If for some reason you weren’t happy with the hopeful ambiguity of The Last of Us Part IIis over, it sounds like Naughty Dog still believes there is at least one more bullet in the chamber for the series. director Neil Druckmann has revealed in the Grounded II: The Making of The Last of Us Part II documentary that he still believes there is a third chapter to this story. And God, I wish he would just let protagonist Ellie sort out her life in peace.
In the documentary, Druckmann explained this while he was there quoted previously said that Naughty Dog had a draft for a third Last of us Game, that wasn’t actually the case in 2021. At this point, he was referring to a side story that focused on Tommy, the brother of part One
“The first game had such a clear concept of the unconditional love that a parent feels for their child,” said Druckmann. “When we settled on the idea of pursuing justice at all costs, justice for those you love, it seemed like there was a clear concept here and a through line from the first game about love.” If we Never do it again, that’s a good ending point. The last bite of the apple, the story is finished.”
“I thought about it: ‘Is there a concept?’ And I haven’t found that concept in years,” he continued. “But recently that has changed. I don’t have a story, but I have this concept that to me…is its own thing, but still has a through line for all three. So it feels like there’s probably another chapter to this story.”
Despite my vehement dislike for the reductive way that Druckmann speaks The last of usI agree Part II be a worthwhile sequel The last of us‘ Story. Part of me trusts the team could Get every character and story that plays a role in a third game right. But I was also very happy with the ending that brought things full circle Part II offered with a focus on forgiveness for grief-related violence. I’m afraid that because AAA video games carry the expectation of combat is a hypothesis The Last of Us Part III would have to undermine some of the lessons learned at the end of the second game in order to justify its existence in some people’s eyes. My ideal third party Last of us The game would have no combat at all. It would show Ellie walking through Jackson, finding her estranged friend Dina, and seeing if bridges can be rebuilt.
But I don’t think I really need to see this. I like the ending The last of us with Ellie, who leaves the pain of both games behind and tries to find her something in the pieces that remain. But capitalism dictates the major video game franchises have to be pulled back onto the assembly line. We hope that whatever Naughty Dog has planned feels like a natural continuation of what came before.
Whatever The Last of Us Part III That said, it’s not Naughty Dog’s next project. The team is working on it a new IPwhich is the first time the studio has done this since the original Last of us In 2013.