How Expanding The Last of Us Could Work

I've put a lot of thought into Naughty Dog's celebrated exclusive since I first witnessed its ending in 2013. As soon as its credits started to roll, I wondered specifically about whether or not a sequel was in the works. A huge part of me (perhaps 95%) was certain that a sequel would ruin the beautifully subtle ambiguity of the ending, but part of me optimistically considered the possibility of another dive into the cordyceps-infested universe (though at the time I was still unsure as to how that would work).

But now I think I have it figured out.

You see, if the story continues from where it left off, it really does ruin the ending of The Last of Us; Naughty Dog intentionally left it up to the player to infer the details of the story's closure. If a sequel picks up directly after the ending, the uncertainty of the ending is lost, and the player no longer has the freedom to draw their own conclusions. Similarly, if the game follows the main characters after the events found in the game--even with a significant leap forward in time--either the same loss of open-endedness occurs, or there remains a large unanswered question regarding what truly happened directly following the first game's end.

On the other hand, a true prequel is obviously out, seeing as the apocalyptic/survival nature of the game would not exist at all prior to the cordyceps infection. However, something rather close to a prequel is not only possible, but in fact quite intriguing when considered in depth.



**SPOILER ALERT**
The remainder of the post goes into detail regarding crucial plot points from The Last of Us. If you have not played the entirety of the game, do not continue reading until you have booted up your PS3 (or 4) and done so.

Recall the game's opening.

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A small Texan family is thrown into the turmoil of the cordyceps outbreak. Protagonist Joel and his brother Tommy come together immediately, driven to protect Joel's instantly lovable daughter, Sarah.

Side note: Naughty Dog brilliantly decided to make the player control Sarah during the first chapter of the game. This is a genius bit of psychology, as it encourages the player to relate to her at a faster rate. You experience both the joy and limitations of being Sarah. If you don't feel attached to Sarah within the first few minutes of gameplay, you are probably plagued with some sort of personality disorder that hinders your empathic capability.

Back to Joel and Tommy. Shortly after the chaos erupts, they hasten to leave town. As they drive, they witness runners attacking the rest of the population. The streets are panicked. A van plows forcefully into their vehicle, turning it on its side and crushing Sarah's leg in the process.

Now that Sarah cannot run, the player takes over as Joel, who carries the helpless Sarah (another beautiful example of gameplay further enhancing the player's attachment toward the characters). Tommy is now the family's primary support, watching out for Joel and Sarah as they run for safety. The player gets a sense of how reliable and selfless Tommy is as he puts himself in danger to protect his family. Thanks to Tommy staying behind, Joel gets Sarah to the outskirts of town. Sarah expresses concern over her uncle, but Joel insists that Tommy will catch up.

Unfortunately, the military is already in position on the outskirts of town. They have orders to eliminate anyone who approaches to border in an effort to contain the infection. It makes sense from an impersonal, state-of-emergency, big picture perspective. But through the eyes of Joel, these orders are a death sentence for his family. He tries to reason with the soldier on the hill. Shots are fired anyway. Tommy arrives just in time to rescue Joel, but it is too late for Sarah. She is lost.

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At this point, The Last of Us cuts far ahead (20 years) into the future. A lot is left to be inferred. But 20 years is a long time and would provide a perfect canvas on which to paint another entry of the series. By filling in just some of the details here, nothing established by The Last of Us would be lost; no conclusions drawn by the player would be undermined, Instead, the already complicated relationship between Joel and Tommy would be further explained and enhanced.



So what do we already know about the time that Joel and Tommy spent together?

1. Joel and Tommy spent years together after Sarah's death.
2. Joel and Tommy start their journey in Texas, and eventually end up in Boston.
3. Tommy suffers from nightmares after the time he spent with Joel.
4. Joel and Tommy did what it took to survive, which most likely involved some hunter-like activities, victimizing innocent people.
5. At some point, Tommy turns from Joel's way of survival in favor of the hope promised by the Fireflies.
6. Joel also makes a change, turning to smuggling. He makes connections with people like Tess and Bill.
7. The strained relationship between Joel and Tommy eventually culminates in a heated argument.
8. The two part ways for an extended period of time.
9. Despite their falling out, Tommy communicates to Marlene, leader of the Fireflies, that she could rely on Joel if she ever needed some serious help.
10. Tommy does forgive Joel rather quickly at the dam, despite the fact that he blames his deep emotional scars on the years he spent with Joel.

The 10 established facts surrounding Joel's and Tommy's missing 20 years are enough to provide a rough outline regarding what another The Last of Us experience could be like. But there is also enough vagueness remaining that Naughty Dog could really tell a story within that framework. It doesn't have to be predictable. It doesn't have to be cold and rigid like my list above. It can be messy and gritty and emotional.

For proof, look at The Last of Us: Left Behind. We knew some of the details surrounding Ellie and Riley. We knew what was going to happen. But players found it worthwhile to explore that story anyway, despite knowing the ultimate results.

