The Last Of Us Part 2 got a performance patch last week. This is so that the game runs really well on PS4, and it’s actually quite a good-looking enhancement. Unfortunately for those of us with a digital-only console, it means that we have to buy the game again. That’s not the point though. I get that Sony wants people to play on its latest console I do, but Naughty Dog has much bigger things to be working on. First and foremost should be a sequel to the fantastic Factions mode from the first game. It’s the only multiplayer game outside of Destiny 2 that I’ve ever become truly invested in, and I can’t wait for it to finally come back.
Factions is basically just The Last Of Us combat encounters but with other real players. You are split into teams and have to battle against each other until you complete the objective. There are only a few modes available, but they’re all golden. In one, you must interrogate other players, but in another, you simply need to outlive your opponents and whittle down their lives in an elimination-style battle of attrition. You also have an overarching multiplayer “story” that sees your own band of survivors grow over the course of matches, and you need to complete certain objectives to survive encounters or get over other issues that come your way.
There was no multiplayer element in The Last Of Us Part 2 at launch, but the studio alluded to something special coming in the future. My hope is a free-to-play standalone experience that’s exclusive to PS5. I want more The Last Of Us action, but if it’s independent, it can live on forever outside of The Last Of Us Part 2. This is where a new community can fall in love with Factions again, but Naughty Dog needs to be working on it if it’s ever going to happen. Please Sony, for the love of all that is good, stop giving Naughty Dog stuff to do and let them build a cohesive multiplayer experience that will make you and them even more money, and the fans endlessly happy.