We Don't Need The Last Of Us Part 3

With the recent news that The Last of Us Part 2 may not be getting a direct sequel, many fans (myself included) are likely nervous about the franchise’s future. It also seems strange that Naughty Dog did not continue the series after the success of the HBO series. However, just because we’re not getting The Last of Us Part 3 doesn’t mean we won’t see any more games set in its world, and Naughty Dog already has the perfect solution.

A year after Uncharted 4 put a cap on Nathan Drake’s story, Naughty Dog released a spin-off game called Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. If Naughty Dog wants to continue telling stories in The Last of Us’ setting but not focus on its main characters, they could repeat this strategy. Not only has it been successful in the past, but there are also some pretty clear directions that a Last of Us spin-off could take.

The Last Of Us Should Learn From Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Uncharted’s Spin-Off Game Was Largely Successful

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy shifted its focus from series protagonist Nathan Drake and instead starred two of the game’s previous supporting characters: Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. The game was positively received, earning an 84% on Metacritic. The game was also reportedly a financial success, topping the UK sales charts the week it was released, according to GamesIndustry.biz. While we have sadly not gotten any more Uncharted spin-offs since then, Naughty Dog should consider repeating this successful move with The Last of Us.

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Jordan fighting a robot.

Naughty Dog Is Already Making The Best Decision Possible With Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

The Game Awards revealed Naughty Dog’s newest IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and it proves there is a lot to be excited about.

Like Uncharted, The Last of Us has many side characters to explore. If anything, The Last of Us may be better suited to this type of spin-off than Uncharted. As an action-adventure story, Uncharted’s characters were more broad archetypes than fully realized people, with the plot being more heavily focused on significant action set pieces and exciting mysteries. The extra emotional depth of The Last of Us’ characters means there are a lot of stories to mine for spin-off games. A Last of Us spin-off would also mean not cheapening Ellie’s story.

A TLOU Standalone Can Keep The World Alive Without Stretching Ellie’s Story

Ellie’s Story Had A Strong Conclusion In The Last Of Us Part 2

Ellie with a guitar in The Last of Us Part II

The end of Ellie’s story in The Last of Us Part 2 may have been heart-wrenching, but it was also a pretty definitive conclusion. The game showed the price Ellie paid by allowing her desire for vengeance to cloud her judgment and was a poignant statement on how the cycle of violence hurts all involved. Bringing Ellie back for another game would only risk damaging the perfect ending to her story. Giving her a new, happier ending wouldn’t feel authentic to the world of The Last of Us, and doubling down on the misery would just feel repetitive.

The PS3 easter egg from The Last of Us, Ellie from TLOU Part 2, and a silver DualSense Controller in a collage image.

The Last Of Us Limited Edition PS5 Controller Revealed Alongside Pre-Order & Price Details

Sony has revealed an official The Last of Us DualSense controller for the PS5, ahead of some major upcoming releases for the franchise this spring.

By focusing on a new character, a Last of Us spin-off could keep the world alive while preserving Ellie’s story. This could mean that a potential spin-off would need to feature characters that Ellie wouldn’t interact with, though that isn’t the biggest ask. By the end of The Last of Us Part 2, Ellie is left isolated from the rest of the cast, who have ended things on poor terms with Dina and Tommy. Even if one of them were chosen to be the focus of a new game, it would be believable that Ellie wouldn’t need to be involved.

What A Last Of Us Standalone Game Could Look Like

There Is A Lot Of Potential Story Directions For A Last Of Us Standalone Game

There are several directions a new standalone story in The Last of Us could take. Perhaps the easiest route would be to focus on an existing character. This would allow the game to rely on players’ familiarity with the character as a selling point and possibly even re-use locations if the game follows a character from Jackson. The game could potentially follow Tommy, whose injuries from The Last of Us Part 2 could play a unique mechanical role in the new game. Alternatively, the game could follow Maria and explore her role in maintaining Jackson.

Ellie from The Last of Us Part 2, and Nathan Drake from Uncharted 4.

I Don’t Want The New Naughty Dog Game Neil Druckmann Is Promising

Sony recently conducted an interview with Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann, and many comments have me concerned about the studio’s next game.

If Naughty Dog wants a new setting, it already has the perfect protagonist: Abby. While Ellie gets a solid conclusion at the end of The Last of Us Part 2, there is likely some potential to explore what happens to Abby and Lev after the events of the second game. With much of the misguided vitriol surrounding her character seemingly having died down at this point and more people giving The Last of Us Part 2 the recognition it deserves, bringing Abby back would likely be well-received. It could also give the HBO series someone to follow after Ellie.

The world of The Last of Us has much potential outside of established characters, so a standalone could always establish a completely new cast.

That said, following Abby may be too close to the story of The Last of Us Part 2 to be considered a standalone spin-off. The world of The Last of Us has much potential outside of established characters, so a standalone could always establish a completely new cast. The IP is likely strong enough to draw attention, even without any established characters returning.

Sources: Metacritic, Christopher Dring/GamesIndustry.biz

The Last of Us Part II is a continuation of The Last of Us universe and a direct sequel to the original title. It takes place five years after the events of The Last of Us and sees players taking control of two characters, Ellie and Abby. Players will be forced to live the lives of both characters before their stories ultimate at the end of the release.

Released: June 19, 2020
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Publisher(s): Sony