The Multiplayer Issue
Some may not know it, but the original game actually had a rather interesting set of multiplayer modes that came with the core game. However, this was overshadowed by the intense single player campaign, which was the focus for many critics and players alike. Moving forward, it’s imperative that Naughty Dog decides which direction they want to take their multiplayer in for The Last of Us Part II. Having it just tacked on, despite it actually being quite fun, made the online component feel like an afterthought to the overall package. There were only three modes, a little over a dozen weapons, and only a handful of maps to pick from in the core game. This is a shame because the modes themselves were incredibly fun, however it would have been fantastic if Naughty Dog explored them with more depth.
What made The Last of Us’ multiplayer interesting is that it reinforced the idea of surviving and taking every little advantage offered. It’s rare a multiplayer game forced players to play like it was their last life, as it created a slow burn style of competitive online combat. In an age of fast paced shooters and massive open world battles, having such an isolated and intimate experience was and is rare. Doubling down on this mentality could help The Last of Us standout even more if it tries to enter the online realm.
With the second title, the developers should either flesh it out more like they’ve done with Uncharted 4 or just ditch it entirely. Unless you have a constant string of new content and updates for your online area, it will eventually die off after its release. There’s nothing wrong with The Last of Us being a single player only game. However, if Naughty Dog is adamant on adding competitive multiplayer, then it should offer more than a small pool of modes to draw from and use the post-apocalyptic lore to add something different. Even though the Elimination game mode from the original title was enjoyable, it only every felt like Naughty Dog was scratching the surface for online. There’s a lot of potential in what a multiplayer section could look like for The Last of Us Part II, so hopefully Naughty Dog explores it further.
