you can go through the game multiple times without finding them all. If you want to become an expert Boy Scout, turn on your Listen Mode and pay close attention to our guide on finding all the Training Manuals in The Last of Us Part 1.
Training Manual 1 -- Shiv: Sharpening
Your first Training Manual to grab is in Bill's Town. You will have a hard time missing it, but after you escape from Bill's leg snare trap and follow him into the bar, one of the many objects to pick up is the training manual right on the bar itself.

Gaming

The Last of Us Part 1: All toolbox locations

Joel places a rifle on a table in The Last of Us Part I.

Survival in The Last of Us Part 1 will come down to equal parts stealth, skill, and resource management. As Joel and Ellie go farther and farther west, the challenges they face will only become more daunting, asking more from the player in terms of all of these attributes. Aside from upgrading Joel himself with a few skills, the main way you will keep up with the harsher conditions of the game is through upgrading your weapons. However, you will realize very early on that many upgrades are locked.

The only way to fully upgrade your arsenal is by finding five toolboxes. These simple tools all unlock a new level of upgrades for your weapons, but just like anything else in The Last of Us Part 1, they're very easy to overlook as you're sneaking through an area or just admiring the amazing environments. Since there's no backtracking in this game, missing one means you won't be able to max out any upgrades on your first playthrough, so make a note of all the toolbox locations in The Last of Us Part 1 listed here.
First tool location
The first toolbox won't come until you make it to Chapter 4 of the game, called Bill's Town. After navigating his traps (or at least most of them), you will meet up with Bill and eventually make your way to his home base of sorts in an abandoned church. Here, he will show you how to make the very useful Nail Bomb item, but don't leave the area to test it out just yet. Before you leave the basement, check the back corner for a shelf with the red toolbox sitting on it.
Second tool location
Very early in Chapter 5, Pittsburgh, you will be attacked by a group of survivors. After taking them out, you will need to lift up a garage door to progress. Once inside, look to the shelves immediately to your left for the toolbox.
Third tool location
Moving on to Chapter 6 now, follow the main path through the sewers until you get to the point where Ellie repairs a generator and Henry pulls you out of the water. Follow the tunnel forward, but watch for a side path on your left side. Take the path to a small room with the toolbox lying on the ground.
Fourth tool location
Back in school during Chapter 8, The University, go all the way into the science building but don't go up to the second floor quite yet. At the end of the hall, just past a vending machine, is a locked door you will need a shiv to pry open. Use one, get inside, and the toolbox will be sitting front and center on one of the lab tables.
Fifth tool location
Our final toolbox is waiting in Chapter 10. After an awkward start, eventually, you will come to the infamous giraffe scene and then trigger a cutscene. After it ends, you will be in the abandoned FEMA camp. Look for the open tent nearest the bus station and go inside. Directly to the right of the entrance is a table with the final toolbox sitting on top.

Gaming

Turn on these 6 accessibility settings in The Last of Us Part I before you start

A white arrow shows Joel where to go in The Last of Us Part I.

The Last of Us Part I is out now on PlayStation 5 and it’s a bit of a strange release. In our review, we noted that it’s an excellent game, but not exactly an excellent remake. It's full of impressive, but superfluous tech improvements that don’t meaningfully change the 2013 classic. For players who have experienced it before, $70 is a high price to pay for a game that seemingly brings nothing new to the table.

The Last of Us Part I - Accessibility Trailer | PS5 Games