"The Last of Us" is a game that was developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the Playstation 3 in 2013. It was one of the last next-generation games on the console, and it sent the PS3 out with a bang. This post-apocalyptic action-adventure survival horror game tells the story of a 40-year-old man named Joel and 14-year-old girl called Ellie. Despite the game taking place in a broken-down, hopeless world, the father-daughter relationship between the two becomes the basis of the story, which tells a tale of love.
This week, the developers of "The Last of Us' finally announced the long-awaited "The Last of Us: Part 2" with a release trailer. There has been a wide spread of mixed opinions and emotions on whether or not Naughty Dog should create a sequel to the first game. The first told a story that needed to be told, and ended in a way that everyone felt perfectly wrapped up the tale. So when Naughty Dog first announced they were in production of making a sequel, there was a bit of skepticism.
Neil Druckmann, the creative director for the game, reassured the fans:
“We’re doing the right thing by you. No one loves these characters more than we do, and if we didn’t have the right idea, we just wouldn’t do it. I had ideas with different characters, and it just didn’t feel right. The Last of Us is about these two characters. So much thought went into this and a lot of people feel trepidation about coming back to these characters and revisiting what the ending to the first game means, and also worrying whether it’s going to spoil the first game. We feel all those things too, and Part 2 is doubling down on that to say we believe in this so much.”
Fans originally speculated the need for a sequel, and if there was to be one, as to what it would be about. Naughty Dog didn’t originally plan for a second game either, so I especially have faith that they wouldn’t be telling another story unless they felt it was worth telling. I don’t believe they went with the first idea that came to mind just for the money, because this game is their baby, and the developers love it just as much as the fans do.
Druckmann also said that the reasoning for the sequel being named “Part 2” is because it’s a complementary story to the first game and the two will tell a much larger story collectively. Whereas the first part focused on the love between Ellie and Joel, Druckmann confirmed that the second will counter that and focus on hatred. The game has also taken a turn in that Ellie is now the main playable character, whereas Joel was in the first.
"The Last of Us: Part 2" has been long-awaited for three years now, and while I myself was one of the people included in suspicion and skepticism, I put my full faith in the developers and trust that they’re going to give us an excellent game.
Watch the video below to hear Druckmann's full interview about the game.
