Elden Ring Could Be A Major Source Of Inspiration For The Last Of Us Part 3
As the long-awaited HBO series based on 2013's The Last of Us finally makes its grand arrival, it looks like Naughty Dog's survival horror is back in the cultural consciousness. To be honest, it's where it belongs.
The game is one of the very best in terms of interactive narratives, and if it hadn't already, proves to the world that Naughty Dog is one of the best game developers around.
The Last of Us might be about to get some new references in the form of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, but the show itself has given new players the chance to take the game for a spin, and even to wonder what the future holds for the series.
Thanks to a new interview, we might have something of an idea about what's on the way for the mythical The Last of Us Part 3.
Neil Druckmann Praises Elden Ring's Subtle Storytelling
Click to enlargeNeil Druckmann is Naughty Dog royalty and the director of the original game. He's been on an illuminating circuit of interviews to celebrate the release of the series, revealing that a great source of influence for his development style in the future has come from one of last year's best games.
Praising Elden Ring's storytelling through minor clues and putting trust in the player to piece them together, in an interview with The Washington Post, Druckmann hints that this style of creating a story could come to life in whatever comes next in Joel and Ellie's story.
"I'm more recently intrigued by stuff like Elden Ring and Inside that doesn't rely as much on traditional narrative to tell its story," says Druckmann.
"Some of the best storytelling in The Last Of Us is in the cinematics, but a lot of it is in gameplay, and moving around the space, and understanding the history of a space by just looking at it and examining it.
"To me, right now, that's some of the best joy I get out of games that trust their audience to figure things out. That don't hold your hand, that's the stuff I'm really intrigued by going forward."
Neil Druckmann - 'I Think There's More Story To Tell'
Speaking in another interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Druckmann offered his first stance on the possibility of making a third game in the series of The Last of Us - and it sounds promising.
After it was revealed in 2021 that a basic outline of a potential story for The Last of Us Part III has been made, we haven't heard much about the game. Now, Druckmann has reiterated, "I think there's more story to tell."
Whatever it is, it's likely better than AI's version of Part 3. Whether or not it takes grand influence from Elden Ring, we're definitely going to take it. Provided there are no Fire Giants involved.