A little while ago fans were rocked with the news thatThe Last of Us Part IIwould not have a multiplayer mode, and that we might have to either wait for a multiplayer mode to be added in the future or it might not be released at all.
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The notion currently going around is that Naughty Dog might cave to the fans’ demands and add in a separate multiplayer version entirely. Should this happen, there are both pros and cons that this possibility carries. In order to split the difference between the good and the bad, here are five reasons each we’re both glad and not-so-glad the multiplayer mode will be separate inThe Last of Us Part II.
There’s really no two ways about it - the multiplayer inThe Last of Usjust wasn’t that good. It mainly suffered in comparison to the incredible single-player mode that basically everyone immersed themselves with, but the reality is that there wasn’t much to do online either.
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It was basically an inferior version of the multiplayer mode found in theUnchartedgames, with players choosing between two factions. Not a lot of imagination or creativity went here, so we’re glad that this gripe doesn’t have a chance of turning up in the sequel.
Then again, gamers have been basically hardwired to expect a multiplayer offering in games nowadays and most will feel like it’s a cop out that we’ll be purchasing what seems to be an incomplete experience.
Even though quite a fair amount of people only check out the online features sparingly, there’s still a feeling of satisfaction that one has acquired the full game, and there’s always the option of playing multiplayer should one feel the need to. Now, that aspect will be taken away, leaving a definite sense of incompleteness.
It’s been stated by Naughty Dog thatThe Last of Us Part IIwill be played on two discs, all because the single-player has been made so grand in presentation that there was no way to fit it in the usual one disc.
This guarantees the single-player mode will be polished to the point where any problems that people might have had with the first game will be dealt with. This should also confirm that the game’s length will be greater than before and we might have a moreimmersive zombie experience.
Building on an earlier point, there will be those who won’t be happy not having the multiplayer option because it effectively extends the gameplay feature for players. After all, there’s only so many times you can play through the story.
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Multiplayer modes are best for getting more value out of a purchase as the unpredictability allows one to repeat their plays over and again. Those who only purchase the single-player version of the game might play it once and leave it at that.
As mentioned above, the original game’s multiplayer mode left a lot to be desired, with fans even coming up with their own ideas over what they could’ve had for their online playthroughs. So, having an entirely separate online game might lead to these wishes could be fulfilled.
There’s little chance that Naughty Dog would want to repeat the same format in multiplayer seen in the first game, which means a multiplayer game would have a radically different feel and gaming style from the single-player experience.
The pessimistic point of view for the above point would be that we might just end up with a rehashed version of the original game’s multiplayer and have to pay a full game’s price for it. There have already beenmany jokes made at this series’ expense, but this would be something that would cause outrage.
There were criticisms forUncharted: The Lost Legacybeing separate from Uncharted 4 too, but things were salvaged because of the lesser price range. However, if multiplayer is sold at a relatively high rate then this won’t sit well with fans who might feel cheated at having to play double what we’re supposed to get in one purchase.
While you might feel as if theUnchartedseries is better thanThe Last of Usor vice versa, one thing they both don’t excel at is the online feature.Uncharted 4’smultiplayer mode couldn’t bring out the same praise its single-player did, so the ball might be inThe Last of Us Part II’scourt to set a new standard.
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If an entirely different format is to be made for the multiplayer portion for this game, then we could be in for some true innovation on Naughty Dog’s part that will not only makeThe Last of Us Part II’smultiplayer a superb one, but will ensure future games - those that are from separate franchises even - carry this surge in quality.
There’s already a kind of animosity between fans of different genres and play modes, and there’s not much harmony between those who prefer story driven games compared to those who just want to have a fun experience in the online mode.
Having two versions ofThe Last of Us Part IIcould lead to some only playing the multiplayer offering and ignoring the story one. It’ll be inevitable for certain groups to form where one side of the fans champion the single-player mode for what it is while others remain loyal only to the multiplayer version.
There’s already been a pretty big delay from the early-2020 original release forThe Last of Us Part IIto the mid-2020 release date that is currently in place, but this might be a good thing as the PlayStation 5’s release might be around the corner by then.
With this in mind, there can be a PS5 version ofThe Last of Us Part IIin store, which can lead to players who own both the new system and a PS4 getting to play against one another inThe Last of Us Part II’sonline version. This way, there will instantly be a large user base to play against.
Of course, making games takes a lot of time and effort, andThe Last of Us Part IIis already arriving a whopping seven years after the first game. If Naughty Dog chooses to make a game entirely devoted to the online mode, thenThe Last of Us Part IIIwill be pushed to the far future.
This really isn’t a good thing, as having a third part in the series early sounds infinitely better than to wait for this game to release presumably about a decade afterThe Last of Us Part IIjust because a multiplayer game was devoted to it.
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