Summary
The Last of Usis one of the most critically acclaimed properties in recent years, with tremendous success in both the game space and the realm of television showing just how much the franchise has resonated with both hardcore and casual audiences. The 2013 game was a beautiful, near-perfect example ofdeveloper Naughty Dog’s ability to conjure great characters and send them on a truly emotional journey.
HBO replicated the first game in a way that few game adaptations have been able to achieve. On one hand, it was faithful to whatThe Last of Usdid over a decade ago, but on another, it found smart ways to add to its world, setting, and lore, changing the story in ways that few fans took issue with, despite some alterations being quite large. A third game is likely, and this excellent TV series could provide the perfect basis for a fresh idea when it comes to infected enemy encounters.
The Last of Us 3 Will Need New Enemy Types
While there is a decent amount of variety inThe Last of Us' enemy types, as runners, clickers, and bloaters each require unique methods to be taken down,The Last of Us 2felt the need to expand on this with the introduction of new adversaries to keep the combat encounters fresh for returning fans. It’s a necessary evolution, and one that helps to differentiate the pair of Sony exclusives, showing a gameplay progression alongside the strides thatThe Last of Us 2makes in storytelling, level design, presentation, and character development.
Season 2 of HBO’sThe Last of Ushas been confirmed, but currently no release date has been set.
The Last of Us 3will have to do the same to stand outin a sea of exceptional AAA offerings. Finding new ways to implement different enemy types will be tough, seeing as the rumored third game will establish itself in a developed universe, but that’s not to say it can’t find a creative way to conjure a threatening presence using other means. The HBO series changed the way the infected operate in one distinctive way, and emulating that change in the gaming space could lead to an interesting twist on combat.
HBO’s Hivemind Infected are a Stroke of Genius
HBO’s TV adaptation ofThe Last of Ussmartly explains the presence of the infected by implying that they’re all connected by a network that can be disrupted by the most subtle of disturbances. Instead of just roaming the land, the infected work as a hivemind, connected by cordyceps fungus that is spread all over and effectively works as a tripwire to alert the infected of the presence of survivors. It’s a change that showrunners felt they needed to make to ensure the TV adaptation was still somewhat realistic, as the spreading of the infection via spores works for gameplay, but not necessarily for television.
In the ‘Inside the episode’ video for Episode 2 ofThe Last of Uson the Max YouTube channel, showrunner Craig Mazin said:
We started looking at something called mycelium, which are these threads that make up fungus. In the game, it spreads through biting and saliva, but it also can spread through the air and through spores. While that works in a video game environment, in real life spores move around everywhere. It’s just harder to put into the notion that spores localize and don’t spread.
These tripmines would be a smart way to keep the challenge high, and could be introduced via a special evolution of the infected that starts to appear after another time skip. Instead of stumbling into acombat encounter inThe Last of Us 3with infected and finding new ways to take them out, this hivemind could present the puzzle before a fight is even initiated, with players having to find a clever way to circumvent the encounter entirely, or clear out weaker enemies without stepping on the tripmines and alerting a tougher foe.
The Last of Us
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards. In a ravaged civilization, where infected and hardened survivors run rampant, Joel, a weary protagonist, is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone. However, what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal cross-country journey. Includes the complete The Last of Us single-player story and celebrated prequel chapter, Left Behind, which explores the events that changed the lives of Ellie and her best friend Riley forever.
