The end of The Last of Us 2 saw Ellie stand alone after her quest for revenge, and that may be where the third one picks up. A third game has not been officially unveiled, but Naughty Dog will likely want to continue the story at some point. While the next game could put players back in the shoes of Ellie, it may prove more interesting if players were given control of another new set of characters. Allowing players to experience this world from new perspectives really helps make each game feel unique, and it can do wonders for the narrative.

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The Last of Us 1 put players in control of a smuggler named Joel who was surviving in a post-apocalyptic United States for some time. Players got to witness the heartbreaking death of his daughter at the start of the infection to understand how it changed him. He spends much of his time afterward traversing the quarantine zone of Boston, smuggling goods and doing his best to survive. Everything changes when he is tasked with smuggling a teenage girl named Ellie to a band of survivors known as the Fireflies.

The Last of Us 2 deals with the aftermath of Joel’s decision to save Ellie at the end of the first. This time, the player took control of Ellie and a brand-new character named Abby. Ellie is hunting down Abby to get revenge, meanwhile Abby is going on her own mission to save her friends. It was a different type of story than the first, and carried some heavy themes within its narrative. Players got to be immersed in the conflict from both sides, and it showed the brutality of this post-apocalyptic world.

There was some carryover between the two Last of Us titles as Ellie served as the main catalyst behind the events of the first, but she became the center of attention in the second. Both games told dark stories in their own special ways. It helped players get a look at this world from multiple perspectives, and further built it out with brand-new sets of characters. The series has also been one of the few video game series to give players an in-depth look at both sides of a conflict.

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Different Characters Offer New Perspectives

The first Last of Us game let players witness the journey of a man who has lost much but finds purpose in Ellie, and the second game let them witness how far a person would go to avenge the ones they love. They are wholly unique stories that complement each other well, and different perspectives only added to that.

When players control different people they get to see the world from different eyes. Joel reacts to the world very differently than Ellie does, and Abby brought a whole new set of characters and dynamic that the other two characters did not have. This further builds out the world with intriguing characters, and also lets players see it differently depending upon who they are. It makes the world of The Last of Us feel more fleshed out as each game carries with it a whole new feeling.

The different main characters also change up gameplay in their respective games. Joel was an older man, and as such the combat mechanics were built so players would feel like it. Ellie was far more nimble since she was younger, and the second game allowed for more mobility as a result. Abby was bulkier than Ellie, and she felt as such with her powerful melee attacks. Each character also touted different arsenals of weapons that made combat scenarios feel different.

Brand-new protagonists can do a lot for a series, and The Last of Us shows that it has really helped the narrative Naughty Dog wants to tell. Each character has felt unique, players have really connected with them. The eventual third entry in the series should really follow this model and give players control of another new character. This could be a character made just for Part 3, or a former side character.

The Last of Us 2 did not leave many notable characters alive by the end, but there are still plenty Naughty Dog could choose from. Players could gain control of characters like Lev, Dina, Tommy, or even Dina’s child after a significant time skip. Whatever choice Naughty Dog makes, a brand-new protagonist could do much for the series and give players an even better look at this post-apocalyptic world; at least as long as the narrative is on par with Naughty Dog’s finest.

The Last of Us Part 1 is available now on PlayStation 5.

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