The Last of Us is known for its tragic yet touching story that chronicles Joel and Ellie's journey across America following a zombie-like outbreak. While there are sweet moments shared between Ellie and Joel, most of the game has players gripped in terror as they defend themselves from getting gnawed on by the bloodthirsty Infected. When players are not blasting guns and dodging mines, they are carefully sneaking up on their foes to stealthily take them down.
One of the most terrifying characters players come across is David, a man who first presents himself as a friend, but soon reveals his wicked intentions. He is a twisted individual who seared himself into the minds of gamers through his complete lack of morals. With The Last of Us Part 1, Naughty Dog can make David even more terrifying by taking advantage of the PS5's hardware.
David the Cannibal
During The Last of Us, players come across various types of Infected that each poses a unique set of dangers. The newly infected Runners are quick and usually attack in groups while the Bloaters are late stage Infected that can tear fungus from their bodies and throw them as spore bombs. However, as is the case with most zombie fiction, the biggest dangers that Joel and Ellie face comes from regular humans.
In a post-apocalyptic world, an every-man-for-himself mentality has gripped the remains of society, and people have grown very distrustful of each other. This is true for Joel, and although he has stolen the hearts of many gamers, he proves himself to be capable of heinous acts to defend himself and those he loves. One of the most sinister characters gamers encounter is David, who they meet while Joel is incapacitated due to a serious injury, leaving gamers to play as Ellie. At first, David appears harmless, offering Ellie much-needed antibiotics in exchange for some meat. However, players soon discover that David is a nefarious figure with a grudge to settle.
Ellie is captured and caged, and she discovers that David and his men are cannibals. It is clear that David has plans to make Ellie their next meal, and it is heavily implied that he also has sex crimes on his mind. Fortunately, Ellie escapes, but not without a terrifying cat and mouse game in an old restaurant. Despite her small size, Ellie uses her brains to outsmart and outmaneuver David, eventually viciously stabbing him to death. Ellie's encounter with David has a visible effect on her, and she is quieter and more determined to complete the mission following her harrowing experience.
In a game filled with bloodshed and death, David still manages to stand out, as it represents one of the more prominent moments where Ellie is forced to shed her innocence and leave childhood behind. After Joel is injured, Ellie has to take on the role of the protector, along with all the responsibilities that come with it. For most of the journey, Ellie has had Joel around to keep her safe, but David is a perverted danger that she must deal with on her own. He is also a clear illustration of how far gone humanity is, as it is unlikely that David and his gang are the only ones of their kind. Despite how terrifying the scene is there are ways Naughty Dog can enhance it in the upcoming remake.
How The Last of Us Part 1 Can Make David More Terrifying
Thanks to the PS5's hardware, Naughty Dog has been able to remake The Last of Us from the ground up, bringing the game closer to what the developers had originally envisioned. Environments have been spruced up, the Dualsense controller has been integrated, and plenty of new accessibility features have been added, leading to an overall more immersive experience. These features can be used to enhance David and his terrifying scenes, ensuring gamers truly feel like they are being stalked by an insatiable madman.
The Last of Us Part 1 will be making use of 3D audio to enhance its soundscape. As Naughty Dog has highlighted, this will help players hear Infected before they see them, adding to the eeriness of battle. However, 3D audio would also be invaluable to David. Hearing which direction his taunts and footsteps are coming from will help players not become his prey, but it will also enhance the hair-raising feeling of being stalked. Naughty Dog has also revealed that the environments in The Last of Us Part 1 will be more destructible, and this should raise the sense of danger when David lets off a shot in the restaurant.
Perhaps the most essential improvement in The Last of Us Part 1 is the companion and enemy AI. Allies will be able to determine the current locations of enemies, predict where the enemies will be, and therefore be better able to remain concealed. The enemy AI is based on The Last of Us Part 2's AI, and the way enemies flank players and communicate with each other has been improved. When applied to David, this could result in a much scarier sequence that features a much smarter version of him hunting players down in the restaurant. Gamers will have to have their wits about them to deal with this predator that has received an IQ boost.
The Last of Us Part 1 will not veer away from the original story, but Naughty Dog can do a lot to improve on it. Hopefully, David's blood-chilling episode has received adequate attention, and the already terrifying ordeal is made even scarier. It will also be interesting to see how David will be depicted in the upcoming television adaptation of The Last of Us, which is set to air in 2023.
The Last of Us Part 1 is scheduled to release on 2 September 2022 on PS5. A PC port is also in development.
