Naughty Dog recently announcedThe Last of Us Complete, which packagesThe Last of Us Part 1andThe Last of Us Part 2 Remasteredtogether, as well as a Collector’s Edition for it that bundles theCompletepackage with a steelbook case, American Dreams #1–4 (with new cover art), and four lithographic art prints. Naughty Dog and Sony continuously finding ways to sellThe Last of Us’ only two installments is commendable, especially if it is aiding in the developer’s efforts to stretch its legs with a new IP and whatever else it may be at work on, and yetThe Last of Us Complete’s titular totality could be an unfortunate omen.
Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmannhas stated that he approaches each project as if he might not get a chance to return to it in the future, and doing so has arguably led to wholeheartedly evocative games brimming with bold conviction.The Last of Us, in particular, has concluded each entry thus far by being equally open-ended and tightly shut, allowing the series to continue forth if Naughty Dog wishes for it to. However, the ‘complete’ inLast of Us Completeinsinuates that eitherThe Last of Usoverall or Ellie’s story inThe Last of Usis complete, if not both.
The Last of Us’ Story Could’ve Ended with Part 1, and It Could End with Part 2
The Last of Us Part 1ends so definitivelythat its main characters could’ve believably lived the rest of their lives as citizens of Jackson with Ellie always skeptical but accepting of Joel’s account of what happened at St. Mary’s. Instead,The Last of Us Part 2molds Joel’s lie into a tragic tale and leaves a bit more of a cliffhanger for players to chew on with Abby and Lev having made it to Catalina Island, where Fireflies reside—at least, that’s where Fireflies said they were a few months before Ellie arrived in Santa Barbara.
The Last of Usending withPart 2would allow it to have its cake and eat it too. There’s no reason why Naughty Dog should stretch the series into oblivion if it has nothing significant to contribute to it, butThe Last of Uswas arguably made extraordinary withPart 2in how it expanded gameplay and challenged characters in its continued narrative.
While it might seem shortsighted to shelfThe Last of Uswhen it’s struck its zenith,Unchartedwas also put to rest after two phenomenal outings—A Thief’s EndandThe Lost Legacy—which is evidence that Naughty Dog isn’t afraid to close the book on any IP with no assurance that it’ll ever be exhumed again. Conversely,The Last of Usbeing the “full story” after two games and one DLC is debatably underwhelming whenNaughty Dog and Bend were able to milk six games out ofUncharted.
To be fair,The Last of Us’ shelf life was extended by its Factions multiplayer mode,Part 2’s shelf life is extended by its No Return roguelike mode, andNaughty Dog did have an onlineLast of Usgame in developmentuntil it was canceled.
Trilogies are so customary that never getting aPart 3may seem anticlimactic, and yet it would be admirable if Naughty Dog decided to retire the IP indefinitely after two entries. In any case, it took seven years forPart 2to followPart 1, and it’ll be neat to see what may or may not come ofThe Last of Uswithin the next decade. IfThe Last of Us Completetruly marks the end of the IP, though, it’ll certainly be ending on a high note.
Now, Neil Druckmann is primed to invest inIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetfully, and there are sparse rumors of a Shaun Escayg-led Naughty Dog game in the pipeline. Meanwhile, ifThe Last of Usdoes eventually receive a third installment in the future, it will probably be a similarly long time before another sequel is announced or revealed.
The Last of Us Could and Should Be Bigger Than Ellie Alone
Even ifThe Last of Usprevails,Completecould solely be referring toEllie’s chapter inThe Last of Usbeing over. Ellie has endured and survived so much in her life with Riley’s death and the discovery of her own immunity beingThe Last of Us’ true inciting incident, and leaving her with heartache and loneliness at the end ofPart 2would be tragic yet poetic since her biggest feat all along—as she shared with a despondent Sam inPart 1—has been ending up alone.
That said, theintimacy of Naughty Dog’s character-driven storytellingcan and has been applied to others inThe Last of Us, such as Abby. It would be disappointing ifThe Last of Usabandoned Abby’s story now, for instance, or never explored the stories of other random individuals.
Part 1andPart 2possess a lot of fulfilling lore and worldbuilding via notes and text artifacts that invite players to learn about miscellaneous survivors, andThe Last of Ustackling an anthology-esque formula with new characters and storiescould revitalize it. Either way, until moreLast of Usis ever announced, it may be fair to assume thatThe Last of Us Completeis effectively the end for bothThe Last of Usand Ellie’s story within it.
