The Last of Us to Boast Online Component

Naughty Dog’s upcoming survival horror title, The Last Of Us, won’t be an entirely solitary affair. Chatting in the latest issue of Game Informer magazine, the developer has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 exclusive will sport some form of online interaction – though the developer was coy about specific details.

Director Bruce Straley explained:

We’re going to have some sort of online component. We’re working on a bunch of ideas, but we haven’t nailed anything down. We definitely know it’s going to be awesome.

Elsewhere in the same issue, Game Informer revealed the first details about The Last Of Us’ narrative.

As we already know, the game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has fallen victim to a fungus outbreak. The game takes place some 20 years after the outbreak, allowing characters such as protagonist Joel to recall the time before the disease.

Ellie, however, is too young to remember the “old world” and so is fascinated by everyday items such as CDs and books.

The pair’s relationship is founded when Joel liberates the girl from a military quarantine as a favour for a dying friend. According to Naughty Dog, their rapport is inspired by movies such as the Road To Perdition, as well Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ Drake and Tenzin.

Despite being the start of a new franchise, Naughty Dog won’t be leaving cliffhangers at the end of The Last Of Us. Creative director Neil Druckmann said:

The story is self-contained. The story stands on its own. We don’t end on a cliffhanger. The characters and the journey they go through ends with this story.

The magazine mentions a Fall 2012 release date for The Last Of Us, but Sony has since clarified that the date is speculation on Game Informer’s part. Early 2013 seems like a more reasonable time-frame to us. We can’t wait.