To call “The Last of Us” a significant release in gaming would be an understatement. Despite only coming out on one platform, the game quickly rose to a near-iconic status in the industry, and became a favorite of fans and critics alike. Many aspects of its execution were commended, but critics paid particular attention to the plot and character development, something which gave the game a special place in many gamers’ hearts.
And while some have been asking for a sequel for some time now, and there’s no doubt that Naughty Dog stand to profit very nicely if they decided to turn the game into a series, some critics have been questioning the sense behind this decision. On one hand, the game does have strong potential for a good sequel, and the story could easily be carried on and expanded in multiple directions.
The ending of the first game did leave some open questions, so there’s certainly plenty of potential for the story. However, the ending of “The Last of Us” was pretty much perfect, according to most fans, so extending the story beyond that could turn out to be a mistake for the developers. Yes, there are still some loose ends hanging from the last story – but tying them up might not necessarily prove to be a smart move for Naughty Dog.
On the other hand, the developer could also take the story in an entirely new direction, telling it from the perspective of a different group of survivors. Judging by how much they’ve invested in the development of their original characters though, that move would not make much sense for the studio, and some fans have also expressed skepticism at the idea.
There’s also the subject of the gameplay – many critics pointed out a peculiar sense of fine balance in the original game, as it was “just long enough”, according to most, to prevent it from feeling boring and repetitive. With that in mind, releasing another game that’s basically more of the same gameplay could end up disappointing some fans; and if Naughty Dog decide to make any drastic changes to compensate for that, they could ruin the perfection that was the original game’s design.
So, does “The Last of Us” need a sequel? While it would be great news for many fans of the original game, it’s probably something Naughty Dog should refrain from doing if they want to preserve the great image that the first game established for itself. The company could probably make a great game that ends up pleasing fans, but the risk is far too high, and at this point, they might be better off developing a new franchise.