Summary

  • The Last of Us Part 3 may explore the Cordyceps infection in animals, adding a new dimension to the franchise.
  • The virus could evolve to affect animals, increasing the bleakness of the apocalypse.
  • To differentiate from previous games, Part 3 may introduce a terrifying new element, such as infected animals or a new human faction.

The Last of Us games brought a new and horrifying zombie-like creation into the spotlight with the Cordyceps infection. The infection rapidly takes over a person's mind, eventually turning them into fungal-ridden monsters. The Cordyceps virus in The Last of Us is one of the more horrifying interpretations of a rapidly spreading disease, and The Last of Us Part 3 is at a crossroads with where the series goes next with the infection.

Throughout the series, The Last of Us has showcased a variety of phases of the Cordyceps infection. From the early stages of an infected person becoming a Runner or Stalker to the more advanced stages, like the Shambler or the dreaded Rat King, The Last of Us has seemingly demonstrated every possible point of the infection — at least in humans. However, the series has yet to explore a heartbreaking route, as there isn't nearly as much known about how Cordyceps affects certain animals.

The Last of Us 3 Could Explore How Animals Handle Cordyceps Infection

The Cordyceps Infection Could Evolve in an Unexpected Way

Since the focus is on the infected humans, The Last of Us hasn't spent a lot of time explaining how animals react to the Cordyceps infection. It's clear that plenty of animals have survived throughout the pandemic. Dogs, deer, horses, and even giraffes and zebras have been featured throughout the series. For the most part, it seems like animals are immune. The only animals that have been revealed to be affected by the Cordyceps are primates, but that could eventually change.

Despite the current immunity of most animals, the Cordyceps virus could evolve to eventually affect animals in the same way that it does humans. This would be a bleak route for the franchise to take, but The Last of Us excels at leaning into the hopelessness of an apocalypse. Currently, The Last of Us Part 3 needs a major difference from its predecessors in order to feel like a new story worth following. After the shocking reveal of the Rat King in Part 2, it's hard to imagine how the series could meet the same heights with infected humans.

Unless there's a shocking new revelation about the Cordyceps that has yet to be revealed, The Last of Us may have covered as much ground as it can with humans. In terms of upping the ante, a horrifying prospect would be for Ellie to be on a hunt or traveling through the woods only to encounter a Cordyceps-infected bear or elk. This would be a completely new route for developers to play with since it would be fascinating to see how the mind-bending fungus changed animal behavior.

The Last of Us Part 3 Raising the Bar on In-Game Danger

There is no official announcement for The Last of Us Part 3, but a third chapter seems highly likely. It will be exciting to see what direction Naughty Dog chooses to take the story, but there are also high expectations to meet. The Last of Us Part 2 may have been divisive at launch, but it's grown to be a solid continuation of Ellie's story. However, Ellie's next chapter might feel stuck if she's facing the same dangers as the last game.

In order to set itself apart from the other two games, The Last of Us Part 3 needs to raise the stakes. This could be done with a terrifying new human faction, a yet-to-be-seen Cordyceps evolution, having the virus infect animals, or even a combination. There are many routes the franchise could go, but that is a tough choice to make, and it's a decision that could make or break the tension of survival in The Last of Us Part 3.

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The Last of Us Part 2
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10 /10
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Released
June 19, 2020
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog
Publisher(s)
Sony
Engine
Proprietary
Franchise
The Last of Us
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure
How Long To Beat
24 Hours
Metascore
93