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The Last of Us 2 needs to transition to full RPG gameplay
- Thread starter HeelPower
- Start date
Ninja Scooter
Member
It's kind of hard for the two not to go hand in hand.
The reason so many rpgs and open world games share gameplay structure these days is because if you are being given the ability to really dictate your characters development arc, you need a variety of missions and types of gameplay to flesh that out. An rpg where you can level up your character and make development decisions, but ultimately just go through the same singular storyline as everyone else, is a bad rpg.
Nah dude, The Last of Us is all about mudering the shit outta people. If anything it needs more killing.
BoxManLocke
Member
That's not all the game is. The exploration phases are crucial in setting the atmosphere and establishing connections between characters.
Also like ModestMouseTrap said the combat/stealth sections are a great representation of the constant dangers and violence in this world.
It only works because it's so simple in it's mechanics. Adding stuff that takes you of the atmosphere, breaks the pacing and just makes things more gamey is a terrible idea.
What you have to understand is that this isn't part of the narrative that they are trying to tell.
An open world rpg often involves quests and side quests which robs the characters of agency. If it's a game about a slow moving conflict then yes, if it's about discovery then yes but the narrative is rather complex and very heavy.
The only thing that can be added that wouldn't disrupt the narrative cohesion is to include a Stamina mechanic which may force the player to consider their situation with supplies and food. Here, they can include a risk reward system where you will have to go find food materials which can be a risk.
But to include a complete rpg system means that they have to spend hours adding mechanisms that takes advantage of that and it has to make narrative sense in connection with the main emotion of the game. Imagine Joel desperately trying to help Ellie deal with her emotions but he has a side quest to find spare parts for some random npc?
An open world rpg often involves quests and side quests which robs the characters of agency. If it's a game about a slow moving conflict then yes, if it's about discovery then yes but the narrative is rather complex and very heavy.
The only thing that can be added that wouldn't disrupt the narrative cohesion is to include a Stamina mechanic which may force the player to consider their situation with supplies and food. Here, they can include a risk reward system where you will have to go find food materials which can be a risk.
But to include a complete rpg system means that they have to spend hours adding mechanisms that takes advantage of that and it has to make narrative sense in connection with the main emotion of the game. Imagine Joel desperately trying to help Ellie deal with her emotions but he has a side quest to find spare parts for some random npc?
Cow Goes Moo
Member
only if i get to have a giraffe pet
Ellie .- "Jesus, Joel!!"
facetheslayer92
Member
Not sure Sony needs another third person open world game.
No it isn't.
I don't find it believable that people,20 years after the breakout, refuse to reason or do anything other than kill on sight.
The game doesn't doesn't believe it either, you have characters like Sam and Henry for a reason.
Even David and Marlene(the big baddies) don't aggress and engage you the moment they spot you.
But every other goon outside of cutscenes does.Huge disconnect between cutscenes and gameplay.
finalflame
Gold Member
As long as it's also a procedurally generated rogue-lite, I'm fine with that.
D1renegade
Member
This is legit one of the worst gaming ideas I've ever heard. The gameplay of TLOU perfectly complements the story and characters.
Yes! These were also the most fun segments in Uncharted 4. I'd really prefer less but (even) more tense enemy encounters.
And TLoU is all about the story and characters. RPGs are about creating your own story and characters. This is incomaptible.
The failing point in this request is that you think the gameplay needs to make concessions to the series' narrative.
TLoU is a game that stands on it's own merits because the gameplay and enemy encounters stand on their own merits. That element of the games doesn't need to be kneecapped at the behest of the story just because you don't like the having a consistent stream of combat.
More_Badass
Member
This is like saying most everyone else wouldn't be roaming band of cannibal killers in The Road because the father and son met some nice people, or any apocalyptic game/move/book/show with antagonistic gangs/bandits for that matter
GribbleGrunger
Dreams in Digital
Some people just didn't understand TLOU.
Jawbreaker
Member
It just needs to retain the brutality and light survival aspects. Perhaps a more robust version of it.
Nope. Also the gameplay is perfectly aligned to convey the brutality of the world and make you implicit in the acts of violence it contains so I think your base arguement doesn't hold. There's no disconnect. If anything TLOU excels at meshing gameplay and themes.
It's at it's weakest trying to introduce the odd puzzle or raft section.
It's at it's strongest when focused on acts of desperate survival and the impact of violence of people.
It's at it's weakest trying to introduce the odd puzzle or raft section.
