The Last of Us franchise is set to become bigger than ever over the next few years. As such, it seems fitting that fans are thinking of their own ways to expand the series, such as one The Last of Us player’s idea for an open world game.
The closest The Last of Us franchise has come to open world was the wide linear gameplay of the sequel. In particular, the first Seattle section where players can spend hours exploring is a good idea of what The Last of Us could accomplish as an open world game. Solving puzzles to unlock safes and acquire special weapons, looting buildings for collectibles, and stumbling upon Ellie’s memorable "Take on Me" performance were some of the things that made this section work well.
While Naughty Dog is preoccupied with The Last of Us Factions and a rumored remake of the original game, a fan named OzoneArcher has shared a concept trailer for the hypothetical project. The footage is a beautifully edited compilation of memorable shots from the series, with narration from Joel used alongside the harrowing music fans have come to expect from The Last of Us. As Joel reminisces about 4th of July family gatherings, a lineup of bodies is shown, a great way to depict how much has changed following the Cordyceps outbreak.
At the end of the brief, 30-second teaser, Joel is seen walking by a bus with his weapon ready. The game’s title is then revealed, going by the name The Last Days, with the Tension Films logo highlighting the creators of the incredible concept trailer. With Joel seen on his own, this hypothetical open world game would seemingly be a prequel that looks at his smuggling days prior to meeting Ellie.
In the comments, fans seem divided on whether the beloved series would work with an open world approach. Doubters are quick to point out the intensity of linear, focused encounters with the Rat King and Stalkers, as well as the potential for too much player freedom to ruin the pacing of the story. Given that The Last of Us has thrived due to its intense narratives, this fear is understandable. Still, other players are quick to point out how well the open world-like Seattle sequence worked in The Last of Us 2. Regardless, the numerous upvotes show that most players feel like the trailer was well-made regardless of their stance on an open world game.
With The Last of Us HBO series set to bring the franchise to a whole new audience, Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic series could soon be bigger than ever. While it remains to be seen if future games could have a larger scale to match this growing audience, the fan-made trailer gives an idea of what an open world The Last of Us game could accomplish.