Clearly, there are 20 years worth of complicated character interactions between chapter 1 and chapter 2 of The Last of Us (particularly involving Joel and Tommy). There is also enough danger present to make gameplay interesting. Cordyceps is rampant. Survivors have to adapt to the new stages of infection (from runners to stalkers to clickers to bloaters) as they arise for the first time. Hunter groups are just forming. The Fireflies are fresh and strong and fighting the system. The government is trying to establish quarantine zones. People are desperate and trying to survive. Crime--from looting to murder--is occurring everywhere. There are still plenty of weak, desperate people... unlike 20 years in the future, when only the most callused veterans of the outbreak are left.

I think it could work. It would be an unseen take on a familiar universe. It would provide some serious insight into Joel's transformation from a grieving father to a distant, hardened, ruthless survivor. And best of all, it wouldn't do anything that might ruin the original perfection of The Last of us.

The Dangerous Nature of Hype

About three and a half years ago in November of 2011, my husband (boyfriend at the time) heard about a game that sounded right up my alley. It was a cult classic visual novel on DS with fairly intricate puzzles and a complex logic-driven story by the name of 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors (a.k.a. 999).

When I read the basic premise behind the game, I was already hooked. Yet a brief glimpse of what I was getting into did nothing to prepare me for the twists and turns of 999. It was a masterpiece of storytelling that fit perfectly into the visual novel genre of gaming. No other medium—be it film, novel, comic, or television—could do justice to this fantastically haunting tale. I loved every second of it. Gripped by the game’s intensity, I couldn't put it down and ended up pushing through every wonderful, suspenseful moment within a week.

If you've played 999, you'll see it.

The conclusion of 999 was so imaginative that I had to share with someone. My poor future husband claimed he would never play it and therefore let me spoil the entire thing for him as I retold each incredible scene. I spilled my guts for an hour or two while traveling from city to city. He patiently listened while probably thinking I was an overly excited weirdo. I guess that’s not a new development in our lives, but I do count myself lucky he still proposed a couple years later.

So you can imagine my joy at the news that there was a sequel to 999 inbound and scheduled to release on the 3DS a few short months later (February 2012). Out of the blue I was going to receive a second masterpiece! This one was entitled “Virtue’s Last Reward”. Thankfully, the second entry in the now-labeled “Zero Escape” franchise did not disappoint. Ponderings of quantum physics, psychology, mathematics, and moral dilemmas enhanced an already excellent puzzle game. I felt adequately challenged from the experience and enjoyed the story it shared.

The only problem laid in the incomplete nature of the game. Its finale left me with several unanswered questions and a lack of closure. I knew at once this was a setup for an epic trilogy, and I knew I would have to wait impatiently for the next entry.

Except the third game was nowhere in sight. It was revealed on February 13, 2014 that (unfortunately) the games were financially unsuccessful in Japan and that the western market being in the black had little weight in determining Zero Escape 3’s fate. Uchikoshi, the game's creator, connected to his western audience via Twitter and explained that while he wanted nothing more than to create the game we all wanted, it was not in the cards. Heartwarmingly, he explained, “I believe there is still hope. ZE3 will definitely be released somehow, someday!” and added “I will continue to seek a way out,” referencing the catchphrase associated with his own escape puzzles.

Zero Escape 3 is still in the box.

But as time went on, the eventual creation of the game seemed to become less and less possible until fans (myself included) lost hope completely. It was a long and painful process, but I finally decided to let Zero Escape go and accept the cliffhangers that plagued the second title in the series. I turned to other games with similar tones and stories like Danganronpa and adventure games by Telltale. I tried to forget the painful lack of Zero Escape 3.

You might see me cry. Maybe.

Interestingly, Aksys Games Localization, Inc. began a teaser site (http://4infinity.co) in mid-March this year that changed everything. It began with just a counter set to “0303”. Now I understand it is unheard of for a localization team to announce anything. It’s crazy. I get it. But because of the obvious connection to Zero [Escape] 3, the small community of fans suddenly grew restless and started a conversation everyone had put to bed over a year ago when they originally lost hope. I saw hundreds of posts on forums that verbalized how I felt: a very earnest yet reluctant response, almost dissociative in nature. Excitement, yet distrust. Intense loyalty for Uchikoshi, yet a severe disillusionment regarding the profit-driven video game industry.

A screenshot of the original counter on Aksys's 4infinity.co website

I personally felt so torn seeing the teaser site that I couldn’t contain it. Like a teenage girl that had been hurt too many times, I wasn’t sure I was ready to be vulnerable again. But if this was real... if this was what I desperately hoped it was… If, if, if. For a long time, I adopted the “I’ll believe it when I see it” shield and crouched behind it, terrified of getting my hopes up only to have them come crashing back down yet again. But as time has gone on and clues have been exposed, I have slowly opened up to the hype.

So here I am, a good three-ish months from the teaser countdown being finished (if our calculations are correct), and I have allowed myself to get excited. I hate that I have, because I will be crushed if this isn’t real. It is the game I most want to see right now, even above Kingdom Hearts 3, Uncharted 4, Fire Emblem: If, Persona 5… I even want this more than a prequel to The Last of Us set between the first and second chapters!

Sidebar to Naughty Dog (because I’m sure they totally read this blog): Just contact me. I’ll fill you in on all my great ideas for your fungal apocalypse universe.

So that’s that. There is hype. I am letting myself succumb to it. I am vulnerable and hopeful, and it's scary.