The Last of Us Multiplayer has the potential to include a feature that could redeem players from the controversial animal killing that was seen in The Last of Us Part 2. Bringing dogs and other animals into the multiplayer game as companions could balance out the feeling of killing these pets in the previous game, as well as introduce some interesting new ideas to the franchise.
The Last of Us Part 2 introduced a new type of enemy – dogs. The dogs were essentially trained and kept by The Last of Us Part 2's human enemies and were able to track Ellie's scent in order to find her location and attack. This new addition to combat scenarios made it particularly tough to stealthily pass through a congested area without being detected. Additionally, though, it could feel quite brutal for some players to have to kill these dogs when all they really want to do is love and pet them.
The Last of Us Multiplayer Should Bring Back Dogs in a Friendlier Way
The Last of Us’ upcoming multiplayer game could bring dogs back in a new light and do a lot more with them. For starters, those enemy dogs could now become player companions that help you in exploration and/or combat, creating more fun and less gruesome ways to interact with animals than seen previously.
Maybe players could have a dog that can sniff out certain supplies and resources, or they could have a dog that retains the TLoU 2 feature of tracking enemy players’ scents to give them the edge in combat. Introducing companion dogs to the new game would be a treat for pet lovers, especially after being forced to kill one of The Last of Us Part 2's dogs in a brutal section of the game.
With any multiplayer game often comes a plethora of customization options. While The Last of Us Multiplayer could include character customization, it could also benefit from including pet customization in case they are indeed part of the game. Whether it be by selecting a breed, pattern, clothing, etc., there could be plenty of ways for players to personalize their dog and make it look the way they prefer through collectible cosmetics. Personalizing a dog companion would give players the much-wanted attachment to the furry companions that The Last of Us Part 2 didn't provide .
The Last of Us Multiplayer Should be a Haven for Pet Lovers
Maybe Naughty Dog wants to go a step further and introduce new pets as companions, after all, there are plenty more animals in the world besides dogs and horses. On the contrary, it could feel exhausting to once again be fighting with animals after being in combat with dogs in The Last of Us Part 2. Those who like games that allow to pet dogs could have the option to obtain purely cosmetic pets instead of combat pets. Maybe players could have a cute cat that follows them around or a bird that sits on their shoulder outside of combat.
It would make sense for players to be able to interact with their companions while out and about. In The Last of Us Part 2, there are a couple of sections in the game where players can interact with a dog. Once in Jackson, where players can choose to make Ellie pet The Last of Us' fan-favorite dog, Buckley, and another later in the game where players can play fetch with another dog. Playing with companion animals would be a welcome feature to appear in the multiplayer game by pet lovers, and may also be what the game needs in order to rectify the feeling of killing the pet dogs from The Last of Us Part 2.
The Last of Us’ multiplayer spinoff is currently in development.