It's at it's strongest when focused on acts of desperate survival and the impact of violence of people.
TheGhostSix
Neo Member
I was going to comment something but nothing I say could possibly express our feelings better than this gif.
Well done.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
It's the exactly the opposite of what you're saying WTF?
No it doesn't need to be a RPG. Third person shooter / stealth is enough.
No it doesn't need to be a RPG. Third person shooter / stealth is enough.
AusRoachman
Member
It should be a kart racing game .
Not Spaceghost
Spaceghost
RPG elements are so blehhhh in shooters.
What made the last of us wonderful was how straight forward it was, there wasn't an ocean of mechanics it was just you, a broken bottle, 3 bullets, and an area to survive though.
I'd honestly say the crafting / upgrades could be ditched completely.
What made the last of us wonderful was how straight forward it was, there wasn't an ocean of mechanics it was just you, a broken bottle, 3 bullets, and an area to survive though.
I'd honestly say the crafting / upgrades could be ditched completely.
JetSetRadio
Banned
Fuck no. Should even drop that crafting shit.
Domcorleone
Member
Terrible idea. Clearly the game isn't for you OP and thats OK. The game was successful because its gameplay and narrative elements worked effectively.
TLOU 2 should simply expand exploration, new stealth mechanics, larger combat spaces, and more crafting elements/options
TLOU 2 should simply expand exploration, new stealth mechanics, larger combat spaces, and more crafting elements/options
LiquidSolid
Member
Bad idea is bad. If anything, I think TLOU2 needs to lean a bit more into its survival horror elements.
broscientific
Member
It begins
MightyKAC
Member
This right here is where you lost me.
If you couldn't see a live and inhabited world in the dialogue between Ellie and Joel or the set pieces that constructed the post apocalyptic world and all the little details sprinkled throughout then that's on you.
As for the rest of your post it seems like you want the next TLoU to be a completely different type of experience then what ND is shooting for. Which I get, but simply isn't the kind of game they're trying to make.
There are plenty of people in the original quarantine zone and Tommy's place that don't fight you. It just so happens that most of the game doesn't take place in areas like this, and these regular people have no need to leave these areas. The dangers of the outside world are not just shown through the goons and the infected but also through the notes and remnants of people who were out there and didn't make it.
Maybe a scene or two of somebody in the streets who isn't important or an optional conversation with someone in these areas could have been added. But these are small changes, not a transition to full RPG gameplay.
Alex_Mexico
Member
No it doesnt. I suppose you're one of those who think that open world is by default better than linear gameplay.
Im loving Horizon Zero Dawn as much as the next guy but I certainly dont want every game to be like this!
Im loving Horizon Zero Dawn as much as the next guy but I certainly dont want every game to be like this!
I mean...no. The whole view of TLoU is using your surroundings and limited ammo to survive the game...(Only played Hard/Survival mode, so not sure about normal and below =P) Making it a progressive game where one gets stronger would kind of, sort of, diminish that.
What I would like for them to do, is add a bigger variety of melee items...and not necessarily in the way they go about in interacting with the enemy(although this would be ideal), but at the very least a variety of different skins for said bricks/pipes/bottles (If they want to be lazy).
What I would like for them to do, is add a bigger variety of melee items...and not necessarily in the way they go about in interacting with the enemy(although this would be ideal), but at the very least a variety of different skins for said bricks/pipes/bottles (If they want to be lazy).
Lord of Ostia
Member
OP, I don't buy your insistence that TLOU's story and gameplay are incongruous with one another. In fact, I think they reinforce each other quite well. You don't really provide any good argument of why you think the combat sections are out of place, especially when the game does a great job of contextualizing practically every combat encounter. Joel and Ellie aren't even hyper aggressive, if they could've gotten to the Fireflies without any fighting they would've preferred it that way, but they were preyed on by larger groups...which is exactly how an apocalyptic scenario would play out. Besides, there are plenty of segments of the game with very little combat.
With that said, making the game an RPG doesn't solve any of the issues you are suggesting the game has.
With that said, making the game an RPG doesn't solve any of the issues you are suggesting the game has.
No thanks, Last Of Us 2 doesn't need to do anything, it could tell a continuation story with the exact same gameplay/narrative structure as 1 and it would be brilliant. All your suggestions make it sound like an inferior game frankly. There are things that can be improved that Naughty Dog has likely taken note of, but I can say with a 100% confidence that it won't be "transition to full RPG gameplay"
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