The Last of Us Part II is one of the PlayStation 4's biggest achievements. It has broken the record for Game of the Year awards, beating out The Witcher 3 to become the most critically celebrated game of all time. However, for many fans, one question remained long after completing the epic campaign: where is the multiplayer?
The original Last of Us' Factions Mode has become a cult classic and still has an active and dedicated community to this day. Many fans were shocked when the sequel launched without multiplayer. However, there is still hope for a new TLOU2 multiplayer experience, as developer Naughty Dog has said that, while there originally were plans for multiplayer, those plans simply became too ambitious. The studio assured fans that there will be more Last of Us multiplayer, but where and when are still unclear. For those fans still holding out hope, here's what we'd like to see in a standalone TLOU2 multiplayer experience.
If there's one multiplayer mode that Naughty Dog has nailed in the past, it is cooperative gameplay. Uncharted games have featured both arena-style horde modes and co-op adventures where players work together to complete objectives in maps created from the campaign. The Last of Us didn't offer a pure co-op mode, but with a possible spin-off, TLOU2 should definitely include a way for players to work together.
Repurposing the incredibly detailed areas from the campaign could allow for a level-based mode where players create a custom survivor and team up to complete objectives or simply make it from point to point. The mode could even randomize equipment and enemy placements for each level to make each playthrough a truly unique and terrifying experience.
The original Factions Mode initially seemed like a rather bizarre inclusion that was tacked onto the incredible single-player story-driven campaign. However, after only a few matches, many fans realized why The Last of Us Factions Mode is still popular to this day. Factions provided a variety of modes and a unique playstyle rarely found in a multiplayer setting. Factions required teamwork, stealth gameplay and (more often than not) patience while waiting to strike at the opportune moment.
A reimagined Factions mode sits firmly at the top of fans' list of requested modes for a Last of Us Part 2 multiplayer suite. A new competitive mode that features The Last of Us Part 2's silky smooth animations and incredibly fluid gameplay would be a treat to those who still fire up The Last of Us Remastered's multiplayer on the daily.
One reason why the original Last of Us' multiplayer was so popular was the unique settlement aspect of the gameplay. Between multiplayer matches, players had to manage a settlement of survivors week-to-week. This settlement was represented as a menu between matches, informing the player of the health and number of settlers present. The more supplies the player collected in matches, along with performing well, the better and more people the settlement would attract.
However, at certain intervals, the camp would be attacked, and players had to choose challenges to complete to repel the attackers. Succeed, and the camp grows and thrives; fail one too many times and the camp is wiped out, forcing the player to being the process again.
It would be great if TLOU2's multiplayer visually represented these settlements as a hub-world areas that players launch game modes from. This would finally allow players to see the people who inhabit the settlement. If players could actually see and possibly interact with the settlers and survivors, it would raise the stakes of each challenges. Perhaps the settlement itself could be customized and expanded with enough resources, adding defenses and new buildings.
For many players, The Last of Us Part 2 is still one of the best feeling games to play. Naughty Dog's top-notch design has created incredible character animation coupled with dynamic combat that allows the player to improvise on the fly, and the AI ensures no two combat encounters ever play out the exact same way. However, other than replaying the campaign over and over, players have no easy way to engage in the sandbox-style combat.
A horde mode that allowed players to instantly jump into the action would be a great addition to The Last of Us Part II multiplayer experience. Players could set traps in between rounds, and the new mechanics that TLOU2 brings to gameplay (such as the ability to go prone and jump) could allow for some truly incredible combat scenarios. A horde mode that allowed players to frantically scavenge for supplies between rounds and hide from enemies throughout the match would make it truly unique.
At this point, all fans can do is wait for Naughty Dog to reveal just what kind of ambitious project it has been working on, and finally give fans an idea of what to expect from a new Last of Us multiplayer experience. A leak of multiplayer gameplay last summer assured fans that the work was being done, but just what that will evolve into remains a mystery.
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