The Last of Us franchise is set to receive a multiplayer spin-off in the near future, but nearly nothing is known about the game and what it will entail. Initially, players expected it to be just a standalone version of the Factions gameplay from the first entry in The Last of Us franchise. However, with Naughty Dog saying how ambitious the game is and suggesting storytelling will be a focus, co-op gameplay seems like a possibility. If there is a co-op story mode offered, The Last of Us 2 provides a perfect model for how it could work.
Though there are many memorable moments in The Last of Us 2, from the war on the Seraphite island to the encounter with the Rat King, the open section at the start of Seattle Day 1 was a highlight for many. Here, Naughty Dog perfected the design seen in a few areas from Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, with players given the freedom to continue the main story or explore for useful items and optional narrative elements. If co-op is indeed featured in the multiplayer spin-off, this is the perfect format for Naughty Dog to utilize.
The Last of Us Co-Op Using Seattle Day 1 as a Blueprint Simply Makes Sense
Though players almost always have a companion with them in The Last of Us games, these AI-controlled allies stick close by and stay out of the way. However, adding a second player means that areas need to be designed to accommodate the movement of two people who may have different play styles. The linear levels of The Last of Us would not give much space for a second player, and it is easy to imagine gamers getting in each others’ way in most areas. However, an open area like Downtown Seattle would not have this problem.
If The Last of Us’ multiplayer spin-off consisted of several locations like Downtown Seattle, two players could have no issue keeping themselves busy. One player could scavenge in a sewer while another could clear some infected out of a building, with each area providing unique collectibles and environmental storytelling. Players could sometimes come across a puzzle they need to work together to solve, with each player doing something different to unlock a safe full of loot or open another part of the area.
While there was a lot to love about this section of The Last of Us 2, like the bank segment where players can acquire a new weapon and Nathan Drake’s ring, most will remember the “Take on Me” scene as the biggest highlight of the area. The beautiful sequence between Ellie and Dina being entirely missable is part of what makes it so special, as it rewards exploration in a major way. Given how well received this moment was, adding similar cutscenes that players could stumble upon is something that would work well. However, this would require good placement of the scenes so that they only occur when players are together, as triggering the scene would be frustrating for someone exploring elsewhere in the area.
If The Last of Us multiplayer spin-off featured a hub where players could take care of fellow survivors and pick up bounties for killing infected like in Days Gone, these open areas would work even better. Players could return to areas they already visited in the story, similar to Patrol zones in Destiny 2, collecting medical supplies and food for the people living at their camp. While players gathered supplies in Factions matches to provide for the people in their clans during The Last of Us, they could instead find them by searching through open areas like Downtown Seattle in the multiplayer spin-off. Between gathering supplies and clearing pockets of infected, players could have a reason to return to open areas even after they have taken in the story they had to offer. With a hub and more open areas originally planned for The Last of Us 2, the multiplayer spin-off could be a way to revive the concept.
Though a linear, cinematic-heavy story like The Last of Us Part 1 could work for the multiplayer spin-off, it feels like Naughty Dog has been building to something bigger with the open areas in its recent games. Giving players a small bit of direction before setting them free to explore several open areas, and them having them return to a hub between each, could make for an engaging gameplay loop. If organic storytelling like the “Take on Me” scene is sprinkled throughout the locations, a co-op The Last of Us experience could work very well. For now, though, fans will have to keep waiting until Naughty Dog is ready to unveil what exactly the game will be.
A The Last of Us multiplayer game is currently in development.
