Naughty Dog has been one of the industry’s top talents for some time now, and it’s fair to say that the studio has consistently evolved with each release. From the light-hearted adventures ofJak and Daxterto the thrilling romps ofUncharted, Naughty Dog has consistently delivered engaging stories that are a joy to experience.
However,The Last of Usstands out from Naughty Dog’s other releases - thanks to a storyline that’s more mature and a world that’s more unforgiving in nature. However, the biggest departure that the two games make is in the endings department. BothThe Last of Usand its follow-upThe Last of Us Part 2feature endings that are intentionally vague, and that’s something that speaks very well to the game’s themes and longevity.
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The Last of Us: The Art of Intentionally Vague Endings
The Last of Usgames feature well-written plots starring charactersthat have suffered extreme emotional trauma. The relationships that these characters share and how they evolve over the course of the story takes center stage as opposed to an overarching plot concerning higher stakes. Ellie, Joel, and most others are all morally ambiguous characters, having motivations that can best be described as realistic.
Naughty Dogdoes these mature plots justice by not overtly relying on expository dialogue. Instead, the story lets the silence speak instead. The awkward pauses and sighs taken by characters amidst important scenes subtly hint at their mental states, which gives fans a moment to soak in all that’s happened and what might come next.
This is best portrayed bythe endings of bothThe Last of Usgames. The first game ends with an awkward conversation between Joel and Ellie, where the two confront each other about what went down at the hospital. It’s clear that Ellie doesn’t really trust Joel’s narrative, but she still hesitantly agrees upon his version of the truth just out of love. The best part is that all potential conclusions are one’s personal interpretation of the game, which bestows a sense of personal connection to the narrative. Suffice to say, it’s a feat that very few games manage to achieve.
In a similar vein,The Last of Us Part 2’s ending is also vague- albeit to not such a degree. When Ellie returns to her home after the final showdown with Abby, she picks up the guitar to play something. Of course, her severed finger makes it impossible for her to play - stripping her away of the only thing that reminded her of Joel. Ellie is, understandably enough, painfully silent throughout this entire period - seemingly staring into the void. She then gets up and starts walking out into the unknown, seemingly without any intent or motivation. Where she ends up going and what thoughts must have been prevailing inside her head all remain a mystery, with the answer sure to differ from player to player.
Again, it’s a masterful narrative device that allows fans to be deeply invested in a narrative and hold some personal stakes in what happens. Leaving intentional gaps in important parts of a story is easily one of the best parts of Naughty Dog’s approach, especially when the lead-up to the ending is a tightly-scripted thrill ride filled with numerous obstacles and set-pieces galore. Perhaps this is whyThe Last of Usand its follow-up are considered to be two of the best games of the last generation.A TV series adaptation based onThe Last of Usis also in the works, and with game director Neil Druckmann reprising his role for a few episodes, it seems fair to expect it to recapture the same charm of the series. Hopefully,The Last of Uson HBO is able to maintain some ambiguity in certain moments as well.
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