Summary
When it comes to the horror genre,The Last of Usgames are some of the best. Naughty Dog’s use of horror elements as a way to tell a deeper narrative has brought forth one of the greatest stories in modern gaming. From the lore to the combat,The Last of Usoffers an incredibly compelling experience, and its realism is one of the most immersive parts of the series.
As a way to make the gameplay feel realistic,The Last of Us' use of everyday objectsas weapons heightens the stakes of combat due to the limited durability of each item. Whether it’s a baseball bat, a 2x4, or a crowbar, each melee weapon can only be used so much until it eventually breaks. Some melee weapons are stronger than others, but the breaking point of each weapon is predictable due to each weapon being assigned a specific number of uses until it reaches its limit. The future ofThe Last of Uswill likely bring its realism to the next level, and this would be best pulled off by using RNG (random number generation).
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RNG is the Upgrade The Last of Us' Combat Needs
For those unfamiliar with RNG, it’s essentially used to randomize events within a game, and this is why it would be a perfect feature to implement on melee weapons inThe Last of Us. Although the games have incredibly lifelike qualities,The Last of Us' approach to giving specific breaking points to each different melee weapon can sometimes take away the immersion. The amazingmechanics inThe Last of Usare essential to the game’s immersion, and whatever the next game in the series ends up being, it would do nothing but benefit from adding RNG.
Instead of being able to plan attacks around how much durability a melee weapon has, players would have to take far more consideration into how often they use a melee weapon. A more realistic combat experience would be the fear of knowing that a found object could break at any moment.The Last of Usis one of the most lifelike gamesto have been developed, and its heart-stopping encounters with both Clickers and other humans are insanely tense, and the unexpected break of a baseball bat or a pipe could leave players holding their controllers with white knuckles.
When using ranged weapons, like guns or bows, hoarding ammo and using them as little as possible is a defining feature inThe Last of Us' survivalist gameplay. Adding RNG elements to the melee portion of the weapons would completely heighten the tension and cause players to play more strategically; swapping between melee and ranged weapons in a more thought-out way. Morerealistic features inThe Last of Uswould not only make the game more immersive, but it would make it far more hectic.The Last of Usalready has a reputation for its sweat-inducing gameplay, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be made even more brutal.
For players who prefer focusing on the story instead of a combat challenge, a compromise could even be found in only adding RNG into the game’s most challenging mode. Theaddition of Grounded ModetoThe Last of Usgave the most hardcore players a nearly impossible challenge with its embrace of realism, and RNG would feel right at home in this mode. Whatever the future ofThe Last of Usholds, it’s certain to be another emotional roller coaster both with its story and combat.
