Naughty Dog's The Last of Us is one of those games that truly nail each and every aspect of storytelling; from the character's motives and psychology, to the causality of things and how every event can have an impact on people. This deep approach makes both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part 2 very intense games, and not just because of what happens in the story, but also how alive and dangerous the world feels. All these things combined make for a unique experience that immerses the players in a violent world full of stunning landscapes, where survival is paramount, and so is one's humanity or the loss of it.

The events of The Last of Us tell the story of an emotionally stunted man who lost too much to allow himself to care and feel once again. All the while, a young girl who wants to see the world and escape her own reality because she's too mature for her age. Joel and Ellie find each other and grow together on their journey, where they have to build trust and understand themselves. This carries over into The Last of Us 2's prologue, before the story takes a very dark turn. This is important because what glues together the first and the second game is this complex mix; the way The Last of Us Part 2 ends is enough to warrant a third chapter in the series, which could come much sooner than some might think.

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Why The Last of Us Part 3 Should Come Before The Last of Us' Remake

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Work on The Last of Us began in 2009, back when Naughty Dog had just released Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and was about to start development on Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. The Last of Us was eventually released in 2013 for PS3, and it was soon praised as a great game that offered a lot in terms of gameplay, soundtrack, narrative, and even the way it depicts female characters. Overall, Naughty Dog's action-adventure survival horror was and still is considered one of the best video games ever made, and rightfully so.

Of course, the graphics and world-building in The Last of Us were considered to be innovative back then. However, consoles have evolved and come a long way since 2013, with each new platform being an upgrade compared to its predecessor. This means that The Last of Us is a very different game from The Last of Us Part 2, not because the story and characters are, but because there has been a new peak of performance and graphics.

Maybe this is the reason why a remake for The Last of Us on PS5 seems so plausible, and there are several reports claiming its in the works, so that same critically acclaimed game could be experienced fresh. The upgrade from the PS4 is outstanding because the PS5 is a powerhouse, which has lightning-fast loading times, incredible performance, and graphics, making it the perfect environment to reboot a franchise or release remakes. However, it could also be the perfect platform to launch The Last of Us Part 3.

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The Last of Us Part 3: the Evolution of Consoles and the Game's Story

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With the first game on PS3, and the second on PS4, it would only make sense for Naughty Dog to release The Last of Us Part 3 for PS5, providing fans of the series with a far deeper sense of progression than just that of the story. Experiencing the trilogy across three different consoles, each more powerful than the previous one, could provide a very unique experience. What the PS5 has to offer shouldn't go towards a remake of The Last of Us before Part 3 is ever released.

With the Dual Sense controllers and the haptic feedback, playing The Last of Us Part 3 on the PS5 could be an even more intense experience. There's always a sense of dread in both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part 2 because they are, at their very core, horror games that are meant to make players feel uneasy about what could happen. Combining Naughty Dog's great work on sound design for The Last of Us with the immersive setting and haptic feedback would make a new game in the series all the more compelling to play.

Furthermore, as far as the story is concerned, The Last of Us Part 2 ends Ellie's arc in a very bitter and sad way. After losing Joel, and then Dina and her baby because of her own desire for revenge, Ellie did end up with way less than when the game started. She lost her family, her father figure, the support she had, and even two fingers — all because she couldn't get out of a vicious cycle of violence, loss, and thirst for revenge.

One of The Last of Us Part 2's last scenes sees Ellie trying to play guitar, but the instrument is out of tune, and so is she. It was Joel who taught her how to play, and she now has to learn to live her own life, and live with the choices she made, no matter where they led her over time. But Dina and JJ are still out there, and so is Tommy.

The Last of Us Part 3 could pick up where the second game left things, but this time making Ellie's journey about something more meaningful, sort of mirroring Tommy's journey, and in a way Joel's too. There could also be room to continue the story of Abby and Lev, who in the end left for Catalina Island where the Fireflies are, meaning that The Last of Us Part 2's deuteragonist's arc could come full circle in Part 3.

Regardless, it's worth noting that Neil Druckmann confirmed that he wrote the outline for what the story of The Last of Us Part 3 would be, and he would love to tell it with a new game. As such, no matter the direction the story will take, but what matters is that because of all these reasons The Last of Us Part 3 could be much nearer than anticipated.

The Last of Us Part 2 is available on PlayStation 4.

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