Just watching the E3 Pulse show and in an interview with someone from Naughty Dog, he does mention that there are something called "pinch points" which are scripted reactions when you run into certain scenarios. The supposed "pinch point" in the gameplay demo was when Joel heard those people for the first time while he was by that rooftop greenhouse. The "pinch point" automatically made him crouch and hide behind the cover close by. What's interesting is that it is very smoothly done and matches gameplay.
Everything from that point is gameplay. He explained the method that allows for such cinematic melee by describing something that calculates the surrounding physics so it takes into account a desk or other objects during melee and utilizes appropriate melee between your character and opponent. So smashing your opponents head against a desk just happens and vice versa, or in instances towards the end when Joel gets hit with an object and falls to the floor to receiving a strangling. I'm guessing if that open floor wasn't there he'd be up against a wall or such.
"Pinch points" might very well be a good things since it serves as a form of AI for your character as well working as a instant reaction to things like hearing strangers, first thing you'd want to do is hide right? Essentially your character would take advantage of split second decisions that you as a person sitting in their living room observing from a third person view might not be able to execute in the same fashion as if you were actually in the game.
Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(
